title: 18th Street Gang Associate from El Salvador Sentenced for Dealing Fentanyl

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Salvadoran national associated with the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling 1,000 fentanyl pills in and around the North Shore area of Boston. Orlando Mancia, a/k/a Intruso, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 21 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In August 2025 , Mancia pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl. On Oct. 15, 2024, in Everett, Mancia sold approximately 500 pressed fentanyl pills to a cooperating witness. Later, on Oct. 23, 2024, Mancia again sold another 500 pressed fentanyl pills along with cocaine to the cooperating witness. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Moran of the Criminal Division and Fred Wyshak of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


title: Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Gun to almost 5 Years in Federal Prison

component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Federal Judge sentenced Marcus Terrell Burney, 44, to 4.8 years in federal prison for possession of a gun by a felon. Inmate Burney pleaded guilty to the crime. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Inmate Burney drove his car on I-40 in Sampson County with an expired registration. Sampson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop and during an open-air sniff, K-9 “Rocky” gave a positive alert for the presence of narcotics. That led to the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office along with ATF to conduct a probable cause search of the car, which yielded a loaded S7W M&P 40 caliber gun in the center console, an open bottle of tequila, digital scales with powder residue, and marijuana residue. Inmate Burney had a blood alcohol content level of 0.13 when tested on the roadside. This conviction is Inmate Burney’s third federal conviction. First, in 2004, Inmate Burney was convicted of federal felony offenses Possession with the Intent to Sell Marijuana and Possession of a Gun in Furtherance of a Drug Crime. Second, in 2012, Inmate Burney was convicted of the federal felony offenses Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Sell Crack Cocaine and Hydrocodone. Inmate Burney was on Federal Supervised Release at the time of the third offense. “It’s really easy to avoid this type of crime. If you cannot legally possess a gun, then don’t even try. Stay away from drug dealing, too, unless you want to go to prison for many years.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Thanks to the alert work of our deputies, a traffic stop led to the arrest of an individual who was already on federal probation and illegally in possession of a firearm. This case highlights the importance of proactive policing and traffic enforcement in keeping dangerous weapons off our streets. I’m proud of our deputies for their dedication to public safety and their commitment to holding offenders accountable” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton. W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. Sampson County Sheriff’s Office and ATF investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Aria Q. Merle and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Severo prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina .


title: Two Individuals Charged in Scheme to “Straw Purchase” Firearms

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals in a scheme to “straw purchase” firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Habonisun Mynez Chaverst, 28, of Center Point, Alabama, and Keonna Daniella Cephus, 38, of Birmingham, Alabama, with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and submit false ATF forms 4473. Cephus was also charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. According to the indictment, between October 2024 and November 2024, Chaverst partnered with co-defendant Cephus to purchase six firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee. Cephus, the straw purchaser, falsified documents by specifically stating that she was the actual buyer when in fact she was buying the firearms for Chaverst. On two separate occasions in November 2024, Cephus purchased two .40 caliber Glock 22 pistols, two .40 caliber Glock 23 pistols, and two 9mm Glock 17 pistols from Hoover Tactical Firearms. Cephus used money provided by Chaverst to purchase the firearms. The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Memphis Man Convicted of Making Threats to Murder Federal Prosecutors and a Federal Judge

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – Justin Deshun Stiger, 33, of Memphis, Tennessee, was convicted this week of making threats to murder two Memphis federal prosecutors and a Memphis federal judge after a jury trial in Memphis, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee was recused from the case because two of that office’s prosecutors were victims and the matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Middle District of Tennessee. “Threats to law enforcement and the federal judiciary are not just attacks on those individuals. They are threats to the justice system itself. We take those extremely seriously, and we will hold those who make them accountable for their actions,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Federal courtrooms are no place for violent threats, and public servants who are dedicated to serving our communities need to be able to go to work without worrying about someone threating to kill them.” According to the evidence presented at trial, Stiger was set to be sentenced in federal court in Memphis on April 16, 2025, for his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy when he began threatening the prosecutors. Witnesses testified that Stiger, who has a prior conviction for a crime of violence and ties to a criminal street gang, pointed at federal prosecutors and said they were “going to die” because of the sentence they intended to recommend. When U.S. District Judge Mark Norris began having Stiger removed from the courtroom after his threats to the prosecutors, Stiger then threatened the judge saying “You’re gonna die too, judge.” When Judge Norris asked if Stiger was threatening him, Stiger responded: “It ain’t no threat. It’s a promise.” According to the evidence at trial, Stiger then told a Deputy U.S. Marshal investigating the matter that “whoever gonna play with my life is gonna die.” Stiger went on to say, in a recorded statement, referring to the prosecutors and the judge: “I ain’t playing bro. Like they gonna die.” Stiger is set to be sentenced on June 18, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Memphis. He faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for each of the three counts of conviction. The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: California Man Charged with Cyberstalking

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Jeremy Ryan (38, San Diego, CA) has indicted for cyberstalking by a federal grand jury. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the indictment, from October through December 2025, Ryan used electronic communications to message Victim 1 with the intent to kill, injure, harass, and intimidate Victim 1. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.


title: Five Men Charged with Immigration Law Violations in Northwestern Ohio

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – Federal grand juries returned indictments charging four people from Honduras and one from Mexico with violating immigration laws. These are separate cases and not related. The following were charged with illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326. They were found in the Northern District of Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission. Marcos Bardales-Lopez, 26, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Dec 6, 2019. He was found in Maumee, Ohio (Lucas County) on Jan. 12. Rigoberto Gomez-Arguijo, 45, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Oct. 28, 2010. He was found in Marion (Marion County) on Jan. 8. Oscar Mendoza, 52, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Jan. 17, 2008. He was found in Maumee, Ohio (Lucas County) on Jan. 12. Additionally, the following defendants were charged with two counts of Possession of a Fraudulent Identification Document: Jimy Antonio Portillo-Ramirez, 23, a citizen of Honduras, was found in Vickery, Ohio (Sandusky County) on Jan. 6. Jose Alfredo Reyes-Gonzalez, 33, a citizen of Mexico, was found in Oak Harbor, Ohio (Ottawa County) on Jan. 18. The investigations in these cases were conducted by U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ava Rotell Dustin , Dexter L. Phillips , and Frank H. Spryszak for Northern District of Ohio. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Rhode Island Businesswoman Sentenced to More than Three Years in Prison for Money Laundering

