title: Health Care Executive Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme in Vermont

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Florida businesswoman pleaded guilty today to an information in the District of Vermont for participating in a conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks. According to court documents, Evelyn Herrera, 62, of Loxahatchee, Florida, owned a durable medical equipment company called Merida Medical Supplies Inc. (Merida). After obtaining the identities of individuals residing in Vermont, across New England, and elsewhere in the United States, Herrera, using Merida, submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for wrist, knee, and back braces that were never requested or received by patients. In total, Merida fraudulently billed Medicare approximately $6.5 million, and Medicare paid Merida approximately $2.8 million based on those claims. As part of the scheme, Herrera tried to hide the source of the funds generated fraudulently by Merida. For example, she transferred more than $300,000 in fraud proceeds to a cryptocurrency exchange and sent another $125,000 of illicit funds via international wire transactions for the purchase of a property in Tulum, Mexico. After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a payment suspension letter to Merida for suspected fraud, Herrera withdrew large amounts of cash from a bank and transferred some of the funds to benefit herself and members of her family. Herrera is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the Department of Health and Human Services, Officer of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI made the announcement. HHS-OIG and FBI are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Sarah Rocha, Thomas Campbell, and Tiffany Wynn of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.


title: Brevard County Woman Sentenced To More Than 17 Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Jaime Pelletier (39, Melbourne) has been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Pelletier pleaded guilty on October 16, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the plea agreement, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office used a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of drugs from Pelletier at her home, totaling over 420 grams of pure methamphetamine. A search warrant was then executed at Pelletier’s residence. Upon the arrival of law enforcement, Pelletier began flushing methamphetamine down the toilet. The search warrant resulted in the seizure of additional methamphetamine, digital scales, cutting agents, and other drug processing materials. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.


title: Texas Couple Pleads Guilty for Operating Website Selling Smuggled Pesticides and Veterinary Drugs

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Thao Duong of Garland, Texas, pleaded guilty today for conspiring to smuggle and sell unregistered pesticides and misbranded veterinary drugs. Duong’s husband, Lam Mai, also pleaded guilty for conspiring to sell unregistered pesticides and misbranded veterinary drugs. The couple operated a website selling those drugs and pesticides, which had been smuggled into the United State from Mexico. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 9. “Stopping transborder crime is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who flout our customs laws and endanger the health and safety of Americans.” “No one should profit from bringing illegal chemicals into the United States and poisoning American communities,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Illegal Mexican pesticides and animal steroids are a toxic combination. The guilty plea in this case underscores the importance of the cooperative efforts of federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt smuggling operations and secure our nation’s borders from foreign harm.” “This case highlights the need to protect unwitting consumers from dangerous, misbranded products smuggled in from foreign sources at the expense of the health and safety of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “We applaud the diligent work of our law enforcement partners to interrupt these illegal practices and punish those who commit them.” “Smuggling prohibited and misbranded products into the United States, and then selling them to unsuspecting consumers, greatly endangers public health,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Lamb of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “The FDA will continue working with our federal government partners to bring to justice anyone who carries out these illegal actions.” According to filings and evidence presented in court, in approximately 2011, Duong began using various online platforms to sell animal care products to customers throughout the United States. The products she sold were used primarily by people engaged in rooster fighting ventures. Duong was not a veterinarian and did not require customers to provide veterinary prescriptions to purchase veterinary drugs. She also sold products such as Cipio Vet, Baytril Max, and Caterrol, which are produced in Mexico and not approved by the FDA for use in the United States. In 2017, she added the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz to her inventory. Taktic and Bovitraz are not registered with the EPA for sale or use and cannot be sold legally in the United States. In 2018, Duong started a website which she used as her primary means of selling and distributing veterinary drugs and pesticides. After launching the website, Duong entered into agreements with several co-conspirators to purchase veterinary drugs and pesticides that she knew had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico. The smuggled pesticides and veterinary drugs were brought into the United States through the Calexico Port of Entry in Imperial County, California, and placed in storage units near the border. Duong’s co-conspirators then shipped the products from California to Texas. Between 2018 and 2022, Duong obtained approximately $2.4 million worth of smuggled merchandise from her co-conspirators. Lam Mai was the shipping manager for the website. After orders were received he packaged the pesticides and veterinary drugs and distributed them to customers throughout the country using the United States Postal Service and other shippers. According to the EPA, the active ingredient in the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz is amitraz, which is toxic to bees if released into hives, and then ultimately to humans when it ends up in honey, honeycomb, and beeswax. Misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can result in exposures that could cause neurological effects and possibly reproductive effects in humans from the consumption of contaminated honey. Signs of neurotoxicity from exposure to amitraz have been documented in multiple animal species and include central nervous system depression, decrease in pulse rate, and hypothermia. The EPA and FDA investigated the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the United State Postal Inspection Service. Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section is handling the prosecution with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent J. Mazzurco for the Northern District of Texas.


title: Georgetown Man Arrested for Threatening to “Shoot Up” S.C.  Airports, Lying to Federal Agents

