title: Six Individuals Charged in Alleged Fentanyl Trafficking Organization

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A newly unsealed federal indictment charges six people, including two Georgia inmates and two Chinese nationals, with allegedly distributing synthetic controlled substances, including fentanyl, sourced from China into the Middle District of Georgia. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 14, 2025, and it was unsealed on Aug. 7. The indictment charges the following individuals: Devito Duran Young aka “Big” aka “Big Man,” 44, of Macon State Prison and Marietta, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and an $8 million fine; Trace Davrin Works, 29, of Mableton, Georgia,is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and an $8 million fine; Xin Wang, 27, of China, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a $5 million fine for the fentanyl charge and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance charge; Andreaus Benard Oliver, Sr. aka “Doomie Oliver,” 43, of Macon State Prison and Cordele, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $2 million fine; Andreaus Benard Oliver, Jr., aka “Dray Oliver,” 26, of Cordele, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substanceand one count of using or maintaining a drug premises and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine; and Gao Yong, 29, of China, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Young, Works and Oliver Sr. are in custody and had their initial appearances. The three defendants were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles H. Weigle on Aug. 7, and were remanded to federal custody awaiting trial. Oliver Jr. is in federal custody and had his initial appearance before Judge Weigle on Aug. 7; his arraignment hearing is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 11, in Albany, Georgia. The indictment alleges that Young and Oliver, Sr., both inmates at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Georgia, allegedly conspired to acquire and distribute fentanyl or synthetic cannabinoids (marijuana) from China to the United States beginning in 2023. It is alleged that shipments of the synthetic cannabinoids arrived at an address occupied by Oliver, Jr., on 4 th Avenue in Cordele, Georgia. Wang and Yong are alleged to have facilitated the sale and distribution of synthetic controlled substances from China to customers around the world, including to Young and Oliver, Sr. Yong allegedly communicates directly with customers and negotiates the sale of the drugs and provides shipment tracking information. Wang allegedly directs the sale of fentanyl worldwide and maintains cryptocurrency wallets for payments.Yong was allegedly aware that the substances were being introduced into prison facilities. Young allegedly placed multiple orders of fentanyl from Wang and Yong using encrypted chat applications he accessed using a contraband cellphone while in prison. Young allegedly directed Works to acquire the fentanyl and ship it to customer addresses, including addresses in the Middle District of Georgia, and both Young and Works allegedly paid Wang and Yong with cryptocurrency. Oliver Jr. and other co-conspirators allegedly placed multiple orders for synthetic cannabinoids from Wang and Yong online and paid them with cryptocurrency, directing the packages to addresses in Cordele and his 4 th Avenue residence, allegedly referred to as the “lab.” After a package originating from China was intercepted by law enforcement, agents executed a search warrant at Oliver Jr.’s residence on July 22, 2024, and found more than 175 metal pans with sheets of paper; multiple jugs and bottles containing suspected cannabinoids; several measuring beakers; more than 350 dried sheets of paper soaked with cannabinoids; return address labels purporting to be from various attorneys; shipping labels addressed to inmates in jail and prison facilities around the country; cash; and ledgers indicating how many sheets had been processed. In addition, $170,000 in cryptocurrency was seized from Wang as part of the investigation. This case is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with assistance from the GBI and Georgia Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Woodruff Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Travis Legg, 44, of Woodruff, has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and over 40 grams of fentanyl. Evidence presented to the court showed that in 2023, a joint federal and local investigation revealed Legg was part of a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy based in Spartanburg. Legg was indicted for his role in the conspiracy and was arrested on federal charges in June 2024, at which time he possessed additional methamphetamine and marijuana. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Travis Legg to 126 months imprisonment to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Security Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville Police Department, Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General, and Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Four Men Arrested and Federally Charged Following  Multi-Agency Child Exploitation Operation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the Ellsworth AFB Office of Special Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI conducted a joint sex-trafficking and child exploitation operation during the 2025 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. “This sophisticated sting operation pulled together local, state, and federal law enforcement resources to take dangerous sexual predators off the streets and out of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “We are fortunate here in South Dakota to have officers, agents, and detectives who collaborate each and every day to protect children throughout the state. Now that the operation has safely concluded, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is pleased to announce that four local men have been arrested and will be held to account in federal court.” The operation resulted in federal charges against the following four men who were all separately arrested while attempting to meet with a person who they believed to be a 14-year-old girl for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity: Elmer Hopper , 36, Rapid City—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. Beau Remington , 23, Black Hawk—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor. Jayson “Javi” Gomez , 30, Rapid City—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. Joshua Michael Allen , 36, Hermosa—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. “All the individuals who were arrested in this operation are South Dakota residents,” said South Dakota ICAC Task Force Commander Toby Russell. “This is a sad statistic for our state, but it is a reminder why these operations and investigations are so important. The level of support, cooperation, and teamwork between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies during this operation is unique and does not happen elsewhere. This operation is truly a team effort. All the law enforcement personnel who participated in this operation and the members of the South Dakota ICAC Task Force work tirelessly every day to keep the children of South Dakota safe. They should all be commended for their tenacity and professionalism in how they pursue these offenders.” The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction for Attempted Enticement of a Minor is 10 years up to life in federal prison, along with a minimum term of supervised release of five years up to life. These cases are 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The cases are being federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox. The charges are merely accusations, and all four defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 79 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 79 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, 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 August 1, Stephanie Sanchez Portillo, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Personation in Immigration Matters. According to a complaint, the defendant attempted to smuggle an unrelated child from Mexico into the U.S. through the San Ysidro Port of Entry pedestrian lanes using her own child’s American birth certificate. On August 2, Edgard Uriel Urbina Jiron, citizen of Nicaragua, was arrested and charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens. According to a complaint, he was taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents when they made a traffic stop and found that he was driving with an undocumented immigrant in his car. On August 2, Jose Luis Garcia Cota, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 191 pounds of methamphetamine and 5.5 pounds of cocaine concealed in the defendant’s car when he attempted to cross the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. On August 4, Jose Alejandro Valadez-Blancarte, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found him hiding in the trunk of a car at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. He was previously deported in January 2025 and June 2025. Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community. 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: Tioga County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Transportation of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Tristan Kovacs, age 21, of Waverly, New York, appeared today in federal court on charges of sexual exploitation of a child and transportation of child pornography announced Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The complaint alleges that in April of 2025, Kovacs produced a sexually explicit image of himself and a nine-year-old female child which Kovacs later uploaded to a pornographic website to generate revenue from other users of the site. The website reported Kovacs’ upload of the image, which subsequently led to the investigation of Kovacs and his arrest yesterday evening. The sexual exploitation charge filed against Kovacs carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in federal prison and maximum sentence of 30 years while the charge of transportation of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum term of five years and maximum sentence of 20 years. Both charges carry a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. If convicted, Kovacs will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Kovacs was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks and was detained pending further proceedings. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “the defendant’s conduct as alleged in the complaint is despicable. Not only is the defendant alleged to have sexually exploited a child, but he also appears to have sought to profit from it. My office is committed to doing whatever is in our power to ensure this defendant never has the opportunity to harm another child.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig A. Tremaroli stated: “Hours after FBI Albany received this disturbing tip from law enforcement, Mr. Kovacs was in custody facing federal charges that carry significant sentences. The FBI will continue to devote every resource available to swiftly investigate these despicable predators and protect our most vulnerable. Our office is especially thankful to our partners at Waverly Police Department, New York State Police, and Broome County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance in this investigation.” This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the New York State Police with assistance from the Waverly New York Police Department and the Broome County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Española Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in 2023 Assault