body_text: BOSTON – A Rhode Island woman has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for her leading role in laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars of her then-boyfriend’s fentanyl trafficking money. Carolina Correa, 35, of Cranston, R.I., was sentenced on Feb. 4, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 42 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Correa was also ordered to pay a $150,000 fine and forfeiture in the amount of $350,000. In July 2025, Correa pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy. Correa – an entrepreneur, real estate owner and fundraiser – was the leader of a sophisticated multi-state scheme to launder $450,000 in fentanyl trafficking proceeds derived by her then-boyfriend, Jasdrual Perez. In December 2024 , Jasdrual Perez was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for his role as the leader of a large-scale fentanyl trafficking conspiracy responsible for manufacturing and distributing millions of fentanyl pills made to look like oxycodone and Percocet. In late 2021 to early 2022, Perez enlisted his financially savvy girlfriend Correa to assist him in concealing his drug proceeds. Correa contacted a friend who was opening a marijuana dispensary in Massachusetts and seeking investors. Correa agreed to seek out investors in the dispensary and in exchange, she would get an ownership stake and the title of CFO of the marijuana dispensary. In January 2022, Correa indicated that she had found “investors” in the marijuana dispensary. Those “investors” included a real estate investor based in North Carolina with whom Correa had a long-time personal, not professional, relationship as well as his associate. Shortly thereafter, Correa enlisted a friend to drive $350,000 in Perez’s drug proceeds from Rhode Island to Correa’s “investors” in North Carolina. Financial records showed that the North Carolina “investors” then wired $350,000 in two transactions, from two separate business accounts, in the amount of $250,000 and $200,000, to a bank account for an attorney for the marijuana dispensary. Those funds were then transferred from the attorney’s account to the marijuana dispensary’s business account. To further create an appearance of legitimacy for the concealed drug proceeds, Correa used her work email address to communicate with the North Carolina “investors.” She drafted sham loan paperwork and promissory notes for her, the CEO of the marijuana dispensary and the North Carolina “investors” to sign to conceal the true source of the funds. Correa and Perez also facilitated, and bank records confirmed, the laundering of an additional $100,000 of Perez’s drug proceeds into the marijuana dispensary’s bank account through the business bank account of a real estate investment company of one of Perez’s Rhode Island based friends. Correa used her professional reputation and public image to appear that she was legitimately securing “investors” in the marijuana dispensary while, simultaneously, in intercepted communications, she regularly described the hustle to “clean” Perez’s drug money for her own financial benefit through various financial and real estate transactions. After the successful movement of $450,000 of Perez’s drug proceeds, the photograph below was posted on her social media account: “Money launderers protect and strengthen an industry – the drug trafficking industry – that directly harms millions of people. By making drug profits usable, launderers allow drug trafficking organizations to operate like legitimate businesses. To say that money laundering is a victimless crime ignores the reality of the interconnected relationship between launderers and traffickers. As a fentanyl trafficker’s business expands, so too do the rates of drug use, addiction and overdose. Ms. Correa thought she could outsmart the system and law enforcement while she was laundering at least half a million dollars in drug proceeds,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This case should serve as a warning to others that our efforts to curb drug addiction doesn’t just involve prosecuting drug dealers, it also involves arresting their financial partners in the trafficking conspiracy.” “This case shows that fentanyl trafficking is not limited to street-level dealers,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “Ms. Correa used her business and fundraising activities to disguise and move hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds, directly supporting a trafficking operation that fuels addiction and death in our communities. The DEA will hold accountable anyone who profits from this poison, no matter how they try to hide it.” "The capability to launder illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very profit made from the distribution of their illegal drugs. Without these ill-gotten gains being ‘cleaned’, the traffickers cannot ‘legitimately’ finance their illicit business or spend the money,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “As the role of IRS-CI in narcotics investigations is to follow the money, we are highly skilled at financially disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations. We are proud to provide our financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice." U.S. Attorney Foley, DEA SAC Forget and IRS-CI SAC Demeo and made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigations; Rhode Island State Police; Massachusetts State Police; and the Cranston, Warwick and West Warwick, Rhode Island Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Weinstein and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Divisions prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $200 Million in Criminal and Civil Actions in Fiscal Year 2025

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida collected $188,113,543 in criminal and civil debts in fiscal year 2025. Of that amount, $173,471,304.33 was recovered through criminal restitution collections, and $14,642,238.67 was collected in civil actions to enforce debts owed to the U.S. These recoveries reflect the Office’s continued commitment to securing restitution for crime victims and enforcing financial judgments imposed by federal courts. “Nearly $200 million recovered means real accountability and real results,” said U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones. “Those funds represent restitution returned to victims and debts collected from people who broke the law. Court orders matter, and in the Southern District of Florida, we enforce them. If you steal or defraud, we will put you in prison and we will come after the money.” U.S. Attorney’s Offices are responsible for enforcing and collecting restitution judgments owed to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered financial loss or physical injury, as well as civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. While restitution is paid directly to crime victims, criminal fines and assessments are deposited into the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund, which supports federal and state victim compensation and assistance programs. The Office’s collection efforts are carried out through the Financial Litigation Program (FLP). Significant recoveries in fiscal year 2025 include the following cases: Issa Asad and Q Link Wireless LLC were convicted of conspiring to defraud the U.S. and committing offenses against the U.S. The defendants were ordered to pay $111,395,396.25 in restitution. To date, the FLP has recovered $108,024,452.04. Israel Guardarrama was convicted of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud and was ordered to pay $1,722,080.27 in restitution. The FLP has recovered $1.4 million by litigating and resolving a civil criminal restitution judgment lien foreclosure action against the defendant’s homestead and rental properties. Michael Scott Segal was convicted of mail fraud and wire fraud and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $912,570.50. The FLP recovered $409,438.75 of that amount in fiscal year 2025 to fully satisfy the judgment. ###


title: Folsom Man Arrested, Charged with Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: us_dis_caed_2_26cr14_d77010933e236_indictment_as_to_paul_joseph_richards_1_count_1_de.pdf A Folsom man, Paul Richards, 51, was arrested today after a federal grand jury indicted him for receiving child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, from December 2023 through April 2025, Richards used the peer-to-peer file sharing program BitTorrent to receive images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Harman is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Richards faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.