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: FLORENCE, S.C. — According to an arrest warrant unsealed today, Ahmad Z’yiem Guilford, 21, of Georgetown, has been charged with making threats toward numerous aviation-related businesses across South Carolina, and with lying to federal agents about making the threats. According to the criminal complaint, beginning around November 2025 several local law enforcement authorities began receiving complaints from flight schools and aviation businesses located at airports in Charleston, Georgetown, and Florence. The complainants stated that a caller was utilizing different phone numbers to make violent and graphic threats to both the airports and to the individuals who answered the phone calls. The complainants provided authorities with several recorded calls which demonstrate the threats being made. For example, on or about Nov. 14, 2025, the caller stated that he was going to rape a female employee of a Charleston area flight school who answered his phone call, threatened to “shoot up” the Charleston and Georgetown airports, and taunted authorities stating, “you can’t find me!” Additionally, on or about Dec. 18, 2025, the same individual called a business at the Florence airport and stated that he was going to “shoot that *** up.” He stated that “y’all can’t find me … because I’m making different numbers…” He further stated, “I’m never going to stop doing that ***. I’m going to flood y’alls ***. Watch.” The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force became involved and determined that the threats to all three of the airports were coming from one individual that they identified as Guilford. Investigators learned that he was using websites to generate fictitious cell phone numbers that were used when making the threatening phone calls. On Dec. 23, 2025, agents went to Guilford’s house, which was located near the Georgetown airport, to interview him. According to the complaint, Guilford admitted to having an issue with the noise created by airplanes flying over his residence and stated that he travelled to the Georgetown airport and revved his engine in retaliation for the noise, but he denied making the threatening phone calls. Agents recognized, however, that his voice and speech patterns appeared to match the recorded calls, and he admitted that it sounded like his voice on the phone. Guilford is currently charged with making interstate threats and making false statements to a federal agent. He made an initial appearance in federal court in Florence on Jan. 20 and is currently detained pending further proceedings in this matter. A detention hearing has been set for Jan. 23 at 10:30 a.m. He faces up to five years in federal prison as to each violation if he is convicted. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with support from Georgetown Country Sheriff’s Office, Georgetown Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, Florence Regional Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case. All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Two Plead Guilty to Drug-Involved Murder

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Two individuals connected to a drug trafficking organization (DTO) pleaded guilty last week to charges stemming from a 2022 murder in Miami. Tsvia Kol, 37, of Hallandale, and Jimmy Sanchez, 37, of Spring Valley, California, face up to life imprisonment for their crimes. “This case illustrates that drugs and violence go hand in hand,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As part of their drug operation, these defendants shipped large amounts of methamphetamine, and when they thought the victim stole their product, they killed him in cold blood. The Criminal Division will continue prosecuting serious drug crimes, with and without violence involved, to protect the public from the grave consequences that occur, like they did here.” “These guilty pleas lay bare the deadly reality of drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This was a cold-blooded murder driven by the drug trade, where intimidation and greed turned narcotics trafficking into violence and death. Our Office will use every federal tool available to dismantle these organizations and hold accountable anyone who chooses violence as a means of doing business.” “This transnational investigation is the result of law enforcement partners pulling resources and working together to bring these criminals to justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Bobbitt of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division. “Illegal drug trafficking inherently results in violence which is inflicted by the criminal drug networks that distribute them,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “The impact on our communities is real and devastating. The FBI is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners in our common goal of making our communities safe by combating drug-related violence.” “Postal Inspectors are committed to maintaining the safety of the community and employees of the U.S. Postal Service,” said Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue anyone who uses the nation's mail system for illegal or dangerous use.” Court documents and statements made in court show that the defendants admitted to murdering a Miami man (the victim) in connection with a missing package containing about 11 pounds of methamphetamine, the street value of which totaled approximately $90,000. Kol and Sanchez believed that the victim stole the package of drugs. In retaliation, Kol and Sachez met the victim in a hotel room. Kol armed Sanchez with a firearm. While inside the room, the victim called 911 and attempted to provide his location, but the audio of the call portrayed a physical altercation ensuing and gunshots firing. Sanchez admitted that he shot and killed the victim in the hotel room and left his body, which was not discovered until the following morning. Hotel security footage revealed Kol and Sanchez fleeing the property after the murder. As part of their plea agreements, the defendants admitted that they each committed the murder and that they distributed almost 11 pounds of methamphetamine. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled to take place later this year. The DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Miami Dade Sherriff’s Office, the Hialeah Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Trial Attorney Jessica A. Massey from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monique Botero and Jacob Koffsky for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20264. ###


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to Almost Three Years for Returning to North Carolina

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Mexican Illegal alien to nearly 3 years in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction. On January 23, 2025, Adelfo Bahena-Rojel pleaded guilty to the crimes. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Bahena-Rojel entered the United States illegally from Mexico in the late 1990s. Over the past twenty-five years, Bahena-Rojel has amassed a long history of run-ins with local law enforcement ICE which deported him three times. “This Mexican illegal alien rapes young girls and repeatedly sneaks back into North Carolina. We don’t need illegal alien child rapists in North Carolina. He better stay this time. Thank you to the law enforcement officers who found him, arrested him, and will deport him as soon as his prison term ends.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. In 2023, after Bahena-Rojel illegally entered the United States for a fourth time, he engaged in sexual acts with a child under 13 years old, and state prosecutors in Harnett County convicted him for these crimes. Based on that conviction, the United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted Bahena-Rojel for Illegal Reentry of a Previously Removed Alien. After he served his prison sentences, ICE removed Bahena-Rojel to Mexico again in August 2024. By November 2024, law enforcement determined Bahena-Rojel had returned to North Carolina for a fifth time. They arrested him. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, and ICE investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-31-M-RJ.


title: Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Honduran National illegally residing the Springfield, Missouri, area, was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien after subsequently being convicted of a prior felony crime. Rubin Arturo Pinot-Banegas, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 10 months imprisonment without parole followed by one year of supervised release. On June 27, 2025, Nixa Police Department officers responded to a traffic accident involving a two-car collision. Officers contacted five Honduran nationals, who had been involved in the traffic collision. The defendant, Pinot-Banegas, provided local officers with his name. Identity documents were then obtained by law enforcement, and it was determined that Pinot-Banegas had a Honduran passport, but did not have documents showing that he was legally within the United States. Department of Homeland Security – Immigration Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE) Agents responded and determined that Pinot-Banegas was illegally in the United States after having been removed four time before – once in 2007, once in 2009, once in 2015, and once in 2017. Pinot-Banegas had been convicted of domestic battery, as well as a misdemeanor conviction for illegally entering the United States in 2015, and a felony conviction for illegally entering the United States after being previously deported in 2017. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Nixa, Missouri, Police Department. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than Four Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

