title: U.S. Arrests Five Fugitives Wanted by Germany for Massive Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The United States arrested five international fugitives at the request of the Federal Republic of Germany, which has charged the individuals for their roles in a network involving German payment service processors that defrauded thousands of victims of more than €300 million and created a shadow financial system in Germany. Pursuant to its treaty obligations, the United States located and arrested the fugitives in the Central District of California for ultimate extradition to Germany. Four U.S. citizens residing in California — Medhat Mourid, of Woodland Hills, Andrew Garroni, of Los Angeles, Guy Mizrachi, of Agoura Hills, Ardeshir Akhavan, of Irvine — and Canadian National Tunde Benak, of Irvine, were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service and made their initial appearances in federal court today. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California, and Director Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service made the announcement. Germany alleges that the fugitives defrauded victims in violation of German law by creating millions of recurring, fraudulent debit or credit card charges from fictitious merchants. According to German authorities, the defendants orchestrated a scheme in which they deliberately kept monthly charges on credit cards to below €50, to avoid suspicion among victims about the nature of the charges. These charges were linked to fictitious companies using fictitious websites that were only accessible via direct links or URL’s. The operators of the network then colluded with German payment service processors – including their executives and compliance officers – to process these payments. Former employees and executives of German payment processors are among those arrested yesterday. German authorities allege that this complex scheme resulted in the creation of a shadow financial system in Germany. In the United States, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), the U.S. government’s central authority in criminal matters, worked closely with German officials and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California to provide legal guidance and coordinate the successful arrest of the U.S.-based defendants. OIA participated in coordination meetings related to the takedown and worked directly with the German prosecutor to ensure Germany met U.S. legal requirements to arrest these fugitives with a view toward extradition. The U.S. Marshals Service for the Central District of California arrested the fugitives in the United States contemporaneously with arrests and/or searches in Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Cyprus, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore.


title: Nowata Man Convicted by Federal Jury of Sexual Abuse and Two Counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, a federal jury convicted Kaleb Scott Smith, 34, of Nowata and a member of the Osage Nation, of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country. In September 2024, a 14-year-old told a parent that Smith had sexually abused her. She also showed her parents a photo taken with Smith. The minor victim's parents testified that they contacted local law enforcement to report the incident, showed the photo to law enforcement, and provided the 14-year-old’s cellphone for search. The photo presented to the jury showed the 14-year-old cuddling with Smith under a blanket. Smith’s arm is wrapped around the child, and his hand is resting on her upper thigh. When the minor victim testified, she stayed overnight with Smith’s 14-year-old daughter while Smith was celebrating his birthday in July 2024. The minor victim said that Smith flipped the waistband of her clothing and touched her butt. The next morning, Smith showed the 14-year-old a photo of himself naked in front of a mirror. Witness testimony from Smith’s daughter and the minor victim described a second incident. They stated that Smith rented a hotel room at a casino with two beds. While in the room, both witnesses described lying on a bed to watch social media videos, and Smith laid with them. Smith was cuddling with the minor victim under a blanket and began rubbing his crotch on her back. The victim moved to the second bed. Smith followed her and rubbed his crotch against her butt. During a third incident, Smith’s daughter, the minor victim, and their 14-year-old friend stayed the night at his house in September 2024. All three girls testified about the evening. Smith was with the minor victim in his bedroom with the door closed. The friend heard giggling and opened the bedroom door. She saw Smith on top of the minor victim in bed, felt uncomfortable, and closed the door. Later that night, Smith asked the minor victim to come back to his bedroom. After going back to the bedroom, evidence and trial testimony showed that Smith sexually abused the minor. A few days after the abuse, the minor victim told her friend what happened. A DNA expert confirmed that Smith’s bodily fluids and the minor victim’s DNA were found together on his bed. When law enforcement interviewed the friend about the incident in September, she further disclosed that Smith had been inappropriate with her on several occasions. When she was 13 years old, Smith would make comments about her body and slap her butt. After turning 14, Smith made comments about her while she was in a towel and touched her breast. Smith is a member of the Osage Nation and was taken into custody pending sentencing at a later date. The Bartlesville Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Hockenbury and Matthew Cyran prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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: Ringleader sentenced in multimillion-dollar fraud operation which saddled victims with crushing debt

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations. HOUSTON – A 62-year-old California resident has been ordered to federal prison for leading a sweeping mortgage and loan fraud scheme that defrauded businesses, banks, mortgage lenders and government programs out of millions of dollars, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Steven Tetsuya Morizono aka Jeff Lucian, Mission Viejo, California, pleaded guilty March 5 to 34 counts to include conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, mortgage fraud and conspiracy to make false statements to the Federal Trade Commission and obstruction of an official proceeding. U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has sentenced Morizono to a total of 121 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Morizono recruited his brother-in-law, Albert Lim aka Ted Chen, 56, Mission Viejo, California, and longtime friend David Best, 62, Anaheim, California, to participate in the scheme. Together, they operated through a company called Jeff Funding, which carried out a nationwide fraud involving falsified loan applications, shell companies, straw buyers and fraudulent credit repair services connected to numerous homes in Spring. In handing down the sentence, the court described Morizono’s conduct as “deeply troubling and absolutely corrupt.” Restitution will be determined at a later date. “This wasn’t just paperwork fraud, this was a calculated and opportunistic nationwide scheme designed to manipulate mortgage lenders, banks and people with poor credit histories, for personal gain,” said Ganjei. “These criminals exploited every opportunity — from banks to the housing market to the pandemic – to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers, banks, and honest Americans.” “The sentencings in this case send a clear message that mortgage fraud will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman of the Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General. “Those who defraud the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, put our housing finance system at risk. FHFA-OIG is proud to work with the Southern District of Texas and our investigative partners to diligently pursue and bring to justice those commit these crimes.” The group had recruited individuals with poor credit scores, falsely reported identity theft to inflate their credit histories and submitted fraudulent pay stubs to secure personal loans. Once the loans were approved, Morizono and others skimmed the proceeds, leaving clients burdened by unmanageable debt. They also used straw buyers to acquire homes, collecting millions in rent and pandemic-era assistance while failing to pay the mortgages which resulted in foreclosures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group expanded their fraud to target federal relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, submitting hundreds of falsified applications. The conspiracy, which dates back to 2017, has led to the convictions of 17 individuals, including mortgage brokers Heather Campos and Kimberli Ann Tomman, Spring, and multiple straw buyers. Campos, 46, and Best, 62, fled after indictment, but authorities arrested them in Utah. Campos acted as a recruiter and mortgage broker for the scheme and managed the Jeff Funding office in Spring. She was sentenced to 94 months. Lim, who acted as the bookkeeper and created fake documents for the scheme, received a sentence of 84 months, while Best was ordered to serve a 60-month-term of imprisonment for setting up numerous shell companies and acting as a straw buyer on numerous properties. Morizono, Campos, Lim and Best have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FHFA-OIG conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS – Criminal Investigation, Small Business Administration - OIG, Department of Housing and Urban Development – OIG and Federal Trade Commission – OIG. U.S. Marshals Service and FBI assisted in apprehending fugitives along with police departments in South Jordan, Riverton and Herriman, Utah; Colorado City/Hilldale, Arizona; and Virginia State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh and Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty To Interstate Communication Harassment