title: Contractor Agrees to Pay $2.4 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. B A Vernon, New Jersey company will pay $2.4 million to resolve allegations that it overbilled the United States Postal Service on facilities management contracts, Senior Counsel Phillip Lamparello announced today. The settlement resolves allegations that from August 1, 2020 through August 12, 2025, Phillips-Glenwood Construction, Inc. made false claims in conjunction with its contract for construction and facilities maintenance of USPS facilities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. More specifically, Phillips-Glenwood allegedly submitted to the USPS false and altered documentation inflating its labor hours and materials purchases in its requests for payment for work performed. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Colleen Ehlich, for the investigation of the allegations against Phillips-Glenwood. The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark C. Orlowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark. ### Defense Counsel for Phillips-Glenwood is Dennis J. Francis, Esq., Little Ferry, New Jersey. phillips_glenwood.agreement.pdf


title: Salt Lake Woman Sentenced to 15 Months’ Imprisonment After Embezzling Nearly $1.4M from her Employer in Utah

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah woman was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after she used her position to defraud her employer, a Utah based lending services business out of $1,398,014. Benedicta Okunlola, 32, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty to wire fraud on November 18, 2025. In addition to her term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby ordered Okunlola to pay $1,398,014 in restitution, with a lump sum of $5,000 to be paid at or before sentencing. According to court documents and admissions made at Okunlola’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, between 2020 and 2025, Okunlola used her position as a Merchant Growth Specialist to issue 2,343 prepaid gift cards to herself, her online art business, and family members. In her role, she had access to her company’s credit card for marketing promotions and incentives and was the only employee who purchased gift cards from an outside company to offer incentives to commercial customers. The gift cards Okunlola fraudulently purchased for herself and others were kept below the company’s secondary approval thresholds to avoid detection. She spent the gift cards on rent, online shopping, groceries, rideshares, dining out, and trips to South Korea, Japan, South Africa, and Portugal. In total, Okunlola stole $1,398,014 from her employer over the course of four years. “Okunlola stole from her employer to fund her jet-setting lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “It is our hope that her sentence will serve as deterrent from others thinking about engaging in fraud. By teaming up with our law enforcement partners we will continue to investigate and prosecute these cases.” “Benedicta Okunlola’s actions were not a mistake or a lapse in judgement. It was a deliberate scheme driven by greed,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The defendant violated a position of trust and caused real financial harm to her employer. This FBI remains committed to investigating complex financial crimes and holding offenders accountable.” The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. ###


title: LIFE SENTENCE IMPOSED IN FEDERAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASE

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Chad Cornelious Seymore, a/k/a “Circle City Pimp”, 50, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to Life in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; two counts of interstate travel in aid of racketeering; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Seymore’s co-defendant, Kimberly Robinson Gandy, 48, of Gulfport, Mississippi, was found guilty by a federal jury in June 2025 of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Gandy was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “January was Human Trafficking Prevention Month, during which we raised awareness of this heinous crime to educate the public how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and report it to law enforcement. To be clear, every month must be Human Trafficking Prevention Month. For our part, my office will continue to aggressively prosecute human traffickers, like these defendants, who enslave their victims by threat and by force, and we will seek maximum punishments for their crimes to ensure they cannot victimize others ever again.” Court documents reflect that over a four-year period Seymore conspired with others to bond adult women out of county jails and then forced or coerced them to commit commercial sex acts in Alabama and across North Florida. Seymore also recruited women suffering from drug addictions at hotels and through online advertisements. He threatened and physically abused his sex trafficking victims. Gandy conspired with Seymore to traffic women in Panama City Beach and Destin. They used online money exchange platforms to transfer funds received from commercial sex acts. “These sentences send a clear message – those who exploit and traffic vulnerable individuals will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Cochran. “HSI is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle trafficking networks, protect victims, and hold offenders accountable. We will continue to use every resource available to ensure that our communities are safe from those who would profit from human suffering.” “The actions of these two individuals were not impulsive mistakes,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “They were calculated decisions that caused significant and lasting harm to numerous victims. The outcome in this investigation serves as a reminder that these crimes are happening in our communities—and that law enforcement will continue to pursue those responsible and seek justice for victims. Human trafficking isn’t always a violent crime—but it is a devastating one, and it continues to increase across the country. The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners to identify, prioritize, investigate, and deter individuals from exploiting victims.” Chief Talamantez said: “This case started with officers doing exactly what they are trained to do, pay attention and act when something isn’t right. That awareness drove a relentless, coordinated effort with our state and federal partners to dismantle a violent human trafficking operation. These defendants preyed on vulnerable victims through fear and abuse, and today they are being held fully accountable. Panama City Beach will not be a place where traffickers operate. If you exploit people here, we will find you and remove you.” The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dothan, Alabama Police Department, the Panama City Beach Police Department with assistance from the Panama City Police Department, United States Marshal’s Service, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. The case was prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Nashville, TN – Justin Deshun Stiger, 33 , of Memphis, Tennessee was convicted this week of making threats to murder two Memphis federal prosecutors and a Memphis federal judge after a jury trial in Memphis, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee was recused from the case because two of that office’s prosecutors were victims and the matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Middle District of Tennessee. “Threats to law enforcement and the federal judiciary are not just attacks on those individuals. They are threats to the justice system itself. We take those extremely seriously, and we will hold those who make them accountable for their actions,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Federal courtrooms are no place for violent threats, and public servants who are dedicated to serving our communities need to be able to go to work without worrying about someone threating to kill them.” According to the evidence presented at trial, Stiger was set to be sentenced in federal court in Memphis on April 16, 2025, for his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy when he began threatening the prosecutors. Witnesses testified that Stiger, who has a prior conviction for a crime of violence and ties to a criminal street gang, pointed at federal prosecutors and said they were “going to die” because of the sentence they intended to recommend. When U.S. District Judge Mark Norris began having Stiger removed from the courtroom after his threats to the prosecutors, Stiger then threatened the judge saying “You’re gonna die too, judge.” When Judge Norris asked if Stiger was threatening him, Stiger responded: “It ain’t no threat. It’s a promise.” According to the evidence at trial, Stiger then told a Deputy U.S. Marshal investigating the matter that “whoever gonna play with my life is gonna die.” Stiger went on to say, in a recorded statement, referring to the prosecutors and the judge: “I ain’t playing bro. Like they gonna die.” Stiger is set to be sentenced on June 18, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Memphis. He faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for each of the three counts of conviction. The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle of the Middle District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. ### Contact Mark H. Wildasin Public Affairs Officer Mark.Wildasin@usdoj.gov


