title: Fifteen Charged with Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine into and around Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging the following 15 individuals with conspiring to traffic fentanyl and cocaine into and around southern Connecticut: DAMIEN HAZEL , 26, of Bridgeport YANISHKA ARROYO-RIVERA , a.k.a. “Nani,” 22, of Bridgeport NICHOLAS VEGA , a.k.a. “Nick,” 25, of Ansonia OMAR VIERA , a.k.a. “O,” 32, of Waterbury JONATHAN MEJIA , a.k.a. “Big Head,” 27, of Kentucky, formerly of Hamden NESTOR ROSADO , a.k.a. “Joey,” 27, of Bridgeport VICTOR FRANCISCO BONILLA , a.k.a. “Mostro,” 34, of Bridgeport KELVIN OLIVO , 34, of Naugatuck BRENJINELLIE GONZALEZ , a.k.a. “Brenji,” 24, of New Haven ROBERTO DEJESUS , a.k.a. “Pedro Ramirez” and “Tito,” 50, of Bridgeport DANIEL RUIZ , a.k.a. “Jumbo,” 38, of Bridgeport JAFFAR ALI , 32, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Trumbull DAVON WARNER , a.k.a. “DaeDae,” 25, of New Haven MADISON CRUZ , a.k.a. “Maddie,” 23, of Shelton JASZAE VAZQUEZ , 26, of Derby As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force investigation determined that Hazel headed a narcotics trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in southern Connecticut. Hazel and others traveled to the Bronx, New York, to acquire kilogram quantities of fentanyl and deliver narcotics proceeds, and to Puerto Rico to acquire cocaine and ship it through the U.S. Mail to various addresses in Connecticut. During the investigation, the FBI Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service seized several packages containing a total of at least 16 kilograms of cocaine, and identified several more that likely contained narcotics. Hazel and 13 of his alleged co-conspirators were arrested on criminal complaints on September 10, 2025, and DeJesus was arrested on September 12, 2025. In association with the arrests, investigators seized two firearms and assorted ammunition from a residence shared by Hazel and Arroyo-Rivera, ammunition and suspected narcotics from DeJesus, and suspected narcotics from Vega, Ali, and Warner. “As alleged, this organization trafficked a significant amount of fentanyl and cocaine into our state, and I thank the members of FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, with the assistance of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, who shut down this drug importation and distribution network,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “The scourge of illegal narcotics continues to ruin lives in Connecticut, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to targeting and prosecuting those who are profiting from it.” “This indictment demonstrates FBI New Haven’s top priority of crushing violent crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien. “Along with our federal and local partners, we are committed to removing dangerous drugs, like fentanyl and cocaine, from the streets of Connecticut. The FBI will continue to bring the full breadth of our resources to the table to support our partners and keep our neighborhoods safe.” The indictment charges each defendant with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. If convicted of the charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, Hazel, Arroyo-Rivera, Vega, Viera, Mejia, Rosado, Bonilla, Olivo, and Gonzalez, face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and DeJesus, Ruiz, Ali, Warner, Cruz, and Vazquez face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. Hazel, DeJesus, Vega, Mejia, Bonilla, Ruiz, and Ali are currently detained, and the remaining eight defendants are released pending trial. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Trumbull, Hartford, Fairfield, Shelton, Ansonia, Derby, Greenwich, Stamford, New Haven, Waterbury, and Louisville (Ky.) Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Kenneth L. Gresham. 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: ROMANIAN NATIONAL PLEADS GUILTY IN ATM SKIMMING SCHEME

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Daniel Balan, 46, of Bacau, Romania, pleaded guilty in federal court to five counts of bank fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of possessing 15 or more access devices, in connection with an ATM “skimming” scheme. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This offender exploited numerous innocent victims for his own financial gain, but thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners he will enjoy an extended stay behind bars. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to vindicate the victims exploited by these offenses and hold the fraudsters accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Court documents reflect that beginning on January 28, 2025, the defendant placed “skimming” devices and cameras on multiple ATMs in the Tallahassee, Florida area. The devices and cameras were used to capture customer account and access device information. Then, between February 8 and 9, 2025, the defendant used the stolen information to fraudulently obtain $56,340 in customer funds. At the time of arrest, law enforcement found 28 gift cards in the defendant’s pocket that had been encoded with stolen account information and labeled with a corresponding PIN. Balan faces up to thirty years’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release on each bank fraud count, up to ten years’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release on the possession of 15 or more access devices count, and a consecutive two years’ imprisonment and one-year of supervised release on each aggravated identity theft count when he is sentenced. The case involved a joint investigation by the U.S. Customers and Immigration Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and Eric W. Welch. Sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2025, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker. 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Amory Man Sentenced for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Aberdeen, MS – An Amory, Mississippi man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, William Hadley Maddox, 24, was sending child pornography to a minor over an Internet application. Maddox was also receiving images of the minor engaged in sexually explicit activity. Senior Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Maddox to the statutory maximum of 240 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Maddox will be required to register as a sex offender anywhere he resides, is employed, or is enrolled as a student. “The defendant in this case has learned the valuable lesson that there is absolutely zero tolerance in this district for the sexual exploitation of any minor,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The cooperation between Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook’s office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation was exemplary and their determination to protect children is evident in their actions.” “Due to the extreme nature of this case, I truly feel like a child’s life was saved by the quick response and partnership between our local investigators, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” stated Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook. “We are thankful to be part of a team of people who are as passionate as we are about protecting our most vulnerable citizens, our children.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: PENSACOLA FELON CHARGED WITH DRUG AND FIREARM OFFENSES

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marcel Kamill Mickles, 49, of Pensacola, was indicted by a federal grand jury this week on charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Mickles appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho on September 23, 2025, in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for November 3, 2025, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. If convicted, Mickles faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the drug trafficking crime and up to 15 years for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a consecutive five-year term with a maximum of life imprisonment. The case was a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case. 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 ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Sanostee Man Sentenced for Violent Assault

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Sanostee man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for a violent assault that left a woman seriously injured. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, between December 2 and December 3, 2023, Nathan Mescale , 36, assaulted Jane Doe and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury. Upon his release from prison, Mescale will be subject to three years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mia Ulibarri-Rubin prosecuted the case.


