title: New York City Based Drug Supplier Sentenced for Role in Ulster County Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Defendant, Cecilio Wareham, age 48 of Queens, New York, was sentenced on May 11, 2026 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino to 63 months in Federal Prison to be followed by a term of three years of supervised release. The sentence stems from his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Wareham previously admitted to supplying his co-conspirator, Greg Tejada, with quantities of cocaine for redistribution, including over 2 kilograms of cocaine that were seized from Tejada in October 2024. The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT). In April 2025, ten defendants, including Wareham, were indicted for their roles in drug trafficking organizations that distributed large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine in and around Kingston, New York and other areas of Ulster County. The charges in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The organizations are alleged to have distributed over 11 kilograms of cocaine and hundreds of grams of cocaine base. Through the execution of search warrants in Ulster County and additional enforcement actions, law enforcement seized over five kilograms of cocaine and 270 grams of cocaine base. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Cecilio Wareham will spend the next 63 months in federal prison due to his role in a distribution network poisoning our streets. Wareham and his accused associates were identified and indicted thanks to strong collaboration between law enforcement partners at the local and federal levels. Together their efforts uncovered this operation and have removed these deadly drugs from our streets.” HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso: “Today’s sentence represents the culmination of a long-term joint effort to uncover and disrupt the organizations pushing dangerous narcotics into our neighborhoods. HSI New York, in close coordination with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to target and root out the pipelines, intermediaries, and groups that profit from addiction. We will not waver in our mission to protect our communities and bring traffickers to justice.” Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa stated: “Removing the threat of dangerous narcotics trafficking in our county is one of the main directives of the URGENT task force. Illegal drug use in our county leads to other serious crimes. I want to thank our Federal, state and local partners for the collaboration and hard work in this case.” The remaining defendants, all of whom are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, would face the following minimum and maximum terms of imprisonment upon conviction: Name Age Residence Minimum Term of Imprisonment Maximum Term of Imprisonment Damon Dunn, aka “Moe” 48 Tilson, New York 10 years Life Greg Tejada, aka “Bear, 48 Highland Lakes, New Jersey 10 years Life Richard Johnson 35 New York, New York 10 years Life Kevin Dunn 52 New York, New York 5 years 40 years Aidan White 23 Kingston, New York 5 years 40 years Kristine Scibelli 41 Middletown, New York 5 years 40 years Xavier Patterson, aka “Xay” 28 New York, New York 5 years 40 years Allen McGraw, aka “Snoop” 44 Utica, New York None 20 years Raymond Robinson 53 Kingston, New York None 20 years Additionally, Damon Dunn, Raymond Robinson, Greg Tejada, Kristine Scibelli, Xavier Patterson, and Richard Johnson are charged with Distribution of a Controlled Substance, and Aidan White and Damon Dunn are charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The charges in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case is being investigated by HSI; the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with URGENT (the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement and Narcotics Team); Federal Bureau of Investigation, and New York State Police Special Investigations Unit, Valhalla. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul DerOhannesian and Douglas Collyer are prosecuting the cases. These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.