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Española man pleaded guilty to federal assault charges for attacking a woman in 2023, causing her serious bodily injuries. According to court records, in the early morning hours of September 21, 2023, Isiah Gutierrez-Arquero , 29, an enrolled member of the Santa Clara Pueblo, punched and kicked Jane Doe. He threw her against a wall, sat on her chest, and strangled her with both hands. As a result of the assault, Jane Doe sustained serious bodily injuries. Gutierrez-Arquero pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. At sentencing, Gutierrez-Arquero faces up to 10 years in prison for each felony charge. Upon his release from prison, Gutierrez-Arquero will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Ends Half-Century-Old Desegregation Cases in Florida and Mississippi

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today the dismissal of two desegregation cases in Hendry County, Florida, and Copiah County, Mississippi, concluding matters that have remained on the docket for more than half a century. The cases of Hendry County, Florida and Copiah County, Mississippi were first filed in 1970, each in connection with unlawful operations of dual school systems based on race. After thorough review, the Civil Rights Division determined that both Counties are unitary in their schools, eliminating the vestiges of prior de jure segregation to the extent practicable. On Aug. 5, the Court formally dismissed the case of Hendry County with prejudice. On Aug. 6, the Court formally dismissed the case of Copiah County with prejudice. “In this administration, we are ending prolonged court oversight that does not reflect the reality in classrooms today,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “After fifty-five years of federal control, these local school districts can use taxpayer dollars that were spent on monitoring for past vestiges of racism, and can redirect those funds instead for the direct benefit of students.” Note: Click to read the court filings for Hendry County, Florida and Copiah County, Mississippi.


title: Illegal Immigrant Who Murdered the Mother of His Children Gets 24 Years in Prison

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Mario Miguel Banegas Deras, 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court for the beating, stabbing, and strangulation death of Maria Magdalena Ayala Guardado in Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Banegas Deras pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed on April 15, 2025. Superior Court Judge J. Michael Ryan sentenced Banegas Deras to 24 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. “This illegal lowlife killed the mother of his children in the most heinous way, after abusing her throughout their relationship,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Domestic violence is something that we will not tolerate from anyone, particularly those who are not legal citizens of this country who break the law. For any woman in a violent relationship please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.” According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 6:30 a.m. on December 15, 2024, 42-year-old Mario Miguel Banegas Deras, went to 744 Girard Street, NW, where he had lived with the victim, Maria Magdalena Ayala Guardado, and their 3 children until approximately one week before the murder, after Ms. Ayala told him to leave the home due to continued physical and emotional abuse. On that day, Banegas Deras entered the apartment building and made his way to the lower level where he exited the building at the storage/garage area and attempted to open the garage door. When he couldn’t get in the garage, the defendant re-entered the building where he waited in hiding for the victim to make her way to the garage, as she did every day. Ninety minutes later, Maria Magdalena Ayala Guardado exited the building, unlocked and then entered the garage. The defendant, who had been watching her through a small window, followed her into the garage and immediately closed the door. Once the defendant had Ms. Ayala trapped inside the garage, he killed the victim by strangling her, hitting her in the head over fourteen times with a brick, and stabbing her in the neck. Thirty-five minutes after closing the garage door, Banegas Deras called 9-1-1 and reported that he’d just killed his wife by strangling her. The defendant was placed under arrest at the scene. Shortly after the defendant’s arrest, the government obtained a Warrant of Removal/Deportation with the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Upon completion of his sentence, the defendant will be deported to his country of origin, Honduras. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney, Marybeth Manfreda, who prosecuted the case.


title: Mount Vernon Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to a Drug Trafficking Charge

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Mount Vernon, Iowa, man who was found in possession of over one and a half pounds of ice methamphetamine while possessing a firearm as a felon was sentenced on August 8, 2025, to over twelve years in federal prison. Brice Aron Horton, age 49, from Mount Vernon, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 10, 2025, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. On May 26, 2024, officers with the Mt. Vernon-Lisbon Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Horton. Officers searched Horton’s vehicle and seized 814.9 grams of ice methamphetamine and a loaded pistol. At the time of the stop, Horton was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. In a plea agreement, Horton admitted that between May 2023 and May 2024 he was responsible for distributing at least 13 pounds of ice methamphetamine in the Northern District of Iowa. Additionally, Horton admitted that during this time he distributed 100 pills containing fentanyl. Horton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Horton was sentenced to 147 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Mt. Vernon-Lisbon Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-99. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Justice Department Reaches Proposed Settlement with Greystar, the Largest U.S. Landlord, to End Its Participation in Algorithmic Pricing Scheme