title: Man Who Sold Drugs, Shot at Undercover St. Louis Police Officer Sentenced to 15+ Years in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a man who shot at an undercover St. Louis Police officer who was investigating drug sales to 15 years and five months in prison. Anthony Stallworth sold 28 capsules containing fentanyl to an undercover St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer on Oct. 10, 2019. Five days later, the officer contacted Stallworth to buy more fentanyl. Stallworth set a meeting location, then directed the officer to another spot. Stallworth arrived at the second location and had the officer follow his Mercedes SUV. Stallworth then suddenly stopped his SUV, stuck a gun out of the SUV’s window and fired two shots in the direction of the officer’s vehicle, which was stopped at a stop sign. Stallworth fled, speeding and driving erratically so that officers were unable to follow. In the summer of 2023, St. Louis police were conducting surveillance in the 4700 block of Wilcox Avenue in St. Louis and spotted Stallworth engaging in drug transactions. They conducted a court-approved search of an apartment there and found Stallworth with 450 grams of methamphetamine, 86 grams of fentanyl, $2,862 in cash, a 10mm pistol and drug paraphernalia. “Stallworth armed himself with firearms and even opened fire on undercover officers, showing a blatant disregard for human life,” said Special Agent in Charge Bernard “Butch” Hansen, of the Kansas City Field Division. “Combined with the large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine he was trafficking, his actions put our entire community at risk. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for the violence he chose and for flooding our streets with deadly drugs and guns. ATF will continue working with our partners to protect families and neighborhoods from offenders who endanger public safety.” Stallworth, 26, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in June to one count each of possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The discharge of a firearm charge carried a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison for Stallworth, consecutive to all other charges, and the meth possession charges carry a mandatory minimum term of five years. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Felon Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Ruger Pistol

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tony Brown 34, a convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 28 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a Ruger pistol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Brown pleaded guilty June 26 before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year. In addition to the 28-month prison term, Judge Boasberg ordered Brown to serve 18 months of supervised release. According to court documents, on May 14, 2025, about 7:45 p.m. officers from the Metropolitan Police Department were patrolling the 5200 block of A Street, SE, in a marked police cruiser. From the driver’s seat of the patrol car, an officer observed the handle and magazine of an unholstered pistol showing under Brown’s shirt. The officer exited the police cruiser, approached Brown, and greeted him. As the officer drew nearer, Brown ran away and led officers on a brief foot pursuit. Officers apprehended Brown. An officer observed the outline of a handgun below Brown’s right knee. Officers pulled down Brown’s pants to reveal a black Ruger Model 57 that had slipped from Brown’s waistband down his leg during the foot chase. The pistol was loaded with 14 rounds of 5.7x28 caliber ammunition. Brown was initially charged with carrying a firearm without a license. Brown has a fifteen-year criminal history marked by a previous 2017 conviction on a felon in possession of a firearm charge in the District and a 2018 conviction for assault on a law enforcement officer in Prince William County, Maryland. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fucetola and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sumaiya F. Ismail. 25cr160


title: New Jersey Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: WASHINGTON – Khayan Garner, 57, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison in connection with distributing videos depicting prepubescent boys engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Garner, aka “Khy,” pleaded guilty on April 23, 2025, to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Garner to serve 10 years of supervised release. According to court documents, Garner was acting as an administrator of an online public group dedicated to trading child sexual abuse material (CSAM). On June 26, 2024, Garner sent a private message from his account that included a Mega Link containing a folder labeled “CP,” which contained several videos depicting prepubescent boys engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The recipient was an undercover FBI employee. On October 3, 2024, New Jersey law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Garner’s residence. Officers searched Garner’s mobile phone pursuant to the New Jersey warrant. The phone contained, among other things, child pornography and selfies of Garner. The FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Substantial assistance was provided by the Woodbridge Police Department in New Jersey, the New Jersey State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Courtney for the District of Columbia. 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . 24cr533


title: Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Deportation

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this week. Dagoberto Herrera-Abreu , aka Roberto Rovira, 52, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mia Roberts Perez on Monday to 12 months and one day in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again. Herrera-Abreu had previously been removed from the U.S. in September 2010, after serving a state prison sentence for possession with intent to deliver controlled substances in Philadelphia, plus additional prison time imposed after he absconded from a drug treatment facility. In July 2024, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) task force executing a narcotics search warrant in Northeast Philadelphia encountered the defendant, who was subsequently charged in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas with a drug offense, to which he pleaded guilty. In February of this year, following Herrera-Abreu’s completion of his prison sentence, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers took him into federal custody. He was charged by indictment with illegal reentry the same month and pleaded guilty in April. Claudio Reyes-Morales , 36, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond yesterday to time served, over two months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again. Reyes-Morales had previously been removed from the U.S. in October 2011 and June 2012, following encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. In February of this year, ICE learned that Reyes-Morales had been arrested by the Norristown (Pa.) Police Department. In July, while executing an unrelated search warrant, HSI and ICE officers encountered the defendant and took him into custody. Reyes-Morales was charged by information with illegal reentry in August and pleaded guilty this week, waiving prosecution by indictment. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and HSI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Schopf and Michael Miller.