title: Jefferson County Man Sentenced to 210 months for Producing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man to 210 months in prison for child pornography offenses involving three teens. Dylan James, 26, recorded a sexual act with a 13-year-old in 2024 and then distributed that recording. He also provided alcohol and “possibly some vapes” in exchange for sexually explicit images from a 15-year-old, James’ plea agreement says. James paid a 16-year-old for sexually explicit videos in 2023. James pleaded guilty in August to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. “Dylan James preyed on vulnerable children, using gifts to manipulate and sexually exploit them -- a tactic all too common among predators,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “In these cases, there is no ambiguity: the children are the victims, and we will hold accountable those who are responsible.” The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: First week of February sees another 365 people charged in border security-related matters in the Southern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 363 cases have been filed related to immigration-related crimes from Jan. 30-Feb. 5, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. A total of 220 people have been charged with felony reentry after removal, and another 116 face allegations of illegal entry. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, various immigration offenses and more. The filed cases also include 23 individuals accused of human smuggling, while the remaining six matters are related to other immigration crimes. One of those charged is Honduran national Nixon Ariel Villalobos-Quijada. The criminal complaint alleges he attempted to unlawfully reenter the United States within six months of his most recent removal. He was previously removed Aug. 17, 2025, according to the complaint. The charges allege Villalobos-Quijada has a prior conviction for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Authorities allegedly discovered him again near Roma without any legal authorization. Additional complaints allege two previous felons had also illegally reentered the country. Mexican nationals Alvaro Zavala-Valdez and Ricardo Enede Rodriguez-Alvarez had both been previously removed Aug. 7, 2013, and May 10, 2022, according to their respective charges. However, both were allegedly found in the McAllen area this week. According to court documents, Zavala-Valdez has a previous conviction for illegal reentry, while Rodriguez-Alvarez was sentenced for transportation/harboring illegal aliens. If convicted, all three men face up to 20 years in federal prison. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Colombian National Convicted of Voter Fraud; Federal Benefit Fraud; and Identity Theft Offenses

body_text: BOSTON – A Colombian woman, unlawfully residing in Boston, was convicted today following a five-day jury trial in federal court in Boston of identity theft offenses, including receiving rental assistance, Social Security and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as well as voter fraud under the stolen identity. The defendant also applied for a United States passport and obtained a Massachusetts Real ID and eight other state IDs. Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 59, was convicted of one count of false representation of a Social Security number; one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport; one count of aggravated identity theft; three counts of receiving stolen government money or property; and one count of fraudulent voting. Orovio-Hernandez was charged by superseding indictment in May 2025 . She was previously charged in an indictment in February 2025 and has remained in federal custody since that time. Orovio-Hernandez, a Colombian national without lawful status in the United States, has lived under a stolen identity for more than 20 years. Using the stolen identity, Orovio-Hernandez obtained nine state IDs, including a Massachusetts Real ID and applied for a U.S. passport. Orovio-Hernandez also used the stolen identity to cast a fraudulent ballot in the November 2024 presidential election. In addition, Orovio-Hernandez improperly received approximately $400,000 in federal benefits: $259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance benefits from October 2011 through January 2025; $101,257 in Social Security disability benefits from July 2014 through January 2025; and $43,348 in SNAP benefits from April 2005 through January 2025. “Ms. Orovio-Hernandez has lived in this country illegally for two decades, during which time she repeatedly made false statements, stole, committed fraud and even voted illegally,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Her repeated criminal acts are a slap in the face to all those who come into this country legally and abide by our laws. The air of entitlement is astounding. This case is yet another example of our commitment to rooting out those who violate our immigration laws and steal from United States Citizens.” “This investigation highlights the critical role of DSS in protecting the American public from identity and document fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Nathan Hebert of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office. “This conviction reflects the tireless efforts of our special agents and the strength of our partnerships across agencies.” “This verdict sends a clear message: identity theft and fraud against federal benefit programs will not go undetected or unpunished,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), Boston–New York Field Division. “The jury confirmed that the defendant used a stolen identity to illegally collect Social Security benefits, commit voter fraud, and undermine public trust. SSA OIG is committed to investigating and holding accountable anyone—including illegal immigrants—who exploit Social Security programs.” “Orovio-Hernandez’s calculated deception caused her to fraudulently receive over $400,000 in federal benefits including more than $250,000 in HUD rental assistance. These taxpayer funds were intended to provide housing assistance to our most at-risk populations—low income, disabled, and elderly United States citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “Her actions were not a onetime mistake or accident. She lived under a stolen identity for over two decades, taking numerous actions and steps to further defraud the United States Government. HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.” The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of receiving stolen government or property provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of fraudulent voting provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Foley; DSS SAC Hebert; SSA OIG SAC Connelly; HUD OIG SAC Rice; and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Guatemalan national who attempted to kill his wife sentenced for illegally reentering the United States

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Guatemalan national was sentenced today to eight years and 10 months in prison in addition to the two and a half years he has already served for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and unlawfully reentering the United States following a previous removal. According to court documents, Joel Guerra Eraso, 41, was removed from the United States in 2013, after which he unlawfully reentered the United States. On August 30, 2023, Guerra Eraso wanted to engage in sex with his wife, but she was unable due to pain in her back. Guerra Eraso became angry, held his wife down so she could not escape, and battered her. Guerra Eraso placed a firearm to his wife’s head and pulled the trigger twice, but the firearm did not discharge. Guerra Eraso then pointed the gun at a pillow and pulled the trigger, firing the weapon and striking his wife’s phone. Guerra Eraso later violated a protective order by contacting her through other inmates while he was incarcerated. Guerra Eraso pled guilty on July 22, 2024, in Northampton County to attempted first degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a violent felony, maliciously shooting in a dwelling, assault and battery of a family or household member, brandishing a firearm, reckless handling of a firearm, and misdemeanor destruction of property. Guerra Eraso was previously convicted of possession of cocaine, as well as reckless handling of a firearm for an incident in which he was intoxicated and fired a gun multiple times inside a residence while his wife hid in a closet. Guerra Eraso remains subject to removal from the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C. investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-40.