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement today to resolve the United States’ claims against Greystar Management Services LLC as part of its ongoing enforcement against algorithmic coordination and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country. Greystar, the largest landlord in the United States, manages almost 950,000 rental units across the country. As alleged in Plaintiffs’ complaint, Greystar and other landlords, including five co-defendants, shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned competitors’ pricing. In addition, Greystar and other landlords discussed competitively sensitive topics — including pricing strategies, rents, and selected parameters for RealPage’s software — directly with each other. “American greatness has always depended on free-market competition, and nowhere is competition more important than in making housing affordable again,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will continue to vigorously pursue President Trump’s pro-consumer agenda.” “The Trump-Vance Administration is committed to promoting competition to help working class Americans pay for life’s necessities — including rent,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Whether in a smoke-filled room or through an algorithm, competitors cannot share competitively sensitive information or align prices to the detriment of American consumers.” If approved by the court, the proposed consent decree would require Greystar to: Refrain from using any anticompetitive algorithm that generates pricing recommendations using its competitors’ competitively sensitive data or that incorporates certain anticompetitive features; Refrain from sharing competitively sensitive information with competitors; Accept a court-appointed monitor if it uses a third-party pricing algorithm that is not certified pursuant to the terms of the consent decree; Refrain from attending or participating in RealPage-hosted meetings of competing landlords; and Cooperate with the United States’ monopolization claims against RealPage. As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest. Greystar is a residential property manager headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina.


title: South Sioux Man to Federal Prison for Fentanyl Conspiracy

body_text: A man who conspired to distribute fentanyl was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison. Joshua Rysavy, age 35, from South Sioux City, Nebraska, received the prison term after a March 18, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. At the sentencing hearing, evidence showed that Rysavy took part in the distribution of approximately 8.5 pounds of pills containing fentanyl across Iowa and Nebraska between 2022 and June 2023. As part of the investigation, law enforcement utilized an undercover officer to make several purchases from Rysavy of counterfeit oxycodone pills marked “M30” but which contained fentanyl. Following these purchases, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Rysavy’s South Sioux City residence where several firearms were located. “As a result of this investigation, thousands of lethal doses of fentanyl were removed from the streets of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and Sioux City, Iowa,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “No town in America is immune to this deadly substance and the lethal consequences that can come from its use. We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with our law enforcement partners in both Nebraska and Iowa who strive to achieve the same goal of removing these deadly threats and keeping our communities safe.” Rysavy was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Rysavy was sentenced to 86 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Rysavy is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-3027. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Leader of Transnational Terrorist Group Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Hate Crimes, Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials, and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Terrorists

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that Dallas Humber, 35, of Elk Grove, California — leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — pleaded guilty to all charges against her, including soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. District Court Judge Dena Coggins found that Humber’s plea was knowing and voluntary, and deferred acceptance of the plea agreement until the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 5. Humber faces a penalty of 25 to 30 years in federal prison. “Hate and terror have no place in this country or abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By securing this conviction, my office makes clear that purveyors of these heinous crimes will be brought to justice.” “Humber led a transnational terrorist group promoting white supremacy, hate crimes, and violence, including soliciting the murder of U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Her actions posed a direct threat to our citizens and national security, and the National Security Division will hold her, as well as others who commit these illegal acts, accountable for their terrorist aims.” “Humber solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law and keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.” "The leader of the Terrorgram Collective influenced hate and violence across the globe while living in a quiet suburb,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Through close collaboration with our domestic and international partners, we defended the homeland and dismantled a dangerous network intent on inciting violence to advance its extremist ideology. Those who direct or commit acts of terror in our communities will face justice.” With her guilty plea, Humber admitted the following facts: from July 2022 until her arrest in September 2024, she served as a leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a white supremacist transnational terrorist group. To achieve their ends, she and other members of the Terrorgram Collective solicited individuals to commit hate crimes, terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, and assassinations; and provided technical, inspirational, and operational guidance to equip those individuals to plan, prepare for, and successfully carry out those attacks. Inspired and guided by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective, individuals committed attacks or plotted to commit attacks in the United States and elsewhere, including: plotting to attack an energy facility in New Jersey; plotting to bomb an energy facility in Tennessee; murdering two people in Wisconsin in furtherance of plans to assassinate a federal official; and attempting to assassinate an Australian official. In addition, individuals led by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective have committed acts of violence internationally, including shooting three people, killing two, at an LGBT bar in Bratislava, Slovakia; shooting eleven people, killing four, at two schools in Aracruz, Brazil; and stabbing five people outside of a mosque in Eskişehir, Turkey. The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.