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

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. United States District Judge Annemarie C. Axon sentenced Billy Keith Hamilton, 42, of Midfield, Alabama, to 24 months in prison on a supervised release revocation. Hamilton was also sentenced to a consecutive 27 months in prison based on his guilty plea to charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm, resulting in a total of 51 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. According to the plea agreement, on July 13, 2024, a state trooper with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency initiated a traffic stop of Hamilton. The state trooper informed Hamilton that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and asked him to exit the vehicle. Hamilton initially complied, then fled the scene with his minor children in the vehicle. After a chase through several cities, Hamilton arrived at his own neighborhood, abandoned his children and vehicle, and fled on foot into the woods while wearing a backpack. After a short pursuit, Hamilton was apprehended. The state trooper recovered a stolen Springfield XD .45 caliber pistol from Hamilton’s backpack. ATF investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Keown, Sr. prosecuted the case.


title: Jefferson County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. United States District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Tyreses Katino Bosha, 25, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 37 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. According to the plea agreement, in October 2023, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Homeland Security Investigations were investing narcotics trafficking involving Bosha. On October 12, 2023, as part of the investigation, a confidential source (CS) met Bosha at a restaurant to purchase a half pound of methamphetamine for $1400. The CS waited several minutes in the parking lot before Bosha called the CS and instructed them to drive around to the back of the restaurant. The CS complied, and Bosha drove up next to the CS—driver door to driver door. The CS then provided the money to Bosha in exchange for the agreed amount of methamphetamine. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Kirk prosecuted the case.


title: Brookhaven Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Brookhaven man was sentenced on January 13, 2026, to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay $928,500 in restitution for defrauding investors. According to court documents, David Tiler Castillo, 23, falsely represented to investors that he was in the business of making investments in marketable securities, such as stocks, on behalf of others and obtained $928,500 from those investors. However, Castillo invested only about $3,000 of investors' money and used the remainder for his personal benefit, including the purchase of vehicles. U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, and Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson made the announcement. The United States Secret Service, Mississippi Secretary of State Securities Division, and Mississippi Attorney General's Office Cyber Crime Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Fulcher prosecuted the case.


title: Dallas Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine from Mexico

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: A Dallas man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine he received from Mexico, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. “Ejecting transnational drug traffickers from our streets is critical to protecting North Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This criminal spilled poison into our communities in exchange for money. All credit for the conviction and 40-year prison sentence goes to our heroes in law enforcement and our line prosecutor, who worked in close collaboration with the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force.” “The sentence of Mr. Mejia-Mendoza sends clear message to drug traffickers that they will be held accountable for the distribution of poisonous drugs and violence in North Texas,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Division. “This investigation demonstrates what coordinated, intelligence-driven, law enforcement can accomplish. The men and women of DEA and our partners remain committed to pursuing and dismantling foreign terrorist organizations that endanger Americans.” “This lengthy sentence is another success for the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force. Our collective effort resulted in a member of a transnational criminal organization being held accountable for trafficking narcotics into the Dallas area,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. Orlando Gerardo Mejia-Mendoza, of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty in June 2025, to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, in 2023, Mejia-Mendoza was receiving shipments of liquid methamphetamine from Mexico. Some of the shipments involved as much as 20 to 25 kilograms of methamphetamine at a time, for which Mejia-Mendoza paid $1,800 per kilogram. Court documents reflect that one Dallas apartment used by Mejia-Mendoza contained an active methamphetamine conversion laboratory used to convert methamphetamine from its liquid form to crystal methamphetamine. Agents found methamphetamine in various stages of conversion scattered about the apartment. In another apartment used by Meji-Mendoza, agents found multiple guns and cash. On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown sentenced Mejia-Mendoza to 480 months in federal prison. This case was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. Dallas HSTF comprises agents from FBI, DEA, and HSI, who were assisted in this investigation by the Dallas Police Department, Coppell Police Department, and the Grand Prairie Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.


title: Kansas Resident Who Assaulted Flight Attendant is Sentenced

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JULIUS JORDAN PRIESTER, 25, of Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $500 fine for assaulting a crew member on a flight from Bradley International Airport last year. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2025, Priester was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 3359 that departed from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, at approximately 9:30 p.m. bound for Chicago. Thirty minutes to an hour into the flight, Priester stood up, began to take off his shirt, then ran to the back of the plane yelling “Help me.” He then grabbed a flight attendant (“the victim”), who was seated, shouted “you’re coming with me,” and forcefully brought the victim to the ground. Priester then attempted to drag the victim up the aisle. With the assistance of another flight attendant, Priester was returned to his seat where he continued to act erratically and made incoherent statements. The captain declared an emergency and the flight was diverted back to Bradley Airport. After the plane landed safely at Bradley, Priester was removed by Connecticut State Police and taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation. Priester was detained in federal custody until July 8, 2025, when he was released on bond. On October 1, 2025, he pleaded guilty to interference with flight crew members and attendants. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Lembo and Neeraj Patel.


title: Former Executive of Defunct Satellite Start-Up Pleads Guilty in $250 Million Fraud Case