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – Jackson Traylor, 27, of Dania Beach, Florida, pled guilty to one count of utilizing a telecommunications device without disclosing his identity with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. According to public filings, between July 9, 2024, and April 10, 2025, Traylor — using a series of different phone numbers — sent more than 10 Antisemitic and harassing messages to a Jewish individual who is originally from Maryland. Messages included, “Go burn in an oven like your ancestors”, “Burn in a god damn oven . . . . Stupid jew”, and “Hey Jew, been a while since we spoke. Let me burn you alive like your ancestors. Hail Hitler.” Traylor faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for January 16, 2026. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sarma who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Atoka Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegal Firearm Possession

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vet Sentrel Colbert, age 43, of Atoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm punishable by up to 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment charged Colbert with knowingly possessing a 9mm Luger caliber, semi-automatic pistol on August 3, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Colbert will remain out on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: LaPorte Woman Fined $6,000

body_text: SOUTH BEND – On November 5, 2025, Karen K. Graf, 72 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to theft on the high seas, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor Graf was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay a $6,000 fine. According to documents in the case, Graf was on a cruise ship in international waters sailing from Hawaii to San Diego when she stole a ring valued at $65,900 from a jewelry store on board the cruise ship. About a week later, the ring was found by authorities in Graf’s luggage when she was disembarking from the cruise ship. “This case illustrates the commitment of the federal government to prosecute crimes occurring outside the United States but within its special maritime and territorial jurisdiction—and, in particular, crimes that occur on the high seas,” said Proctor. “We thank our law enforcement partners from other districts who collaborated in the investigation of this case.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and the Port of San Diego Harbor Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.


title: Essex County Man Charged with Transmitting Threats to Jewish Individuals and a California-Based Business

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County Jersey man was charged with making interstate threats to Jewish individuals and to a California-based business, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Milo Sedarat, 21, of Montclair, New Jersey, was charged with two counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Sedarat previously, on November 5, 2025, had his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa, and was detained. According to statements made in court and documents filed in the case: In numerous direct messages on a social media platform, Sedarat expressed his hatred towards Jewish people and his desire to kill them. Specifically, on January 15, 2025, Sedarat stated through direct message to another individual, “I hate Israel more than anything - [a]nd the people who support or sympathize - [b]ro my moms Jewish friends r brainwashing her . . . into being a Zionist . . . I wanna kill her friends [l]ike deadass . . . I’m gonna stab them with my sword.” Sedarat also sent photographs to the individual via the social media platform depicting himself holding a sword, holding a knife, and holding two swords. On July 24, 2025, Sedarat texted another individual, “[b]ro, I’m actually gonna go strap a bomb to my chest and go blow up [California-based company] headquarters.” The California-based company is an online platform headquartered in Palo Alto, California where businesses can hire freelancers to perform a variety of services, such as writing, graphic design, web development, marketing, and other online work. Sedarat appeared to claim in the text conversation that the California-based company “stole my money and income” by closing his account. The counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce each have a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited Special Agents and Joint Terrorism Task Force Officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, New Jersey and officers of the New York Police Department and Montclair Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey S. Smith, Sammi Malek, and Vincent D. Romano of the National Security Unit in Newark, and Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel for Sedarat: Areeb Salim, Esq.


title: New Jersey Man and Washington Man Charged with Conspiracy and Attempt to Provide Material Support to ISIS

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man and a Washington man were charged with conspiracy and attempt to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (“ISIS”), Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Tomas-Kaan Jimenez-Guzel, 19, of Montclair, New Jersey and Saed Ali Mirreh, 19, of Kent, Washington were each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy and one count of attempt to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Jimenez-Guzel previously, on November 5, 2025, had his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa, and was detained. Mirreh also had his initial appearance in federal court the same day before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michelle L. Peterson, and was detained. According to statements made in court and documents filed in the case: From July 24, 2025 to November 4, 2025, through communications on encrypted messaging applications, Jimenez-Guzel, Mirreh, and other co-conspirators agreed to travel to Turkey in November 2025. They also agreed with other co-conspirators to travel from Turkey to “sham,” which is an Arabic term for the historical region of greater Syria, to join ISIS as fighters, and to provide themselves and others as personnel to ISIS. On October 27, 2025, Jimenez-Guzel purchased a plane ticket to depart from Newark Liberty International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey on November 17, 2025. On October 28, 2025, Mirreh purchased a ticket to depart from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey November 16, 2025. After other individuals in Dearborn, Michigan, with whom Jimenez-Guzel and Mirreh were communicating were arrested on October 31, 2025, and charged with offenses related to those individuals’ plot to carry out an armed attack on behalf of ISIS, Jimenez-Guzel, Mirreh, and their co-conspirators accelerated their travel plans. On November 3, 2025, Jimenez-Guzel re-booked his flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey to leave instead on November 5, 2025 (in the early morning hours, shortly after midnight on November 4, 2025). Then, on November 4, 2025, after communicating with Jimenez-Guzel and other co-conspirators, Mirreh booked an additional flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey to leave on November 5, 2025. Jimenez-Guzel was arrested at Newark Liberty International Airport on November 4, 2025 after he arrived for his booked flight. Mirreh was arrested later that evening at his home in Washington State. The counts of conspiracy and attempt to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization each have a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of life of supervised release. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited Special Agents and Joint Terrorism Task Force Officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, New Jersey and Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington in Seattle, Washington; and officers of the New York Police Department, Montclair Police Department, and Rowan University Police Department. He also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Camila A. Garces of the National Security Unit in Newark, and Trial Attorneys James Donnelly, Patrick Cashman, and John Cella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel for Jimenez-Guzel: Alyssa Cimino, Esq. Defense counsel for Mirreh: Dawn Farina, Esq. and Casey M. Arbenz, Esq.


title: Two Arrested in Connection with Explosion on Harvard Medical School Campus