title: Two Kansas men charged with drug trafficking related crimes

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – Two Kansas men have been charged through separate criminal complaints with charges related to drug trafficking following search warrants executed earlier this week. Thomas Lewis Williams, 64, of Haysville is charged with one count of possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents on August 6, 2025, a federal search warrant was conducted at Williams’ home on South Meridian Avenue in Haysville. Officers found firearms, U.S. currency, items used in the conversion process of methamphetamine, and suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl pills. Oswaldo Gutierrez-Rodriguez, 29, of Wichita is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. According to court documents, on August 6, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a commercial building on North Mascot Avenue in Wichita. During a search, officers found acetone containers, ventilation fans, a propane tank hooked up to a hot plate, and other paraphernalia used to aid in conversion of methamphetamine. They also located a white crystal/powder substance that field tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine. Williams is scheduled to make his initial court appearance August 11, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gwynne E. Birzer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Gutierrez-Rodriguez is schedule to make his initial court appearance August 11, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gwynne E. Birzer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. The Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and IRS Criminal Investigations are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra Barnett and Kari Burks are prosecuting the case. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ). HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Citizen of the Dominican Republic Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Immigration Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KELVIN PRADO-ROBLES, also known as FRANKELY ROBLES-GUZMAN, 49, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to fraud and immigration offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, Prado-Robles has never held legal immigration status in the U.S. In January 2008, he was sentenced in the District of Delaware to 24 months of imprisonment for false representation of citizenship, passport fraud, and identity theft offenses. He was deported to the Dominican Republic in February 2009. In February 2011, Prado-Robles was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Newark, New Jersey. He was again deported in September 2011. Prado-Robles illegally reentered the U.S. and, beginning in late 2017, conspired with Domingo St. Hilaire Rosario and Jamie Pinto to use stolen identities to obtain vehicles and motorcycles at dealerships in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. As part of the scheme, Rosario arranged for a car or motorcycle to be purchased or leased from a dealership in the name of an identity theft victim, and Prado-Robles or Pinto impersonated the identity theft victim at the dealership to complete the paperwork. Rosario supplied his co-conspirators with fraudulent identification documents bearing the victim’s personal identifying information, and with a fraudulent photo identification that contained the identifying information of the victim and a photograph of a co-conspirator. The conspirators intended to sell or export the vehicles. Through this scheme, they acquired at least 13 vehicles and attempted to acquire at least two more. Some of the vehicles were recovered by law enforcement and returned to the dealers. The thefts caused more than $200,000 in losses to the dealerships. Rosario and Prado-Robles fled to the Dominican Republic in approximately 2018. Prado-Robles was arrested in New Mexico in June 2023 and, under the name “Kelvin Prado-Roble,” was charged in the District of New Mexico with illegal reentry. He pleaded guilty to the offense and, in November 2023, was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment. He was transferred to the District of Connecticut in June 2024 and is currently detained. Prado-Robles pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of reentry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 31. Rosario was extradited from the Dominican Republic in May 2020, pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft offenses, and on October 20, 2021, was sentenced to 65 months of imprisonment. Pinto pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and identity theft offenses, and on October 27, 2021, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with substantial assistance from the Vernon Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.


component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Dallas Humber, 35, of Elk Grove, — leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — pleaded guilty today to all charges against her, including soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, the Justice Department and Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. “Hate and terror have no place in this country or abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By securing this conviction, my office makes clear that purveyors of these heinous crimes will be brought to justice.” “Humber led a transnational terrorist group promoting white supremacy, hate crimes, and violence, including soliciting the murder of U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Her actions posed a direct threat to our citizens and national security, and the National Security Division will hold her, as well as others who commit these illegal acts, accountable for their terrorist aims.” “Humber solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law and keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.” “The leader of the Terrorgram Collective influenced hate and violence across the globe while living in a quiet suburb,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Through close collaboration with our domestic and international partners, we defended the homeland and dismantled a dangerous network intent on inciting violence to advance its extremist ideology. Those who direct or commit acts of terror in our communities will face justice.” With her guilty plea, Humber admitted the following facts: from July 2022 until her arrest in September 2024, she served as a leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a white supremacist transnational terrorist group. To achieve their ends, she and other members of the Terrorgram Collective solicited individuals to commit hate crimes, terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, and assassinations; and provided technical, inspirational, and operational guidance to equip those individuals to plan, prepare for, and successfully carry out those attacks. Inspired and guided by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective, individuals committed attacks or plotted to commit attacks in the United States and elsewhere, including, plotting to attack an energy facility in New Jersey, plotting to bomb an energy facility in Tennessee, plotting to murder two people in Wisconsin in furtherance of plans to assassinate a federal official, and attempting to assassinate an Australian official. In addition, individuals led by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective have committed acts of violence internationally, including shooting three people, killing two, at an LGBT bar in Bratislava, Slovakia; shooting 11 people, killing four, at two schools in Aracruz, Brazil; and stabbing five people outside of a mosque in Eskişehir, Turkey. The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Abendroth, Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Samuel A. Kuhn of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case. Humber is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. The plea agreement contemplates a sentence of 25 to 30 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court at the sentencing hearing.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes Report

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending August 8, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 67 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 4 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 35 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 40 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for drug trafficking and illegal reentry. In one significant case, Andrew Michael Dillehay was charged with fleeing at high speed from an immigration checkpoint. On August 4, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered Dillehay at the checkpoint west of Alamogordo, New Mexico. When referred for secondary inspection, he instead sped away from the checkpoint. Agents pursued and apprehended him near Organ, New Mexico. 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Film Production Accountant Charged in Six-Count Federal Indictment with Embezzling More Than $1.9 Million from Indie Films

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A film production accountant from the San Fernando Valley has been charged in a federal grand jury indictment alleging he embezzled more than $1.9 million from the film productions that employed him, using the illicitly obtained funds to stay at Las Vegas hotels and socialize with pornographic actresses, the Justice Department announced today. Joshua Mandel, 46, of Woodland Hills, is charged with six counts of wire fraud. He is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned on September 10 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. According to the indictment returned on Thursday, Mandel owned the Woodland Hills-based company First J Productions Inc., where he served as both its CEO and chief financial officer. He also worked as a film production accountant who specialized in accounting services for independent films. As a production accountant, Mandel oversaw cash flow, payroll, and expenses for the film productions. He also added funds to prepaid debit cards issued by CASHét Card that are commonly used in the film industry and was an authorized user for bank accounts belonging to the production companies. From 2019 to 2023, Mandel misappropriated funds belonging to the film productions by writing unauthorized checks, making unauthorized wire transfers, and moving funds into a CASHét Card account he controlled called “Fun Fun Fun.” Mandel also used the embezzled money to maintain his lifestyle, including paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to various young women, including pornographic actresses, and more than $129,000 to a woman he met through a “sugar daddy” website; spending more than $24,000 at Las Vegas hotels, clubs, and shows; and purchasing more than $12,000 in luxury items from Louis Vuitton. To hide his scheme, Mandel used funds from one production company to pay expenses incurred by another. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted of all charges, Mandel would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Schwab, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, is prosecuting this case.


title: Grand Jury Returns 4-Count Indictment Charging Two Defendants with Assaulting Federal Officers at Immigration Protest in Downtown Los Angeles