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Joseph Fargnoli, 61, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a multi-year scheme to defraud investors and lenders out of approximately $250 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Fargnoli is one of five former principals of the now-defunct Theia Group, a DC-based aerospace start-up company. He pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud before Judge Royce C. Lamberth. Fargnoli, who served as Theia Group’s Chief Technology Officer, is the first defendant to plead guilty in the case. The four additional Theia Group defendants include executives Erlend Olson, John Gallagher, Stephen Buscher, and Jamil Swati, who each face similar charges. Olson is additionally charged with evading more than $3.9 million in personal federal income taxes. According to court documents, Theia planned to launch 112 satellites starting in 2022 at a cost of $10 billion to $15 billion. Theia’s principals originally planned to raise the requisite funds from various nation-states by promising perpetual data and analytics for an upfront cost of $2 billion. However, from Theia’s founding in 2015 through its placement into receivership in 2021, Theia was unsuccessful in obtaining any funding from nation-states. Instead, Theia obtained approximately $250 million in loans and investments that Theia’s principals induced by fraud. The fraud scheme allegedly included materially false statements about revenue from non-existent government contracts, provision of multiple false financial statements, including a fake $6 billion escrow account statement, and false representations about Theia’s technical capabilities. This case is being investigated by the Justice Department’s Tax Division, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca G. Ross and Jolie F. Zimmerman and Trial Attorney Alexis Hughes of the Tax Division. 25cr69


title: Honduran Citizen Residing Illegally in Greenbrier County Pleads Guilty to Immigration Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jorge Elpidio Erazo-Jimenez, 35, a Honduran citizen living illegally in Lewisburg, pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Erazo-Jimenez and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings at the conclusion of any sentence. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2025, law enforcement officers filed an ICE detainer for Erazo-Jimenez following his incarceration at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver on state-level criminal charges. Erazo-Jimenez later pleaded guilty to domestic battery in Greenbrier County Circuit Court. ICE agents confirmed that Erazo-Jimenez is a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States twice, on December 19, 2011, after he was found near Sarita, Texas, and on December 9, 2016, after he was found near Roma, Texas. Erazo-Jimenez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Erazo-Jimenez never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means. Erazo-Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and up to one year of supervised release. Erazo-Jimenez will be subject to deportation proceedings at the conclusion of any sentence. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-180. ###


title: Serial Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa County man has been sentenced on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. United States District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Jalan Christopher Lewis, 31, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to 35 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Lewis was also ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act. In October 2025, Lewis pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, transferring obscene materials to minors, production of child pornography, and receipt and distribution of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, in July 2024, an undercover (UC) law enforcement officer used a social media application to pose as a 15-year-old female in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Lewis messaged the UC, and after learning her age, proposed engaging in sexual activity. Lewis continued messaging the UC and attempted to meet her for sexual activity. Upon arrival at the proposed meeting location in August 2024, Lewis was arrested. He had a condom in his sock. Later, in December 2024, law enforcement discovered that Lewis had engaged in sex acts with a 14-year-old victim after he was released on bond following his August 2024 arrest. Lewis also met this minor victim on a social media application. Records from the social media application revealed that Lewis had produced child pornography depicting the 14-year-old and sent the produced material to the child. Lewis also received child pornography from the 14-year-old. Lewis was arrested for these additional offenses following a search warrant executed at his home in January 2025. This case was part of Operation Restore Justice , a coordinated enforcement effort by FBI field offices across the country, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators, and in connection with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . If you suspect or become aware of the possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org . The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case along with the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal Alien, Previously Deported Three Times, Charged in Arranging Sexual Contact with a Child and Re-Entry to U.S.

body_text: WASHINGTON – Felipe Contreras-Varillas, 31, a Mexican citizen who has been previously deported three times, was charged in a complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court with unlawful re-entry after removal from the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Contreras-Varillas was arrested Jan. 12, 2026, on a felony charge out of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia of arranging for a sexual contact with a real or fictious child by the United States Attorney’s Office Investigations Unit and the Metropolitan Police Department. When he was processed by law enforcement later that day, his fingerprints matched those on file with the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The fingerprints confirmed that Contreras-Virallas was a citizen of Mexico, had been deported on three separate occassions from the United States, and had not obtained permission to re-enter the United States from either the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. “Here is yet another case of an illegal immigrant, coming to the United States, after being deported three times with nothing more than a slap on the wrist, with the purpose of preying on our children,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Now, this criminal is finally being held accountable and will be enjoying his latest illegal stay in America from the confines of his prison cell.” According to court documents, law enforcement arrested Contreras-Virallas at a hotel on the 1700 block of Euclid Street, NW, where Contreras-Varillas allegedly had intended to meet an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. At the time of his arrest, Contreras-Viralles was in possession of both his Mexican passport and his birth certificate. He was previously removed from the United States by ICE on three separate occasions, with the most recent removal occurring at Laredo, Texas, in 2017. This case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Investigations Unit and the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Swanson, Josh Satter, and David Liss. 26mj6


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Joshua Steven Hicks, 43, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 25, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hicks in Hurricane. Hicks admitted that he possessed a Taurus model 709 Slim 9mm pistol that was seized during the traffic stop. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Hicks knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of counterfeit obligations of the United States, both in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on November 29, 2018. At the time of his current offense, Hicks was on supervised release for his November 29, 2018, convictions. On September 12, 2024, Hicks was sentenced to one year in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hurricane Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-54. ###


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced for Stealing Firearms from Vehicles in Missouri

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a man who in 2023 broke into 24 vehicles in Scott County and New Madrid County to steal and stole firearms to 137 months in prison. Corterian L. Wright, now 42, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in April to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted stealing five handguns from vehicles on Oct. 24, 2023. The thefts were among 24 vehicle break-ins in a 3½ hour span at multiple businesses in those counties, according to court documents. Wright is a felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms. The Matthews Police Department, the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Office, the New Madrid Police Department, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kristopher D. Osborne, 48, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2025, a law enforcement officer encountered Osborne riding a bicycle in the area of Third Street in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Osborne admitted that he tried to flee when the officer attempted to make contact with him and wrecked the bicycle. Osborne further admitted that he told officers who approached him after the wreck that he had a firearm and that he was a felon. Officers seized a loaded Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol from Osborne’s waistband. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Osborne knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for grand larceny, attempted possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit a felony in Raleigh County Circuit Court on August 30, 2022. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-43. ###


title: District of Arizona Charges 136 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Jan.10 through Jan. 16, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 136 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 76 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 39 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 19 cases against 21 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Elias Alfonso Diaz-Martinez. Diaz-Martinez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, Jan. 12, 2026. A deputy with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office observed a car traveling 85 mph in a 75-mph speed zone westbound on I-10 and initiated a traffic stop for speeding, failure to maintain a lane, and an unsecured license plate. The deputy requested identification from the driver, later identified as Diaz-Martinez, and the front seat passenger. The deputy noticed dirt and grass covered the passenger’s floorboard, indicating a potential human smuggling event. Immigration checks confirmed that Diaz-Martinez is a citizen of Venezuela, and the passenger is a citizen of Mexico, both unlawfully present in the United States. 26-8001MJ – Phoenix. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-005_January 20 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing Firearms without a License