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two Massachusetts men have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to damage a building on Harvard Medical School’s (HMS) campus using a large commercial firework. Logan David Patterson, 18, of Plymouth, Mass.; and Dominick Frank Cardoza, 20, of Bourne, Mass., are each charged with one count of conspiracy to damage, by means of an explosive, the Goldenson Building at Harvard Medical School. The defendants were arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston later today. According to the charging documents , at approximately 2:23 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2025, surveillance cameras located at Huntington Avenue and Longwood Avenue in Boston captured two males – allegedly later identified as Patterson and Cardoza – walking toward the HMS campus wearing face coverings and dark clothing. Surveillance video captured the defendants allegedly lighting what appeared to be roman candle fireworks at approximately 2:24 a.m. According to the charging documents, at approximately 2:33 a.m., the defendants were allegedly seen climbing over a chain-link fence into a construction area surrounding the Goldenson Building and, minutes later, climbing scaffolding beside the building to access the roof. At approximately 2:45 a.m., campus police received an alert of a fire alarm from an explosion on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building, which houses a research laboratory within HMS’s Department of Neurobiology. It is alleged that, between 2:45 and 2:50 a.m., security footage captured the defendants visiting the fifth floor of the building before exiting via a first-floor emergency exit and fleeing in opposite directions. Investigators determined that an explosive – believed to have been a large, commercial firework – detonated within a wooden locker in the fourth-floor research laboratory. Analysis of the explosive is ongoing. It is alleged that, at approximately 2:57 a.m., Cardoza was captured on surveillance video sitting on a bench, removing his pants and placing them in a garbage bin. It is further alleged that, beginning at approximately 3:09 a.m., surveillance footage at the nearby campus of Wentworth Institute of Technology captured Patterson intermittently running between buildings, attempting to enter a residential campus building before being let in by a passerby and charging his phone near an attendant’s desk within that building. Shortly thereafter, at approximately 3:23 a.m., Patterson could allegedly be seen talking on his cell phone. Thereafter, at approximately 3:40 a.m., surveillance video allegedly showed Patterson exiting the building to meet up with Cardoza and a third individual. It is alleged that at 3:49 a.m., after unsuccessfully attempting to enter an adjoining residential campus building, the three are seen walking toward the Massachusetts College of Art and Design campus. There, surveillance footage allegedly captured Patterson, Cardoza and the third individual walking along Huntington Avenue. In the video, Patterson has allegedly removed his sweatshirt as well as his sweatpants and is seen stuffing his sweatpants into his shorts. Cardoza is allegedly seen still wearing a dark hooded jacket and black sneakers with only shorts or boxer shorts. According to the charging documents, witnesses allegedly stated that Patterson and Cardoza were visiting Wentworth College for Halloween social activities. The investigation remains ongoing. The charge of conspiracy to damage, by means of fire or an explosive, provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Denis Downing, Interim Chief of the Harvard University Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston, Bourne and Plymouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Hopkinsville Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Damaging Church Statue

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Hopkinsville man pleaded guilty yesterday to damaging religious property. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, on January 28 and 29, 2025, Marley R. Taylor, 27, of Hopkinsville, destroyed a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus located at a Catholic church by using an axe to chop off both statues’ heads. Taylor admitted that he intentionally decapitated the statue of Mary and Jesus because he believed people prayed to the statue as an act of worship. The statue had been hand carved from marble and imported from Italy. Taylor pleaded guilty to damage to religious property in a one count Information. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. If the court accepts the terms of the plea agreement, Taylor faces a penalty of not more than 3 years in prison and payment of not less than $35,935 in restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. “The violent destruction of religious property due to hatred for another’s faith is both intolerable and un-American,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice stands firmly against anti-Christian bias and will hold accountable anyone who targets Americans because of their religious beliefs.” “We cannot and will not accept attacks on the free exercise of religion, nor the desecration of sacred religious symbols. Mr. Taylor intentionally desecrated two of Christianity’s most revered symbols, statutes of Mary and Jesus, as an attack on the Christian faith. His motives and his conduct have earned these federal charges. Let this be a warning that no attack on the exercise of religion—regardless of faith—will be tolerated in the Western District of Kentucky,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner. “Mr. Taylor not only intentionally and severely damaged two religious statues at a place of worship, but by doing so, he also violated a key principle of our nation, the freedom of all to express religious beliefs afforded under the U.S. Constitution,” said Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “As our mission conveys, the FBI will work tirelessly alongside our partners to ensure Constitutional rights provided to every American are protected.” “I would like to thank our federal partners for their constant support in helping us protect the citizens of Hopkinsville from those that choose to threaten our quality of life,” said Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department. “Citizens have the right to live in a society where their beliefs and safety should never be violated by those who threaten either with violence. We will continue working together to ensure our commitment to make Hopkinsville a safer community remains successful.” This case is being investigated by the FBI Bowling Green Satellite Office and the Hopkinsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, and Trial Attorney Julia White of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Belorusian Citizen Arrested for Illegally Exporting U.S.-Sourced Aviation Components to Russia

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: WASHINGTON — Yana Leonova, 33, a Belorusian citizen most recently residing in Russia, was extradited from France yesterday on an indictment charging her with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, to commit smuggling, to commit money laundering, and to defraud the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. Leonova, aka “Yana Liavonava,” made her initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Joining in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the Counterintelligence Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the Kansas City, Mo., Field Office and Jonathan Carson of the Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement (BIS/OEE). The indictment alleges that following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in May 2022, Leonova – using co-conspirators located in the United States – procured and illicitly exported from the United States to Russia numerous avionics and other aircraft equipment. The exported items were for use on private aircraft operated by Leonova’s former employer a company identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List. As part of the conspiracy, Leonova and her co-conspirators purchased the aircraft components from U.S.-based distributors. Using companies located in Armenia, the Maldives, and elsewhere, they then transshipped the components to Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce. “This defendant tried to circumvent U.S. law to enrich herself by procuring and illicitly exporting, from the United States to Russia, avionics, and other prohibited equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “She used intermediary countries in an effort to block the identity of the final recipient in Russia where licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce were needed.” “The FBI’s investigation revealed that Yana Leonova allegedly conspired to evade U.S. export laws by selling sensitive aircraft equipment to Russia,” said FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI has made it a top priority to keep U.S. technology from making its way into our adversaries’ hands, and we ask all our private sector partners to remember the critical role they play in safeguarding our national security by reporting violations. And to anyone considering helping a hostile nation-state obtain export-controlled technology, let today’s charges serve as a warning to you: the FBI and our partners will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice.” “The Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement remains steadfast in protecting U.S. national security and ensuring the integrity of our export control system,” said BIS-OEE Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson. “Working closely with our law enforcement and international partners, we will continue to uncover and disrupt illicit procurement networks wherever they operate.” “Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of work for the FBI and underscores our commitment to identifying those who allegedly violate national export laws,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the Kansas City Field Office. “We’re thankful to the team of investigators, the Department of Justice, the United States Marshals Service, and our French allies for their help in the extradition of Leonova, who will now face these charges in a U.S. court." As alleged, Leonova and her co-conspirators repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the aircraft components ordered by Leonova by submitting false information on documents. She caused the items to be transshipped to Russia through intermediary destinations and caused payments in U.S. dollars to be transmitted from foreign bank accounts to bank accounts in the United States. This case is being investigated by FBI Kansas City and BIS/OEE Atlanta and New York. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and John W. Borchert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Sean R. Heiden and Kara Podraza of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Significant assistance on the extradition was provided by French authorities and the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. The Department expresses deep appreciation for the support of our French allies. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 24cr421 leonova_24-cr-421_indictment_2098-2860-1860_v.1.pdf


title: Individual Charged With Assault On Federal Officers By Accelerating U-Haul Truck Toward Coast Guard Personnel

