title: Bronx Man Convicted Of Kidnapping, Sex Offenses Involving A Minor, And Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict against ANTHONY WALLACE for kidnapping a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sex, transportation of a minor across state lines to engage in illegal sex, and possession and production of child pornography. WALLACE was convicted following a week-long jury trial before U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil. “Anthony Wallace used lies, threats, and violence to sexually abuse a 15-year-old minor victim over the course of a month, ultimately bringing the victim to the Bronx where he forced her to stay with him in a barricaded apartment,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The victim eventually was able to escape and alert law enforcement, and I commend her for her bravery. Our Office remains unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and ensuring that those who harm them face the full weight of the justice system.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial: In March 2024, WALLACE met a 15-year-old girl (the “Minor Victim”) in Binghamton, New York. Over the next four weeks, WALLACE subjected the Minor Victim to escalating physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. At first, WALLACE kept the Minor Victim against her will in an apartment in Binghamton. There, WALLACE assaulted the Minor Victim and forced her to disguise her appearance by dyeing her hair and wearing a mask. WALLACE also gave the Minor Victim a steady stream of drugs, including methamphetamine and marijuana. While in Binghamton, WALLACE created child pornography of the Minor Victim, which he kept on his cellphone. On April 1, 2024, WALLACE transported the Minor Victim from Binghamton, New York, across state lines, ultimately bringing her to the Bronx, New York, where he kept her in a barricaded apartment. While in the Bronx, WALLACE continued to physically assault the Minor Victim and forcibly raped her. On April 4, 2024, the Minor Victim escaped through the window of the Bronx apartment while WALLACE was sleeping. The Minor Victim immediately called 911 and was eventually returned home to her parents. * * * WALLACE, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of kidnapping a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sex, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; transportation of a minor across state lines to engage in illegal sex, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. WALLACE is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2026. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the New York City Police Department. He also thanked the Broome County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariana L. Bloom, Remy Grosbard, Joseph H. Rosenberg, and Alexandra N. Rothman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Samantha Roberts and Benjamin Coolman.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking of FedEx Truck

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Saikeen Dixon, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 147 months in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer for his role in the armed carjacking of a FedEx truck in August of 2022. Dixon and co-defendant Ronald Byrd, 37, also of Philadelphia, were charged by superseding indictment in September 2023. In June of this year, both were convicted at trial of carjacking and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. [1] As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on August 9, 2022, a package was sent from “Karen Boothe” of “Caliber Consulting LLC” in Buena Park, California, to “Universal Medical Inc” at 3401 North Broad Street, Suite 101, in Philadelphia, which is the address for Temple Hospital. A FedEx Express driver, J.H., was delivering packages to Temple Hospital on the morning of August 10, 2022. J.H. began receiving phone calls and text messages from a former FedEx Express employee, P.A., asking for a package addressed to “Universal Medical Inc” at Temple Hospital. After J.H. arrived at the Temple Hospital loading dock, P.A. met him there and asked him again for the package addressed to “Universal Medical Inc.” J.H. told P.A. he could not give him the package. P.A. continued asking for it, even offering J.H. $5,000 in exchange. J.H. refused and called his supervisors. J.H.’s supervisors, R.J. and D.J., arrived at the Temple Hospital loading dock driving a FedEx van. They took the package P.A. was asking for onto their FedEx van, told J.H. to do his next round of deliveries at Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, which is right next to Temple Hospital. D.J. saw a black Jeep Cherokee come out of the Temple Hospital loading dock and follow the FedEx truck. P.A. then approached D.J. and asked her if he could have the package that he had asked J.H. for; she told him that he could not. After finishing his deliveries at Shriners, J.H. drove his FedEx truck south on Broad Street towards the FedEx distribution center at 3600 Grays Ferry Avenue, with D.J. and R.J. following behind in their FedEx van. The black Jeep Cherokee that D.J. had seen continued following J.H.’s FedEx delivery truck. At a red light about a block from the FedEx facility, the black Jeep, driven by defendant Dixon, pulled in front of the FedEx truck. Defendant Byrd got out of the passenger side of the Jeep, pointed a black semi-automatic pistol at J.H., and approached the driver’s side of the FedEx truck. J.H. jumped out of the passenger side door and ran into oncoming traffic, heading toward the FedEx facility. Byrd climbed into the FedEx truck and drove westbound across the Grays Ferry Bridge before pulling over at 47th and Linmore in Southwest Philadelphia, with Dixon following him in the Jeep. Byrd tried to open the back of the FedEx truck but could not, so he abandoned the FedEx vehicle and got back into the Jeep, which fled the scene. After the carjacking, a trained narcotics K9 alerted to the package that P.A. had been asking for and investigators obtained a search warrant. Inside were nine individual packages wrapped in plastic and labeled “DSQUARED2,” each of which weighed approximately one kilogram and field-tested positive for cocaine. Lab testing later confirmed that the packages contained a total of approximately 9.005 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $500,000. “The brazen acts in this case posed a direct threat to the safety, security, and quality of life to Philadelphia residents,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The coordinated efforts and diligence of the Violent Crimes Task Force and our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department, the United States Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office made today’s result possible. We remain steadfast in our collective mission of combating violent crime and keeping our communities safe.” This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Bowerman. [1] Byrd was also convicted at trial of attempted possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. After trial, Byrd also agreed to plead guilty to an additional firearms charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6.


title: Skiatook Man Indicted for Threatening to Kill Federal Agents

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Skiatook man’s indictment is unsealed after being charged with ten counts related to threatening federal law enforcement officers. Logan Christopher Murfin, 26, is charged with five counts of Threatening to Assault and Murder Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate; and five counts of Interstate Communication with a Threat to Injure. According to court documents, Murfin knowingly posted several threatening and intimidating statements on social media advocating for the assault and murder of federal agents. He stated that federal agents need to be gunned down, shot, and executed. Further, Murfin encouraged people to stay armed and to kill agents when seen because the agents don’t deserve to live. Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma 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. *Murfin's indictment was superseded on April 6, 2026. He was charged with five additional counts of Threatening to Assault and Murder Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate; and five additional counts of Interstate Communication with a Threat to Injure. In April 2026, Murfin was tried by a federal jury and found guilty of five counts of Threatening to Assault and Murder Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate; and five counts of Interstate Communication with a Threat to Injure. He was acquitted of the remaining counts.