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today indicted a Los Angeles woman and a South Bay man on charges that they assaulted federal officers stationed at a federal building in downtown Los Angeles – property that one of them defaced – during an anti-immigration enforcement protest last month. Erin Petra Escobar, 34, of the Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles, is charged with one felony count of assault on a federal officer or employee and one misdemeanor count of depredation of government property. Nick Elias Gutierrez, 20, of Hawthorne, is charged with two felonies: one count of assault on a federal officer or employee and one count of assault on a federal officer or employee resulting in bodily injury. The defendants’ arraignments are scheduled for August 15 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Both Escobar and Gutierrez are free on $5,000 bond. According to the indictment and court documents previously filed in this case, a small group of protesters on July 17 gathered near the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and United States Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. The group was protesting federal immigration enforcement operations that had recently been occurring. Various entrances to the Roybal building clearly indicate that it is federal property. A federal officer saw a protester – later identified as Escobar – using a permanent marker to write on and damage federal property. Minutes later, officers approached Escobar and attempted to detain her. While the officers attempted to detain Escobar, a second protester – later identified as Gutierrez – used both hands to grab the shoulder straps of an officer’s bulletproof vest and began shaking the officer. The officer, helped by two other federal officers, attempted to detain Gutierrez. During the ensuing struggle, one of the officers dislocated his left ring finger. Escobar and Gutierrez eventually were detained and arrested. While in custody and en route to a nearby holding cell, Escobar audibly filled her throat with saliva and spat into the face of one of the officers. An indictment contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Escobar would face a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison for the assault charge and up to one year in federal prison on the depredation charge. If convicted, Gutierrez would face up to 20 years in federal prison for the assault resulting in injury count and a maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison for the assault count. The United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service is investigating this matter. The General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: District of Arizona Charges 172 Individuals for  Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 2, 2025, through August 8, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 172 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 77 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 73 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 18 cases against 22 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 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). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Josue Sanchez : On August 5, 2025, a Pinal County Sherriff’s Detective attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle that was travelling at a high rate of speed on interstate 10. The vehicle quickly exited I-10 and abruptly drove off into the desert before coming to a stop. The vehicle’s doors opened, and three subjects fled on foot. Two of the subjects were wearing camouflage clothing. As the detective drove towards the three subjects, all three stopped and were taken into custody. The driver was identified as Josue Sanchez, an 18-year-old United States citizen. The two subjects in camouflage clothing were determined to be citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Sanchez was on federal probation for transporting illegal aliens at the time he was arrested. Sanchez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C., § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and 1324(a)(1)(B)(ii). Case Number: 25-MJ-05345-PHX-DMF United States v. Luis Alberto Romero Garcia: On July 9, 2025, a Payson Police Department officer conducted a vehicle stop on a minivan for traffic violations. The officer discovered eleven passengers in the minivan. The driver and passengers were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Because the officer did not have federal authority to detain the occupants of the minivan and was unable to prolong the traffic stop, the occupants were released. The officer contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Agents located and conducted a stop on the minivan in Phoenix on August 5, 2025. At the time of the vehicle stop, agents observed more subjects in the minivan than seats or seatbelts, with two subjects lying on the vehicle floorboards unrestrained. Two subjects were unaccompanied minors. One minor was lying on the floor of the minivan. The eleven passengers were determined to be citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. The driver, Luis Alberto Romero Garcia, was also determined to be a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States. Romero Garcia was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C., § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and 1324(a)(1)(B)(ii). Case Number: 25-MJ-05369-PHX-DMF United States v. Gilberto Trevizo-Garcia: On August 7, 2025, Gilberto Trevizo-Garcia was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien in violation of Title 8, U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(1). Trevizo-Garcia had been previously removed from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Controlled Substances, and Manufacture and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Romo-Ortiz was sentenced to 78 months of incarceration, and 3 years of supervised release in the Ohio case. Case Number: 25-mj-05368-PHX-DMF 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 (TCOs), 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 Neighborhood (PSN). A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-132_August 8 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Orange County Man Pleads Guilty to Using Semi-Automatic Rifle to Shoot at Sheriff’s Department Helicopter After His Birthday Party

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A Laguna Niguel man pleaded guilty today to using a semi-automatic rifle to repeatedly shoot at an Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter last year from a second-story window at his home. Justin Derek Jennings, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to damage, destroy, disable, or wreck an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. According to his plea agreement, on March 9, 2024, Jennings – from a second-story window of his residence – used a semi-automatic rifle to shoot at a helicopter operated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Court documents previously filed in this case stated that Jennings and his family were celebrating his birthday party on that day. Jennings had been drinking and became angry. As anger grew, family members in attendance left the home. After most of his family left, Jennings removed a rifle from his gun safe and fired an entire magazine worth of ammunition inside the home. The rest of Jennings’ family fled and reported the incident to law enforcement. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department responded with several deputies and a police helicopter that flew in circles around the area. Jennings then went to the home’s second story and began shooting a rifle upwards in the sky, firing only when the helicopter was visible to him. The shooting continued intermittently for at least 20 minutes. After speaking with an Orange County sheriff’s deputy, Jennings exited the residence and surrendered. During a search of Jennings’ residence, law enforcement seized two revolvers, two handguns, and two rifles along with multiple rounds of ammunition. Bullet casings were scattered throughout the floor and law enforcement also seized two magazines and a box of ammunition that was on a couch beneath the window from where Jennings fired the weapon. United States District Judge John W. Holcomb scheduled a January 30, 2026, sentencing hearing, at which time Jennings will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office charged Jennings in connection with this incident but dismissed the case so the federal case against him could proceed. The FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin J. Campbell and Lisa J. Lindhorst of the Orange County Office are prosecuting this case.


title: Albany Woman Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute a Synthetic Cannabinoid and Related Charges