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND—Brendan Munro Thompson, aka Bella Thompson and Bella Castillo, 26, was charged by criminal complaint with the federal crime of assaulting federal officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon by accelerating a U-Haul truck as it approached several United States Coast Guard (USCG) personnel on October 23, 2025. Thompson’s initial appearance in federal district court took place this morning. According to the complaint and court documents filed on October 30, 2025, and unsealed today, on the night of October 23, USCG personnel were standing guard on the bridge connecting Coast Guard Island with Oakland. Coast Guard Base Alameda is located on Coast Guard Island, a small island on an estuary separating Alameda and Oakland, and can be accessed via the bridge. At the time, demonstrators had congregated near the eastern end of the bridge, protesting the potential deployment of U.S. Department of Homeland Security personnel to conduct enforcement of U.S. immigration law in San Francisco. The complaint alleges that at approximately 10:00 p.m. on October 23, Thompson drove a 10-foot-long U-Haul truck onto the eastern part of the bridge. Thompson then backed the truck onto the bridge, with its rear end facing toward Coast Guard Island. Several USCG personnel were positioned in a line across the bridge. As the truck reversed towards the USCG personnel, they backed away toward a USCG law enforcement vehicle parked on the bridge. The truck stopped and started several times and then accelerated rapidly backward towards the USCG personnel. As the U-Haul gained speed, USCG personnel shouted orders to the driver to stop. The U-Haul accelerated towards USCG personnel to an estimated 15 to 20 feet, causing USCG personnel to fear the possibility that the truck would strike them or their colleagues, or that it contained explosives or had an explosive device. When the driver did not stop and continued to rapidly accelerate backward toward the line of USCG personnel, USCG personnel defensively fired their weapons at the U-Haul truck. Thompson drove away in the U-Haul and later received medical treatment for a non-life-threatening gunshot injury sustained during the incident. “As alleged, Thompson drove a U-Haul truck directly into a line of Coast Guard personnel who were protecting the Coast Guard base, as they bravely do day in and day out. Let this be clear: there is zero tolerance for assault on federal officers or property, and those who do so will face federal criminal charges,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “The FBI stands firmly with our federal law enforcement partners and will always work to protect those who protect our communities,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo. “Attempting to use a truck to assault federal officers performing their lawful duties is not protest, it is a violent and serious federal crime. Federal officers must be able to carry out their mission without fear of violence, and we will continue to support efforts to ensure that anyone who commits violence against them is held fully accountable under the law.” Thompson will next appear in federal district court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore for a status on detention and preliminary hearing on November 10, 2025. A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(b). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. The case is being prosecuted by the Oakland Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. Thompson Complaint


title: Inmate Pleads Guilty to Assault on Corrections Officers

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the National Security Division of the Department of Justice announced today that Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, 27, of Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty to offenses related to a 2020 attack on correctional officers at the United State Penitentiary Allenwood. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, Bahnasawy was an inmate at USP Allenwood who, on December 7, 2020, attacked two corrections officers using a weapon made from part of a steel desk in his cell. Bahnasawy stabbed one officer in the head and face, and, when a second responded to assist, Bahnasawy stabbed her in the hand. The first officer eventually lost his right eye as a result of the attack. When Bahnasawy was restrained, a note was found in his sock that read, “This is a terrorist attack for the Islamic State.” A pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) was also found taped to the inside of a locker door in Bahnasawy’s prison cell. Today, Bahnasawy pleaded guilty to multiple counts of assault, assault with intent to commit murder and possession of contraband inside a prison, as well as providing material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. At the time of the attacks at USP Allenwood, Bahnasawy was serving a sentence for his role in plotting a mass-casualty terrorist attack in New York City on behalf of ISIS. Bahnasawy, a then-20-year-old Canadian citizen and resident, plotted with Talha Haroon and Russell Salic to conduct bombings and shootings in heavily populated areas of New York City during the Islamic holy month of Ramadhan in 2016, all in the name of ISIS. An undercover FBI agent (UC) infiltrated the co-conspirators’ terrorist plot, posing as an ISIS supporter prepared to join in the attacks. The FBI arrested Bahnasawy in May 2016 after he traveled from Canada to the New York City area in preparation for the attacks, and he has been in custody since that time. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey MacArthur and Counterterrorism Section Trial Attorney Jessica L. Joyce prosecuted this case. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 130 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.


title: Former CEO And Board Chairman Charged With Fraud Scheme Directed At Public Company

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher G. Raia, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging BRADLEY HEPPNER, the founder of Beneficient, with securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, false statements to auditors, and falsification of records. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by HEPPNER and others to fraudulently extract funds from GWG Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded company for which HEPPNER served as chairman, through the use of a shell company he controlled, the Highland Consolidated Limited Partnership (“HCLP”). HEPPNER was arrested this morning in Dallas, Texas, and will be presented tomorrow in the Northern District of Texas. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. “As alleged, Heppner abused his role as a public company executive to loot the company and to funnel money into his own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “When executives like Heppner lie and cheat to enrich themselves at the expense of everyday investors, they corrupt the integrity of our public markets. The women and men of the SDNY and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to protect investors and the markets.” “While serving as chairman of GWG, a publicly traded company, Bradley Heppner allegedly misappropriated more than $150 million. In furtherance of this scheme, Heppner allegedly falsified documents, made misleading statements to investors and auditors, and obstructed an investigation by regulatory authorities. GWG’s subsequent bankruptcy resulted in over $1 billion in losses to retail investors. The FBI will continue to hold accountable any individual who defrauds investors for their own gain,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: BRADLEY HEPPNER was the founder of Beneficient, a financial services startup. HCLP was a shell company that HEPPNER also controlled. In order to obtain a payout for himself, HEPPNER created a $141 million debt that Beneficient purportedly owed to HCLP. Over time, HEPPNER gained control and influence over GWG Holdings, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed financial services company. GWG historically raised capital through bonds—called L bonds—sold to retail investors, predominately retirees seeking income-generating investments. HEPPNER installed himself as chairman of GWG’s board of directors and appointed his friends and associates as GWG’s board members. Between 2018 and 2021, HEPPNER made false and misleading statements to a special committee of GWG’s board to induce them to authorize investments by GWG in Beneficient, in part to pay off the debt Beneficient purportedly owed to HCLP. When the special committee inquired about who controlled HCLP, HEPPNER represented that HCLP was independent, disclaimed influence over it, and denied that he would personally receive the payments on the purported debt. Those representations were false and misleading. HCLP was controlled by HEPPNER. And when GWG authorized payments to satisfy what it believed were arm’s length debts owed to a third-party lender, those funds flowed through multiple corporate entities and ultimately to HEPPNER’s personal accounts. Beneficient received at least approximately $300 million from GWG. And HEPPNER received more than $150 million of these GWG funds through his HCLP entity. HEPPNER used the funds he received from GWG for personal expenses, including to fund his lifestyle and to renovate his Dallas mansion and improve his East Texas ranch. In addition, in or about 2019, HEPPNER made false and misleading statements and prepared false documents to deceive Beneficient’s auditors in connection with the preparation of Beneficient’s and GWG’s audit. As a publicly held company, GWG was required to report to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission its quarterly and annual financial statements, and to have its annual financial statements audited by independent certified public accounts. By the end of 2018, because GWG held a large interest in Beneficient, Beneficient’s audit was required to be incorporated into GWG’s annual SEC filings. As part of this audit, Beneficient’s auditors considered whether HCLP was independent of HEPPNER, and whether one of the friends HEPPNER had installed to run HCLP was also independent. Because neither was true, HEPPNER prepared, and directed others to prepare, backdated paperwork, misleading letters, and fraudulent emails, which were sent to the auditors and were material to the auditors’ accounting determinations. In late 2020, GWG received a subpoena from the SEC in connection with an ongoing enforcement investigation of GWG and Beneficient. HEPPNER falsified minutes from an October 2019 board meeting by adding language to the minutes to make it appear that HEPPNER had disclosed to Beneficient his history of borrowing money from HCLP. In truth, HEPPNER had never disclosed this information to GWG or Beneficient. HEPPNER later caused the falsified Board minutes to be sent to the SEC. In June 2021, HEPPNER resigned from his position on GWG’s board, and by the end of 2021, HEPPNER had separated Beneficient from GWG. Thereafter, GWG filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, unable to satisfy more than one billion in obligations to tens of thousands of retail bondholders. * * * HEPPNER, 59, of Dallas, Texas, is charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, false statements to auditors, and falsification of records, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. HEPPNER is also charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This case is being handled by SDNY’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Burnett, Daniel G. Nessim, and Alexandra Rothman are in charge of the prosecution. ### 25_cr._503_signed_heppner_indictment.pdf