title: Two Men Sentenced for $17M COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Two Cordele, Georgia, men were sentenced today for their participation in a scheme to defraud the Georgia Department of Labor (GaDOL) out of millions of dollars in benefits meant to assist unemployed individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Malcolm Jeffrey, 34, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $16,958,372 in restitution. Gerard Towns, 34, was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay $365,066 in restitution. “The defendants orchestrated an egregious scheme to steal $17 million of unemployment insurance payouts using stolen identities,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These defendants exploited a government program designed to alleviate economic hardship to line their own pockets. The sentencings today demonstrate that the Criminal Division will hold accountable fraudsters who steal from the public fisc.” “Malcolm Jeffrey, Gerard Towns, and their co-conspirators participated in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme that targeted the Georgia Department of Labor,” said Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Southeast Region. “The conspirators submitted fraudulent UI claims using the stolen identities of identity theft victims to obtain debit cards loaded with UI benefits. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to exploit these vital U.S. Department of Labor programs.” “Exploiting pandemic relief programs meant to help Americans at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for personal enrichment is unconscionable,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., of The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). “DHS-OIG will continue to prioritize pandemic-related fraud investigations and work with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justice.” “Today’s sentencings emphasize our dedication and commitment to holding individuals accountable who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain, “said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “As proven in this case, our criminal investigators along with our law enforcement partners will work together and diligently pursue anyone who attempts to exploit programs created to help legitimate people and businesses affected by the global pandemic.” “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are continuing finding and holding accountable criminals who defrauded COVID-19 programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office. “With the passage and signing of bills in 2022 establishing 10-year statute of limitations for those who defrauded the COVID-19 programs, I want to put those who stole from the taxpayers on notice that it is only a matter of time before IRS-CI special agents and our law enforcement partners uncover their crimes and bring them to justice.” Jeffrey and Towns are the last of 12 defendants sentenced in connection with Operation Cordele Partial, one of the largest domestic unemployment insurance (UI) fraud investigations in the history of the DOL. Operation Cordele Partial uncovered multiple massive schemes based in central Georgia that defrauded the GaDOL of over $45 million and involved over 20 states unemployment insurance programs. According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from March 2020 through November 2022, Jeffrey, Towns, and their co-conspirators caused more than 2,500 fraudulent UI claims to be filed with the GaDOL, resulting in at least $17 million in stolen benefits. To execute these schemes, the defendants and their co-conspirators created fictitious employers and fabricated lists of purported employees using personally identifiable information (PII) from thousands of identity theft victims and filed fraudulent UI claims on the GaDOL website. The co-conspirators obtained PII for use in the scheme from a variety of sources, including by paying an employee of an Atlanta-area health care and hospital network to unlawfully obtain patients’ PII from the hospital’s databases, and by purchasing PII from other sources over the internet. Using victims’ PII, the co-conspirators caused the stolen UI funds to be disbursed via prepaid debit cards mailed to various locations in Georgia. In June 2025, Towns pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. In August 2025, Jeffrey was convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. DOL-OIG, DHS-OIG, IRS-CI, USPS-OIG, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Lyndie Freeman, Siji Moore, and Kyle Crawford of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: VENEZUELAN NATIONAL PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT BANK THEFT

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Venezuelan national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to steal funds from multiple Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) in Jackson County, Mississippi. According to records and information presented to the Court, Favian David Aparicio-Linares, 19, was arrested in Jackson County, Mississippi on November 9, 2025, after concerned citizens alerted the Pascagoula Police to two suspicious individuals near a Bank on Market Street in Pascagoula. When officers arrived on scene, Aparicio-Linares and the other individual fled. But Aparico-Linares was apprehended. In addition to apprehending Aparicio-Linares, officers also recovered multiple electronic devices from the vehicle in which Aparicio-Linares and the other suspect fled. Examinations of these devices demonstrated that Aparicio-Linares and the other suspect traveled from out of state to Mississippi to steal funds from ATMs. Law enforcement agents were also able to determine that Aparicio-Linares and the other suspect were going to use malware to force the ATMs to dispense he funds contained within each machine. The Defendant will be sentenced on April 28, 2026. He faces a maximum of 5 years imprisonment. U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement. The FBI, with the assistance of the Pascagoula Police Department, are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ). HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Religious Liberty Commission Hosts Fourth Hearing on Religious Liberty in the Military