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Maya McIntosh, age 33, of Albany, was sentenced on July 31, 2025, for conspiracies to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and controlled substance analogue, distribution and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and controlled substance analogue, and unlawful possession and use of a means of identification. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Lynelle Maginley-Liddie, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction, made the announcement. McIntosh admitted in her prior guilty plea that beginning no later than January 2023 through July 2024, the defendant manufactured, distributed, and possessed with intent to distribute the substance MDMB-4en-PINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid, and conspired to do so with others. More specifically, McIntosh ordered constituent chemicals, which were shipped to the residences of McIntosh and a coconspirator. McIntosh combined those chemicals in her residence to create MDMB-4en-PINACA in liquid form. McIntosh then sprayed and soaked the liquid onto copy paper and business envelopes. McIntosh placed those documents into U.S. Priority Mail Express envelopes addressed to inmates at various correctional facilities in New York State. McIntosh disguised the envelopes as legal mail by stamping the names of actual attorneys in the return address portion of the envelopes, without their knowledge or permission, to make it appear is if the parcels were sent by attorneys and contained legitimate legal paperwork instead of a controlled substance. McIntosh used social media to sell the sheets and envelopes soaked in MDMB-4en-PINACA to others. McIntosh’s customers paid her to mail the MDMB-4en-PINACA-soaked papers to inmates at the facilities. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, “Maya McIntosh endangered the health and safety of hardworking corrections officers and prison staff when she manufactured a synthetic drug and smuggled it into correctional facilities through the U.S. Mail. Now she will spend 8 years behind bars herself. I’m grateful for the collaboration between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, New York City Department of Correction Special Investigation Unit, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York that achieved this result.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to dedicate the resources necessary to combat drug trafficking. McIntosh’s sentencing is a result of a coordinated effort to keep contraband out of the U.S. Mail and in this case, out of correctional facilities,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “When the U.S. Mail is used to transport illegal drugs, it is taken very seriously. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service works diligently to preserve the integrity of the mail by investigating and bringing to justice, those who use it illegally.” “Maya McIntosh utilized brazen and deceptive methods to ship and smuggle synthetic narcotics into New York State correctional facilities, endangering correctional employees and others exposed to these harmful substances. This sentence reflects the seriousness of her crimes,” said Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Buffalo. “I commend HSI Albany personnel and our partners with the USPIS, the New York City Department of Correction, and the Northern District of New York, for ensuring that Ms. McIntosh faces the consequences of her actions.” "Maya McIntosh's sentencing should stand as a warning to anyone seeking to introduce contraband into prisons and jails: we will find you and you will be punished," said NYC Correction Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie. "The violence and loss of life prevented by the vigilance of the dedicated DOC staff who identify and investigate the presence of illegal substances in our jails cannot be understated. I commend these staff, and partners at DOCCS, USDOJ, and the U.S. Postal Service, for this coordinated effort to successfully stem the tide of dangerous substances entering our jails." Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to follow McIntosh’s term of imprisonment and ordered her to forfeit more than $42,000 of proceeds of the offense. This case was investigated by USPIS, HSI Buffalo Field Office, and the New York City Department of Correction Special Investigation Unit, with assistance from HSI New York Field Office, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case.


title: Bloomington Felon Sentenced to Thirty-Six Months in Prison for Possession of Firearms and Distributing Cocaine

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

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Bloomington, Illinois man, Dandre Antwan Williams, 36, of the 1200 block of Orchard Road, was sentenced on August 7, 2025, to 36 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and the distribution of cocaine. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the government provided information that in April 2024, Williams possessed and sold a Russian firearm, a Taurus .38 firearm loaded with 4 rounds of special ammunition, and 48.6 grams of cocaine. As a convicted felon, Williams was prohibited from possessing firearms. During the hearing, Judge Hawley also found that one of the firearms had a defaced serial number. Williams was indicted in October 2024 and pled guilty in March 2025. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in October 2024. The statutory penalties for a felon in possession of a firearm are, not more than 15 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. The statutory penalties for distribution of cocaine are not more than 30 years imprisonment, up to 6 years of supervised release, and up to a $2,000,000 fine. The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Williams is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison For Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Materials And Drug And Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Rodney Williams was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, possession of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence. Williams, 55, of San Francisco, was charged by information on Oct. 7, 2024. On May 16, 2025, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. According to the plea agreement, on or about July 24, 2024, law enforcement conducted a search of Williams’s home and vehicle in the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, which led to the finding of his iPhone. Williams admitted that his iPhone contained 555 images and 147 videos depicting child sexual abuse materials, and that at least one of these files depicted a minor under 12 years old. Separately, Williams also admitted that on or about April 3, 2024, he knowingly possessed nine video files in his digital storage account depicting child sexual abuse materials, including at least one file that depicted a minor under 12 years old. Law enforcement also found controlled substances and firearms during the July 24, 2024, search. Specifically, Williams possessed with intent to distribute nearly 3.8 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 1 kilogram of cocaine. Williams also acknowledged possessing approximately 100 grams net weight of heroin and approximately 17 grams of fentanyl. He also possessed 11 firearms and two other weapons, including two AK-style rifles, two AR-style rifles, a semiautomatic .22 caliber rifle, a bolt-action rifle, five semiautomatic handguns, a revolver handgun, and a shotgun, as well as over 116 pounds of ammunition of multiple calibers. In addition, he had body armor, as well as various firearm magazines and accessories, such as optical scopes and a firearm suppressor. At the time Williams possessed the firearms and ammunition, he had been convicted of multiple felonies, including, among others, assault with a firearm on a person and harmful material sent to induce a minor. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Topper made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Judge Illston also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay $89,000 in restitution to victims of the child sexual abuse material he possessed. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli J. Cohen prosecuted the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI, ATF, and the San Francisco Police Department.


title: Honduran Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Honduran citizen was sentenced on August 8, 2025, to 18 months in federal prison for illegally returning to the United States after being deported. According to public court documents, Mario Fernando Padilla Barahona, 28, had previously been deported from the United States once in 2020. In September 2024, law enforcement encountered Padilla Barahona when he was arrested for operating while intoxicated after he drove on the wrong side of the road, lost control of his vehicle, and crashed into a utility pole. Prior to his 2020 removal, Padilla Barahona was convicted of online solicitation of a minor in the Texas District Court for Montgomery County. After completing his term of imprisonment, Padilla Barahona will be required to serve a two-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.