title: Fifteen Defendants Charged Following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation into Erie-Focused Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - Fifteen individuals from Erie, Pennsylvania; New York; and Ohio have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating federal narcotics laws as the result of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today during a press conference held at Erie City Hall. The defendants were named in two separate but related one-count Indictments. The first of those Indictments charges 13 of the defendants with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute various quantities of fentanyl and/or cocaine. The second Indictment charges two additional defendants with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine. A list of the defendants, the amount and type of drug(s) attributable to each through the conspiracy, and the maximum penalty for each defendant is included below. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. “This prosecution is another important example of our office’s commitment to safeguard the people of northwestern Pennsylvania from the scourge of fentanyl and cocaine and—working with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels—to bring to justice those responsible for endangering our families, friends, and neighbors,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “Drug trafficking networks breed violence, organized criminal activity, addiction, and exploitation,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec. “Illicit operations like this poison communities surrounding Lake Erie far beyond the individuals purchasing the drugs. To those who think they can ship dangerous drugs into the heart of our community, no matter how sophisticated the operation, the FBI and our partners will pursue you across time zones and international borders to protect the American people.” “These indictments demonstrate the impact of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative and our unwavering commitment to dismantling the drug trafficking networks that push fentanyl and cocaine into Erie and communities across northwestern Pennsylvania,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Nathan Abel of Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia. “HSI, working alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, the FBI, and our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to use every lawful tool at our disposal to identify, investigate, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations that profit from addiction and threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.” “These defendants violated the law by trafficking illegal drugs within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” said Capt. Nicholas A. Cortes, Director of the Drug Law Enforcement Division of the Pennsylvania State Police. “The successful outcome of this investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated enforcement efforts among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. By dismantling this drug trafficking organization, investigators have disrupted the distribution of dangerous drugs and enhanced public safety throughout the Erie community. The Pennsylvania State Police commends the approximate five-month collaborative efforts of investigators from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Drug Law Enforcement Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations, and recognizes the United States Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Erie City Police Department, the Edinboro Police Department, the Mill Creek Police Department, and the Erie City School Police Department for their continued partnership in keeping our communities safe from dangerous drugs.” “These traffickers of poisons into our communities believed they could outsmart law enforcement, but this investigation proved otherwise," said Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday. "No matter where these criminal organizations attempt to hide—whether in northwest Pennsylvania or anywhere else in our Commonwealth—we will continue to identify them, dismantle their operations and hold them accountable. I am grateful for the partnerships that made this takedown possible." Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Defendants (Indictment One) Name Age City Drugs Attributed Maximum Penalty Abner Cintron-Melendez 40 Jamestown, NY 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine Life imprisonment Yirzak Caceres-Perez 28 West Babylon, NY 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl Life imprisonment Thalia Dalie Lynch 31 Jamestown, NY 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine Life imprisonment Alberto Daniel Arroyo-Amaro 27 Erie, PA 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine Life imprisonment Brayan Omar Arroyo-Amaro 29 Erie, PA 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine Life imprisonment Yanelite Amaro-Colon 39 Erie, PA A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment Luis Serrano-Mojica 34 Youngstown, OH 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 40 years imprisonment Juan Gustavo Cartagena Sr. 31 Erie, PA A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment Landy Gerebee Pacheco-Mendez 34 Erie, PA A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment Lourdes Marie Cartagena 30 Erie, PA A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment Luis Ramon Feliciano-Martinez 54 Erie, PA A quantity of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment Javier Carrasquillo 47 Jamestown, NY A quantity of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment Mariah Arlene Jackson 29 Jamestown, NY A quantity of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment Defendants (Indictment Two) Name Age City Drugs Attributed Maximum Penalty Luis Antonio DeJesus Jr. 46 Erie, PA A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment Daniel Tirado 45 Erie, PA A quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine 20 years imprisonment This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations that have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Western District of Pennsylvania is part of the Philadelphia HSTF, which is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the United States Department of State–Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and state and local law enforcement partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Among the state and local law enforcement partners that coordinated with the HSTF in this investigation were the Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Drug Law Enforcement Division and the FBI Erie Resident Agency’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE) Safe Streets Task Force, comprising investigators from the FBI, United States Customs and Border Protection, Erie Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Millcreek Police Department, Oil City Police Department, Franklin Police Department, Meadville Police Department, Edinboro Police Department, and Erie School District Police Department. The investigation was also conducted in association with the Northwest Pennsylvania Drug Initiative, which was formed following Erie County’s designation as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) in 2021. The HIDTA program was created by Congress in 1988 to coordinate and assist federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in addressing regional drug threats with the purpose of reducing drug trafficking and drug production in the United States. The Northwest Pennsylvania Drug Initiative coordinates personnel and resources between multiple agencies including the Pennsylvania State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Erie Police Department, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County Detectives, United States Postal Inspection Service, the EAGLE Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and other participating agencies. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Sioux Falls, South Dakota Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison  for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on May 11, 2026. Amanda Thompson, 36, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Thompson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in December 2024. She pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026. Thompson worked with others to obtain methamphetamine in Omaha during multiple trips and then redistributed those drugs in Sioux Falls. She also sent drug proceeds through multiple money wire transfers directly to people in Mexico at the direction of a co-conspirator. During her involvement in the conspiracy, Thompson was involved in trafficking over four pounds of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges handled the prosecution of the case. Thompson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: California Man Arrested for Violating Lacey Act for Plot to Illegally Export Trafficked Turtles

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced that Donald Do, of Daly City, California, was arrested on federal wildlife trafficking charges. Do is charged with conspiracy and Lacey Act crimes related to submitting false paperwork to obtain a federal export permit and trying to ship protected turtles to Asia. The judge scheduled a status conference for July 31, 2026. The indictment alleges that between December 2022 and May 2024, Do and a California accomplice attempted to export 292 loggerhead musk turtles to Taiwan. Do’s co-conspirator obtained an export permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) based on a false claim by Do that he hatched and raised the turtles when he had not. After obtaining the export permit, Do allegedly bought musk turtles poached from the wild in Florida and elsewhere, and tried to obtain more. Do told sellers he was willing to take “wild caught” and sent instructions to ship turtles to San Francisco. Do and the co-conspirator also allegedly tried to obtain over 200 turtles from Albert Bazaar, of Louisiana, who was detained last week in Phoenix on turtle trafficking charges. After unsuccessfully exporting the turtles, Do allegedly tried to conceal his role by lying to his co-conspirator in California that he had sold the turtles to other domestic buyers. It is illegal under the Lacey Act to provide false information about wildlife involved in international or interstate commerce or to sell or transport wildlife taken in violation of state law. The USFWS issues permits to import or export fish, wildlife, and plants protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), of which the United States and 184 other governments are signatories. Loggerhead musk turtles were added to the list of protected species in November 2022. If convicted, Do faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the conspiracy and Lacey Act charges. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian for the Northern District of California, and Assistant Director Doug Ault, USFWS Office of Law Enforcement announced the arrest and charges. The USFWS investigated the case as part of Operation Southern Hot Herps, which was a joint federal and state law enforcement operation to detect and deter turtle poachers in the southeastern United States. Homeland Security Investigations, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission assisted with the investigation. Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Chambers for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case. An indictment merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime and Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Desean Lamar Briscoe, 36, also known as “G,” of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to five years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and violation of supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2025, Briscoe sold approximately 3 grams of suspected heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $225 in Huntington. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the substance contained 3 grams of fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Briscoe admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand. Briscoe also admitted that he sold suspected heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $50 in Huntington on March 11, 2025. The West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed the substance contained a quantity of cocaine base, also known as “crack.” At the time of the current offense, Briscoe was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his conviction for possession with the intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 18, 2020. Today’s sentence includes two years in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-183. ###


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Cambridge, Illinois man was sentenced on May 13, 2026, to 125 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Christopher L. Rutherford, 55, messaged with two undercover officers who posed as underage teenagers on Facebook and exchanged messages about meeting to engage in sex acts. Rutherford made plans to meet up with one of the undercover officers at Walmart in Burlington where he was arrested. After completing his term of imprisonment, Rutherford will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Guatemalan national was sentenced in federal court in Rhode Island for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed. Victor Lemus Davida, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. to time served. According to court documents, Lemus Davida, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the United States on June 8, 2022, pursuant to an order of removal. He later entered the United States without obtaining permission from the Attorney General to reapply for admission. Lemus Davida was arrested on February 5, 2026, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal reentry in March 2026. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra R. Hebert. The matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


title: San Jose Resident Sentenced To Five And A Half Years In Federal Prison For Possession Of Child Pornography