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: DALLAS, TX – Yesterday, the Religious Liberty Commission hosted its fourth hearing to discuss religious liberty issues in the Military, including the perspectives of servicemembers, chaplains, and veterans, as well as state and local religious liberty issues. The hearing’s objectives included understanding the history of religious liberty in military, recognizing present threats to servicemembers' religious liberty, and identifying opportunities to strengthen religious liberty in the military. The Religious Liberty Commission was established by President Trump under Executive Order 14291 and is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, increasing awareness of and celebrating America’s peaceful religious pluralism, highlighting current threats to religious liberty, and developing strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations. "Our servicemembers are heroes. They deserve this designation for many reasons, but perhaps the foremost is that they are entrusted with life and death matters," said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. "For this reason, religious liberty and military service have a unique connection. The American military has, from beginning, shown that readiness and religious liberty strengthen each other. Under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, this Department of Justice is providing unprecedented support for religious liberty and expression. Our goal is simple: to restore religious liberty to its rightful place as a fundamental pillar for generations to come." "Yesterday, the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty held a hearing in Dallas, focusing on our military. Our history is clear: since 1775, our country has encouraged religious liberty in the military, distributing millions of Bibles to soldiers and honoring their religious beliefs and practices," said Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Chairman of the Religious Liberty Commission. "In 2012, the Obama administration, followed by the Biden administration, stripped the military of any religious right. They punished soldiers who stood up for their faith and ran many good men and women out of military service. President Trump believes in our soldiers and their religious liberty rights. Our Commission will make numerous recommendations to the President to restore all the religious liberties Obama and Biden took from our troops." The witnesses and presenters included: Dave Barton : Founder and President of WallBuilders, religious and political activist Barton is the Founder of WallBuilders, and the author of numerous best-selling books. He is a sought-after speaker, bringing the truth of America’s history to churches, civic and military groups, schools and universities, and community events around the country, drawing his knowledge from his massive library of original writings from the Founding Era. Barton is also a frequent guest on a number of national media programs and is a co-host on The WallBuilders Show. Brandon H. Wheeler: Senior Advisor to the Marine Corps Commandant Wheeler is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran with a political science degree from the Virginia Military Institute and a global strategist who's worked in 100+ countries. Wheeler served in Operation Unified Protector, Operation Enduring Freedom, and was the commander of the elite Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Company. Wheeler spoke in his personal, rather than official, capacity. Capt. Sukhbir Singh Toor, USMC, Ret .: Advocate for Sikh servicemembers Capt. Toor served with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps for eleven years, with a medical retirement in 2025. During his time in the Marines, Capt. Toor advocated for religious accommodations to allow servicemembers of the Sikh faith to both serve and maintain their articles of faith. Blake Martin: U.S. Navy Seal Veteran Martin served honorably for seventeen years as a United States Navy SEAL. His religious convictions led him to decline the COVID vaccine. As a result, on the brink of receiving full pension and retirement, he was forced to separate without benefits or recognition for his years of service, rather than betray his faith convictions. Kenny and Tammie Vaughan : Founders of Shields of Strength Vaughan spent much of his career serving the military by creating inspirational religious dog tags for servicemembers, providing hope and comfort in the most difficult circumstances. He has spoken at the Pentagon and has received recognition from President George W. Bush for his work supporting servicemembers in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2011, the Department of Defense under President Obama tightened licensing requirements for the dog tags because of their religious nature and effectively banned their distribution. Harish Rao: Army Officer, Advocate for Hindu servicemembers Rao joined the U.S. Army in 2015. During his basic training, through the advocacy of a chaplain, Rao received religious accommodations allowing him to both serve and practice his Hindu faith. Rao is now an Army officer and pursuing studies to enter the Chaplain Corps to provide spiritual support to Hindu and other servicemembers of faith. Mike Berry : Executive Director of External Affairs and Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute Berry is a United States Marine, with seven years of active duty service and current service in the Marine Corps Reserves. Berry is also an attorney, working most recently as General Counsel to Sen. Ted Cruz. He has dedicated his career to defending the United States and the Constitution and has frequently represented servicemembers to protect their religious liberty. Rabbi Sanford L. Dresin, Chaplain (Col.), USA Ret .: VP of Aleph Military and Endorser for U.S. Military, VA, and Secret Service Chaplains Rabbi Dresin served for over 26 years as an active duty Army Chaplain, retiring with the rank of Colonel. His military assignments included Vietnam, Korea, 7th Medical Command, Europe, and the Pentagon. Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Doug Carver, USA, Ret .: 22nd Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Army Chaplain Maj. Gen. Carver is a retired American Army officer with nearly four decades of service on behalf of our country. An advocate for the religious liberty of service members, veterans, and their families, he oversees the professional and pastoral support to 3,900 Southern Baptist Chaplains who minister in various institutional settings in the United States and around the world. At the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003, he served as the senior military chaplain in the combat theater of operations. Amy Vitale : Attorney, Director of Government Affairs at Becket Vitale, an attorney, served as Legislative Counsel to several Members of Congress where she advocated for religious freedom with a particular focus on the military and chaplaincy. Msgr. Anthony Frontiero, S.T.D .: Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA Msgr. Frontiero has been a priest for more than thirty years and holds numerous advanced degrees in theology and divinity, including a Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), in Rome. Pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress: Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Jeffress is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, a Fox News contributor, and the host of the daily radio and television program, Pathway to Victory. He is also an author of nearly 30 books and a prominent evangelical Christian ally. Dr. Ben Lovvorn : Senior Executive Pastor of First Baptist Church Lovvorn serves as Senior Executive Pastor of First Baptist Church and President of First Dallas Media, which owns and operates KCBI, one of the most listened to Christian radio stations in the country. He has served in full-time ministry for more than a decade and is passionate about building the church of Jesus Christ and equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. Chaplain Dr. Andrew Fox : Former Austin Fire Department Chaplain Fox created the chaplaincy program at the Austin Fire Department and served as the lead chaplain in a volunteer capacity for eight years. His role was terminated after he expressed his Christian beliefs in a private forum. Phyllis Morris : Resident of Sweetwater, TX, and religious liberty advocate Morris successfully advocated for religious liberty in her town by educating herself on First Amendment protections and clarifying to local officials and detractors that religious expression is not only permissible but protected. The result of her efforts is a beautiful nativity near the Sweetwater courthouse. Her efforts were recognized by Becket in a 2024 award for demonstrating an “enduring spirit of hope, perseverance, and joy…during the Christmas and Hanukkah season.” Watch the hearing HERE . The Religious Liberty Commission was established by President Trump under Executive Order 14291 and is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, increasing awareness of and celebrating America’s peaceful religious pluralism, highlighting current threats to religious liberty, and developing strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.


title: Former Canton Municipal Utilities Commissioner and Former Canton City Engineer Sentenced to 7 and 12 Years Prison for Bribery Scheme in Federal

body_text: Jackson, MS – Rudolph M. Warnock, Jr. of Birmingham, Alabama, and Cleveland Anderson of Canton, Mississippi were sentenced today to 144 months and 84 months in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a bribery scheme. In July, a federal jury convicted Warnock and Anderson of multiple felony charges following an eight-day trial. Counts 1 and 2 of the indictment charged Warnock and Anderson with conspiring to commit bribery. Warnock was also charged in Counts 3 and 4 of the indictment with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and the completed offense of honest services wire fraud. Warnock and Anderson were both convicted on all the counts for which they were charged in the indictment. Their co-defendants, former City of Canton Aldermen Eric Gilkey and Andrew Grant, are scheduled to be sentenced on January 15, 2026. Grant and Gilkey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in November 2022, and face a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly T. Purdie and David H. Fulcher are prosecuting the case.


title: One Way Ticket to Prison: Suitcases Stuffed with 45 Pounds of Meth Lead to 10 Year Federal Sentence

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Cesar Alexander Pineda-Penaloza, 21, of California has been sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. According to court documents, between January 2023 and November 2024, Pineda-Penaloza acted as a drug courier, flying repeatedly via commercial air carrier from the West Coast to the Midwest while hauling drugs and drug trafficking proceeds. On November 9, 2024, Pineda-Penaloza arrived at the Indianapolis International Airport on a one-way flight from California. Federal agents intercepted him at baggage claim, where he retrieved two suitcases. A search revealed 19.76 kilograms (45 pounds) of pure methamphetamine inside. “The defendant foolishly thought he could stroll off a plane in Indianapolis with suitcases full of meth and no one would be the wiser. He was gravely mistaken.” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Federal agents and local partners intercepted him the moment he landed, preventing nearly 45 pounds of poison from reaching our community. This sentence sends a clear message: traffickers who attempt to move drugs into Indiana from out of state will be caught and held accountable.” “This case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI to combat the dangers of drug trafficking,” said Matthew J. Scarpino, special agent in charge of HSI Chicago. “Transporting 45 pounds of methamphetamine is a direct threat to public safety. This sentence sends a clear message—those who profit from illegal drugs will face serious federal consequences.” “The sentencing of Cesar Alexander Pineda-Penaloza reflects DEA’s unwavering commitment to dismantling the criminal networks that endanger our communities and to ensure those who transport this poison are held accountable,” said Shane R. Catone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division. “In partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana, and our federal, state and local law enforcement and partners, we stopped a major shipment of methamphetamine from reaching the Midwest and ensured the individual responsible will face the consequences of his actions.” "This case is a perfect example of what happens when federal, state, and local law enforcement work together seamlessly. We’re thankful for the dedication of everyone involved in stopping this dangerous shipment and ensuring the courier now faces more than a decade in federal prison." “The Indiana State Police actively collaborate with various law enforcement partners at all levels (local, state, and federal) to combat criminal elements involved in illicit narcotics. This collaborative approach aims to enhance public safety by disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and bringing those involved in their trafficking to justice,” said Captain Ron Galaviz. The Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the Indiana State Police and the Plainfield Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Caraballo Colon, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Crossroads of America comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Services, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Indiana National Guard, Indiana State Police, HIDTA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Plainfield Police Department, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. ###