title: Seaside Woman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Theft of Government Benefits

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Seaside, Oregon, woman pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $567,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits from the Oregon Employment Department (OED). Tamara Fulmer, 47, pleaded guilty today to one count of Theft of Government Benefits. According to court documents, between May 2020 and October 2021, Fulmer used the personal information of 27 individuals to fraudulently apply for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits (UI benefits). Based on Fulmer’s misrepresentations, OED paid out $567,930 in UI benefits. Fulmer deposited at least 236 UI checks totaling $68,773 into her own personal account and cashed many of the UI checks at a gas station in Seaside without the applicant’s knowledge or permission. OED paid Fulmer an additional $13,353 after she submitted her own fraudulent UI application where she falsely claimed she had not applied for or received disability despite receiving disability payments since 2004. On February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Fulmer with Theft of Government Property. Fulmer faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced on February 18, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge. As part of the plea agreement, Fulmer has agreed to forfeit the proceeds from her criminal activity and pay $581,283 in restitution as recommended by the government. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Former NYPD Officer Charged With Bribery, Narcotics, Firearms, And Robbery Offenses

body_text: Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANDREW NGUYEN, a former NYPD officer, with bribery, narcotics, firearms, and robbery offenses in connection with NGUYEN’s alleged participation in a drug trafficking enterprise while NGUYEN was an officer with the NYPD. NGUYEN was arrested this morning and was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres. “The NYPD is the most professional and most effective police department in the world,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers rely on and trust the women and men of the NYPD. As alleged, Andrew Nguyen not only breached that trust for profit, but he also committed crimes against his fellow New Yorkers. New Yorkers, including our thousands of dedicated NYPD officers, want him brought to justice.” Assistant Director in Charge Raia said: “Andrew Nguyen allegedly levied his official position as an NYPD officer to accept more than $30,000 in bribes in exchange for transporting narcotics and providing unauthorized armed protection to their illicit operations. Nguyen’s alleged support to a drug trafficking enterprise directly violated the oath he swore to uphold as well as the public’s trust. While the vast majority of our NYPD partners are deeply committed to honoring their duty to protect and serve, the FBI will never tolerate those who besmirch the badge for personal profit.” “The NYPD holds its officers to the highest standards, and it’s an affront to our department when someone so blatantly abuses the public’s trust,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Andrew Nguyen allegedly endangered the communities he was sworn to protect and put his fellow officers’ lives in danger. The NYPD has zero tolerance for corruption of any kind, and I thank the members of the department who investigated this case and our partners in the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their support in rooting out this misconduct.” As alleged in the Indictment and in statements made in court: For approximately three years, between at least in or about 2020 and at least in or about November 2023, NGUYEN repeatedly abused his position as a police officer in the NYPD by soliciting and accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments in exchange for assisting another individual (“CC-1”) with the operation of CC-1’s drug trafficking enterprise. First , NGUYEN transported drugs, including approximately eight kilograms of cocaine, for CC-1 while NGUYEN was armed with a firearm, including a 9‑millimeter Glock Model 26 pistol, which was NGUYEN’s NYPD-authorized off-duty firearm, and in possession of NYPD credentials and an NYPD parking placard, which NGUYEN planned to use to evade arrest in the event he was pulled over by other members of the NYPD or, in the case of his firearm, to protect CC-1 if violence occurred. Second , NGUYEN drove CC-1 to drug meetings, again while possessing a firearm, including his NYPD-authorized off-duty firearm, NYPD credentials, and an NYPD parking placard Third , NGUYEN queried names of other drug dealers in NYPD databases at the request of CC-1, provided that confidential information to CC‑1, and, at least once, offered to arrest one of those drug dealers for CC-1 in exchange for payment. Fourth , NGUYEN, in exchange for payment from CC-1, used an NYPD vehicle to conduct an unsanctioned car stop of CC-1, during which NGUYEN purported to seize drugs and drug proceeds from CC-1. Following the car stop, NGUYEN submitted false reports to the NYPD regarding the car stop, to help CC-1 avoid repayment of a drug-trafficking-related debt. Fifth , NGUYEN expressed a willingness to, in exchange for payment from an associate of CC-1 (“CC-2”), kidnap two drug dealers who owed money to CC-2 by conducting an unsanctioned arrest of those individuals, although this plan never came to fruition. Sixth , NGUYEN conspired with CC-1 and another criminal associate of CC-1 (“CC-3”) to rob a drug-money courier under the guise of NGUYEN conducting another unsanctioned car stop, although NGUYEN and his co-conspirators did not carry out their agreement to commit the robbery. In addition, in or about November and December 2023, law enforcement conducted an undercover operation during which NGUYEN transported what NGUYEN believed to be five kilograms of cocaine in exchange for $5,000 from CC-1. In truth, the “drugs” were sham and NGUYEN had obtained them from an undercover law enforcement officer whom NGUYEN believed was a drug dealer. Overall, NGUYEN, who was at all relevant times an officer in the NYPD, accepted more than $30,000 in bribe payments from CC-1 (and solicited tens of thousands of dollars in additional bribes) in connection with NGUYEN’s participation in CC-1’s drug trafficking enterprise. At the time of NGUYEN’s arrest earlier today, law enforcement searched NGUYEN’s home pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant. During that search, a number of firearms and ammunition were found in plain view, including: (i) a Glock 19 pistol that was fully loaded with hollow-point ammunition; (ii) two AR-15-style rifles; (iii) a short-barreled rifle; (iv) a fully loaded high-capacity drum magazine containing 60 rounds of ammunition; (v) several AR-15-style magazines loaded with ammunition; and (vi) substantial amounts of other ammunition, including additional hollow-point ammunition. * * * NGUYEN, 41, of Harriman, New York, is charged with (i) one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison; (ii) one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison; (iii) one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; (iv) one count of solicitation and receipt of a bribe, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison; (v) one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute (a) 5 kilograms and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of cocaine and (b) marijuana, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (vi) one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other term of in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (vii) one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and (viii) one count of attempted distribution and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau. The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit and Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. King and Jonathan Rebold are in charge of the prosecution. ### u.s._v._andrew_nguyen_-_indictment_-_gj_signed_-_docketed_redacted.pdf