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – David Alvarez was sentenced last week to 66 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Senior U.S. District Judge William Orrick handed down the sentence. Alvarez, 38, of San Jose, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 31, 2024. Alvarez pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025, to one count of possession of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, Alvarez admitted to possessing five electronic devices that he knew contained approximately 960 files of child pornography. Alvarez further admitted that he distributed child pornography to others via social media and messaging applications, and that he also generated screen recordings of video chat sessions where he played his child pornography collection for 70 different people. During those recorded video chats, Alvarez asked one user to masturbate next to the user’s sleeping child. Alvarez also showed another user a video depicting the sexual abuse of a child and, while the video played, remarked that he “[d]id this to my nephew a few times” when the nephew was seven years old. Alvarez also exchanged messages that were sexual in nature with a person who told Alvarez he was 15 years old. In those messages, Alvarez solicited pictures from the minor, who sent Alvarez a nude picture. In return, Alvarez sent the minor images of his own genitalia. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Jeff Brannigan made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick sentenced the defendant to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered that he pay restitution to one of his victims. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on July 10, 2026. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared S. Buszin is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.


component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in Case Brought by New Hampshire’s Homeland Security Task Force CONCORD –Michael Suazo Tejada, 22, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces. According to court documents and statements, in late 2023, law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) operating in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. During the course of the conspiracy, the DTO trafficked multiple kilograms of methamphetamine. Tejada moved narcotics for the DTO. The charging statute provides for a sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in federal prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $10,000,000. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for September 8, 2026. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Major Offender Task Force led the investigation with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, and Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasir Sadat is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Hampshire comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS, DEA, ATF, USMS, and DSS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.


title: Lower Brule Man Sentenced to Over 4 Years in Federal Prison  for Assaulting a Federal Officer

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on May 12, 2026. Isiah Harding, age 28, was sentenced to four years and eight months in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hardin was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on June 7, 2025, in the Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservation. A Bureau of Indian Affairs officer made contact with Hardin who was standing in the middle of the street, yelling loudly. Hardin was agitated and began to physically struggle with the officer. Hardin kicked and hit the officer several times causing the officer to suffer serious bodily injury requiring surgery. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services-Lower Brule Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case. Hardin was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Southern California Man Pleads Guilty to Importation and Possession With Intent to Distribute Ketamine

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A 19-year-old southern California man pleaded guilty today to importation and possession with intent to distribute more than 70 pounds of ketamine that was discovered in his luggage. According to court documents, on or about September 29, 2025, Nehemiah Bayonne arrived at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, from London, England. After deboarding the airplane, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer referred Bayonne to Customs for a baggage inspection. During the inspection of Bayonne’s two bags, CBP officers found a total of 32 “bricks” of ketamine – 16 bricks in each bag. The approximate total weight of ketamine was 32.8kg (72.3 lbs). Ketamine is a schedule III controlled substance. According to the DEA, Ketamine, commonly known on the street as Special K, is a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects. It distorts perceptions of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and not in control. Bayonne pleaded guilty to one count of importation of a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva set sentencing for August 24, 2026. The maximum statutory penalty is 20 years in prison, a period of supervised release, a fine, and a mandatory special assessment. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement. HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Bush is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Gainesville Woman Faces Federal Firearm Charge

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

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – Jomekia Archer, 46, of Gainesville, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possession of firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge. Archer appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 17, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville, Florida. Archer faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Fleming. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Stolen Treasury Check Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty to charges that he deposited stolen and altered U.S. Treasury checks into shell company bank accounts that he controlled and then withdrew the stolen money to conceal its origin. Gino Rosario Tyler Alexander Allegra, 32, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft of government funds, four counts of bank fraud and three counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Aug. 6, 2026. Allegra was charged in a superseding indictment in September 2025 and detained pending trial. Allegra obtained U.S. Treasury checks that had been issued as tax refunds to individuals and businesses throughout the United States but were later stolen. Allegra deposited these checks into bank accounts that he opened in the name of World Advance, Inc. (WAI), a Massachusetts shell company with no bona fide operations. The stolen checks were altered to name WAI as a payee instead of the actual taxpayers eligible for the refunds. Allegra also purchased bank checks payable to other shell businesses to conceal the origin of the stolen proceeds and deposited and laundered bank checks that others purchased using other stolen Treasury checks. In total, Allegra stole or laundered more than $1.2 million in government funds. The charges of theft of government funds provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of bank fraud provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of money laundering provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and fine of up to $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Michael Carpenter, Special Agent in charge of the U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto, Chief of the Securities, Financial and Cyber Frauds Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: New York Business Owner Sentenced to Prison  for Using Shell Companies to Launder Health Care Fraud Proceeds for Transnational Criminal Organization