title: International Gun Trafficking Conspiracy Dismantled

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Jonathan Rafael Ortega Martinez (42) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to traffic firearms and trafficking in firearms. Ortega Martinez previously pleaded guilty. According to the plea agreement, between 2023 and April 2024, Ortega Martinez was a member of a large-scale firearms trafficking operation. Specifically, he and members of his conspiracy recruited individuals, known as “straw purchasers,” to illegally purchase firearms—including Glocks, rifles and AK-47s—from licensed federal firearms dealers across Florida. After obtaining the firearms, Ortega Martinez and his co-conspirators smuggled them overseas, shipping them to countries including the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Between 2023 and 2024, Ortega Martinez and his co-conspirators trafficked more than 1,000 firearms. Investigations revealed that several of these firearms were later recovered at crime scenes. On April 18, 2024, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations agents in Tampa and Orlando executed three search warrants at three residences in the Orlando area. There, agents found Ortega Martinez and recovered approximately 57 firearms, 30 empty gun boxes, approximately $16,000 in cash, ammunition, and money counters. In addition to Ortega Martinez, two others were indicted and convicted of conspiracy to traffic firearms. On March 11, 2025, Ricardo Sune Giron, who was living in the United States illegally under an assumed name, and who was the subject of an active INTERPOL Red Notice from Guatemala, was sentenced to 14 years for his role in this conspiracy. On July 31, 2025, Maicor Eliud Cepeda-Garcia was sentenced to 15 years—the maximum sentenced allowed under the law—for his role in the conspiracy. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations, with support from INTERPOL Washington. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diego F. Novaes and Noah Dorman.


title: Romanian Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Nationwide Sleight-of-Hand Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a Romanian national to 24 months in prison for targeting stores across the country with a sleight-of-hand fraud that netted at least $130,000 in money and property. Suras Rostas, now 22, traveled the country from roughly April 2023 to October 2024, conducting at least 45 fraudulent transactions at Walmart stores in at least 18 different states. After cashiers scanned the merchandise or began processing an electronic money transfer, Rostas counted money into piles that added up to at least the full amount of the transaction and handed the piles one at a time to cashiers. He then took the cash back, gathered it into a pile and slipped bills from the bottom of the stack into his pocket, sometimes with the aid of a confederate who would distract the cashiers. If a cashier tried to recount the cash, Rostas repeated those steps until the cashiers relented and put the cash into their drawers without recounting it. Each transaction cost the retailer hundreds or thousands of dollars. Rostas then regularly returned the merchandise for a full cash refund. Rostas entered the country illegally in 2023 and immediately started his scheme, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf said in court. Despite arrests and convictions, “he kept doing it,” Ladendorf told Judge Schelp. Rostas’ case is one of four similar cases being prosecuted here, Ladendorf said, because major retailers losing millions of dollars to similar schemes have reached out for help in dealing with the issue. Judge Schelp ordered Rostas to repay $135,290 to Walmart. He also ordered Rostas’ sentence to run consecutive to pending cases in Idaho, Arkansas, Florida and St. Louis County, Missouri. “Frankly, I don’t appreciate your disdain for America and American laws,” Judge Schelp told Rostas during Thursday’s sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Rostas pleaded guilty in September to two counts of wire fraud. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Arnold Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.


title: Convicted Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted a convicted felon for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Marty Dwayne Beasley, 48, of Hackleburg, Alabama, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, on March 12, 2024, Beasley illegally possessed a Jennings .22 caliber pistol. Beasley is prohibited from possessing a firearm following prior felony convictions, including convictions on November 29, 2018, of the offense of Sexual Abuse First Degree; on August 4, 2010 of Attempted Unlawful Manufacturing of a Controlled Substance and Attempted Possession of a Controlled Substance; and on February 1, 2006, of the offense of Theft of Property, all in the Circuit Court of Franklin County, Alabama; and on August 6, 2010, of the offense of Unlawful Manufacturing a Controlled Substance, in the Circuit Court of Lauderdale County, Alabama. The FBI investigated the case along with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara M. Judah is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Landscaper who paid for worker to be smuggled in from Mexico and harbored her in his home pleads guilty

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 57-year-old Monroe, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to a federal felony: Harboring an Alien for Financial Gain, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Rangel Ramirez-Manzano was originally charged with four federal felonies related to his treatment of a victim smuggled into the U.S. at his direction. After years of delay in the case over whether Ramirez-Manzano was mentally competent to go to trial, the case was resolved with the guilty plea. U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik scheduled sentencing for March 5, 2026. According to records filed in the case, Ramirez-Manzano had known the victim, who lived in his hometown in Mexico, when she was younger. He pursued a long-distance relationship with the victim, urging her to move to the U.S. to be his girlfriend. Ramirez-Manzano paid $17,000 for her to be smuggled across the border and into southern California. Ramirez-Manzano picked her up from the smugglers and paid them. Almost immediately upon arriving in Washington, he forced her to begin hard labor for his landscaping business and threatened her, assaulted her, and threatened the children she left behind in Mexico. The case files describe how he isolated her from others, restricted her food, and failed to pay her any wages for months of strenuous work at various landscaping job locations. In the plea agreement, the defendant admitted that the victim did at least $16,000 worth of uncompensated work for his business. Ramirez-Manzano harbored the victim in his home from February 2022 until April 24, 2022. The victim was finally able to escape from Ramirez-Manzano’s home and asked a neighbor to call 911. The Monroe Police responded and took the victim for medical attention for multiple injuries. The FBI joined the Monroe Police in investigating the case. Ramirez-Manzano was charged by criminal complaint and arrested in September 2022. He has remained in federal custody ever since, with various mental evaluations and treatment. Ramirez-Manzano has agreed to pay the victim $16,000 in restitution. Law enforcement seized $16,000 in cash from Ramirez-Manzano’s work truck and it will be forfeited to the government for restitution. Harboring an alien for financial gain is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend five years in prison, but Judge Lasnik can impose any sentence allowed by law. Ramirez-Manzano is a legal permanent resident, but his status can be revoked due to a conviction such as this. He likely will be deported following his prison term. The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Crisham and Rachel Yemini. Ms. Crisham is the Western District of Washington coordinator of our efforts to stop human trafficking.


title: Columbia Gang Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Gun Possession