title: Mexican gang member sentenced for illegally acquiring multiple firearms

body_text: Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations. LAREDO, Texas – A 40-year-old member of the Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos gang has been sentenced for orchestrating a straw-purchasing scheme that funneled dozens of firearms to a Mexican cartel, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jesus Guadalupe Covarrubias, Laredo, pleaded guilty March 20. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now ordered Covarrubias to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Covarrubias’s central role in directing the scheme, the number and type of weapons involved and his decision to flee the United States while on bond. The court also heard about allegations involving Covarrubias to include the killing of a man at a bar he owned before fleeing to Mexico. Between 2018 and July 2021, Covarrubias organized an operation to illegally acquire at least 50 firearms. He instructed family members to visit federally licensed firearms dealers, photograph available weapons and purchase specific firearms and ammunition using his funds. They then delivered the weapons to Covarrubias, despite his prohibition under federal law from possessing firearms due to his status as a convicted felon. Following a dispute with a Mexican cartel in 2021, a deal was struck to spare his life in exchange for cash and several items to include his long rifles. After they were delivered, Covarrubias arranged for the filing of a false report claiming that 10 AK-style and 20 AR-style rifles had been stolen from his ranch. Authorities identified inconsistencies in the claim and questioned its authenticity but did determine that at least 23 rifles purchased for Covarrubias could not be located. Among those was a .50 caliber rifle valued at $10,000. Covarrubias then attempted to move the remaining weapons in his possession. On Aug. 25, 2021, he and others moved firearms from his residence to other locations. Law enforcement discovered three additional firearms wrapped in sheets and hidden in Covarrubias’s backyard. After his arrest in August 2021, Covarrubias was permitted release upon posting bond. He then fled to Mexico where law enforcement there took him into custody on unrelated charges. He was returned to U.S. authorities Feb. 21. Covarrubias will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. ATF conducted the investigation with assistance from Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Covarrubias. U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Covarrubias from Mexico to the Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal alien admits to repeatedly smuggling bulk amounts of methamphetamine into the United States

body_text: Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations. LAREDO, Texas – A 46-year-old Mexican national has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy involving over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jose Calleros Avila crossed the Colombia Solidarity Bridge in Laredo June 1 driving a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban. He claimed he was coming back from Matehuala, Mexico, with two duffle bags full of candy for his children. However, during a routine inspection, authorities located two bundles inside a bag mixed in with children’s candies. The bundles tested positive for methamphetamine which prompted further inspection and the discovery of a total of 15 bundles weighing 15.44 kilograms. Avila had planned to transport the drugs to another individual in Dallas for further distribution throughout the United States. After delivering the methamphetamine, Avila would return to the location in Dallas, pick up cash and wire the money to various individuals throughout Mexico. Avila admitted he had transported various narcotics at least five times previously and received a total of $7,000. U.S. District Judge John Kazen will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Avila faces up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $1 million maximum possible fine. Avila has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory R. Sailer is prosecuting the case.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Vehicle Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Elinson Camacho, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $455,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Michael M. Baylson for wire fraud and related charges arising from a scheme to sell cars to victims and then steal the vehicles back. Camacho was charged by indictment in May 2024 with 18 counts of wire fraud and pleaded guilty to all counts in February of this year. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from about December 9, 2021, to July 24, 2022, Camacho and others devised a scheme to defraud Victim 1 and Victim 2. As part of the scheme, Camacho would arrange for vehicles to be rented and then arrange for those vehicles to be offered for sale on the internet, with the false claim that they would be sold with clear titles. After the victims paid for the vehicles, Camacho and others would then steal the cars back, using vehicle key fobs that they had retained. In December 2021, Camacho and the co-schemers caused a rented 2021 Toyota 4Runner Sport to be posted for sale online. They communicated and later met with Victim 1, who paid Camacho and a co-schemer $24,000 in cash for the vehicle. The next day, Camacho and the co-schemers caused the 4Runner to be stolen from its parking space outside Victim 1’s residence. In July 2022, Camacho and the others repeated the scheme, renting and posting for sale online a 2022 Honda CR-V. They communicated and later met with Victim 2, who paid Camacho and two others $15,000 in cash and $4,000 by check to purchase the CR-V. Two days later, Camacho and the co-schemers caused the CR-V to be stolen from Victim 2’s residence. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Northampton Township Police Department, and the Towamencin Township Police Department, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney S. Chandler Harris. Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.


title: Maryland Felon Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Machine Gun in Connection With Drug Trafficking

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Donzell Lernard Campbell, 44, of Laurel, Maryland, to 110 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On February 27, 2024, Campbell pled guilty to federal possession of a machine gun, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of ammunition charges. 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 Scott Brecht of the U.S. Park Police (USPP). According to court documents, on December 11, 2021, USPP received a call about a disabled vehicle on the Baltimore Washington Parkway. Upon arrival on the scene, law enforcement approached a silver Infiniti stopped in the left travel lane. Law enforcement encountered Campbell, who appeared to be under the influence of PCP, in the vehicle. Then Campbell took off at a high rate of speed, so the officers decided to deactivate their emergency equipment and did not engage in a chase. Shortly after, law enforcement found Campbell’s vehicle after he crashed into two other vehicles, causing injuries to the occupants in both vehicles and seriously injuring himself. Law enforcement recovered a serialized semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine and 26 rounds of ammunition in Campbell’s crashed vehicle. Additionally, law enforcement discovered 60 pills, which appeared to be oxycodone, crack cocaine in Campbell’s pockets and a scale. Campbell has an extensive felony record, including distribution of CDS, and felony assault on an officer. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and the USPP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo who is prosecuting the federal 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. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Jason Rice, age 64, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The Indictment alleged that on January 18, 2025, Rice possessed a .38 Special caliber revolver in furtherance of a drug crime, specifically possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, marijuana, and methamphetamine. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Okmulgee Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Rice will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Over 7½ Years in Prison for Illegal Gun Possession