title: First Defendant Charged in Autism Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Asha Farhan Hassan, age 28, was charged today by federal information with wire fraud for her role in a $14 million autism fraud scheme. Hassan was also charged with participating in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, for which she received $465,000. “Today’s charges mark the first in the ongoing investigation into fraud in the EIDBI Autism Program,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “To be clear, this is not an isolated scheme. From Feeding Our Future to Housing Stabilization Services and now Autism Services, these massive fraud schemes form a web that has stolen billions of dollars in taxpayer money. Each case we bring exposes another strand of this network. The challenge is immense, but our work continues.” The EIDBI Autism Fraud Scheme As set forth in the information, Hassan and others devised and carried out a scheme to defraud the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (“EIDBI”) benefit, a publicly funded Minnesota Health Care Program that offers medically necessary services to people under the age of 21 with autism spectrum disorder (“ASD”). According to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (“DHS”) website, the purpose of the EIDBI program is “to provide medically necessary, early and intensive intervention for people with ASD and related conditions.” Applied Behavior Analysis, sometimes called “ABA therapy,” is a type of one-on-one behavioral therapy designed to help children on the autism spectrum develop social and emotional skills. ABA therapy seeks to improve social skills by rewarding and reinforcing positive behavior while discouraging negative behavior. The EIDBI benefit covers various treatment options for persons diagnosed with ASD and related conditions, including ABA therapy. EIDBI treatment services must be delivered under the supervision of a Qualified Supervising Professional (or “QSP”) that is employed by the EIDBI provider. In order to qualify for the EIDBI benefit, a person must be under 21 years old; be diagnosed with ASD or a related condition; have had a comprehensive multi-disciplinary evaluation (CMDE) that establishes their medical need for EIDBI services; and be enrolled in a qualifying healthcare program, such as Medicaid. The CMDE is used to develop the person’s individual treatment plan (ITP). An ITP is a personalized, written plan of care that outlines the goals for the person and sets forth the specific interventions the person will receive based on their individual, assessed needs. From November 2019 through December 2024, Asha Hassan and others devised and carried out a scheme to defraud the EIDBI autism services program. Hassan formed and registered Smart Therapy LLC with the Minnesota Secretary of State in November 2019. Hassan listed herself as the sole owner of Smart Therapy. In reality, other individuals also had ownership stakes in Smart Therapy but were not listed on DHS documents, including because one of the owners previously owned an adult daycare and was excluded by DHS for three years due to her conduct running the adult daycare center. Shortly after forming the company, Hassan enrolled Smart Therapy as a provider agency in the EIDBI program. As discussed below, Hassan also enrolled Smart Therapy in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Smart Therapy purported to be providing necessary one-on-one ABA therapy to children with autism. In fact, Smart Therapy employed unqualified individuals as “behavioral technicians.” These behavioral technicians were often 18- or 19-year-old relatives with no formal education beyond high school and no training or certifications related to the treatment of autism. To run their fraud scheme, Hassan and her partners needed children who had an autism diagnosis and an individual treatment plan. Hassan and her partners approached parents in the Somali community to recruit their children into Smart Therapy. Where a child did not have an autism diagnosis and an individual treatment plan, HASSAN and her partners worked with a QSP to get the recruited child qualified for autism services. There was no child that Smart Therapy was not able to get qualified for autism services. As a recruitment tactic to drive up enrollment, Hassan and her partners paid monthly cash kickback payments to the parents of children who enrolled their children in Smart Therapy to receive autism services. These kickback payments ranged from approximately $300 to $1,500 per month, per child. The amount of these payments was contingent on the services DHS authorized a child to receive—the higher the authorization amount, the higher the kickback. Often, parents threatened to leave Smart Therapy and take their children to other autism centers if they did not get paid higher kickbacks. Several larger families left Smart Therapy after being offered larger kickbacks by other autism centers. Hassan and her partners covered the cost of the kickback payments that Smart Therapy paid to parents through the fraudulent billings to Medicaid. Hassan and her partners submitted millions of dollars’ worth of claims for Medicaid reimbursement on behalf of Smart Therapy. Many of these claims were fraudulently inflated, were billed without providers’ knowledge, and were for services that were not actually provided. Hassan submitted claims seeking reimbursement for the maximum number of hours permitted by Medicaid for a given treatment or service given to a particular client, when the client only received a fraction of those treatment hours, if any treatment was provided at all on that day. These claims were then repeated for numerous other providers. Hassan submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicaid that included fraudulent signatures or approvals from the required medical providers or supervising QSPs. In reality, the providers and QSPs either did not work for Smart Therapy, were out of the country on the day the services were provided or had not participated in or signed off on the services listed in the claims. Most of the children were dropped off in the morning and picked up in the evening by drivers, who billed DHS for transportation services. It was a part of the fraud scheme that some of these transportation providers were also on the payroll of Smart Therapy. Hassan’s fraudulent scheme resulted in Smart Therapy obtaining more than $14 million in EIDBI reimbursement funds from Minnesota DHS and UCare. Hassan split the proceeds of the fraud schemes with her partners. Hassan sent hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud proceeds abroad, some of which she used to purchase real estate in Kenya. The Federal Child Nutrition Program and Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme As set forth in the information, Hassan and others devised and carried out a scheme to defraud the Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program (together, the “Federal Child Nutrition Program”), a program designed to provide meals to hungry children. MDE administers the Federal Child Nutrition Program in Minnesota. Beginning in April 2020, Aimee Bock, the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future, oversaw a massive scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program carried out by sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Bock and Feeding Our Future sponsored entities that submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims and fake documentation while purporting to serve hundreds and, in many instances, thousands of children per day. Bock and her company sponsored the opening of nearly 200 Federal Child Nutrition Program sites despite knowing that the sites intended to and did submit fraudulent claims. While using Smart Therapy to defraud the EIDBI autism program, Hassan also used Smart Therapy to engage in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Hassan enrolled Smart Therapy in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future in July 2020. Shortly after enrolling in the program, Hassan began submitting fraudulent claims to Feeding Our Future. Hassan fraudulently claimed that Smart Therapy was serving breakfast and lunch to exactly 300 children a day, 7 days per week. Hassan prepared and submitted fraudulent meal counts, attendance rosters, and invoices in support of the fraudulent claims. Hassan submitted fraudulent invoices purporting to show that a food vendor company called S & S Catering provided meals to be served at the Smart Therapy site. By April 2021, Hassan claimed to be serving approximately 1,200 meals per day to children, 7 days per week, at Smart Therapy. Between 2020 and 2021, Hassan claimed to have served nearly 200,000 meals to children at the Smart Therapy site, for which she claimed to be entitled to approximately $465,000 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. “Abusing publicly funded health care programs for personal profit is an act of duplicity, greed, and a betrayal of the most vulnerable in our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The alleged fraud by Hassan resulted in the theft of millions of dollars intended to serve and support children in need. The FBI and our partners will not stop pursuing those who unscrupulously exploit government programs. We will secure justice for the taxpayers of Minnesota.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. An information is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Oklahoma Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering Checotah Woman