title: Fraud Conspiracy Leader Sentenced on Bank Fraud, Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A North Providence man convicted and sentenced multiple times on economic-based and firearms charges was sentenced today to federal prison for leading a well-organized conspiracy to defraud banks, steal individuals’ personal information, and for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Jamal Mansaray, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 110 months of incarceration, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution to various financial institutions totaling more than $70,000. Mansaray pleaded guilty on April 29, 2025, to charges of bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. As detailed in court documents, Mansaray led a well-organized conspiracy from his dining room table to steal checks from the U.S. Mail, and to obtain and use business and personal identifying information of third parties. The stolen identifying information was used to alter stolen checks, create fraudulent checks, and to fraudulently access bank accounts. A court-authorized search of Mansaray’s residence in May 2023 resulted in the seizure of hundreds of personal and business checks, blank “washed” checks, more than 1,000 blank check stock used to create and print counterfeit checks, multiple laptops and printers, checks in various stages of alteration, Social Security cards, debit cards, and a temporary driver’s license in the name of others. Additionally, law enforcement also located a loaded firearm and ammunition inside a backpack belonging to the defendant. Mansaray is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he has been convicted previously on felony charges, including firearms and financial crimes. In 2018, Mansaray was convicted on federal charges of bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated ID theft. He was sentenced in October 2018 to 60 months of incarceration and three years’ supervised release. This most current case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and John P. McAdams. The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Rhode Island State Police. ### sentencing_memo.pdf


title: Current Camden County Sheriff’s Sgt. Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Violations

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A federal grand jury returned a thirteen count Indictment charging current Camden County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant, Buck William Aldridge, 42, of St. Mary’s Georgia, with deprivation of rights under color of law and falsifying records. According to the allegations contained in the indictment, Aldridge, while working in his capacity as a Deputy Sheriff with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), used excessive force on arrestees on four separate occasions. In addition to the use of excessive force, the indictment alleges Aldridge prepared multiple misleading CCSO reports to justify his use of force. Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement. Aldridge faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each federal civil rights violation, and 20 years in prison for each false report. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. “Law enforcement officers are entrusted with the authority to uphold the law—not to break it. When that trust is violated, the FBI will act. No badge puts anyone above the Constitution,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “We remain committed to investigating civil rights violations and holding accountable those who abuse their power.” The FBI Brunswick Field Office is investigating the case. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Bryan County Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearm

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sammy Lynn Key, age 45, of Colbert, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment charged Key with knowingly possessing a .38 Special caliber revolver on September 23, 2022, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Atoka County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Key will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Catawba Man Arrested for Soliciting Sexual Material from Minors

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Catawba, Virginia man was arrested yesterday for his attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Jacob Ryan Barnett, 34, was arrested yesterday in North Carolina by FBI agents pursuant to a federal criminal complaint. He will make his initial court appearance early next week in U.S. District court in Roanoke. “While the charges against Mr. Barnett are just allegations at this point, the facts presented do serve as a reminder for all parents to be aware of what their children are doing online,” United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert said today. “Our kids occupy a world where those seeking to harm them have countless avenues, like TikTok, Discord, Snapchat and others, to reach across vast distances directly into their bedrooms. Please, monitor their online activity, talk to them about the dangers that are out there, and let them know how to report folks who try to exploit them online.” “The heinous crimes Barnett is charged with are what keep parents up at night. Educating our kids and communities about the threats posed by faceless, online personas is crucial to maintaining their safety. Working with our partners, FBI Richmond will bring the full weight of the justice system on anyone who attempts to harm our children. The FBI will never stop searching for these predators and bringing justice for victims,” said Ann Busby, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. According to court records, the FBI received a tip that a then-unknown subject had attempted to groom a 15-year-old girl living in Michigan. Investigating agents discovered that on May 18, 2025, the victim first received a message from a TikTok account that appeared to belong to a teenaged boy who called himself “Jodie Johnson.” Johnson exchanged phone numbers with the victim, and through persistent messaging over the next few days, convinced her to send him a sexually explicit video of herself. Agents were able to determine that “Jodie Johnson’s” TikTok account and phone number belonged to Barnett, an individual working in Catawba, Virginia who routinely interacted with young people. Phone records showed that Barnett was operating the number while talking to the Michigan victim. Agents observed that Barnett’s TikTok account appeared to be following thousands of minor girls. They also uncovered that Barnett was using Discord and Snapchat accounts to solicit sexually explicit material from other children while posing as a teenager. If convicted, Barnett faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum punishment of life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert and Ann Busby, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Homewood Felon Charged with Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Homewood, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Chaz Mitchell, 35, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about July 5, 2025, Mitchell had three firearms and ammunition in his possession after having been convicted of two prior felonies, including on state firearm charges. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Harrison County Man Admits to Fentanyl Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Chad William Mullooly, 40, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to the distribution of p-Fluorofentanyl. According to court documents, Mullooly sold fentanyl and p-Fluorofentanyl, a synthetic opioid, on several occasions in Harrison County. Mullooly faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rhee is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Former Corrections Officer Admits to Taking Bribes

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A former correctional officer at Federal Corrections Institution Gilmer has admitted to taking bribes from inmates in exchange for smuggling in contraband. Hector Lopez, age 41, of Weston, West Virginia pled guilty to bribery of a public official. According to the plea agreement, Lopez accepted $40,000 in payments from or on behalf of inmates as payment for smuggling contraband into the prison. Lopez faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Department of Justice Office of Inspector General investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: The Justice Department Files Complaint Challenging Oklahoma Law Providing In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens

component: Civil Division

body_text: The United States is challenging an Oklahoma law providing in-state tuition for illegal aliens. This law unconstitutionally discriminates against U.S. citizens, who are not afforded the same privileges, in direct conflict with federal law. On Tuesday, Aug. 5, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Oklahoma against the State of Oklahoma seeking to enjoin the State from enforcing the Oklahoma law and bring them into compliance with federal requirements. In the complaint, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of an Oklahoma law that requires colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates for all aliens who maintain Oklahoma residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Federal law prohibits institutions of higher education from providing benefits to aliens that are not offered to U.S. citizens. The Oklahoma law blatantly conflicts with federal law and is thus in conflict with the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This lawsuit follows two executive orders signed by President Trump that seek to ensure illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment. The first, “ Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders ” orders all agencies to “ensure, to the maximum extent permitted by law, that no taxpayer-funded benefits go to unqualified aliens.” The second, “ Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens ,” directs relevant officials to “take appropriate action to stop the enforcement of State and local laws, regulations, policies, and practices favoring aliens over any groups of American citizens that are unlawful, preempted by Federal law, or otherwise unenforceable, including State laws that provide in-State higher education tuition to aliens but not to out-of-State American citizens.”