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Shawn Eubanks, 51, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 92 months in prison and two years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson for possession of a firearm by a felon. The defendant was charged by indictment with that offense in September 2024 and pleaded guilty in May. As detailed in court filings, at approximately 1 a.m. on July 2, 2024, two officers with the Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) were outside the 39th District building at West Erie Avenue and West Hunting Park Avenue, when they heard a single gunshot from about a block away. Both officers drove towards the sound of the shot in their police vehicles and observed two males fighting on the 2100 block of West Hunting Park Avenue. As the officers arrived, the two men separated and one of them, later identified as the defendant, started running toward a residence on that block. One of the officers noticed that Eubanks was carrying a firearm in his right hand and yelled out, “Gun!” Eubanks ran up the steps of a nearby residence, opening the screen door and then the rowhome’s front door, with one of the police officers close behind. The officer saw the defendant swing his right arm to the right, as Eubanks stepped into the home’s enclosed porch area. Eubanks continued through another doorway and into the living room, where he sat down on a sofa. The PPD officers followed Eubanks as he entered and observed Eubanks sitting on the couch with his hands on his knees. One of the officers handcuffed Eubanks while looking around him for a firearm, and asked Eubanks, “Where’s the gun? Where’s the gun?” Eubanks replied, “What gun?” After escorting Eubanks out to a waiting police car, one of the officers began looking around the porch area and observed a firearm laying on top of a trash bag on the floor. The gun, collected as evidence, was determined to be a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol with serial numbers obliterated. Eubanks was not permitted to possess the firearm, due to his status as a convicted felon. This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski. Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.


title: North Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Production Charge

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A North Providence man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island for production of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Larry W. Albino, 52, pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography. He will be sentenced on February 3, 2026. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to charging documents, on September 16, 2024, a Rhode Island State Police Detective assigned to the ICAC Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an IP address, later determined by the Detective to belong to Albino’s residence, was used to upload ten files depicting the abuse of a pre-pubescent child. Further investigation revealed that that the location where the videos were recorded matched images of rooms recently displayed in an online property rental listing where Albino resides. As related in court documents and information presented to the court, on September 17, 2024, members of the ICAC Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Albino’s residence and immediately recognized that some of the furnishings of rooms inside Albino’s residence matched those depicted in the videos of child sexual abuse, and that sandals worn by the defendant at the time officers arrived matched those worn by the abuser in some of the videos. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations. 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


title: Alabama Men Convicted of Sex Trafficking Multiple Women and Girls

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Defendants’ Extensive Sex Trafficking Enterprise Used Physical and Sexual Violence, Addictive Drugs, and Threats Against Victims’ Children to Coerce and Control Victims for Defendants’ Profit WASHINGTON – Following a 4-day trial, a federal jury in the Middle District of Alabama convicted Kimani Jones, 32, also known as “Statik,” of Montgomery, Alabama, and Tremayne Lambert, 50, also known as “Bayrock,” of Montgomery, Alabama, on multiple charges of sex trafficking several victims. Specifically, the jury found that Jones compelled seven victims, including two minors, to commit commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. The jury also found that Jones transported and caused to be transported two victims, including one minor, across state lines for prostitution purposes. The jury found Lambert guilty of sex trafficking one victim between August 2017 and February 2018 and two other victims between July 2019 and November 2020. Three additional co-defendants previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the sex trafficking enterprise. “The defendants targeted vulnerable women and girls before using physical and sexual violence, along with threats of violence against them and others, to create a climate of fear that terrified the victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and enforcing the federal human trafficking laws, and this prosecution is a testament to the courageous young women who detailed the coercive scheme these defendants perpetrated for years on scores of women and girls.” “These defendants exploited the vulnerabilities of women and young girls for their own profit, showing complete disregard for human dignity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Every victim deserves justice, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that those who prey on others are held accountable for their crimes.” Evidence presented during the trial showed that Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing, and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts, and set rules that he required the victims to follow, which included, for example, the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn per day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation but instead subsisted off the earnings of the victims. Jones frequently flaunted the money that he made from the victims on social media. The evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims’ presence. For instance, Jones grabbed one victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one victim’s teeth, breaking another’s jaw, and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them, and threatened to hurt them and, in some instances, their family members, telling one victim that her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also intimidated the victims by possessing, brandishing, and shooting firearms within the victims’ presence. He further manipulated the victims’ withdrawal from drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit. Co-defendant Lambert, the biological father of Jones and who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son’s coercive scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Three other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, and Daryle Gardner, 32, each pleaded guilty to sex trafficking while Aleccia Scott, 29, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. Both defendants face a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. DHS-HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, WASHINGTON – Following a 4-day trial, a federal jury in the Middle District of Alabama convicted Kimani Jones, 32, also known as “Statik,” of Montgomery, Alabama, and Tremayne Lambert, 50, also known as “Bayrock,” of Montgomery, Alabama, on multiple charges of sex trafficking several victims. Specifically, the jury found that Jones compelled seven victims, including two minors, to commit commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. The jury also found that Jones transported and caused to be transported two victims, including one minor, across state lines for prostitution purposes. The jury found Lambert guilty of sex trafficking one victim between August 2017 and February 2018 and two other victims between July 2019 and November 2020. Three additional co-defendants previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the sex trafficking enterprise. “The defendants targeted vulnerable women and girls before using physical and sexual violence, along with threats of violence against them and others, to create a climate of fear that terrified the victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and enforcing the federal human trafficking laws, and this prosecution is a testament to the courageous young women who detailed the coercive scheme these defendants perpetrated for years on scores of women and girls.” “These defendants exploited the vulnerabilities of women and young girls for their own profit, showing complete disregard for human dignity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Every victim deserves justice, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that those who prey on others are held accountable for their crimes.” Evidence presented during the trial showed that Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing, and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts, and set rules that he required the victims to follow, which included, for example, the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn per day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation but instead subsisted off the earnings of the victims. Jones frequently flaunted the money that he made from the victims on social media. The evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims’ presence. For instance, Jones grabbed one victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one victim’s teeth, breaking another’s jaw, and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them, and threatened to hurt them and, in some instances, their family members, telling one victim that her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also intimidated the victims by possessing, brandishing, and shooting firearms within the victims’ presence. He further manipulated the victims’ withdrawal from drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit. Co-defendant Lambert, the biological father of Jones and who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son’s coercive scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Three other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, and Daryle Gardner, 32, each pleaded guilty to sex trafficking while Aleccia Scott, 29, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony. Both defendants face a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. DHS-HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Multiple Suspects Charged for Having Firearms in Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to ISIS