component: Criminal Division

body_text: David Deval Martin, 40, of McIntosh County, Oklahoma, was sentenced — for a second time — to life in prison for the vicious 2013 murder of a Checotah woman. “The defendant in this case brutally murdered his victim in cold blood,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. “By retrying the case and securing a life sentence for the Defendant, the Department of Justice has demonstrated our commitment to seeking justice for the victims of violent crime in Indian Country.” “The defendant’s heinous crime was deserving of the life sentence imposed by the Court,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “I am grateful for the thorough work of investigators and the skilled presentation of the evidence by colleagues from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. Their collective efforts were vital in securing justice for the victim’s family.” “Thanks to the work of the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS), the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and FBI Oklahoma City, this depraved and merciless killer has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in federal prison,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Today’s sentencing underscores the FBI’s dedication to working with our partners and achieving justice for victims of violent crimes in Indian Country.” In 2016, Martin was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole after a state jury trial held in the District Court of McIntosh County, Oklahoma. On appeal, the Supreme Court of the United States required the Department of Justice to indict and prosecute Martin in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. A federal jury found Martin guilty on one count of murder in Indian Country in October 2024. According to court documents, on Nov. 7, 2013, Martin viciously beat and stabbed the victim — whom he had previously dated — causing over 109 separate injuries to her head and neck. The medical examiner estimated that it would have taken Martin “20 to 30 [minutes] or longer” to inflict these wounds, and that the victim was alive, and likely conscious, for much of her own murder. Just hours before Martin killed the victim, he was seen threatening her at a local convenience store by pointing his fingers at her head in the shape of a gun. At the scene of the crime, investigators recovered Martin’s DNA mixed with the victim’s own blood from the front door of the home, and Martin’s fingerprint on the handle of a metal rod used to beat the victim. Martin’s DNA was also recovered from the steering wheel of the victim’s abandoned car. This case was investigated by the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Martin will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Trial Attorneys Jared A. Hernandez and Brian W. Lynch from the Department of VCRS represented the United States. This case represents the last indictment that has been a part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section McGirt project, in which the Criminal Division partnered with the Eastern District of Oklahoma to prosecute murder cases in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma .


title: High-Ranking Members of Sinaloa Cartel Charged with Material Support of a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Narcoterrorism

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: In a superseding indictment unsealed today, high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel are facing federal charges for their alleged involvement in trafficking hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine into southern Illinois and laundering the proceeds to Mexico. “The Sinaloa Cartel relies on drug trafficking to finance its terrorism against the American people while spreading poison in our communities,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s indictment is a significant blow against this terrorist organization’s infrastructure as we carry out President Trump’s mission of dismantling and destroying the cartels.” “The Sinaloa Cartel is a vicious international criminal organization that spreads terror through intimidation, torture, and murder. The entire enterprise is financed through a drug distribution network that includes southern Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois. “Today’s superseding indictment targets some of the highest level of Sinaloa leadership demonstrating our commitment to use every possible tool to crush this cartel, dismantling its operations, and protecting our community from its narcoterrorism.” “Today’s announcement in the Southern District of Illinois is monumental in our fight to eliminate the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “The extraordinary work of the St. Louis Field Division and their partners resulted in the seizure of more than 800 pounds of fentanyl and exposed a money laundering network that pushed millions in cartel profits through U.S. banks. This is not a street-corner operation — it is a cartel pipeline that has flooded the Midwest with significant amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. We continue the fight, using all the resources of the United States government, to destroy the Sinaloa Cartel.” The indictment alleges that the Sinaloa Cartel is a Mexican-based transnational drug trafficking organization that uses premeditated violence to control territory and undermine governmental authority. The Cartel sustains its enterprise by trafficking narcotics into the United States and funneling the profits back into Mexico. Over approximately one week, the DEA, in conjunction with law enforcement partners, arrested 15 of the charged defendants in a nationwide operation involving Sinaloa Cartel associates. These indictments and arrests are the result of a years-long operation involving the removal of more than 400 kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 80 kilograms of methamphetamine and 50 kilograms of cocaine from communities in and around Southern Illinois. President Donald J. Trump designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The designation included the Sinaloa Cartel among eight criminal organizations classified as FTOs and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. § 1189) and Executive Order 13224. Narcoterrorism is a federal crime that provides enhanced penalties to punish drug trafficking that supports terrorist organizations. The crime of providing material support applies when a person provides resources to an organization knowing that it has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment alleging that 26 defendants participated in a Sinaloa Cartel sourced drug distribution pipeline originating in Mexico that included the Southern District of Illinois, including the following: Name Age Residence Charge(s) Prospero Coronel-Sanchez, also known as “Pro” 40 Mexican national Narcoterrorism; providing material support to foreign terrorist organization; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Jose Luis Angulo-Soto, also known as “Jose Luis Angulo-Cazares” or “El Mi Nino” Mexican national Narcoterrorism; conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy German Angel Alatorre-Monge 24 South Gate, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Leobardo Alcaraz-Ibarra 51 Phoenix Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Miguel Angel Aramburo, Jr. 34 Paramount, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Manuel Buenrostro 38 Cudahy, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Oscar Bryan Castro 34 Pasadena, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Carlos Diaz, Jr. 34 Pasadena Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Alejandro Flores 30 Cudahy, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Armando Gallardo 46 Chula Vista, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Karen L. Gandarillas-Carreno 36 Sun Valley, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Roberto J. Gonzalez, Jr. 39 Bell, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Sabrina Danielle Herrera 35 South Gate, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Mauro Armando Luna-Renteria 39 Lynwood, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Lucia Viridiana Montano 40 Rio Rico, Arizona Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine David Alonso Pereda 33 Costa Mesa, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Memo Perez, also known as “Demecia Perez” 50 Los Angeles Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Jaqueline Desiree Piikkila-Vigueras 49 Tucson, Arizona Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy Miguel Rios 31 Cudahy, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Richard Ruiz, Jr. 27 Paramount, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Evan Sanchez 31 Victorville, California Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Julio Villa-Morales 36 Tucson Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Jose Espino-Zavala 44 Mexican national Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Martin Ismael Zuniga-Lopez 32 Los Angeles Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Earl Frank 56 O’Fallon, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy (2 counts); distribution of controlled substances: methamphetamine Michael Pennel 56 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering conspiracy According to court documents, the charged conduct occurred between January 2020 and July 2025. The conspiracy is accused of distributing more than 50 or more grams of methamphetamine, 400 or more grams of fentanyl, and five kilograms or more of cocaine. 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood. DEA St. Louis, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. HSI’s Parole and Law Enforcement Programs Unit provided critical support. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karelia Rajagopal, Laura Reppert, and Thomas Leggans for the Southern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. In March 2023, the original indictment charged Earl Frank and 10 others with various federal offenses related to the drug trafficking conspiracy: Name Age Residence Charge(s) Plea Earl Frank 56 O’Fallon, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; distribution of controlled substance: methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy Not guilty Michael Pennel 56 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering Not guilty Chontell Reynolds 42 East St. Louis, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; distribution of controlled substance: methamphetamine Guilty; awaiting sentencing Jeffery Neely 54 St. Louis Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; awaiting sentencing Dereck Turnage 49 Bowling Green, Missouri Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; sentenced to 235 months in prison David Allen Day 55 Ironton, Missouri Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Sentenced to 20 years in prison Dwayne Kimmins 52 St. Louis Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Sentenced to nine years in prison Charles R. Evans 35 O’Fallon, Missouri Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Awaiting sentencing Shannon Guyton 46 Clarkton, Missouri Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; transportation in aid of racketeering enterprise Guilty; sentenced to eight years in prison Kimberly Hoskins 38 O’Fallon, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; money laundering Guilty; Awaiting sentencing Aundre Vaughn 54 East St. Louis, Illinois Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; distribution of controlled substances: fentanyl Guilty; Awaiting sentencing An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Child Predator Sentenced to Life in Prison