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: A New York man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for conspiring to launder nearly $1.5 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds through multiple domestic and global banks on behalf of a Transnational Criminal Organization (Organization). According to court documents, Elnar Zarbailov, 42, of Staten Island, New York, and dual citizen of the United States and Azerbaijan, was a fixer and money launderer for the foreign-based Organization that spearheaded the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, as uncovered by Operation Gold Rush . The Organization, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit, and steal from Medicare and private health insurance companies. As alleged in charging documents, the Organization exploited the United States’ financial system by depositing insurance reimbursement checks from the fraud. The health care fraud proceeds were particularly susceptible to laundering because they originated from legitimate sources—Medicare and established private insurance carriers—giving the funds the initial appearance of legitimacy. To gain access to the United States’ financial system, the Organization deployed a range of tactics to circumvent internal controls at multiple banks and in some cases coordinated directly with associates employed at the banks. As further alleged, to open financial accounts, the Organization armed its nominee owners, many of whom were not lawfully present in the United States, with false sale documentation and false corporate registration documents. This documentation falsely reflected that the nominee owners maintained beneficial ownership and control of various fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) companies. This disguised the true beneficial ownership and control of the companies and the financial accounts. Upon opening the financial accounts, the Organization funneled fraud proceeds from Medicare and other legitimate health care insurers into the accounts as seemingly “clean” money. From there, the Organization siphoned off the funds to shell companies and various banks overseas. Zarbailov facilitated a critical element of the transnational scheme. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Zarbailov deposited fraud proceeds from five DME companies linked to the scheme and transferred the fraud proceeds to other accounts, including accounts located overseas. Zarbailov was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in September 2024 as he attempted to leave the United States to Azerbaijan. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in October 2025. In addition to the prison term, Zarbailov was ordered to pay $1,457,898 in forfeiture. Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s Fraud Division, Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Chief Division Counsel Tony Costanza for the FBI New Haven for the FBI made the announcement. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Homeland Security Investigations and the El Dorado Task Force assisted in the defendant’s arrest. Assistant Chiefs Shankar Ramamurthy and Kevin Lowell, and Trial Attorneys Leonid Sandlar and Sara E. Porter, of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: District Drug Dealer Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for PCP Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Norman Morris, 45, a career drug dealer residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation that distributed PCP and fentanyl in the District, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Morris, aka “Fibble,” was found guilty by a federal jury on June 3, 2025, of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to the 121-month prison term Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Morris to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 240 months. “Norman Morris helped fuel the distribution of dangerous narcotics, including PCP and fentanyl, throughout the District of Columbia for years. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that individuals who profit from poisoning our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “I commend the DEA and FBI for their relentless work dismantling this trafficking operation and helping make our neighborhoods safer.” According to court documents and testimony at trial, the DEA and the FBI began a criminal investigation in September 2023 of local PCP and fentanyl distributors, a group that included Morris and co-defendants Lamont M. Langston, Kelvin Sanker, and Jamar Bennett. Morris conducted drug transactions outside of the residence he shared with his mother on the 200 block of 58th Street NE, Washington, DC. One regular customer of the Morris’s testified that Morris sold him fentanyl “pretty much daily” for an extended period going back to the pandemic. The transactions were monitored by law enforcement from November 2023 to March 2024. During this same period, Bennett and Langston were observed meeting at Morris’s residence to exchange suspected narcotics and cash. During the investigation, Bennett sold more than two kilograms of PCP to undercover officers over the course of nine transactions. The PCP was supplied by Langston and was stored and prepared by Sanker at Sanker’s home. Morris also retrieved 32 ounces of PCP from Sanker at the request of Langston after Langston was arrested with PCP and two firearms. Sixteen ounces of the PCP retrieved by Morris was sold to an undercover officer by Bennett. Morris, Bennett and Langston exchanging PCP outside Morris’ home on Nov. 14, 2023. Morris has several prior drug convictions for distribution, possession with intent to distribute, and attempted distribution of cocaine and heroin. He also has a prior conviction for escape. Bennett, 46, of the District, pleaded guilty Apr. 11, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of PCP and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was also sentenced to 121 months in prison. Sanker, 44, of the District, pleaded guilty Oct. 22, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute PCP and was sentencing to 65 months in prison. Langston, 45, of the District, pleaded guilty Dec. 19, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of PCP and was sentenced to 138 months. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Goumenis of the Washington Division and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, DEA’s Washington Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Roman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Stempel. PCP seized during the investigation of the drug trafficking organization. 24cr109 Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Man and Woman Charged with Smuggling Protected Parrots and Parakeets in a Spare Tire Cage

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Sydney Johnson of Santee and Brandon Marion of Temecula appeared in federal court today to face charges that they illegally imported 27 protected parrots and parakeets in a modified spare tire in the trunk of a car. Both species of birds - including 11 orange-fronted parakeets ( Eupsittula canicularis ) and 16 white-fronted Amazon parrots ( Amazona albifrons ) - are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Federal agents detained Johnson and Marion applied for admission to the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on May 3. Customs and Border Protection officers detected anomalies in the spare tire. When an officer inspected the tire, he heard a screeching noise and found the birds in the spare tire, which had been outfitted with a cage In their post-arrest interviews, the defendants admitted they could hear the birds screaming as they drove. Marion described the birds’ sounds as a “pterodactyl screech.” One of the birds was already dead; the surviving birds were initially cared for by Veterinary Services at the southern border before being transferred to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. One bird did not survive transit, and two birds died in quarantine. The remaining 23 birds are believed to be recovering from the journey. White Fronted Amazon Parrots and Orange Fronted Parakeets are protected and are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Concealment of the parrots and parakeets would have resulted in their entering the United States without any quarantine period or process. To import many types of wildlife, the wildlife must be subject to quarantine before it can be introduced into the United States. Many animals have diseases that can be transferred to humans (zoonotic diseases) or other animals that can have disastrous health effects to human or animal populations. For example, birds can carry and spread Avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmos. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including the United States poultry farms. There are many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and have disastrous effects, that is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission. The United States Attorney’s Office is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Criminal and Civil Divisions, the Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here . This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Rookard. DEFENDANT Case Number 26-mj-02857 Sydney Johnson Age: 27 Brandon Marion Age: 38 SUMMARY OF CHARGES Importation Contrary to Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Customs and Border Protection *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Ohio Investment Manager Sentenced to Nine Years for $10M  Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Ohio man was sentenced today to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release for orchestrating a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme that raised over $10 million from investors, many of whom resided in or around Columbus, Ohio. According to court documents, Rathnakishore Giri, 31, of New Albany, Ohio, misled investors by fraudulently promoting himself as an expert cryptocurrency trader, with a specialty in trading Bitcoin derivatives. Giri falsely promised investors that he would generate lucrative returns with no risk to their principal investment amount, which he guaranteed to return. In reality, Giri often used money provided by new investors to repay old investors – a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. In addition, Giri had a record of investment failures, including a long history of losing investors’ principal investments, and misled investors about reasons for delays when they sought to cash out their investments or otherwise obtain the return of their “guaranteed” principal. In October 2024, Giri pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Following his guilty plea, while on pretrial release pending sentencing, Giri continued to solicit funds from cryptocurrency investors, causing additional harm to new victims. In advance of today’s sentencing, Giri admitted to this additional conduct pursuant to an amended plea agreement with the Department. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Acting Deputy Chief Lucy B. Jennings and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. If you have been defrauded out of your money by a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, please contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.