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT, Mich. – Last Friday, the FBI arrested multiple suspects and took them into custody. They have now been charged for having firearms that would be used in a conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS—a vicious foreign terrorist organization hell-bent on murdering Americans. The complaint sets forth grievous allegations of a radical Islamic terror plot involving AR-style rifles, shotguns, handguns, and other tools for a tactical assault. “This newly unsealed complaint reveals a major ISIS-linked terror plot with multiple subjects arrested in the Eastern District of Michigan targeting the United States,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “According to the complaint, subjects had multiple AR-15 rifles, tactical gear, and a detailed plan to carry out an attack on American soil. Thanks to the extraordinary diligence of our U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr., the FBI and state and local law enforcement officers, this plot was stopped before innocent lives were lost.” “With today’s unsealed criminal complaint, the American people can see the results of months of tireless investigative work where the FBI acted quickly and likely saved many lives," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "We’ll continue to follow the facts, uphold the law, and deliver justice for the American people." “We are thankful for the exceptional work of the FBI in keeping the Homeland safe and for the helping hand of state and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. "FBI Detroit and its Joint Terrorism Task Force are relentless in ensuring the safety of the citizens of Michigan and beyond. Defending the homeland will always be one of our top priorities, and we will utilize every available federal resource to disrupt and dismantle any individuals or groups who threaten national security," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. "I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their dedicated support.” The investigation is ongoing. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Last Friday, the FBI arrested multiple suspects and took them into custody. They have now been charged for having firearms that would be used in a conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS—a vicious foreign terrorist organization hell-bent on murdering Americans. The complaint sets forth grievous allegations of a radical Islamic terror plot involving AR-style rifles, shotguns, handguns, and other tools for a tactical assault. “This newly unsealed complaint reveals a major ISIS-linked terror plot with multiple subjects arrested in the Eastern District of Michigan targeting the United States,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “According to the complaint, subjects had multiple AR-15 rifles, tactical gear, and a detailed plan to carry out an attack on American soil. Thanks to the extraordinary diligence of our U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr., the FBI and state and local law enforcement officers, this plot was stopped before innocent lives were lost.” “With today’s unsealed criminal complaint, the American people can see the results of months of tireless investigative work where the FBI acted quickly and likely saved many lives,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’ll continue to follow the facts, uphold the law, and deliver justice for the American people.” “We are thankful for the exceptional work of the FBI in keeping the Homeland safe and for the helping hand of state and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. “FBI Detroit and its Joint Terrorism Task Force are relentless in ensuring the safety of the citizens of Michigan and beyond. Defending the homeland will always be one of our top priorities, and we will utilize every available federal resource to disrupt and dismantle any individuals or groups who threaten national security,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their dedicated support.” The investigation is ongoing. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mount Vernon Man Found Guilty Of Sex Trafficking A Minor

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Christopher G. Raia announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict on October 27, 2025, against RAI THOMAS for sex trafficking of a minor and use of interstate facilities to promote sex trafficking and prostitution. U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román presided over the trial. “Crimes relating to sexual abuse of minors are among the most heinous crimes in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Rai Thomas’s actions were particularly egregious because he targeted a teen in crisis and preyed on her when she was at her most vulnerable. This Office is dedicated to protecting the children of New York. This conviction should serve as a lesson: if you target a child—any child—the prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners will bring you to justice.” FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia said: “Rai Thomas organized an elaborate sex trafficking scheme across the city to repeatedly exploit a minor victim simply to enrich himself. Thomas targeted an especially vulnerable minor, enticing her into commercial sex work with utter disregard for her wellbeing. The FBI will never tolerate any individual who advertises and uses children as sexual objects to fill their own piggy banks.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial: Between January and February 2022, THOMAS trafficked Minor Victim-1 to engage in commercial sexual activity across multiple hotels within the Bronx and Brooklyn, New York. Minor Victim-1 had been living in a children’s group home at the time that THOMAS trafficked her. THOMAS facilitated and benefited from the scheme in numerous ways, including by enticing Minor Victim-1 to engage in commercial sex; coordinating the transportation of Minor Victim-1 to hotels; reserving the hotel rooms in which she engaged in commercial sex; facilitating the advertisement of Minor Victim-1 on the internet to customers for commercial sex; and profiting from the sex trafficking scheme. * * * RAI THOMAS, 31 of Mount Vernon, New York, was convicted of (1) sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison, and (2) use of interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. The sentencing of THOMAS is scheduled for February 13, 2026, before Judge Román. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the New York City Police Department. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary, Kaiya Arroyo, and Jorja Knauer represented the Government at trial, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Gabriela Salerno, Samantha Olsen, and Shannon Becker. ###


title: Federal Grand Jury returns Second Superseding Indictment against Memphis Gynecologist

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee returned a second superseding indictment charging Sanjeev Kumar, 44 , with crimes related to his performance of medically unnecessary gynecologic procedures with medical devices he held under unsanitary conditions and reused on patients, when he was required to dispose of or properly reprocess those devices. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the second superseding indictment today. According to the second superseding indictment, Kumar also billed Medicare and Medicaid as if the procedures were medically necessary, and as if he had used a new or properly reprocessed device for each procedure. The second superseding indictment alleges that Kumar engaged in this conduct from September 2019 to April 2024. Kumar was originally indicted in February 2025, and then in June 2025 in a superseding indictment. In each of Counts 5-9, 12-13, 16-18, 21-22, and 25 of the superseding indictment, the government charged Kumar with adulteration or misbranding of one device type during a period of time. Kumar filed a motion to dismiss these 13 counts, arguing that they improperly combined multiple instances of conduct occurring over multiple months or years, even though the statute under which he is charged, 21 U.S.C. § 331(k), prohibits only single acts of conduct. On October 17, 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman dismissed these counts from the superseding indictment, holding that an adulteration and misbranding charge must consist of an individual, distinct act, and it cannot sweep up thousands of acts of adulteration and misbranding incidents over a continuous course of conduct. Judge Lipman also noted that the government has discretion to present to the jury the thousands of acts of adulterating and misbranding that it has alleged; but it must do so through properly charged counts. The second superseding indictment returned charges Kumar with 27 additional counts of adulteration and misbranding of medical devices. Each of these counts alleges a single, discrete act of adulteration or misbranding, in compliance with the Court’s October 17, 2025 order. The trial in this case is scheduled for December 1, 2025. The case is being investigated by the United States Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the United States Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum, Scott Smith, and Sarah Pazar Williams are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The charges and allegations contained in the second superseding indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### 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: Suburban Chicago Man Charged with Making a Threat to Kill President Trump

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been arrested for allegedly making a threat to kill President Donald J. Trump, the 47th and 45th President of the United States. TRENT SCHNEIDER, 57, of Winthrop Harbor, Ill., is charged with making a threat in interstate commerce to injure a person. Schneider was arrested this morning and made an initial court appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert in Chicago. Schneider was ordered to remain detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Nov. 6, 2025. According to a criminal complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Schneider posted a video of himself on Oct. 16, 2025, on Instagram in which he stated, “I’m going to get some guns. I know where I can get a lot of [expletive] guns and I am going to take care of business myself. I’m tired of all you [expletive] frauds. People need to [expletive] die and people are going to die. [Expletive] all of you, especially you Trump. You should be executed.” The video also included a caption that stated, in part: “THIS IS NOT A THREAT!!! AFTER LOSING EVERYTHING and My House Auction date is 11.04.2025 @realDonaldTrump SHOULD BE EXECUTED!!!” According to the complaint, a concerned citizen in Florida viewed the video and reported it to law enforcement. The complaint and arrest were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Dai Tran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lake County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office and the Winthrop Harbor, Ill. Police Department. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the complaint is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. schneider_complaint.pdf