title: Third Coconspirator in Fatal Benghazi Attacks in U.S. Custody, Charged in Washington D.C. with Murder and Terrorism Counts

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Zubayar Al-Bakoush, an armed coconspirator in the 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, that killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, was charged in an eight-count indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court on multiple terrorism and murder counts. Bakoush, who is in federal custody, is expected to make his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya for the District of Columbia. “The terrorist attack on our Benghazi Embassy was a dark and tragic day for our nation that robbed us of four American heroes,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Now, thanks to our brave federal agents, one of its alleged key participants will be prosecuted in an American courtroom on American soil. Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice will never rest in our mission to Make America Safe Again and deliver swift, severe justice to our enemies.” "The FBI and our U.S. government partners have worked tirelessly to hold accountable those responsible for the heinous terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya that resulted in the deaths of the U.S. Ambassador, J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The latest result of our efforts is bringing Zubayar Al-Bakoush to the U.S. to face charges for his alleged role in the attacks against our citizens and our facilities in Libya. You can be assured that no matter how long it takes, or where you are located, the FBI remains steadfast in our duty to see justice served against those who harm our citizens. I’m grateful to the men and women of the FBI for their unrelenting efforts to bring us to where we stand today – this defendant will be prosecuted on U.S. soil.” “Today’s indictment against Zubayar Al-Bakoush is indicative of President Trump’s resolve to hold accountable anyone who harms Americans, no matter where,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Al-Bakoush is now on U.S. soil, because the FBI and Department of Justice never forgot those Americans who were seemingly forgotten in that outpost in Benghazi, Libya. President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, FBI Director Patel, and I will do whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes, to pursue justice for the victims and their families.” “Over thirteen years have passed since the 2012 attack in Libya, and over eight since the last arrest in this case, but the Department of Justice’s resolve has not wavered,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “We never forgot those four Americans who were killed in service of our Nation, and we will continue to seek justice for them, their families, and for the United States.” “In September 2012, Zubayar Al-Bakoush allegedly facilitated the terrorist attack on the United States Mission and Annex in Benghazi in which four Americans – including an ambassador – were murdered in an effort to incite additional violence against our country’s presence in Libya” said James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge of New York Field Office. “This bloody campaign waged unnecessary brutality against Americans and forever altered the lives of the victims’ families. May today’s significant disruption send a clear message: the FBI New York’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will never cease its tireless pursuit of any terrorist involved in the massacre of our nation’s citizens, regardless of when or where the onslaught occurred.” The indictment charges Bakoush with: Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to Terrorists Resulting in Death Providing Material Support and Resources to Terrorists Resulting in Death Murder of an Internationally Protected Person Murder of a United States National Outside of the United States (Two Counts) Attempted Murder of a United States National Outside of the United States Arson and Placing Lives in Jeopardy Within the Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States and Attempting to Do the Same Maliciously Destroying and Injuring Property and Placing Lives in Jeopardy within the Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States and Attempting to Do the Same The charges stem from the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission and nearby CIA Annex that killed Ambassador Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty. According to the indictment, Bakoush was a member of Ansar Al Sharia (AAS), an Islamist extremist militia in Benghazi, which had the goal of establishing Sharia law in Libya. On the evening of Sept. 11, 2012, a group of more than 20 heavily armed men – including Bakoush assembled outside the main gate of the U.S Special Mission in Benghazi. They were armed with assault rifles, other firearms, and explosive devices. At about 9:45 p.m., the group of armed men violently breached the main gate of the Mission. Upon entry, the men fanned out across the Mission complex, setting fires to building within the Mission compound. When the attackers could not gain entry to the secure area of Villa C, the Ambassador’s residence, they set fire to it. Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith suffocated from the thick, black smoke that enveloped the residence. Diplomatic Security Services (DSS) Special Agent Scott Wickland, who had tried to guide Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith to safety, was injured and repeatedly took small arms fire while trying to rescue the two Americans. The extremist group also attacked the Quick Reaction Force building, which was occupied by local Libyans serving as guards for the Mission. About 10 p.m., Bakoush entered the Mission compound with other conspirators, and conducted surveillance of the Tactical Operation Center and the Villa. After Bakoush attempted to gain entry to vehicles belonging to Mission staff, he and his co-conspirators temporarily retreated to an area just outside the Mission. About 11:15 p.m., conspirators assembled outside the southern gate and launched a second violent attack on the Mission using AK-type assault rifles, grenades, and rocket-propelled grenades. After 30 minutes, the group entered the compound and plundered the Mission’s office of documents, maps, and computers containing sensitive information about the location of the CIA Annex. At 12:30 a.m., conspirators attacked the Annex with small arms, assault rifles, and rocket-propelled grenades. Following the attack at the Mission, in the early hours of September 12, 2012, the violence continued at the CIA Annex, first with gunfire and then with a precision mortar attack. While defending the Annex, Mr. Woods, Mr. Doherty, DSS Special Agent David Ubben, and CIA security specialist Mark Tiegen were hit by a precision mortar attack, leading to the deaths of Mr. Woods and Mr. Doherty. Special Agent Ubben and Mr. Tiegen were seriously wounded but survived. The Department of Justice previously charged and convicted two leaders in the Benghazi attack on federal terrorism charges and other offenses. Ahmed Abu Khatallah, aka Ahmed Mukatallah was sentenced in June 2018 to 22 years in prison and resentenced in September 2024 to 28 years in prison. Mustafa al-Imam was sentenced in January 2020 to nearly 20 years. This case was investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office with substantial assistance from the Department of War, the CIA and the Department of State. The National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section provided additional assistance. The case is being prosecuted by the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Convicted murderer sentenced to over three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to three years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Jan. 11, 2025, a Richmond Police officer encountered Raheem Bennie Smith, aka Too-Too, 44, asleep at the wheel of a vehicle at an intersection in Richmond. The vehicle was running and still in gear. The officer awakened Smith by tapping on his window and asked Smith to put the vehicle in park. While speaking with Smith, the officer observed a firearm in the front passenger seat and instructed Smith not to reach for it. Another officer opened the passenger door and recovered the loaded handgun and Smith was arrested. The officers also found cocaine in Smith’s pants. At the time of his arrest, Smith previously had been convicted of, among other crimes, possession of cocaine, eluding the police, continuously driving with a suspended or revoked license, and second degree murder. As a convicted felon, Smith cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Richmond Police Department investigated this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-112.