title: Wilmington Man Indicted for Threatening President Trump

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury indicted Christopher James Hill, 32, of Wilmington, NC, for threatening President Donald J. Trump. The Defendant posted messages on Facebook threatening to kill the President. According to the indictment, between October 3, 2025, and October 13, 2025, the Defendant posted public comments on Facebook.com that contained a threat to kill and injure the President. If convicted, the Defendant faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The FBI and USSS are investigating the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The Defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law. A copy of this press release is located on our website .


title: Utah Jury Convicts Business Owners of Fraud after Victims Were Scammed More than $30M

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – After a five-week trial, a federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict against multiple defendants for their participation in a nationwide scheme to defraud victims out of more than $30,000,000 by inducing them to invest in Noah’s Event Centers and promising impressive long-term financial returns. The defendants, Christopher J. Ashby, 52, Jordan S. Nelson, 45, both of Salt Lake County, Utah; and Scott W. Beynon, 49, of Davis County, Utah, were each found guilty on all charged counts: 17 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Three other codefendants pleaded guilty as well. The founder of Noah’s, William J. Bowser, 63, of St. George, Utah, pleaded guilty in the middle of trial on April 16, 2026, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prior to trial, John D. Hamrick, 67, of Franconia, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026, to three counts of wire fraud; and Scott L. Rutherford, 54, of Utah County, Utah, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025, to wire fraud. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants conspired and engaged in a nationwide scheme to defraud investors. The victims were defrauded out of more than $30,000,000 after being persuaded by the defendants to invest in Noah’s Event Centers as part of 1031 exchanges. Despite defendants’ promises that the investments were “safe” and “secure” and that Noah’s was a reliable corporate partner, Noah’s Event Centers were, collectively, an unprofitable enterprise sustained only through infusions of new investor funds. Five promised buildings were never constructed, as new investor funds were diverted elsewhere. Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that the defendants misrepresented important information regarding Noah’s financial health and falsely promised to safeguard victims’ money during construction. Marketing materials displayed at trial depicted luxurious Noah’s event spaces and boasted of Noah’s “demonstrated . . . ability to examine and modify their business to achieve maximum profitability.” However, evidence at trial demonstrated that the defendants were aware that Noah’s was not profitable and was facing dire financial straits. According to the evidence, investors were left with empty, undeveloped lots rather than the promised venues, while the defendants received millions of dollars for their role in the scheme. At trial, prosecutors showed satellite images of the undeveloped event centers, including unbuilt sites in Dublin, Ohio, Independence, Ohio, Toledo, Ohio, Jacksonville, Florida, and Carmel, Indiana. The defendants are expected to be sentenced before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City in the coming months. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah thanked federal law enforcement partners for their work on the case and emphasized that her Office is “committed to ensuring justice for victims of complex financial crimes.” The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant United States Attorneys Cy C. Castle, Stephen P. Dent, Luisa Gough, and Bryant L. Watson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.


title: Central Florida Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Jose Manuel Gonzalez Roman (31, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza to seven years in federal prison for distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. Gonzalez Roman pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, between January and April 2024, Gonzalez Roman sold a confidential source increasingly large quantities of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl from various locations in Orlando. The first transaction was for 30 pills, the second was for 100 pills, and the third transaction was for 700 pills. In total, Gonzalez Roman was responsible for distributing nearly 500 grams of fentanyl. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.


title: Former FDC Philadelphia Correctional Officer Who Sexually Abused Inmate, Violated Inmate’s Civil Rights, Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Jefferson, 43, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 360 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson for the sexual abuse of a Federal Detention Center (“FDC”) inmate under his authority and violation of that inmate’s civil rights. The defendant was charged by indictment in May of last year and pleaded guilty in December to one count of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse of a ward, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. As detailed in court filings and statements, in the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, Jefferson, while on duty as a correctional officer at the FDC Philadelphia, entered the cell of an inmate and forcibly sexually assaulted the inmate, resulting in bodily injury to the victim. While acting under color of law, Jefferson willfully deprived the victim of her right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, a right secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, which includes the right to be free from sexual abuse by a correctional officer. This case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio.