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

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Taylor Molic Morris, 23, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after being convicted at trial for being a felon in possession of ammunition. On June 6, 2025, a jury found Taylor Morris guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Evidence presented during trial and at sentencing revealed that on June 11, 2023, around 5:00 a.m., Morris was involved in a shooting at a night club on Broad River Road in Columbia. During the shooting, Morris possessed a loaded firearm that she purchased approximately three weeks prior. The evidence revealed Morris fired the gun four times, leaving behind four shell casings, which were fired from the same firearm. After the shooting, Morris fled from the scene. Prior to this incident, the Midlands Gang Task Force identified Morris as a validated gang member. Morris has prior convictions for strong arm robbery and bank fraud which prohibit her from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. Morris was on probation for these charges at the time of the night club shooting. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. sentenced Morris to 46 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar Fyall and Ariyana Gore are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Boston Teacher Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former science teacher at Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston pleaded guilty today to coercing or enticing at least one underage female to engage in sexual conversations online and requesting she produce and send child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of herself. Defendant, who also previously worked at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and the Brookline Public Schools, possessed CSAM depicting rape of both female and male minors, ranging in age from approximately five to 17 years old. John Magee Gavin, 35, of Brookline, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor; one count of receipt of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for March 12, 2026. Gavin was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025 , and remains in federal custody. According to court filings , Gavin is a former teacher at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston. Prior to that, he was a 6th grade teacher at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and was a paraprofessional with the Brookline Public Schools. In January 2025, Gavin was identified as the owner of a Discord account who messaged at least 20 underage females between the ages of 12 and 17 years old located throughout the country, including Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, as well as the United Kingdom and Canada. In these chats, Gavin disclosed that he was a teacher, engaged in sexual conversations and often asked the minors to send him pictures of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct – knowing that the children were underaged. He was arrested by local authorities in February 2025 and charged in Brookline District Court with enticing a child under 16, possession of child pornography and other offenses. A forensic review of evidence seized from Gavin’s Brookline residence revealed approximately 147 files (94 images and 53 videos) on his iPhone depicting CSAM. The CSAM depicted rape of both female and male minors, ranging in age from approximately five to 17 years old. Further analysis of Gavin’s Discord account identified numerous chats with underage females in which he engaged in online masturbation sessions with the minors; solicitated images from and exchanged images with the minors; and engaged in sexualized conversations with the minors while he was at school. The chats also included conversations in which Gavin expressed his sexual interest in certain students at Josiah Quincy. In one conversation, Gavin discussed his sexual interest in a freshman student at the school where he was employed as a teacher and fantasied about having sex with her. All victims involved in this matter have been identified and their families have been contacted by law enforcement. The charge of coercion and enticement of a minor provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookline Police Department; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations; and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: New Orleans Schoolteacher Convicted of Sex Trafficking 16-Year-Old Girl from Mississippi

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on December 10, 2025, following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted AARON TEROD JOHNSON (“JOHNSON”), age 37, from New Orleans, of Sex Trafficking of a Minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1) and 1591(b)(2), as well as, Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Prostitution, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b). Speaking to today’s conviction, Acting United States Attorney Simpson stated: “Today’s conviction – and the presentation of the chilling testimony and evidence which, over the past few days, painted a stark picture of the grim realities of human trafficking – must serve as both a wake-up call and a warning to parents, citizens, and law enforcement officials alike, that the exploitation of at-risk youth is a very real, clear and present danger. My thanks go to the tremendous prosecution team, our Homeland Security Investigations partners, and our Victim Assistance team for bringing this predator to justice. We must, and will, remain vigilant in identifying and relentlessly pursuing those who commoditize our children.” “HSI’s victim-centered approach focuses on supporting victims while investigating and bringing offenders like JOHNSON to justice,” stated Homeland Security Investigations Deputy Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright. “Working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners, HSI is committed to addressing human trafficking and other crimes that threaten public safety.” According to evidence that was introduced at trial, JOHNSON , a New Orleans schoolteacher, learned on social media that a 16-year-old girl, had run away in February 2024. The next day, JOHNSON found and saved a screenshot of her social media page on his cellular phone. The day after she was reported missing again, in March of 2024, JOHNSON contacted the victim. JOHNSON learned that the victim and a friend were stranded in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Late on the evening of March 14, 2024, JOHNSON drove from his home in New Orleans to Vicksburg, picked up the victim and her friend at 1:30 a.m., and immediately returned to New Orleans using backroads. On the ride back, JOHNSON offered the victim alcohol and marijuana. When asked whether he intended to harm them, JOHNSON responded that he would not because he believed the victim and her friend were the ages of the kids he taught. JOHNSON brought the victim and her friend back to his apartment in New Orleans. JOHNSON told the victim and her friend that they could sleep in his bed and that he would sleep in another room. After they fell asleep, however, JOHNSON got into the bed with the juvenile and her friend and began groping them, prompting the victim and her friend to go into the living room. When his attempts at seduction were unsuccessful, JOHNSON attempted to make the victim feel guilty for being unwilling to sleep with him after he had picked them up. When that failed, knowing the victim’s financial instability and lack of a place to go, JOHNSON coerced the victim to have sex with him in exchange for money and, ultimately, paid her $200 to do so. Shortly thereafter, JOHNSON told the victim that she had to have sex with him again for free or he would kick her out. JOHNSON pressured the victim by, among other things, reminding her that he had taken a risk in going to pick her up. When the victim refused, JOHNSON made the victim, and her friend stand outside in the rain. Over the next two weeks, JOHNSON continued to contact the victim, even after she blocked his phone number. On one occasion, JOHNSON went to a home where the victim was staying and had sex with the victim in exchange for $100 in cash. On another occasion, JOHNSON learned that the victim was hungry and offered to take her to get seafood. When they arrived at the restaurant, JOHNSON asked the victim what she would do in exchange for food. Evidence introduced at trial showed that JOHNSON also attempted to pay a fifteen-year-old female for sex. Even after this juvenile disclosed via text message that she was fifteen years old, JOHNSON continued to pursue her. JOHNSON was arrested by HSI agents in August of 2024 and gave a lengthy recorded statement. During his statement, JOHNSON admitted that he paid the victim to have sex with him after learning that she was sixteen years old. He further acknowledged that he was interested in girls who were “on the cusp of womanhood.” Sentencing has been scheduled for March 18, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. before United States District Court Judge Lance M. Africk. JOHNSON faces a minimum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. The defendant also faces supervised release for a term of five years to life, and a requirement that he participate in the sex offender registration and notification program. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in investigating this matter. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson also recognized the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Victim-Witness Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Carboni and Public Integrity Unit Chief Jordan Ginsberg were in charge of the prosecution. ***