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty to willfully dealing firearms without a license. Delron Montrez Pickens, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of engaging in the business of firearms sales despite not having a federal firearms license. According to the plea agreement, Pickens admitted that he purchased or attempted to purchase 23 firearms from federal firearms licensees to obtain firearms that he would later sell to other persons for profit. Pickens admitted that he made false statements on the required ATF Form 4473 documents that he was required to complete at the time he purchased the firearms. On these forms, Pickens intentionally provided an incorrect address for his residence and falsely claimed he was purchasing the firearm for himself. In his plea agreement, Pickens admitted that he was purchasing the firearms for third parties. Pickens acknowledged that on several occasions he was serving as a “straw purchaser” of firearms – Pickens was buying the firearms for persons whom he knew were legally prohibited from possessing them. Pickens engaged in this business for profit despite not having a valid federal license to sell firearms. Under federal statutes, Pickens is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Gas Pipeline Operator Settles Federal Allegations of Regulatory Violations Leading to Employee Death for $1.4 Million

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A gas pipeline operator has agreed to pay the United States $1.425 million to resolve allegations that its violations of federal pipeline safety regulations resulted in the death of a company employee, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. In April 2025, the United States filed a civil complaint seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties under the Pipeline Safety Act against Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co., LP (“PEPL”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Texas-based Energy Transfer, LP. In its complaint, the United States alleged that PEPL violated pipeline safety regulations requiring it to follow its manual of written procedures for conducting operations and maintenance activities in four areas in connection with a fatal incident at the company’s Borchers Station near Meade, Kansas in March 2020. As alleged in the complaint, PEPL’s violations caused a pipeline cleaning pig to be ejected from a partially-pressurized receiver barrel during maintenance activities at the station, which struck and ultimately killed a PEPL employee. A pipeline cleaning pig is an industry term for a cylindrical object that travels through the pipeline, removing deposits and contaminants like scale or rust. “This settlement reflects our commitment to impose accountability in regulatory matters,” said United States Attorney Ryan Raybould. “The outcome here illustrates the importance and necessity of compliance and appropriate enforcement actions to prevent and address tragic circumstances such as those alleged in this case.” “Safety and enforcement go hand in hand,” said PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti. “The complaint alleged that the company’s failure to follow the rules led to an employee’s death. We will not let operators escape accountability in cases like this one and will continue to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure our nation’s energy infrastructure is safe.” Per the terms of a civil settlement executed with the Department of Justice on December 31, 2025, PEPL agreed to pay the United States $1.425 million to resolve the allegations in the complaint. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination or admission of liability. This pipeline safety enforcement case was investigated and handled by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration before it was referred to the Department of Justice for resolution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurabh Sharad of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas handled this matter on behalf of the Department of Justice.


title: Lockport man going to prison for more than 10 years on fentanyl charge involving death of a toddler

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Javonte Holloway, 24, of Lockport, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 128 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that Holloway sold large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl in the Lockport area. Typically, Holloway sold these substances in the form of counterfeit hydrocodone pills known as “percs” or “M-30s.” Between July and December 2022, Holloway regularly sold counterfeit pills to a Lockport couple, who had a small child. In the early morning hours of December 2, 2022, Lockport Police responded to an apartment, where they found the couple’s young child unresponsive. The child was taken to Eastern Niagara Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Law enforcement seized several straws with residue and four blue pills with markings “M” and “30,” from a bedroom where the small child was found unresponsive. Testing determined that the straws and pills contained fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl. On February 1, 2023, law enforcement seized 27 round blue pills marked “M-30,” from Holloway’s residence, which were tested and confirmed to contain fentanyl. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, and the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott. # # # #


title: Canadian Man Charged with Wire Fraud After Falsely Posing as a Commercial Airline Pilot

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Dallas Pokornik, 33, of Toronto, Canada, was indicted on October 2, 2025, for wire fraud. Pokornik was arrested in Panama and extradited to the United States. According to court records, over the course of four years, Pokornik falsely claimed he was an airline pilot and presented a fictitious employee identification card to obtain hundreds of flights at no cost on three different airlines. During the fraudulent scheme, Pokornik requested a jump seat in the cockpit of the aircraft, even though Pokornik was not a pilot and did not have an airman’s certificate. If convicted, Pokornik faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, plus a term of supervised release. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar is prosecuting the case.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Cocaine Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Donald Spivey, 43, Spring, Texas, was sentenced January 16, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 9 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Spivey pleaded guilty to this charge on October 27, 2025. On November 30, 2021, an inspector from the United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted a suspicious parcel sent from Houston, Texas to an address in Verona, Wisconsin, which was associated with Spivey. The inspector searched the parcel pursuant to a federal warrant and found approximately two kilograms of cocaine. As the investigation continued, law enforcement officers identified an apartment in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, where Spivey stored his drugs. On April 6, 2023, investigators obtained a search warrant for the apartment and seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, $5,160 in cash, multiple cell phones, a heat sealer, shipping material, a digital scale, and a drug press. Numerous text messages on Spivey’s phones revealed his involvement in drug trafficking. Spivey waived his rights and admitted to mailing the two kilograms of cocaine seized on November 30, 2021. Spivey further confessed to regularly trafficking cocaine from Texas to Wisconsin. As part of the investigation, investigators also searched the residences of coconspirators Shelby Longino and Darnold Thomas. Inside Longino’s house, investigators found 183 grams of fentanyl pills, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and $22,878 in cash. During the search of Thomas’s house, investigators seized two kilograms of methamphetamine. At Spivey’s sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Spivey was responsible for bringing a significant amount of cocaine into the community. Judge Conley found that a lengthy sentence was warranted. On August 29, 2025, Thomas pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Judge Conley sentenced Thomas to 90 months in prison on December 11, 2025. On July 31, 2025, Longino pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Judge Conley sentenced Longino to five years in prison on October 29, 2025. The charges against Spivey, Thomas, and Longino were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Kansas Highway Patrol, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and Madison Police Department. Acting U.S. Attorney Elgersma prosecuted this case. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Cocaine Trafficking