title: Las Cruces man charged with possessing unregistered destructive device

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man appeared in federal court after allegedly using Molotov cocktails to ignite multiple fires at an apartment complex. According to court documents, on January 12, 2026, Las Cruces Fire Department responded to a reported fire at the Villa Del Telshor Apartments in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Fire investigators determined the fire originated in a second-floor apartment and was intentionally set using an improvised incendiary device, commonly known as a Molotov cocktail. Surveillance footage from a neighbor’s Ring camera captured Richard Sepulveda , 47, who resided on the first floor of the complex, carrying two bottles upstairs moments before a bright flash is seen coming from upstairs. Sepulveda is then seen returning down the stairs holding one lit Molotov cocktail. He then appeared to inadvertently start a second smaller fire on the first floor, which he extinguished. On January 13, 2026, ATF agents reviewed the footage, confirmed Sepulveda ’s identity through lease records and driver’s license photographs, and verified he was not registered to possess or manufacture such a destructive device. On January 15, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at Sepulveda ’s apartment and recovered shoes with apparent burn marks matching those seen in the video, multiple lighters, and Miller High Life bottle caps consistent with the incendiary devices used. Sepulveda is charged with possession of a firearm, specifically a destructive device (Molotov cocktail), that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Act. He will remain detained pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Sepulveda faces ten years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Shawn Stallo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Gardner is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Sepulveda).pdf An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Convicted Rapist from Mexico Charged with Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Mexican national, currently serving a state prison sentence for rape, has been charged with illegally re-entering the United States after deportation. Eugenio Isidro Victoriano, 54, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. The defendant is currently serving a state prison sentence for rape, indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 years of age and larceny. According to court documents, Isidro Victoriano was first encountered as being unlawfully present in the United States in April 2004, when he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso, Texas. He was subsequently removed from the United States to Mexico. It is alleged that sometime thereafter, Isidro Victoriano unlawfully reentered the United States without inspection or authorization. In February 2021, Isidro Victoriano was arrested in Great Barrington, Mass., for operating under the influence of alcohol. According to court documents, fingerprints taken during that arrest matched Victoriano’s prior immigration records. Isidro Victoriano was released from state custody before immigration authorities could take action. It is alleged that, in December 2022, Isidro Victoriano was again arrested by local law enforcement in Great Barrington, Mass., for rape, indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 years of age and larceny under $1,200. Isidro Victoriano pleaded guilty to those charges in November 2025 and was sentenced to four to six years in prison, with credit for time served. Immigration authorities lodged a detainer following his arrest. According to the charging documents, following his November 2025 state conviction, Isidro Victoriano admitted that he was not a U.S. citizen, that he paid a smuggler to enter the United States and that he had no legal authorization to do so. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches, Chief of the Springfield Branch Office, is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Brazilian National Sentenced for Selling Firearms Without a License and Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully living in Massachusetts and New Hampshire was sentenced yesterday for dealing firearms without a license. Riquelme Henrique De Aguiar Ferreira, a/k/a “Koringa,” 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William G. Young to two years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In September 2025, De Aguiar Ferreira pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. Between May 2023 and August 2023, De Aguiar Ferreira coordinated the sale of two pistols (one with a large capacity magazine) to a cooperating witness without the required license in exchange for cash. The following year, De Aguiar Ferreira also offered the cooperating witness additional firearms for sale, but those transactions never occurred. De Aguiar Ferreira also conspired with others to deal firearms, traveling to South Carolina and connecting supply sources in South Carolina with individuals in Massachusetts. The picture below of the firearms obtained from South Carolina were found on De Aguiar Ferreira’s phone: United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Framingham, Revere and Merrimac (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Crowley and John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Child While Serving in U.S. Military

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A 32-year-old man pled guilty in federal court to child sexual abuse crimes. Daniel Lara-Salazar, charged with sexually exploiting a child, committed these crimes while serving in the U.S. Military. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; and J. Charles Smith III, State’s Attorney for Frederick County. According to his guilty plea, Lara-Salazar, who was stationed in Pallyup, Washington, coerced and enticed a minor female victim, who resided in Maryland, to engage in sexually explicit conduct. From June 2024, through July 2024, Lara-Salazar sexually exploited her by producing and causing the production of sexually explicit images and videos. In June 2024, Lara-Salazar began using Snapchat to message the minor victim. Lara-Salazar demanded the minor victim send sexually explicit images and videos to him. Snapchat has a feature that causes images to disappear upon receipt. In some instances, the minor victim sent images to Lara-Salazar that were not retained or visible when law enforcement reviewed the account. Law enforcement later discovered that Lara-Salazar used Snapchat to communicate with three other minor females, who lived in Texas and elsewhere. He also coerced and enticed them to send sexually explicit images. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. Lara-Salazar faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years for Sexual Exploitation of a Child as well as up to lifetime supervised release and lifetime registration as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joyce R. King who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Louisville Man Sentenced as an Armed Career Criminal to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on February 4, 2026, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Clarence Stiff, 44, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On October 27, 2023, Stiff was detained by Louisville Metro Police Department detectives and ATF task force officers, who were attempting to execute a search warrant for Stiff’s DNA. Stiff fled from the detectives. The officers caught Stiff after a brief foot chase. Stiff had a loaded Ruger, New Model Blackhawk, .45 caliber revolver in his sweatshirt pocket. Stiff was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On December 22, 1999, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, Stiff was convicted of assault in the first degree. On December 22, 1999, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, Stiff was convicted of assault under extreme emotional disturbance and wanton endangerment in the first degree. On September 4, 2007, in Clark Superior Court, Indiana, Stiff was convicted of dealing in cocaine. On December 20, 2007, in Oldham Circuit Court, Kentucky, Stiff was convicted of promoting contraband in the first degree. On September 5, 2013, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, Stiff was convicted of manslaughter in the first degree (two counts), burglary in the first degree, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, wanton endangerment in the first degree, and tampering with physical evidence. On August 15, 2013, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, Stiff was convicted of robbery in the second degree (two counts), assault in the second degree, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. On August 15, 2013, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, Stiff was convicted of torture of a dog/cat with serious physical injury/death. On April 10, 2023, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Kentucky, Stiff was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, and receiving stolen property (firearm). Based upon his criminal history, Stiff was sentenced as an Armed Career Criminal. A defendant is an Armed Career Criminal if (1) the defendant possesses a firearm after having a felony conviction and (2) the defendant has three previous convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offense or both, committed on occasions different from one another. United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Stiff has terrorized the citizens of Louisville since 1999. He has repeatedly left victims and tragedy in his wake. No more! Stiff will spend the next 15 years in federal prison thanks to the dedicated work of the Louisville Metro Police Department, ATF and the United States Attorney’s Office. This office, along with LMPD and ATF, will continue to investigate and prosecute these violent career criminals aggressively and we will continue to make Louisville safer.” LMPD Chief Paul L. Humphrey stated, “A dangerous repeat offender who victimized our community for years is now off the streets. This outcome is the direct result of outstanding police work and the strong partnerships we maintain with the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Our agencies remain united in our commitment to protecting the public and ensuring that those who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods are held accountable.” ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes stated, “This investigation demonstrates the impact a strong partnership between ATF, LMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office can have on public safety. Clarence Stiff is a repeat violent offender, and his 15-year federal sentence will make Louisville a safer community.” There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by LMPD and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: Convicted drug trafficker pleads guilty mid-trial to methamphetamine trafficking