title: CEO Of Telecommunications Construction Company Charged With Commercial Bribery, Fraud, And Witness Tampering Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Jocelyn E. Strauber, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General (“FDIC-OIG”), Patricia Tarasca, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANTHONY TEPEDINO—the founder, chief executive officer (“CEO”), and owner of a telecommunications construction and engineering company (the “Construction Company”) based in New Jersey—with commercial bribery, fraud, and witness tampering offenses. TEPEDINO was arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. “As alleged, Anthony Tepedino turned a major construction company into his personal cash machine, stealing from companies that serve New Yorkers, bribing insiders, and lying to banks to keep the scheme alive,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Fraud and corruption hurt real people in this city, and we will hold accountable any executive who abuses the trust placed in them.” "Anthony Tepedino allegedly stole millions of dollars from his own company by fabricating fake businesses, invoices, and even a story to conceal his misconduct,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Rather than serve the best interest of his company, Tepedino allegedly abused his rank as CEO and founder to mislead trusted customers and steer their money into his private accounts. The FBI will continue to investigate those who exploit their authoritative position to defraud others for personal profits.” “As alleged, this defendant engaged in various fraud schemes, stealing millions of dollars from a company he founded and controlled through the use of shell companies and fake documents, and using some of those stolen funds to make commercial bribe payments to a co-conspirator in exchange for steering new contracts, also worth millions, to his company,” said DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber. “I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our federal law enforcement partners for their work on this important investigation.” “The FDIC-OIG is pleased to join our law enforcement colleagues in announcing this indictment,” said FDIC-OIG Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca. “The charges reflected in this indictment reinforce the FDIC-OIG’s commitment to investigating allegations of fraud, bribery, and other crimes, as we seek to preserve the integrity of our Nation’s financial system.” “The allegations against Tepedino paint a rainbow of fraud and criminal acts over more than half a decade,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. “Bribery, bank fraud, and stealing from his own company are on the list of ways he’s alleged to have funded his life of luxury. IRS-CI continues to partner in investigations and use its financial expertise to subject alleged conduct like Tepedino’s to justice.” As alleged in the Indictment: [1] From at least in or about 2018 through in or about 2024, TEPEDINO—the CEO, founder, and sole shareholder of the Construction Company—engaged in a series of schemes to defraud the Construction Company’s largest customer (the “Victim Company”), its largest creditor (the “Victim Bank”), and the Construction Company itself. To carry out these schemes, TEPEDINO and others formed shell companies, created fake invoices, and looted the Construction Company of more than $5 million. TEPEDINO then used some of those proceeds to bribe an employee of the Victim Company and to make millions of dollars in payments to himself, his relatives, and to his creditors. The Construction Company was in operation for over a decade and eventually grew to earn up to hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue annually and to employ more than 500 people. TEPEDINO abused his position as the head of the Construction Company to steal from the company, fund a lavish lifestyle, and commit commercial bribery, bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Beginning in or about 2018, TEPEDINO and a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) submitted false invoices to the Construction Company to generate fraudulent payments to a non-operational shell company (“Shell Company-1”) controlled by CC-1. To conceal their scheme, TEPEDINO and CC-1 falsely claimed Shell Company-1 was owned by a third party (“Individual-1”) and had CC-1 impersonate Individual-1 when communicating with the Construction Company on behalf of Shell Company-1. This scheme continued until at least in or about September 2024, by which time TEPEDINO and CC-1 had stolen at least $5 million from the Construction Company. From in or about 2020 through in or about September 2024, TEPEDINO used some of the money he stole from the Construction Company to fund more than $1 million in commercial bribe payments to a second co-conspirator (“CC-2”), who was a senior manager at the Victim Company. These bribe payments were made in exchange for CC-2 steering new contracts worth millions of dollars to the Construction Company, assigning work to the Construction Company, and approving invoices submitted by the Construction Company. In total, the Victim Company paid the Construction Company more than $300 million during the approximately four years that Tepedino was bribing CC-2. While defrauding the Construction Company and bribing CC-2, TEPEDINO also committed bank fraud. From in or about late 2021 through early 2022, TEPEDINO sought more than $18 million in commercial credit from the Victim Bank on behalf of the Construction Company. As part of this credit application, TEPEDINO made and caused to be made false statements and omissions regarding the Construction Company’s relationship with Shell Company-1 and his dealings with CC-2. Finally, to conceal his offense conduct from law enforcement, in or about September 2024 and thereafter, TEPEDINO attempted to engage in witness tampering by seeking to cause CC-1 and CC-2 to adopt false exculpatory narratives to explain their criminal conduct. * * * TEPEDINO, 61, of Manalapan, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison; one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; and one count of witness tampering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, DOI, FDIC-OIG, IRS-CI, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew King, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Everett Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Firearms

body_text: BOSTON – An Everett man pleaded guilty today to trafficking more than half a dozen firearms, including AM-15 rifles. Joao Victor Da Silva Soares, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license and one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for April 1, 2026. Da Silva Soares was charged by criminal complaint in January 2025 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025 . Between August and September 2024, Da Silva Soares supplied firearms for sale in Eastern Massachusetts. Specifically, on Aug. 26, 2024, Da Silva Soares delivered two AM-15 rifles and sold them for $6,000 in a parking lot in Malden. On Sept. 11, 2024, Da Silva Soares participated in another sale involving a total of five firearms (consisting of rifles, pistols and a shotgun) outside a residence in Milford. The charges of conspiracy and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Malden and Milford Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Poteau Physician Agrees To Pay $105,000 To Resolve Allegations Of Controlled Substances Act Violations

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dr. Jonathan S. Clark, D.O., of Poteau, Oklahoma, has agreed to pay $105,000.00 to settle allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act. The United States alleged that Dr. Clark ordered controlled substances outside the course of professional practice, stored and dispensed controlled substances at an unregistered location, and failed to maintain records containing the dates that substances were received and dispensed as required under the Controlled Substances Act. The settlement was the result of a Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion investigation that determined the misuse and improper storage of controlled substances, and the failure to maintain a complete and accurate record of the controlled substances. “The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Tulsa Residence Office, works tirelessly to ensure doctors in our communities operate in a manner that is in the public’s best interest. When this standard is violated, those doctors will be held accountable, as is the case with Dr. Jonathan Clark,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker, who oversees operations in Oklahoma. “We hope this stands as a reminder of the DEA’s commitment to prevent, detect, investigate and hold accountable those doctors who choose to violate the Controlled Substances Act.” “I commend the DEA Diversion Unit for their relentless efforts to ensure physician compliance to the law,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Communities pay a high price when physicians violate laws governing dangerous and addictive substances. Through settlements like this one, the U.S. Attorney’s Office can reduce the risks to patient safety and public health posed by breaches of the Controlled Substance Act.” If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community, please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA online Tip Line at Submit a Tip | DEA.gov . Concerns about prescription drug abuse or diversion can be reported to the DEA through this link: RX Abuse Online Reporting | USDOJ.gov . Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua M. Mitts represented the matter for the United States. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: ILLEGAL ALIEN PLEADS GUILTY TO UNLAWFULLY POSSESSING A FIREARM