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marcos Gonzalez, 62, Los Fresnos, Texas, was sentenced January 8, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 188 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine. The prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Gonzalez pled guilty to this charge on October 21, 2025. Between December 2023 and June 2024, Gonzalez served as the leader of a conspiracy that trafficked more than thirty kilograms of cocaine from the southern border to Dane County, Wisconsin. As part of the conspiracy, Gonzalez arranged for the cocaine to be smuggled from Mexico into southeast Texas. From there, Gonzalez arranged for a courier to transport the cocaine to coconspirator Ernesto R. Abeyta in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Judge Peterson explained that he imposed a significant sentence because of the “very aggravated” nature of Gonzalez’s offense. Judge Peterson noted that Gonzalez not only trafficked a large quantity of cocaine, but he also had a clear connection to a large criminal enterprise in Mexico. Judge Peterson also expressed concern that Gonzalez was “a committed recidivist,” since this was his third federal drug conspiracy conviction. Gonzalez previously served twenty-two years in federal prison for a 1995 conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine conviction. In 2003, while serving that sentence, Gonzalez was convicted for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, for trying to smuggle marijuana into a federal prison. “Gonzalez is a career drug trafficker who leveraged his Mexican cartel connections to sell pounds of cocaine across the United States, including here in Dane County,” said Acting United States Attorney Elgersma. “Today’s sentence not only ensures significant prison time for the leader of a drug organization, but it also sends a message that the United States Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners are committed to using every legal tool available to disrupt and dismantle terrorist organizations that profit from addiction and violence. I commend everyone who played a role in bringing Gonzalez to justice.” On November 6, 2025, Judge Peterson sentenced coconspirator Ernesto R. Abeyta to nine years in federal prison for his role in the cocaine trafficking operation. The charge against Gonzalez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Sherriff’s Office, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Madison Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of federal law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.


title: California Man Pleads Guilty To Possession With Intent To Distribute

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, VI - United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Shaheel Singh, 25, of California, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III on January 15, 2025, to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to court documents, on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were inspecting all checked bags on American Airlines flight 2211 from Miami, FL to St. Croix. During the x-ray examination of one bag, officers noticed images consistent with smuggling narcotics. The defendant’s name was on the baggage tag. CBP officers placed the baggage on the carousel and monitored to see who would retrieve it. The defendant retrieved the baggage, and CBP officers escorted him to an area for further inspection. A physical search of the baggage revealed vacuum-sealed bags containing a green leafy substance. The substance tested positive for marijuana with a total weight of approximately 10.6 kilograms. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.


title: St. Thomian Man Arrested for COVID-19 Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Loan Fraud

body_text: St. Croix, VI – U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that on January 15, 2026, David J. McDonald, 31, appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III on criminal charges related to bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and false statements. According to court documents, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). Investigation revealed that from 2020 through 2021, McDonald fraudulently obtained PPP loan disbursements of amounts in excess of $400,000. McDonald submitted false documents and statements in support of Small Business Administration (SBA) loan applications to various banks. These certifications alleged that McDonald owned the businesses Ocean Breeze, LLC and DEMS Holdings, LLC, and that the funds would be used to pay employees of the businesses. The investigation revealed that the businesses had no employes and PPP funds were being used for personal expenses and wire transfers to other accounts and individuals unrelated to the business. The investigation also revealed that McDonald applied for and obtained PPP loan forgiveness from the SBA. Over a period of approximately 5 years, McDonald expended all PPP loan funds. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Natasha Baker of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal Jury Convicts St. Croix Man Of Maintaining A Drug-Involved Premise

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that on January 14, 2026, a federal jury convicted Mikey Luke, 52, of St. Croix, of maintaining a drug-involved premise. At trial, federal and local law enforcement officers testified that, on September 28, 2021, officers with the Virgin Islands Police Department were dispatched to Anna’s Hope, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands. While responding to the call, officers observed marijuana plants outside of the residence. A subsequent search of the residence revealed marijuana plants throughout a studio apartment. The studio was outfitted with multiple fans, air conditioning vents, strings, and lights to aid in the cultivation of the plants. Additional marijuana plants were located throughout the property. Plants were observed at various stages of growth, from seedlings to mature plants. The residence was also equipped with pots, soil, and gardening equipment. A total of 138 plants were seized. During an interview with law enforcement officers, Luke admitted that he owned the residence and that the marijuana plants belonged to him. Luke also admitted that he had been growing marijuana plants for over 10 years. The offense of maintaining a drug-involved premise carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The investigation was conducted by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Baker prosecuted the case.


title: Hugo Resident Sentenced For Possessing Unregistered Firearms And Child Sexual Exploitation Material