title: Schuylkill County Native Charged With Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Craig Kimmel, age 54, of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for child exploitation offenses on August 6, 2025. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Kimmel attempted to produce a visual depiction containing the sexual exploitation of a child. The indictment states that Kimmel was previously convicted in Schuylkill County of indecent assault and attempted statutory rape, which increases the mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment on this count to 25 years. The indictment further charges Kimmel with coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution and any sexual activity for which he could be charged with a crime. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Dukes is prosecuting the case. 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is a lifetime term of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Two Defendants Plead Guilty To Fraud Scheme Involving Data Stolen From Hospital Patients

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton; Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia; and Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), Jonathan Mellone, announced today that WILKINS ESTRELLA and CHARLENE MARTE pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with using social security numbers and other personally identifiable information belonging to hundreds of victims to open debit cards and attempt to fraudulently obtain $1.6 million in pandemic relief funds from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and the New York State Department of Labor. The scheme resulted in almost $1 million in actual losses. ESTRELLA, a former clerk at a Bronx hospital, is also charged with the wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information for accessing and stealing the data of at least 4,005 hospital patients for use in the fraud scheme. ESTRELLA pled guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2025. MARTE pled guilty on July 28, 2025, and will be sentenced on November 5, 2025. “Wilkins Estrella stole the personal data of thousands of people, including hospital patients, and used this data along with his partner Charlene Marte to claim money that was intended to assist struggling Americans during the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Defrauding federal programs harms all New Yorkers and our Office is committed to stopping it.” “Wilkins Estrella and Charlene Marte exploited thousands of patient records to steal almost one million dollars from various government programs,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “These defendants misused sensitive identifying information to perpetuate this illicit scheme and reap unlawful proceeds. The FBI remains committed to pursuing any individual who targets confidential medical information for personal enrichment.” “Wilkins Estrella and Charlene Marte committed numerous frauds against multiple government agencies, including a scheme to defraud the New York State Department of Labor’s unemployment insurance program by misusing the stolen identities of individuals to falsely obtain benefits,” said DOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone. “We will continue to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of U.S. Department of Labor programs.” As alleged in public court filings, statements at public court proceedings, and the charging documents in the case: From at least 2020 to 2022, ESTRELLA and his romantic partner, MARTE, misused the names, social security numbers, and other personally identifiable information belonging to hundreds of individuals to fraudulently obtain almost $1 million in COVID-19 stimulus checks and tax refunds from the IRS and unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor. ESTRELLA and MARTE also arranged for these and other funds to be loaded onto hundreds of debit cards that they opened in other people’s names using stolen data, and had the cards mailed to their homes and to the homes of their family members. ESTRELLA and MARTE obtained this data from multiple sources, including a hospital in the Bronx where ESTRELLA worked as a business clerk for almost a decade. In 2020, ESTRELLA was terminated from that role after an internal systems audit revealed that he had improperly accessed the protected health information of at least 4,005 hospital patients. * * * ESTRELLA, 40, of Hackensack, New Jersey, and MARTE, 31, of the Bronx, New York, each pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. ESTRELLA also pled guilty to wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. In addition, ESTRELLA and MARTE each agreed that they are jointly and severally liable for $951,618.20 in forfeiture and the same amount in restitution. The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencings of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and DOL-OIG and thanked the New York State Department of Labor for its assistance in the investigation of the case. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Yumi Chong is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Augusta State Medical Prison Correctional Officers Charged in Connection with Inmate’s Death

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: On Aug. 5, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia returned a two-count indictment charging former Augusta State Medical Prison Correctional Officers Robert Roberson and Marcus Phillips with violating the constitutional rights of an inmate by showing deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of harm to an inmate, resulting in his death. The indictment further charges Roberson with falsifying a logbook to cover up his misconduct. The indictment alleges that on Oct. 28, 2020, Roberson and Phillips became aware of a smoldering fire in an inmate’s cell, and, rather than extinguish the smoldering fire, evacuate the inmate from his cell, remediate the smoke from the cell, or call a fire emergency over the radio, they willfully disregarded the substantial risk of serious harm to the inmate by leaving him in his locked cell for several hours while he slowly died from smoke inhalation. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Atlanta's Augusta Resident Agency is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kirkland for the Southern District of Georgia and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Forsyth County Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in Connection with COVID-19 Rental Assistance Funds

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: Greensboro, NC – Shakerra Aarka Jones of Forsyth County pled guilty Tuesday, August 6, to one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Treasury and Forsyth County’s Department of Social Services of funds allocated for emergency rental assistance, announced Clifton T. Barrett, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. According to court documents, Jones, age 48, submitted fraudulent applications to the City of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance (“ERA”) Program in 2021 and 2022 to obtain money to personally enrich herself. ERA funds were designated to assist low-income residents who were behind on their rent and/or utilities because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A tenant had to meet eligibility requirements, and the tenant and property owner were required to submit supporting documentation. Jones submitted applications for ERA funds as though her business, BAS Tax Service, were the property owner to whom past-due rent was due, but neither Jones nor BAS Tax Service owned any property. In the applications, Jones made false and fraudulent representations, including the submission of fake rental agreements, fake arrears letters, and fake property management agreements with false information and forged signatures. When the applications were approved, the checks were issued to BAS Tax Service as the property owner, and, with one exception, Jones deposited them into the bank account in the name of Shakerra Jones d/b/a BAS Tax Service. In total, Jones fraudulently obtained $135,501 in ERA funds. Sentencing is scheduled to take place on November 24, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. At sentencing, Jones faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties. The United States Secret Service, Winston-Salem Police Department, and Forsyth County Department of Social Services Program Integrity Unit are investigating. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Jeanne Dildine. ###