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A child predator was sentenced today to life in prison after attempting to meet a 14-year-old boy, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Jeffry Alan Clain, 59, for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Clain to serve life in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. If released, Clain will also be required to register as a sex offender. “Clain is every parent's worst nightmare. He not only tried to meet a child to engage in sex but also had hundreds of devices containing child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This sentence sends a strong message to criminals looking to exploit children. We will be relentless and find anyone looking to harm our children.” “Our agents at HSI collaborate with our law enforcement partners daily to ensure those involved in predatory acts against children are brought to justice,” said James Carmany Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the HSI Dallas – Oklahoma Division. “With the life sentence imposed on this defendant, it is assured that he will never harm an innocent child again.” In July 2024, Clain began communicating with someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy on a dating application. When the boy disclosed that he was only in the 9th grade, court records show that Clain said, “it’s been years since I’ve dated a young guy like you.” The conversations quickly turned sexual. Clain sent nude photos and detailed the sexual acts he would perform on the boy while bathing together. Clain then arranged to meet the 14-year-old at his home. When Clain arrived, agents took him into custody. While speaking with agents, Clain admitted that he knew it was wrong to have sex with a minor. He told agents that they would find child pornography on his cellphone. Clain also admitted to agents that he previously engaged in sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old boy while he was an adult. Agents obtained a search warrant for Clain’s cellphones and home. During the search of his home, agents found more than 170 electronic devices, some of which contained multiple storage drives. In total, agents found the equivalent of more than 12,000 images depicting children, toddlers, and infants being sexually abused. During the examination of the devices found in Clain’s home, agents found images from 2016 with a different 14-year-old boy and their conversations over the years. In the conversation, Clain provides the 14-year-old with links to child sexual abuse material and explains how to find it on the internet. The images found showed Clain performing sexual acts on the 14-year-old boy. Agents were able to identify and locate the child victim. The victim, now 24 years old, identified himself in the photos. Clain will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department investigated this case as part of Operation Clean Sweep II. This operation partnered with the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation and Trafficking Task Force, which aims to hold child predators accountable throughout the Northern District of Oklahoma. 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: West Tennessee Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – Garrett Baughman , 19 , of Wildersville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for soliciting sexually explicit images and videos from a thirteen-year-old child. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. Baughman was charged with one count of production of child pornography; one count of use of a facility and means of interstate commerce to persuade, induce, entice a minor to engage in sexual criminal acts; and one count of receipt of child pornography. Following his guilty plea to the enticement of a minor charge, United States Senior District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Baughman to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, Baughman must comply with the conditions of the Sexual Offender Registry upon his release. 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville-Jackson Resident Agency Child Exploitation Task Force and the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Caroline Parish prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Federal Indictment Charges Chicago Police Officer with Conspiring to “Straw Purchase” Firearms on Behalf of Acquaintance

body_text: CHICAGO — A Chicago Police officer has been indicted on federal firearm charges for allegedly conspiring to “straw purchase” firearms on behalf of an acquaintance who transported the guns to Mexico. In the fall of 2024, KEVIN RODRIGUEZ used his status as a Chicago Police officer to purchase an AR-15 style assault rifle in Dyer, Ind., and a handgun in Monee, Ill., and falsely certified on required forms that he was the actual buyer of the guns, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Rodriguez purchased the guns on behalf of an acquaintance, DIEGO VALDEZ, who identified which firearms he wanted and paid Rodriguez to buy them, the indictment states. After falsely completing the forms and making the purchases, Rodriguez provided the firearms to Valdez, who then smuggled them into Mexico, the indictment states. The indictment charges Rodriguez, 27, of Chicago, with one count of conspiracy, one count of knowingly making false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, and one count of knowingly purchasing a firearm intended for another individual in furtherance of a felony. Valdez, 25, of Chicago, is charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of knowingly receiving a straw purchased firearm. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges during their arraignments earlier this week in federal court in Chicago. A status hearing is set for Oct. 8, 2025, before U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner. The investigation is being conducted in coordination with ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago. The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. The CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. rodriguez_and_valdez_indictment.pdf