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Chayse Anthony Beard, age 24, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, and 57 months in prison for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The court ordered the terms to be served concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Durant Police Department. On March 20, 2025, Beard pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on July 17, 2024, law enforcement discovered Beard in possession of two short-barreled firearms, neither of which were registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Beard also possessed over 400 visual depictions of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his cell phone. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Beard will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Satter and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cesar Briseno Mauricio, age 26, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Love County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Mauricio, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on March 18, 2020. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, 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. Mauricio will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: Muskogee County Resident Sentenced For Stealing Firearms From A Federally Licensed Dealer

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jorden James Thierry, age 22, of Boynton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for one count of Stealing a Firearm from a Federal Licensed Dealer. The charge arose from an investigation by the Checotah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On June 9, 2025, Thierry pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, in the early hours of April 17, 2025, Thierry broke into the Checotah storefront of a federally licensed firearms dealer and stole two 9mm semi-automatic handguns, leaving behind a trail of blood. When agents detained Thierry, they observed a deep cut on Thierry’s right hand and recovered one of the stolen firearms from Thierry’s backpack; the second firearm was later recovered from a residence in Checotah. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Thierry will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: U.S. Attorney Andrew Benson Provides Statement Regarding Peaceful Protest vs. Unlawful Obstruction

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Andrew Benson issued the following statement today: “Every member of federal law enforcement swears to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. This oath guides the men and women of law enforcement as they fulfill their duty to enforce federal law, including the laws relating to illegal immigration. The Constitution guarantees the right to peacefully assemble and to protest. These are fundamental rights that form the basis for a free society. What is not protected, however, are acts of violence against other individuals, destruction of property, or obstruction of lawful governmental activity. In the coming days, if Maine citizens seek to exercise their rights to assemble and protest, it is vital that these protests remain peaceful. Anyone who forcibly assaults or impedes a federal law enforcement officer, willfully destroys government property, or unlawfully obstructs federal law enforcement activity commits a federal crime and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Finally, it is incumbent upon anyone with a public voice—whether that be an elected official, commentator or engaged citizen—to similarly urge peaceful protest and engagement. Divisive, bombastic public statements only inflame the situation and make violence more likely. Force, intimidation and threats have no place in our public discourse and are contrary to our time-honored tradition in Maine of peaceful civic engagement.”


title: Franklin Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding in the Preparation of False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 16, 2026, Jahnell Easly, 29, of Franklin, Wisconsin, pled guilty to one count of Aiding in the Preparation of False Tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2). According to the plea agreement filed in court, Easly worked as a tax preparer who prepared and filed federal tax returns for clients for a fee. For the 2020, 2021, and 2022 tax years, Easly electronically filed approximately 424 federal tax returns with the IRS. Of those, approximately 386 contained indicators and evidence of fraud. Most of the 1040 tax returns filed by Easly on behalf of her clients reported materially false income related to business income and losses, household employee wages, and/or ordinary dividends. They also reported a variety of materially false refundable credits and other payments including sick and family leave credits, child and dependent care credits, fuel tax credits, IRC Section 1341 credits, and/or false income tax withholdings. As a result of Easly’s material misrepresentations, her clients received larger refunds to which they were not entitled, which increased Easly’s commission well beyond what she was entitled to receive. Throughout the course of her scheme, Easly intended a loss to the IRS of approximately $3,499,253, and caused an actual tax loss, based on fraudulent refunds paid, of $1,397,947. As a result of her fraudulent conduct, Easly also obtained approximately $253,712.89 in fees and commissions to which she was not entitled. Easly faces up to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. She will be sentenced before federal Chief District Court Judge Pamela Pepper on May 21, 2026. This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Bayside Man Charged with Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 16, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Bradley S. Rose, 41, of Bayside, Wisconsin, with two counts of cyberstalking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2261A, and one count of transmitting interstate threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). Rose appeared in court today for his initial appearance and arraignment. According to the indictment, Rose used an electronic communication service and system of interstate commerce to engage in a course of conduct that placed two victims in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury, and caused, and attempted to cause, substantial emotional distress to the victims. The indictment also alleges that Rose transmitted in interstate commerce a series of Apple iMessages containing a threat to injure one of the same victims. If convicted, Rose faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Milwaukee Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Rensselaer County Man Sentenced for Money Order Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Matthew Dundas, age 26, of Petersburgh, New York, was sentenced to two years of probation with 80 hours of community service and a $4,000 fine on January 14, 2026, for money order fraud. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Matthew M. Modafferi, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”) made the announcement. As part of his prior guilty plea, Dundas admitted that, while he was employed with the United States Postal Service, between January 2023 and September 2024, he fraudulently issued 105 money orders to himself without paying for them and stole $76,976.61 from the United States. Dundas repaid the money he stole prior to pleading guilty. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Government employees stealing from taxpayer dollars is an egregious betrayal of the public trust and will be met with swift and decisive action. Our Office will continue to root out any self-dealing and fraud in the government. We thank the Postal Service, Office of Inspector General for its continued efforts to root out fraud from within.” Special Agent in Charge Matthew M. Modafferi stated, “The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is dedicated to protecting the U.S Mail and the U.S. Postal Service. When a Postal Service employee decides to break the public’s trust and participates in criminal acts, USPS OIG Special Agents will work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice. The sentence imposed on the defendant will serve as a clear reminder to Postal Service employees of the consequences when they utilize their position to commit crimes. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of New York for their dedication and efforts in this investigation.” The USPS-OIG investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted it.