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – After one day of trial testimony, an Albuquerque woman pleaded guilty to methamphetamine trafficking. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on May 18, 2023, the FBI Violent Gang Task Force executed a search warrant at the northeast Albuquerque residence of Nora Baca , 67. During the search, agents located approximately three pounds of methamphetamine in the bedroom of Baca ’s housemate and codefendant. On September 10, 2024, following an investigation into a significant intergang drug trafficking conspiracy involving both incarcerated and non-incarcerated gang members linked to the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, New Mexico, Baca was charged in a superseding indictment with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Subsequently, on October 30, 2024, the FBI Violent Gangs Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service conducted a coordinated operation executing search warrants at 13 locations across New Mexico, including the home of Baca . Despite being tipped off that agents were coming, more methamphetamine and a firearm were found in Baca ’s home. During the trial, the government presented evidence that Baca was a known large-scale methamphetamine dealer who had supplied others with drugs. This is Baca ’s second federal conviction for drug trafficking. She was previously sentenced to 120 months in prison in 2012, which was later reduced to 92 months pursuant to the retroactive application of new federal sentencing guidelines for drug offenses, followed by four years of supervised release. Baca pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Following her plea, the Court ordered Baca held in custody until sentencing. At sentencing, Baca faces five years in federal prison pursuant to the plea agreement, as well as supervised release and other penalties. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, and David Barnett, U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Division Violent Gang Task Force (VGTF) and United States Marshals Service jointly investigated this case with assistance from the CoreCivic Intelligence Unit and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and David Hirsch are prosecuting these cases.


title: Seattle Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison Following September 2025 Conviction by Jury for Role in Transnational Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced in federal court to 420 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws in relation to a transnational criminal organization (TCO), United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendant was among 35 individuals charged through a Second Superseding Indictment unsealed in January 2024 for their participation in a domestic and international narcotics and money laundering conspiracy involving substantial quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine (read the Second Superseding Indictment news release here ). United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Bryce Hill, 28. Hill was convicted by a jury following a two-and-a-half-week trial in September 2025. Evidence presented during the trial established that Hill was a member of the Phoenix-based Monarrez Drug Trafficking Organization—a transnational criminal organization responsible for the distribution of millions of fentanyl pills, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine, from August 2021 to June 2023. The Monarrez TCO provided the drugs to a network of subordinate drug distributors, who redistributed the narcotics throughout the country, including into western Pennsylvania. Hill was intercepted over a federal wiretap obtaining hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and kilograms of fentanyl powder for redistribution. Additional evidence presented at trial included testimony regarding the execution of a search warrant on January 11, 2023, during which law enforcement seized 27 kilograms of fentanyl pills, multiple firearms, and $387,000 cash from Hill’s apartment, and the seizure of 28 kilograms of fentanyl pills, 7.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, three kilograms of cocaine, 48 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 20 firearms (pictured below) from a short-term rental property in Scottsdale, Arizona, on December 25, 2022. The jury found that, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, Hill conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Hill’s sentencing follows those of 32 co-defendants. Assistant United States Attorneys Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the prosecution of Hill. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies, including the Scottsdale, Arizona, Police Department. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Orange County Man Arrested on Federal Indictment Charging Him with Stock Options Trading Swindle of His Family and Friends