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Possessing Firearm and Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jeramie J. Mason, 40, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 15 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine. The prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. A jury convicted Mason of these crimes after a three-day trial in federal court in Madison on April 21, 2025. On November 3, 2023, Madison Police detectives searched Mason’s bedroom for evidence of a fight that had occurred at Warner Beach Park two weeks before. In the bedroom closet, police found a loaded firearm inside of a backpack and a plastic jar containing 4320 counterfeit prescription pills that contained fentanyl, 277 grams of cocaine, and more than 240 counterfeit ecstasy pills containing methamphetamine. Later, an analyst from the Wisconsin State Crime Lab found Mason’s DNA on the firearm and drug packaging. At the time of the offense, Mason was on supervision for possessing heroin intended for distribution. Mason is prohibited from legally possessing firearms under federal law based on that and other felony convictions. At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Mason’s offenses were an “alarming escalation” of his criminal conduct. Considering Mason’s history of violent crimes, Judge Conley found it especially concerning that a firearm was found near the large quantity of drugs. The charges against Mason were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Maple Bluff Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William M. Levins and Aaron Wegner prosecuted this case. Federal cases involving drugs and firearms are part 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years for Possessing Firearm in Connection With Drug Trafficking Fentanyl

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Timothy Darren Proctor, 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 130 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. On October 7, 2024, a federal jury found Proctor guilty of possessing a firearm as a felon, possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD). According to evidence presented at trial, on July 10, 2021, officers responded to a Temple Hills, Maryland location to check on a suspicious occupied vehicle parked in the area. Upon arrival, officers found Proctor unresponsive behind the steering wheel with the windows up and the doors locked. Officers banged on the windows to wake Proctor up, and after he eventually woke up, he exited the vehicle. Law enforcement then discovered and retrieved a clear bag hanging from Proctor’s front pocket which contained approximately 10 grams of fentanyl. Additionally, officers found a firearm inside the vehicle’s center console. The firearm was loaded with 13 40mm caliber cartridges in the magazine and one in the chamber. Proctor possessed the firearm in connection with his fentanyl drug trafficking. At the time Proctor possessed the firearm, he was prohibited from doing so due to prior felony convictions. Additionally, after arriving at the jail, officers located an additional clear zipped bag containing 29 small clear bags, which also contained fentanyl. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Fort Defiance Man Arrested After Sending Thousands of  Harassing Messages Online

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Fort Defiance, Virginia man, who created more than 1,000 usernames on the web-based gaming and chat platform Medal to harass a victim he met online, was arrested today on federal cyberstalking charges. Nicholas Andrew McMillion, 25, was arrested today at his home in Fort Defiance, Virginia and charged via federal criminal complaint with cyberstalking. McMillion made his initial court appearance today in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville and is being held pending a detention hearing. According to court documents, between October 2024 and June 2025, McMillion used various online platforms, including Discord and Medal, to create online gaming and social media accounts for the express purpose of stalking and harassing a victim (“Victim 1”) from Canada. Records show that McMillion created at least 1,000 Medal accounts and used many of them to contact and harass Victim 1, despite Victim 1’s repeated attempts to block contact with him and being blocked by Medal customer support. McMillion’s account names, through which he contacted Victim 1, conveyed death threats, sexually explicit acts, and threats of arriving at Victim 1’s physical location in Canada. McMillion’s harassing conduct caused a reasonable fear of death and bodily harm to Victim 1. Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Sally J. Sullivan is prosecuting the case for the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case . A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Oklahoma Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For Murdering Checotah Woman

body_text: MUSKOGEE , OKLAHOMA – David Deval Martin, age 40, of McIntosh County, Oklahoma, was sentenced - for a second time - to life in prison for the vicious 2013 murder of a Checotah woman. In 2016, Martin was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole after a state jury trial held in the District Court of McIntosh County, Oklahoma. That conviction was vacated after the Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, because Martin is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe, and the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation. Martin was subsequently charged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and a federal jury found Martin guilty on one count of Murder in Indian Country in October 2024. According to court documents, on Nov. 7, 2013, Martin viciously beat and stabbed the victim - whom he had previously dated - causing over 109 separate injuries to her head and neck. The medical examiner estimated that it would have taken Martin “20 to 30 [minutes] or longer” to inflict these wounds, and that the victim was alive, and likely conscious, for much of her own murder. Just hours before Martin killed the victim, he was seen threatening her at a local convenience store by pointing his fingers at her head in the shape of a gun. At the scene of the crime, investigators recovered Martin’s DNA mixed with the victim’s own blood from the front door of the home, and Martin’s fingerprint on the handle of a metal rod used to beat the victim. Martin’s DNA was also recovered from the steering wheel of the victim’s abandoned car. This case was investigated by the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The defendant in this case brutally murdered his victim in cold blood,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti. “By retrying the case and securing a life sentence for the Defendant, the Department of Justice has demonstrated our commitment to seeking justice for the victims of violent crime in Indian Country.” “The defendant’s heinous crime was deserving of the life sentence imposed by the Court,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “I am grateful for the thorough work of investigators and the skilled presentation of the evidence by colleagues from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. Their collective efforts were vital in securing justice for the victim’s family.” “Thanks to the work of the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS), the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and FBI Oklahoma City, this depraved and merciless killer has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in federal prison,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Today’s sentencing underscores the FBI’s dedication to working with our partners and achieving justice for victims of violent crimes in Indian Country.” “The OSBI appreciates the great work conducted by our law enforcement partners throughout this investigation,” said Hunter McKee, Public Information Manager with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. “Obtaining justice for the victim and their family is crucial for all agencies involved. We are thankful for everyone’s dedication and commitment.” Martin will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Trial Attorneys Jared A. Hernandez and Brian W. Lynch from the Department of VCRS represented the United States. This case represents the last indictment that has been a part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section McGirt project, in which the Criminal Division partnered with the Eastern District of Oklahoma to prosecute murder cases in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma .


title: Laurel County Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A London man, Edward Albert Ernsting, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom to 76 months in prison, for possession with intent to distribute fluorofentanyl and heroin, as well as a mixture containing methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, on April 9, 2024, Ernsting was found passed out in his vehicle at a gas station, where law enforcement recovered approximately 16 grams of a mixture containing fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, and heroin, and 14 grams of methamphetamine, as well as digital scales, baggies, and $504 in cash from Ernsting’s body and vehicle. Ernsting admitted significant heroin and fentanyl trafficking activity for a year or more before his arrest. Under federal law, Ernsting must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Chief Rusty Hedrick, Corbin Police Department; and Sheriff William ‘Bill’ Elliotte, Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, Corbin Police Department, and Whitley County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. – END –


title: Former Army Civilian Employee Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Children