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Juan De La Cruz Mejia Castro, 33, of El Salvador, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing a firearm as an alien unlawfully in the United States. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Outstanding work by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, to capture this criminal alien and prevent him from continuing to threaten the safety of our communities. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from the criminal aliens who have violated our immigration laws and threatened the safety of our communities, and my office will continue to deliver on that promise with successful prosecutions.” Court documents reflect that Mejia Castro admitted to drinking alcohol in his truck before firing two rounds from a 9-millimeter pistol. Mejia Castro claimed to have heard a noise in his yard and fired the gun in an attempt to scare off a suspected animal. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office found two spent shell casings at the scene, as well as a small amount of marijuana possessed by Mejia Castro. Mejia Castro faces up to fifteen years in prison followed by removal from the United States. The case was a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Brooke DiSalvo is prosecuting the case. Mejia Castro’s sentencing is scheduled for March 10, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR CYBERSTALKING AND SENDING OBSCENE MATERIALS TO MINOR FEMALES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Charles M. Schmaltz, 29, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for cyberstalking and sending obscene materials to minor females. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our children face unprecedented threats online from predators, like this defendant, but this case demonstrates the unified commitment of our state and federal law enforcement officers to keep them safe by capturing the offenders who try to exploit them. My office will continue to back up those excellent investigative efforts by law enforcement with successful prosecutions to send those offenders to federal prison.” Court documents reflect that the defendant communicated with multiple minor females between 2022 and 2024 by utilizing ten or more social media accounts to contact them. The minor females, and later their parents, repeatedly requested that the defendant cease communicating with them. Instead, the defendant sent sexually explicit content to the minor females, including extremely graphic communications. The minor females in this case ranged in age from nine to 15 years old. The defendant was eventually caught through the work of a multi-agency investigation in North Florida and South Alabama, where some of the victims were located. Upon his release, Schmaltz will be supervised for five years by a United States Probation Officer and have to comply with sexual offender treatment. The defendant faces further state charges in Alabama. The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dale County Sheriff’s Office and the Dothan Police Department in South Alabama. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg. 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 . 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: Houston resident gets 10 years for exploiting minor

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 25-year-old man has been sentenced for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Brice Andrew Flickinger pleaded guilty March 20. U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now sentenced Flickinger to 120 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information, including a victim letter detailing how the minor victim was taken advantage of at a young age and how it affected the victim negatively for several years. In imposing the sentence, the court noted that Flickinger engaged in a sexual relationship with a very young minor . Flickinger was also ordered to pay $5,000 to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 and forfeit his phone. Restitution will be determined later. Following his prison term, Flickinger will serve the rest of his life on supervised release and must comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. On July 9, 2021, the victim’s mother reported her daughter missing. Shortly thereafter, authorities conducted a traffic stop after observing a vehicle with two men, including Flickinger as passenger, drop the minor victim off near her home. A search resulted in the discovery of a phone in Flickinger’s possession. Forensic examination revealed at least nine videos of child sexual abuse material depicted Flickinger and the minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement later executed a search warrant at his home where they seized numerous items, including a pair of purple handcuffs located near his bed. The investigation revealed Flickinger had initially met the minor victim through social media. They later met in person, approximately 15 times, during which he would drive them both to his home after midnight. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Sherrif’s offices in Harris and Fort Bend County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Tangipahoa Parish Woman Guilty of Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KAWAIISHH BROWN , age 52, a resident of Tangipahoa Parish, pled guilty on December 4, 2025 before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, In January 2024, law enforcement officers learned that Shyheim Pines sold heroin and fentanyl from his residence in Pontchatoula, Louisiana and that his mother sold heroin and fentanyl from her Pontchatoula, Louisiana residence on behalf of Pines. On March 26, 2024, agents executed search warrants at Pines and BROWN’S residences. At Pines’ residence, agents found a black book sack containing 312.1 grams of methamphetamine, 1.61 grams of cocaine, and 57 grams of a substance containing tramadol, fentanyl and heroin. Also in the book sack with the drugs was a Glock Model 22, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. At the residence, where BROWN resides, law enforcement seized 57.1 grams of methamphetamine, 5.523 grams of fentanyl, 11.73 grams of cocaine and .995 grams of cocaine base. Also found in the residence were a Ruger LSP .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Radical Firearm Model RF-15 semi-automatic rifle. BROWN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. The case was investigated by the Southeastern Louisiana University Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), which is comprised of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hammond Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the 21st Judicial District Court. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Sarver and André Jones of the Narcotics Unit. ***


title: Inchelium Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Assaulting His Intimate Partner on the Colville Reservation

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on December 10, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Frederick Daniel Stensgar, age 61, of Inchelium, Washington, to 33 months in prison for Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner and Dating Partner in Indian Country, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 113(a)(7) and 1153. Judge Rice also ordered that, following imprisonment, Stensgar must serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on April 20, 2025, Stensgar struck his intimate partner with a dangerous weapon with intent to cause her bodily harm. As a result, she suffered serious bodily injury to the back of her right hand. The victim disclosed that, during an argument on the morning of Easter, Stensgar told her she needed to get out of his face, or he was going to do something to her. Stensgar grabbed an object and was going to hit the victim in the face, so she put her hand up to block the strike and it sliced her hand open. The victim was transported to a hospital, where it was determined she sustained a seven-centimeter, v-shaped laceration on the back of her right hand. Additionally, according to court documents, Stensgar’s criminal history includes multiple convictions for violent crimes, including domestic violence. This is Stensgar’s third criminal conviction for assaulting his intimate partner. First Assistant United States Attorney Serrano said, “This case exemplifies the mission of our office to ensure the criminal justice system protects victims and the public as a whole from people like Stensgar who perpetrate violence against their intimate partners, often in secret within the home.” “Mr. Stensgar’s repeated violence is horrifying and inexcusable, especially since it was directed against his long-term partner in their shared home,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “In this incident, his violent attack caused severe injury necessitating hospital treatment. The FBI and our tribal partners will continue to combat violent crime on tribal lands together, as we do throughout the state of Washington.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colville Tribal Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen. 2:25-cr-00098-TOR


title: Federal Jury Convicts Man of Sending Threatening Letter to Spiritual Mission in Suburban Chicago

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a Georgia man of sending a threatening letter to a spiritual mission in suburban Chicago. In July 2023, JIMIL PARMAR mailed a letter to the Sant Nirankari Mission in West Chicago, Ill. The letter stated, “CANCEL US CANADA TOUR IMMEDIATELY SRS ATTACK PLANNED.” The threat coincided with the visit of the Mission’s spiritual leader, Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj, who was touring the United States and Canada that summer, including scheduled appearances in Chicago and Atlanta, Ga. At least four other Sant Nirankari Missions in the United States received identical letters that summer, and all of them were postmarked from the Atlanta metropolitan area. Parmar, 33, of Lawrenceville, Ga., was found guilty on Wednesday of mailing a threatening communication. The jury returned its verdict after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The conviction is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly set sentencing for March 4, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Atlanta Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kavitha J. Babu and Ramon Villalpando.


title: Georgia Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud Former Political Candidate and Four Other Louisiana Residents