title: Rapid City Man Convicted of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Kyle Beck, age 23, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was found guilty of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, following a federal jury trial in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on May 12, 2026. The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years of imprisonment and a maximum penalty of up to life in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Beck was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. The convictions stem from an incident that occurred in Rapid City in May 2023. At trial, the evidence established that on May 28, 2023, Beck messaged a 15-year-old girl via Instagram and requested sexually explicit photographs of her. Beck was subsequently interviewed and admitted to his conduct. This case was investigated by the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Rapid City Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s 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. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Beck was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Behavioral Health Companies and Physician-Owner Agree to Pay $1.4 Million for Allegedly Billing for Psychotherapy Services that Clinicians Did Not Perform

body_text: BOSTON – Behavioral health clinics, Nova Psychiatric Services, P.C. (Nova), Patriot Eldercare, Inc. (Patriot), and the president and director of Nova and Patriot, Alexandra Accardi, M.D., have agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations that they fraudulently billed government health insurance programs for psychotherapy and medication management services, in violation of the False Claims Act. As part of the settlement agreement, Nova, Patriot and Accardi admitted and accepted responsibility for certain facts providing the basis for the settlement. Nova and Patriot (collectively also known as Prime Behavioral Health) are behavioral health clinics with office locations in Quincy and Weymouth, Mass. Dr. Alexandra Accardi is a psychiatrist and the founder and owner of Nova and Patriot. Between Jan. 1, 2017, and May 18, 2023, Nova and Patriot billed Medicare, Medicaid and the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC) for medication management and psychotherapy services that behavioral health clinicians did not perform. Nova’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Miguel Saravia, directed independent contractors separate from the companies’ billing departments to alter claims before their submission to Medicare, Medicaid and GIC by adding billing codes for additional psychotherapy and medication management services that the Nova or Patriot behavioral health clinicians had not performed. Nova and Patriot employees repeatedly raised concerns to Accardi and Saravia about these billing practices, but Nova, Patriot, Accardi and Saravia made no changes to these billing practices. In September 2024 , Saravia was charged with six counts of healthcare fraud related to his directing the independent contractors with no billing or medical training to submit false claims to health insurance programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and GIC, on behalf of Nova and Patriot. The charges concerned some of the same fraudulent billing resolved by the civil settlement announced today. Saravia subsequently pleaded guilty to the charges and, on March 26, 2025 , was sentenced to 3.5 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release and was ordered to pay $561,141 in restitution. The claims resolved in today’s settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States and Commonwealth of Massachusetts ex rel. Jessica Spissinger and Matthew Peculis v. Nova Psychiatric Services, P.C., et al., No. 19-cv-11137-ADB . As part of today’s resolution, the relator will receive 17.5% of the settlement amount. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Sharobem and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter. accardi_and_nova_psychiatric_settlement_agreement_2026.05.pdf


title: Justice Department Announces Anti-Weaponization Fund

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The U.S. Department of Justice today announced that as a part of the settlement agreement in President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service, the Attorney General established “The Anti-Weaponization Fund” to provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare. The plaintiffs in the case, President Donald J. Trump, Donald J. Trump, Jr., Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization, LLC, filed suit against the Treasury and IRS in Southern District of Florida federal court following the leak of their tax returns. Per the settlement, plaintiffs will receive a formal apology but no monetary payment or damages of any kind. They have agreed, in exchange for the creation of this fund, to drop their pending lawsuit with prejudice, and also withdraw two administrative claims including for damages resulting from the unlawful raid of Mar-a-Lago and the Russia-collusion hoax. “The machinery of government should never be weaponized against any American, and it is this Department’s intention to make right the wrongs that were previously done while ensuring this never happens again,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “As part of this settlement, we are setting up a lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress.” “The use of government power to target individuals or entities for improper and unlawful political, personal, or ideological reasons should not be tolerated by any Administration ,” said Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter. The Fund will have the power to issue formal apologies and monetary relief owed to claimants. Submission of a claim is voluntary. There are no partisan requirements to file a claim. Any money left when the Fund ceases operations will revert to the Federal Government. The Fund will receive $1.776 billion and will come from the judgment fund, which is a perpetual appropriation allowing DOJ to settle and pay cases. On a quarterly basis, the Fund shall send a report to the Attorney General outlining who has received relief and what form of relief was awarded. At the Attorney General’s direction, the Fund can be audited. The Fund must take steps to protect private information and avoid fraud. The Fund shall cease processing claims no later than December 1, 2028. There is legal precedent for such a Fund, most notably the “ Keepseagle ” case where the Obama Administration created a $760 million fund to redress various claims alleging racism against the federal government over a period of decades. In Keepseagle , hundreds of millions of dollars remaining in the fund were distributed to non-profits and NGOs that never made claims, whereas any money remaining in The Anti-Weaponization Fund will revert to the federal government. The Obama DOJ settled by putting $680 million from the judgment fund into a bank account for a single claims administrator to dole out. In Keepseagle the remaining money—which ended up being over $300 million—was distributed to the entities that had not even submitted claims. The Fund will consist of five members appointed by the Attorney General. One Member will be chosen in consultation with congressional leadership. The President can remove any member, but a replacement must be chosen the same way as the replaced member was selected.


title: Joliet Man Sentenced to 384 Months in Prison for Enticement of a Minor and Committing a Felony Sex Offense While a Registered Sex Offender