title: UNITED STATES ATTORNEY HEEKIN PRAISES 2025 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today a summary of significant accomplishments made by the Northern District of Florida in 2025. Highlighting the impact of his office’s work, U.S. Attorney Heekin emphasized his continued commitment to advance the priorities of the Department of Justice and protect our communities. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This past year was momentous for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida as we capably answered the calls to action by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi while fulfilling the vital mission of the Department of Justice. Through our work, we have demonstrated our unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the safety and wellbeing of our communities. Of course, we could not have succeeded without the close and lasting partnerships we have with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, which we will further strengthen in 2026 as we strive toward delivering safe streets for our residents.” The federal case work performed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office is divided across three divisions: Criminal, Civil, and Appellate. More information about the Northern District of Florida’s varied responsibilities can found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/usao-ndfl/what-we-do . The Criminal Division answered the call to action by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi through Operation Take Back America , which marshaled the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida made significant strides to deliver justice for our communities poisoned by illegal drugs and plagued by criminal violence, including the following in calendar year 2025: 391 criminal defendants charged; 293 guilty pleas entered; 35 criminal jury trials conducted; 984 direct contacts with crime victims, and 9,818 written notifications issued to victims of crime. The Civil Division represents the interests of the United States in civil litigation, defending federal agencies and workers sued in their official capacity and pursuing affirmative lawsuits to recover monies improperly or fraudulently taken from the federal government. The Division’s Financial Litigation Program also works to enforce criminal and civil monetary judgments and recover restitution owed to ensure criminal defendants do not profit from their crimes. Notable work performed by the Civil Division in 2025 included: Zealous representation of federal partners in the 53 newly filed defensive matters; Recovery of $1.7 million lost to false claims submitted to the U.S. Government through three settlements of Affirmative Civil Enforcement matters; $6.4 million in criminal money judgments collected; Nearly $4 million applied toward victim restitution through asset forfeiture restoration; More than $1 million distributed to state and local law enforcement partners through the Equitable Sharing Program. The Appellate Division represents the interests of the United States in appeals filed in criminal cases to the 11 th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2025, the Appellate Division’s notable accomplishments included: 105 appeals filed, which included 93 criminal appeals and 12 civil appeals; 113 responses to post-conviction motions filed; 80 affirmances of District Court decisions in favor of the Government. “The substantial accomplishments of 2025 are merely the foundation upon which we will build even greater achievements in 2026,” added U.S. Attorney Heekin. “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have set forth ambitious expectations for the United States Attorneys’ Offices nationwide to deliver safe streets for our residents and rein in fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. The Northern District of Florida is prepared to meet the urgency of the moment. In 2026, we will remain tireless in our pursuit of justice on behalf of our citizens and committed to making the Northern District of Florida the absolute best – and safest – place in America to live, work, and raise a family.” The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: PENSACOLA MAN INDICTED IN FEDERAL COURT FOR INTERSTATE FENTANYL AND COCAINE TRAFFICKING AND MONEY LAUNDERING OFFENSES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Christopher J. Watson, 43, of Pensacola, Florida, was indicted in federal court for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of cocaine; conspiracy to utilize a telephone communication facility to carry out a drug trafficking crime; conspiracy to commit money laundering; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and attempting to prevent the seizure of drug trafficking evidence by lawful authorities. The indictment was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Watson appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho, in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 2, 2026, at 8:00 am, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rogers. Watson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years up to life imprisonment if convicted. The indictment reveals that Watson has previously spent time in federal prison for similar offenses. The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: JAMAICAN CITIZEN SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR CHILD EXPLOITATION CRIMES

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jevan Antonio Miller, 28, a Jamaican citizen residing in Thomasville, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct after previously pleading guilty in federal court. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “It is one of my office’s top priorities to aggressively prosecute sexual predators, like this defendant, who prey upon our children. Our outstanding state and federal law enforcement partners are unified in their commitment to stopping these sick individuals, and my office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions and lengthy prison sentences to keep our kids safe.” Court documents reflect that between April 10, 2025, and April 12, 2025, detectives of the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, along with Homeland Security Investigations, participated in a joint undercover operation in Leon County focused on identifying individuals using the Internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, investigators identified the defendant, an adult male who was soliciting an undercover detective, whom the defendant thought was a 15-year-old girl, for sex through an online website. The defendant drove from Thomasville, Georgia, to a meeting location in Tallahassee where he was intercepted by law enforcement and immediately arrested. Investigators discovered that the defendant unlawfully remained in the United States on a student visa after it expired in 2022. “This predator traveled across state lines with the sole intent to sexually exploit a child he believed was just 15 years old,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Our amazing joint law enforcement team hatched a plan to intercept and arrest this deviant before he could carry out his vile plans. His actions of using the internet to prey on vulnerable minors for illicit sexual conduct is reprehensible and will not be tolerated.” Miller’s imprisonment will be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: PERRY MAN INDICTED FOR DISTRIBUTION OF METHAMPHETAMINE

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Robert Shane Willis, 47, of Perry, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge. Willis appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for February 24, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida. Willis faces 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life, if convicted as charged. The case is being jointly investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Perry Police Department, and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Leominster Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Funds, Bank Fraud and Money Laundering in Connection with Stolen $1,355,000 Tax Refund Check

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Leominster man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to a scheme to steal $1,355,863 by depositing a forged tax refund check and then laundering the money using cashier’s checks payable to shell companies. Jesse El-Ghoul, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds, one count of bank fraud and four counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 16, 2026. El-Ghoul was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on June 6, 2025, and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025 . El-Ghoul owned and operated Affordable Motor Group in Leominster, Mass. and owed back taxes for the business. On March 29, 2024, El-Ghoul deposited a tax refund check for $1,344,863, payable to Affordable Motor Group into his business bank account. The check had been issued by the U.S. Treasury to a Canadian company, based on its 2021 tax return, and the check had been forged and altered to be payable to El-Ghoul’s company. In the days after depositing the check, El-Ghoul returned to the bank and bought cashier’s checks for $235,280, $223,591, $202,643 and $425,000 payable to shell companies and to a law firm in connection with a third-party real estate transaction in eastern Massachusetts. The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of money involved in the laundering transactions, whichever is greater. 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; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Michael Carpenter, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, OIG; and Nicholas Bucciarelli , Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto, Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.