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on December 4, 2025, CHASE DUNCAN CAMPBELL (“CAMPBELL”) , a resident of Cobb County, Georgia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to 6 months of imprisonment to be followed by 18 months of home detention after he previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. The home detention will be served as part of a three-year term of supervised release. CAMPBELL was also ordered to pay $446,302.23 in restitution to his victims and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, from as early as November 2020, and continuing through at least May 2024, CAMPBELL , and others, conspired to: defraud Candidate 1 with fake campaign services; defraud Victim 1 out of approximately $236,867 in fake real estate purchases and associated costs; defraud Victim 2 out of approximately $83,268.05 in fraudulent claims of real estate and title work; and defraud Victims 3 and 4 out of approximately $112,328.18 in connection with a fake legal defense scheme. Among other things, CAMPBELL , and others, utilized numerous fake aliases and occupations, “burner” numbers for text messages and calls, and fraudulent invoices to defraud their victims. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit. * * *


title: Raleigh Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material on his Work Laptop

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Raleigh man, Joseph Matthew Dobbs, age 45, to 135 months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), after a federal jury convicted him earlier this year. “Predators who target children have no place in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This office will pursue them relentlessly, charge them aggressively, and make sure they face the consequences they deserve. We will always stand up for the most vulnerable and protect the families of this district. This criminal won’t bother our children for at least 11 years.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, in early November 2022, Dobbs worked from home as an IT support engineer for a multinational technology company. During a routine remote session, a supervisor observed content on Dobb’s work-issued laptop that appeared to be CSAM. The company immediately terminated his employment and provided screenshots to law enforcement. The Raleigh Police Department executed a search warrant at Dobb’s apartment and seized the company laptop. Investigators reviewed the device and the company’s back-up servers and found that Dobbs had stored over 300 CSAM images. Many images showed children under the age of 12. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Warlick and Logan Liles prosecuted the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . 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. 5:24-CR-182-FL.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy in Connection With a Technical Support Scheme

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Amit Ahuja, 41, of Westminster, Maryland, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a technical support scheme. Through the scheme, co-conspirators misled victims to believe that their computers were compromised so they needed to pay for computer repair services or software. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Criminal Investigations Group, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland. According to public filings, victims received a pop-up window urging them to call a phone number, or an unsolicited phone call, or victims called what they believed was a legitimate technical support company found through an online search. The co-conspirators allegedly led the victims to believe that their computers had major issues that they needed to pay money to fix immediately. Additionally, the co-conspirators convinced victims that they worked for legitimate computer companies or computer security companies. As a result of the scheme, more than 1,000 victims, many of whom were older adults, lost more than $6.8 million to co-conspirators. Victims lost the money based on false pretenses, representations, and promises in connection with the alleged condition of their computers and the services, and the software supposedly required to fix the issues. Ahuja faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date is forthcoming. Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov . Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with HSI’s Tip Line at this website or by calling 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS and HSI Maryland for their investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Philip Motsay who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 125 Months in Prison for Sex Trafficking of Runaway Teen

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Thursday sentenced a man to 125 months in prison for convincing a runaway 17-year-old to work as a prostitute. Rodarius Servick, 51, will be on supervised release for 15 years after his release from prison. Servick met the victim in August of 2024 on a social media application. Servick convinced her to work as a prostitute and lie about her age. He then brought her from Illinois to Missouri and arranged commercial sex acts by managing online ads, setting the price for sex acts and collecting all the money, Servick admitted as part of a guilty plea in September to one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Law enforcement learned on Sept. 13, 2024, of a runaway juvenile that was being trafficked. Detectives found her picture online, and the St. Louis County Police Department conducted an undercover operation that recovered the girl days later. The FBI, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Twice-Removed Illegal Alien Charged For Violent Attack On Charlotte’s Light Rail System

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal criminal complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte today, charging an illegal alien with a federal crime in connection with the violent attack on the city’s light rail system, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Oscar Gerardo Solorzano-Garcia, 33, from Honduras, is charged with one count of illegal reentry by a removed alien and one count of committing an act of violence on a mass transportation system. James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. “Not only should this defendant have already been in prison — he should not have been in our country to begin with,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This attack is more tragic evidence that soft-on-crime policies and vetting failures put innocent citizens at risk. My prosecutors will deliver swift, comprehensive justice in this case.” “The people of Charlotte deserve to live in a safe city and this horrific act should never have happened,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As the FBI has illustrated, we will not stand for this type of violence in our communities. Our mission is to keep our communities safe and that is exactly what the men and women of the FBI are working to accomplish each and every day.” “This defendant is charged with coming back to the United States after being deported not once, but twice, and then stabbing a passenger in the chest on our city’s public transit system,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Everyone who uses public transportation is the victim of a crime like this, and we will act swiftly to prosecute those who violate our immigration laws and endanger the lives of citizens using public transit to go about their daily lives.” “Oscar Solorzano-Garcia should not have been on the Charlotte light rail last Friday. In fact, he should not have been in our country. He has a violent criminal history and was deported twice. These two recent attacks on the city’s light rail system make one thing clear. Safety measures on public transportation in our city must be strengthened. People deserve a secure and reliable transit system where they make it to work and back home unharmed,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Barnacle. “Our strong partnerships with federal and community stakeholders are essential to keeping our city safe,” said CMPD Chief Estella Patterson. “Federal charges brought against violent offenders send a clear message: if you commit violent crimes, you will be held accountable. Actions have consequences, and we will continue working with our justice partners to ensure offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent.” According to allegations in the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint: On December 5, 2025, at approximately 4:49 p.m., officers with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) received a call for service related to an assault with a deadly weapon that occurred on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte. Responding CMPD officers located the victim in the rear rail car. The victim, identified in court documents as K.D., had sustained serious injuries from a stab wound to his upper left chest and was taken to the hospital. According to witness statements and surveillance footage, Solorzano-Garcia was a passenger on the train and appeared to be intoxicated. K.D. and Solorzano-Garcia engaged in a verbal altercation, and Solorzano-Garcia pulled out a long knife and stabbed the victim in the chest. Solorzano-Garcia then got off the train and began walking away. Additional CMPD officers responding to the scene located Solorzano-Garcia and took him into custody. The criminal complaint alleges that Solorzano-Garcia is an alien unlawfully present in the United States. It is further alleged that, in 2012, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by the Union County Police Department in New Jersey and was later convicted of robbery. In July 2016, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and he was removed from the United States in March 2018. Nine months later, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol. He was convicted of illegal reentry and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. On June 9, 2021, Solorzano-Garcia was removed from the United States out of Alexandria, Louisiana. If convicted, Solorzano-Garcia faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to life in prison in prison for the charge of violence on a mass transportation system, and up to 10 years in prison for the illegal reentry offense. Ultimately, his sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. The charges against the defendant are allegations and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.