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Joliet, Illinois, man, Martin T. Marling, 41, was sentenced on May 12, 2026, to 384 months’ imprisonment, followed by a life term of supervised release, following his guilty pleas to enticing a minor and committing a felony sex offense while a registered sex offender. The court also imposed a $10,000 special assessment fee. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow considered evidence of the incredibly serious nature of Marling’s conduct. In spring 2025, Marling engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a child he met online and arranged for the child to travel to his home in the middle of the night for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. The child was recovered unharmed before arriving at Marling’s home. At the time this incident occurred, Marling was on probation in the State of Illinois for a sex offense and was required to register as a sex offender. In pronouncing the sentence, the judge stated that this type of behavior causes real harm to victims and their families and that it is punished severely under the law. Marling was arrested in Will County, Illinois, in April 2025 in connection with a federal complaint and was detained following an initial appearance. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. He was indicted in May 2025 and pleaded guilty in November 2025. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in collaboration with our law enforcement partners once again removed a dangerous predator from the community.” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “We will continue to hold any individuals who threaten our children accountable and prosecute them to the fullest.” "Thirty-two years in a federal prison is exactly what a repeat predator deserves," said FBI Springfield Field Office’s Special Agent in Charge, Ryan Presley. "Our agents and law enforcement partners do not wait around for tragedy to happen. Once notified, our team tracked this threat, moved aggressively, and secured an arrest before this man could meet with any children. We took a dangerous offender completely off the streets, and we will do the exact same thing to anyone else who attempts to target our children." The statutory penalties for enticement of a minor are at least ten years up to life imprisonment, at least five years and up to a life term of supervised release, a fine up to $250,000, and a special assessment of $5,000. The statutory penalties for committing a felony sex offense while a registered sex offender are ten years imprisonment consecutive to the sentence on the underlying felony sex offense conviction, at least five years and up to a life term of supervised release, a fine up to $250,000, and a special assessment of $5,000. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Galesburg Police Department with assistance from the Will County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda W. Searle and Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government in the prosecution. This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Lower Brule Man Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 11, 2026. Latrelle LaRoche, age 20, was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. LaRoche was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 12, 2026. The conviction stems from a shooting that occurred on June 19, 2025, in the Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservation. While inside the victim’s residence, LaRoche argued with the victim over money LaRoche owed him. LaRoche fired a warning shot and then fired a second time, striking the victim in the abdomen. The victim sustained serious bodily injury requiring medical treatment and surgery. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services-Lower Brule Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case. This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. LaRoche was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Taxpayers

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A former U.S. Border Patrol Agent pleaded guilty in a federal court in Del Rio today to defrauding the U.S. government by spending his official duty hours running a personal business while submitting time cards and collecting bi-weekly government paychecks, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons, in support of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. According to court documents, in addition to being a USBP agent, Ramon Heriberto Cerda Jr., 41, of Eagle Pass, owned and operated a business known as El Eagle Mail. On multiple dates in February and March 2025, Cerda was observed at his residence during scheduled work hours despite his duties requiring him to be in the field. To further observe Cerda’s activities, the FBI installed two surveillance cameras beginning on April 22, 2025, one providing a view of his home and the other providing a view of the El Eagle Mail business, located approximately 15 to 20 minutes away. Between April 22 and June 28, 2025, surveillance showed Cerda remained at his residence until approximately 2pm on weekdays, before traveling to the El Eagle Mail business where he remained until after 4pm. During the same time period, he submitted bi-weekly timecards reflecting that he worked for the USBP from 6am to 4pm, claiming a total of 399.58 hours of pay between April 22 and June 28, 2025. He received approximately $17,724.74 in pay for those reported hours. In addition to the surveillance video, the FBI obtained cell site location data for both Cerda’s government issued phone and his personal phone. Analysis of the data also indicated Cerda was located at or near his residence during work hours and showed a lack of activity consistent with traveling to the Eagle Pass USBP station to pick up a government vehicle for his assigned transportation duties. Additional investigative methods also corroborated the surveillance video. Cerda was indicted in October 2025 for four counts of wire fraud, four counts of false statement or representation made to an agency or department of the United States, and three counts of receiving stolen government money or property. Pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Duarte II is prosecuting the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. ###


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

body_text: Drug Trafficking Giovanny J. Hernandez , 36, of Jackson, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment with one year of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, in March 2025, law enforcement began investigating Samuel Pratts and Giovanny Hernandez for distributing controlled substances in Teton and Sublette Counties. In April 2025, both men were arrested on state drug charges after authorities discovered more than 300 grams of methamphetamine in Pratts’ vehicle and on his person. Evidence also showed the pair traveled to Colorado in a rental vehicle obtained through Hernandez’s airport job to purchase a pound of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Teton County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Hernandez was charged on August 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on January 8, 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on May 6 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00015 Firearm Offenses Donald Joseph Bordelon , 33, with no known address, was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Aug. 9, 2025, a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer encountered Bordelon beside a disabled vehicle on the Wind River Indian Reservation, and observed what appeared to be the imprint of a concealed firearm at Bordelon’s waist under his clothing. The officer learned Bordelon was prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions. The vehicle also bore improper license plates. The officer contacted the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) because Bordelon was a non-Indian. The WHP responded and searched the vehicle, locating a loaded 9mm pistol, a spent shell casing, and a gun safe containing firearms magazines. The BIA and the WHP investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Bordelon was indicted on Sept. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Feb 3. 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on May 5 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00139 Antonio David Harrinton, 23, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Harrington, a convicted felon on Intensive Supervised Probation following 2022 convictions for aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit burglary out of the Natrona County District Court, was subject to warrantless searches as part of his probation conditions. On July 18, 2025, probation agents and law enforcement searched Harrington’s phone and later his mother’s Casper residence where Harrington was living. Prior to the search, Harrington admitted a firearm was hidden in his room. Agents recovered a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol with an obliterated serial number, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition. The Casper Police Department and the Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Harrington was indicted on Sep. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Feb. 18, 2026. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on May 8 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-00130 About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Operation Take Back America Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Victim Witness Program The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont Collected $4,437,008.08 in Civil and Criminal Actions and Forfeited $7,720,856.00 in Fiscal Year 2025