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – An Irvine man was arrested today on a nine-count federal grand jury indictment charging him with running a Ponzi scheme that conned victims – family and friend included – by persuading them to invest in his stock options trading fund, but then using most of the money to pay for personal items, including trying to buy coastal real estate. Todd Douglas Mulliner, 61, surrendered to law enforcement officials this morning. He is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana. Mulliner is charged with four counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived proceeds, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. According to the indictment, Mulliner was the president and CEO of DauVC1, an Irvine-based company, and from July 2018 to March 2021, he falsely represented himself to be an expert investor with a successful system for trading stock options. Through DauVC1, Mulliner obtained money from investors by soliciting from individuals, usually family, friends, and acquaintances, to buy his company’s shares. At Mulliner’s direction, victim-investors sometimes transferred funds from their retirement accounts. Mulliner told his victims that DauVC1 was a venture capital company engaged in stock options trading, that they were buying an interest in the company, and they would share in the company’s trading profits. Mulliner provided investors with a share purchase agreement, which outlined the terms of the investment by falsely stating that the victims’ funds would be used only for stock options trading. He further claimed he would receive a 20% commission on trading profits that DauVC1 generated. To induce additional victims to invest in DauVC1, Mulliner told a series of lies directly and through intermediaries via email, telephone, and in-person conversations. Namely, his proprietary system for trading stock options limited risk to protect investors’ principal, that DauVC1 was producing positive weekly yields, and investor funds would be used to trade in stock options. In fact, Mulliner’s system for trading stock options resulted in him losing the majority of investors’ principal that he actually traded. He also used most of investors’ funds to pay earlier investors monthly payments based on DauVC1’s purported profits and to repay earlier investors who wanted to withdraw their money from the company. He lured new investors and prevented current investors from withdrawing their money by emailing fabricated weekly balance statements that showed positive yields and increased balances. Mulliner also used investor funds to pay family members and the attempted purchase of a beachfront home in Sunset Beach. He also concealed from investors his criminal history, which includes a felony conviction for securities fraud. In January 2021, Mulliner emailed investors and falsely claimed that, due to an upcoming regulatory rule change, DauVC1 would cease operations and promising investors that their account balances would be disbursed by the following month. Mulliner then made excuses for why he missed his proposed deadline for account balance disbursements. He never paid some investors the promised return on investment and never returned their principal investment. Law enforcement believes Mulliner caused at least six victims to pay his company approximately $290,000. In April 2021, Mulliner stole an $8,400 COVID-19 pandemic U.S. Treasury Economic Impact Payment check from the mail and forged the signatures of two victims on the back of the check, endorsing the check to himself as the president of DauVC. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, Mulliner would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison on the bank fraud count, up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud and mail fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the money laundering count, and a mandatory two-year consecutive prison term for aggravated identity theft. The FBI is investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan G. Adams of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 111 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 111 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On February 3, Bulmaro Santiago-Perez, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found the undocumented defendant hiding in brush about half mile north of the border near the Tecate Port of Entry. He was previously deported in April 2013 through Nogales, Arizona. On February 4, Carlos Jhovanny Estrada Perez and Jose Eduardo Corrado-Romo, citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, they are the alleged captain and co-captain, respectively, of a vessel intercepted by Marine Interdiction Agents from Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations transporting unauthorized immigrants. Also arrested and charged were Mexican nationals Josefina Mariano Nava, Ramon Rodriguez-Cuevas and Arturo Sesma Rodriguez, for Attempted Entry After Deportation. On February 4, Elvin Maravillas, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found almost 20 pounds of fentanyl hidden in a non-factory compartment in the floor of the defendant’s vehicle as he tried to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Prison Inmate Sentenced for Receiving K2-Laced Paper in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A federal prison inmate was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for possessing a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as “K2,” in FMC Devens. Raymond Gaines, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 18 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. In December 2025, Gaines pleaded guilty. Gaines was charged by complaint in March 2025 , along with former state employee Tasha Hammock, who distributed the K2 to Gaines. Gaines was later indicted with possessing contraband, in the form of K2, as a prison inmate, and Tasha Hammock was charged and pleaded guilty. On Jan. 25, 2022, Gaines was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time he committed the offenses, he was on federal judicial supervised release after serving a prison sentence resulting from a 2017 conviction for distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. According to court records, in both prior cases Gaines was alleged to be an associate of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, a street gang in Boston. On Jan. 17, 2025, Gaines received an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing his federal sentence to five years in prison. On Aug. 18, 2024, Hammock, while visiting Gaines in prison, surreptitiously passed K2-laced papers to Gaines, which he pocketed. At the time, Hammock was employed with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. As described in court documents, K2 presents a health problem at FMC Devens, where inmates have become sick from smoking paper believed to contain K2, as well as prison staff who have been exposed to the secondary smoke. In January 2025 , Hammock was sentenced to three years of probation. The government recommended a sentence of 12 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Four Wisconsin Residents Charged with Fraud in Embezzlement Scheme

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 3, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Brandi Ellis (45), Jason Flanders (51), Ramon Hernandez (45), and Jezlia Barajas (39), in a fifteen-count indictment related to an embezzlement scheme perpetrated against a Milwaukee-area non-profit. According to the indictment, Ellis, the finance director of the non-profit, and Flanders, the non-profit’s Chief Financial Officer, engaged in a scheme to issue unauthorized checks to themselves and third parties on the non-profit’s bank accounts. The indictment also charges that Ellis used the non-profit’s credit cards to make personal purchases, including at Gucci and the Venetian/Palazzo in Las Vegas. The Indictment charges Ellis with six counts of Bank Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h), one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A, two counts of Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1343, and one count of Intimidation of a Witness, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512. The Indictment charges Flanders with three counts of Bank Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, and one count of making False Statements, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001. The Indictment charges Hernandez and Barajas each with one count of Bank Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, and one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h). If convicted of the Bank Fraud charges, each defendant faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $1,000,000 per count. If convicted of the Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, or Intimidation charges, the defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of the False Statement charge, Flanders faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000. Four other individuals were charged in related cases, via Information, on the same day. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Julie F. Stewart. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Detroit man sentenced for shooting 24 rounds into home where his six-year-old daughter slept

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Jevonte Cassidy Doakes, 33, of Detroit, Michigan, who shot into his ex-girlfriend’s home in May 2024 while his own child was sleeping inside, was sentenced yesterday to 110 months in federal prison on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit Field Division and Chief Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Department. In May 2024, Doakes fired 24 shots into his ex-girlfriend’s home where she and her family, including his own six-year-old daughter, slept. One bullet struck a closet door in the child’s bedroom. Another went through a couch beside where other children slept. A few hours after the shooting, Doakes called his ex-girlfriend, saying, “Bitch, you still alive?” before hanging up. Fired casings from the May 2024 shooting matched other recent shootings, including a felonious assault in River Rouge, so the ATF began investigating Doakes. Agents executed search warrants at Doakes’s house and the flop house next door where Doakes kept some of his guns. Agents found 7 guns, including two machineguns between the two houses. One of the machineguns matched the fired casings from the May 2024 shooting into Doakes’s ex-girlfriend’s house. Doakes and another man, Joshua Griggs, 21 of Detroit, were arrested. Griggs, who was caught on video holding another gun at the house while on probation, was sentenced to 24 months prison in August 2025 for receipt of a firearm while under indictment. “These are the acts of a crooked man who loves violence and hates innocent life. I am thankful for our strong alliance with our federal and Detroit Police partners. This is how we keep our city safe,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon. “Javonte DOAKES is the one of the most deserving candidates for federal prison. Using an illegal machine, he recklessly fired 24 rounds into a home full of sleeping children, one of whom was his daughter. These types of acts of gun violence have consequences,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division. “Calling the mother of his child afterward asking if she survived only highlights DOAKES’ complete and utter disregard for human life. ATF will continue working with our partners to identify prolific shooters in the community and hold them accountable for their acts by helping them pack their bags for an extended stay in federal prison.” This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Detroit Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew R. Picek and Philip Jacques.