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty yesterday to sexually abusing two minors under the age of 16 while he was employed by the U.S. Armed Forces outside of the United States. “The defendant engaged in the repeated sexual abuse of two young children over several years while he was employed as a civilian with the U.S. Army in Japan,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea should serve as a warning to anyone who would harm children — even overseas — as long as the Criminal Division has jurisdiction, we will hold you accountable. The abuse and exploitation of children is intolerable, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who engage in such deplorable conduct.” “As this guilty plea demonstrates, those who exploit and abuse children, whether at home or abroad, will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that such heinous acts, including by military employees, are met with consequences that dispense justice and deter future offenses against the vulnerable.” “American armed service members should be trusted to keep people safe and uphold values of honor and integrity. The sexual abuse of children is despicable and counter to everything Americans stand for,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our partners remain vigilant in rooting out those who seek to harm our most vulnerable population, both at home and abroad.” “We are committed to protecting our overseas military communities from those who exploit and endanger children,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office. “This case is an example of the work our special agents do every day to protect the Soldiers and civilian employees of the Department of the Army and their families.” According to court documents, Thelmo Meneses Santos Jr., 60, of Merced, California, sexually abused two children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing one of the minor victims when the child was 11 years old. Santos abused the two minors over a period of years in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) special agents. As part of his plea agreement, Santos faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Additionally, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2026. The Far East Field Office of the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case with valuable assistance from the FBI. Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Eugenio Abraham Solis-Klarks Indicted For Fire Arms Offense

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On August 6, 2025, a federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a one-count indictment against Eugenio Abraham Solis-Klarks, 31, of Guatemala, for possessing a firearm as an illegal alien. Solis-Klarks appeared in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on September 24, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Debra C. Poplin and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He was ordered detained pending trial, which has been set for December 2, 2025, before the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in United States District Court, at Knoxville, Tennessee. The indictment charges Solis-Klarks with possessing a firearm as an illegal alien on January 12, 2025, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5). If convicted, Solis-Klarks faces a term of imprisonment up to 15 years, a term of supervised release up to three years, and a fine up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement. This indictment is the result of an investigation by the HSI, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook will represent the United States. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. ###