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: BURLINGTON – First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont collected $4,437,008.08 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $1,722,712.24 was collected in criminal actions and $2,714,295.84 was collected in civil actions. The District of Vermont also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $73,705.04 in criminal cases pursued jointly by these offices. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices also use civil and criminal forfeiture tools to seize and forfeit monies and property that were proceeds of or facilitated serious criminal conduct. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $7,720,856.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets are deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund and used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. Notable forfeitures and collections include the following: Over $6.9 million of funds and property that were the proceeds of a cryptocurrency confidence scam impacting over 100 victims across the United States. In total, during fiscal years 2024 and 2025, FBI Vermont and the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office have forfeited over $8.1 million of funds and property related to the scam. FBI and the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office worked to identify assets purchased with victim money, ultimately forfeiting a residence in Frisco, Texas and $6.9 million of cryptocurrency. Feng Chen, 36, and Tianqiong Xu, 36, recently of Frisco, Texas, were indicted for the scheme on June 27, 2024, but are fugitives and believed to have returned to China. The indictment contains allegations only; Chen and Xu are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office is currently working to return the seized funds to the victims of the scheme. $226,409.95 of restitution, fines, and assessments were collected from Matthew Ernest, 51, of Winooski, Vermont in 2025. In 2024, Ernest was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse materials. On January 16, 2025, United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier ordered Ernest to serve 8 months in prison, pay $104,000.00 of restitution to 14 victims of his offense, a $100,000.00 fine plus interest, and $22,100.00 of special assessments. $82,500.00 was collected from Madison Carrig in 2025. In 2024, Carrig was convicted of access device fraud related to her embezzlement of money from the automobile dealerships that employed her. During Carrig’s 2025 sentencing, she was ordered to pay $141,000.00 of restitution. $321,718.00 of restitution and fines were collected from James Mailhiot. In 2024, Mailhiot was convicted of federal income tax evasion, stemming from Mailhiot’s understating the income he earned from his roofing business. $296,718.00 of back taxes and a $25,000.00 fine were collected from Mailhiot in 2025. $1,994,000.00 was collected from Galvion, Ltd., in connection with its 2024 settlement of False Claims Act allegations for the knowing sale of non-conforming parts to the United States Department of Defense. $426,186.23 was collected from Revision Military, Ltd., in connection with its 2024 settlement of False Claims Act allegations for selling eyewear products that it falsely represented were wholly sourced in the United States. $201,400.00 was collected on behalf of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to resolve debts owed to the government. First Assistant United States Attorney Ophardt commended the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Financial Litigation Unit and Asset Forfeiture personnel for their diligent work on behalf of crime victims and the public.


title: Illegal Alien from Mexico Found Living in Kanawha County Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Federal Fraud Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Rufino Hernandez, 26, a Mexican national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty today to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and sentenced to time served. Hernandez is subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for removal proceedings. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro and encountered Hernandez working there. Investigators determined that Hernandez used a counterfeit Immigration Form I-551, also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to obtain employment at the restaurant from on or about September 17, 2025, to on or about January 16, 2026. Hernandez is among six illegal aliens indicted following the execution of the January 16, 2026, search warrant, each on charges alleging they were working at the restaurant without legal status. Restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., 65, and his son, manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, 43, both of Nitro, were indicted on charges alleging each harbored aliens, while aiding and abetting each other, and aided and abetted fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. Three of the other indicted illegal aliens pleaded guilty, were sentenced to time served, and were subject to removal proceedings. The indictments against Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., Miguel Angel Aguirre, and the remaining illegal alien defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The January 16, 2026, search warrant was executed as part of Operation Country Roads . The immigration enforcement operation was conducted by ICE with state and local law enforcement partners and resulted in over 650 arrests throughout West Virginia. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Nitro Police Department, and the St. Albans Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-15. ###


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Antonio Carlos Shine, 38, of Dania, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and marijuana. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office continues to deliver successful prosecutions under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America initiative, which aims to dismantle the drug trafficking organizations and networks that have flooded our streets with deadly drugs for far too long. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and that is precisely what we will achieve through aggressive prosecutions of drug traffickers like this defendant.” Court documents reflect that in August 2024, law enforcement officers intercepted a package addressed to a Tallahassee residence. The package contained nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery at the residence. The defendant took possession of the package and brought it into the residence. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the residence. The defendant did not answer the door, requiring officers to breach the door. Following the breach of the front door, Shine fled through the back door with the package of methamphetamine, where he was immediately taken into custody. Law enforcement searched the residence and located a digital scale, various narcotics paraphernalia, and 44 grams of marijuana packaged for sale. The defendant had previously been convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell/deliver, and had served several terms in Florida state prison. Shine faces a minimum mandatory sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of life imprisonment. The term of imprisonment will be followed by at least ten years of supervised release. Thus, if Shine were to violate any conditions of his release, he could potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer is prosecuting the case. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 138 Months for Firearms and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Muhammad Ali Hasan, 52, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 7, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a felon, and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hasan to 78 months’ imprisonment on the drug conviction and for possession of a firearm as a felon, each to run concurrently, and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment for the possession of a firearm during drug trafficking charge, for a total sentence of 138 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. On March 5 and March 6, 2024, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives special agents utilized a third-party buyer to purchase methamphetamine and firearms from Muhammad Ali Hasan, who had multiple prior felony convictions, including for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Both controlled buys occurred outside of or near Hasan’s apartment near 16th and Hickory streets in Omaha. On March 5, 2024, Hasan sold the buyer 48 grams of actual methamphetamine, a Ruger AR-556 multi-caliber rifle, and two compatible, high-capacity magazines. Hasan then offered to sell another firearm and more methamphetamine at a later time. On the following day, Hasan sold the buyer 40 grams of actual methamphetamine, a DPMS Inc., Model A15 multi-caliber rifle, and a compatible high-capacity magazine containing .223 ammunition. The DPMS Inc. rifle had previously been reported stolen. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.