component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: A Merced, California, man pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing two minors under the age of 16 while he was employed by the Armed Forces outside of the United States. According to court documents, between 2015 and 2023, Thelmo Meneses Santos Jr., 60, sexually abused two children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing one of the minor victims when the child was 11 years old. Santos abused the two minors over a period of years in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) special agents. “The defendant engaged in the repeated sexual abuse of two young children over several years while he was employed as a civilian with the U.S. Army in Japan,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea should serve as a warning to anyone who would harm children — even overseas — as long as the Criminal Division has jurisdiction, we will hold you accountable. The abuse and exploitation of children is intolerable, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who engage in such deplorable conduct.” “As this guilty plea demonstrates, those who exploit and abuse children, whether at home or abroad, will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that such heinous acts, including by military employees, are met with consequences that dispense justice and deter future offenses against the vulnerable.” “We are committed to protecting our overseas military communities from those who exploit and endanger children,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office. “This case is an example of the work our special agents do every day to protect the Soldiers and civilian employees of the Department of the Army and their families.” “American armed service members should be trusted to keep people safe and uphold values of honor and integrity. The sexual abuse of children is despicable and counter to everything Americans stand for,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, “The FBI and our partners remain vigilant in rooting out those who seek to harm our most vulnerable population, both at home and abroad.” This case is the product of an investigation by Far East Field Office of the Army Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo, of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, are prosecuting the case. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2026. Santos faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a lifetime term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Additionally, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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 more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – In a superseding indictment unsealed today, high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel are facing federal charges for their alleged involvement in trafficking hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine into southern Illinois and laundering the proceeds to Mexico. “The Sinaloa Cartel relies on drug trafficking to finance its terrorism against the American people while spreading poison in our communities,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s indictment is a significant blow against this terrorist organization’s infrastructure as we carry out President Trump’s mission of dismantling and destroying the cartels.” “The Sinaloa Cartel is a vicious international criminal organization that spreads terror through intimidation, torture, and murder. The entire enterprise is financed through a drug distribution network that includes southern Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Today’s superseding indictment targets some of the highest level of Sinaloa leadership demonstrating our commitment to use every possible tool to crush this cartel, dismantling its operations, and protecting our community from its narcoterrorism.” “Today’s announcement in the Southern District of Illinois is monumental in our fight to eliminate the Sinaloa Cartel,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “The extraordinary work of the St. Louis Field Division and their partners resulted in the seizure of nearly 800 pounds of fentanyl and exposed a money laundering network that pushed millions in cartel profits through U.S. banks. This is not a street-corner operation— it is a cartel pipeline that has flooded the Midwest with significant amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. We continue the fight, using all the resources of the United States government, to destroy the Sinaloa Cartel.” The indictment alleges that the Sinaloa Cartel is a Mexican-based transnational drug trafficking organization that uses premeditated violence to control territory and undermine governmental authority. The Cartel sustains its enterprise by trafficking narcotics into the United States and funneling the profits back into Mexico. Over approximately one week, the Drug Enforcement Administration, in conjunction with law enforcement partners, arrested 15 of the charged defendants in a nationwide operation involving Sinaloa Cartel associates. These indictments and arrests are the result of a years-long operation involving the removal of more than 400 kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 80 kilograms of methamphetamine and 50 kilograms of cocaine from communities in and around southern Illinois. President Donald Trump designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on February 19, 2025, through a State Department action authorized by Executive Order 14157, signed on January 20, 2025. The designation, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, included the Sinaloa Cartel among eight criminal organizations classified as FTOs and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. § 1189) and Executive Order 13224. Narcoterrorism is a federal crime that provides enhanced penalties to punish drug trafficking that supports terrorist organizations. The crime of providing material support applies when a person provides resources to an organization knowing that it has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment alleging that 26 defendants participated in a Sinaloa Cartel sourced drug distribution pipeline originating in Mexico that included the Southern District of Illinois, including the following: Name Age Residence Charge(s) Prospero Coronel-Sanchez, a.k.a. “Pro” 40 Mexican national Narcoterrorism; Providing material support to foreign terrorist organization; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering conspiracy Jose Luis Angulo-Soto, a.k.a “Jose Luis Angulo-Cazares” or “El Mi Nino” Mexican national Narcoterrorism; Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering conspiracy German Angel Alatorre-Monge 24 South Gate, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Leobardo Alcaraz-Ibarra 51 Phoenix, AZ Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Miguel Angel Aramburo, Jr. 34 Paramount, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Manuel Buenrostro 38 Cudahy, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Oscar Bryan Castro 34 Pasadena, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering conspiracy Carlos Diaz, Jr. 34 Pasadena, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering conspiracy Alejandro Flores 30 Cudahy, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Armando Gallardo 46 Chula Vista, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Karen L. Gandarillas-Carreno 36 Sun Valley, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering conspiracy Roberto J. Gonzalez, Jr. 39 Bell, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Sabrina Danielle Herrera 35 South Gate, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Mauro Armando Luna-Renteria 39 Lynwood, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Lucia Viridiana Montano 40 Rio Rico, AZ Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine David Alonso Pereda 33 Costa Mesa, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Memo Perez, a.k.a. “Demecia Perez” 50 Los Angeles, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Jaqueline Desiree Piikkila-Vigueras 49 Tucson, AZ Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering conspiracy Miguel Rios 31 Cudahy, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Richard Ruiz, Jr. 27 Paramount, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Evan Sanchez 31 Victorville, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Julio Villa-Morales 36 Tucson, AZ Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Jose Espino-Zavala 44 Mexican national Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Martin Ismael Zuniga-Lopez 32 Los Angeles, CA Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Earl Frank 56 O’Fallon, IL Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering conspiracy (2 counts); Distribution of controlled substances: methamphetamine Michael Pennel 56 Oklahoma City, OK Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering conspiracy According to court documents, the charged conduct occurred between January 2020 and July 2025. The conspiracy is accused of distributing more than 50 or more grams of methamphetamine, 400 or more grams of fentanyl, and five kilograms or more of cocaine. “Fentanyl is destroying lives and devastating communities across the country. Every pill, every powder, every shipment, every sale of this drug has the potential to take a life,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale, United States Postal Inspection Service. “Postal inspectors remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of this deadly drug in our mailstream and hold criminals who profit from poisoning our neighborhoods accountable.” “We will not tolerate drug cartels smuggling their poison into our American communities,” said DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis. “The DEA, in collaboration with our local and foreign partners, works relentlessly to identify and arrest anyone engaging in the manufacturing, distribution, and sales of any illicit drugs making their way into and across this nation.” “Drug traffickers will stop at nothing to continue profiting from the spread of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs throughout our communities. They go to great extremes to cover any links to their illegal acts,” said Special Agent in Charge William Steenson of IRS Criminal Investigation’s St. Louis Field Office. “IRS-CI’s special agents are experts at tracing the funding sources of illegal activity and connecting the criminals involved. We’re committed to protecting our communities by investigating anyone involved in these types of illicit activities and working with our federal law enforcement partners to bring them to justice.” “The U.S. Marshals Service, Southern District of Illinois congratulates the DEA, Fairview Heights, Illinois Resident Office, and its investigators on their superseding indictment,” said United States Marshal, David C. Davis. “This indictment illustrates the reach of the DEA in combating the distribution of kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine within the Southern District of Illinois through the Sinaloa Cartel. The USMS, S/IL, are proud to partner with the DEA, Fairview Heights, with all the arrests and fugitive investigations generated by this case.” This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood. DEA St. Louis, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. HSI’s Parole and Law Enforcement Programs Unit provided critical support. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karelia Rajagopal, Laura Reppert, and Thomas Leggans for the Southern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. In March 2023, the original indictment charged Earl Frank and ten others with various federal offenses related to the drug trafficking conspiracy: Name Age Residence Charge(s) Plea Earl Frank 56 O’Fallon, IL Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Distribution of controlled substance: methamphetamine; Money laundering conspiracy Not guilty Michael Pennel 56 Oklahoma City, OK Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering Not guilty Chontell Reynolds 42 East St. Louis, IL Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Distribution of controlled substance: methamphetamine Guilty; Awaiting sentencing Jeffery Neely 54 St. Louis, MO Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Awaiting sentencing Dereck Turnage 49 Bowling Green, MO Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment David Allen Day 55 Ironton, MO Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment Dwayne Kimmins 52 St. Louis, MO Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Sentenced to 9 years’ imprisonment Charles R. Evans 35 O’Fallon, MO Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine Guilty; Awaiting sentencing Shannon Guyton 46 Clarkton, MO Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Transportation in aid of racketeering enterprise Guilty; Sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment Kimberly Hoskins 38 O’Fallon, IL Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Money laundering Guilty; Awaiting sentencing Aundre Vaughn 54 East St. Louis, IL Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; Distribution of controlled substances: fentanyl Guilty; Awaiting sentencing An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Coral Springs Man Arraigned for Attempting to Bomb the New York Stock Exchange

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Coral Springs man was arraigned on a superseding indictment related to a plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange. Harun Abdul-Hamid Yener, 30, is charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, attempting to use an explosive device to damage or destroy a building used in interstate commerce, threatening to murder federal law enforcement officers, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, law enforcement received information in February 2024 that Yener was storing bombmaking schematics in an unlocked storage unit. A search of the unit revealed sketches, multiple watches with timers, electronic circuit boards, and other components consistent with construction of an explosive device. Investigators also uncovered internet searches dating back to 2017 related to bombmaking. A search of Yener’s cellphones revealed numerous AI-generated images and videos depicting CSAM. In October 2024, Yener told an individual he believed to be affiliated with an anti-government militia that he desired to target the New York Stock Exchange the week before Thanksgiving. Over the following months, Yener built a remote trigger, researched potential placement for the bomb, and tasked others to obtain explosive materials, conduct surveillance, and photograph the building. Yener also recorded a message he intended for release to the press explaining his motivations. Yener anticipated catastrophic effects from the explosion. During this same period, Yener repeatedly voiced his intent to murder law enforcement agents who searched his storage unit. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. FBI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the Coral Springs Police Department and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman and Ajay J. Alexander of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20523. ###