title: Department of Justice Sues City of Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu Over Sanctuary City Laws

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and the Boston Police Department and Police Commissioner over Boston’s sanctuary city laws that interfere with the federal government’s enforcement of its immigration laws. “The City of Boston and its Mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America – they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If Boston won’t protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.” Not only are Boston’s sanctuary city policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, Boston’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal, including illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, onto the streets. On her first day in office, Attorney General Bondi instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal immigration laws or impede lawful federal immigration operations. On Aug. 5, Attorney General Bondi published a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, which included the City of Boston, and vowed to bring litigation to end these policies nationwide. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal sanctuary city policies across the country, including in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.


title: Ohio Man on Parole Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison For Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – A Cuyahoga County man has been sentenced to prison for receiving and distributing sexually explicit photos of children while he was out on parole for an unrelated offense. Christopher Galaszewski, 27, of Cleveland, has been sentenced to 184 months (approximately 15 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after pleading guilty in May to distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to possession of child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Galaszewski was also ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release after imprisonment and to pay $10,000 in Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) assessments. After imprisonment, he will be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents, from on or about June 23 to July 6, 2023, Galaszewski, while out on parole for an unrelated offense, knowingly distributed computer files that contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At least one image involved a prepubescent minor who had not yet attained 12 years of age. During the investigation, federal agents received a report that the defendant was sharing CSAM files through a popular social media platform. While on a check-in call with his parole officer, he indicated that he suspected that his email account had been hacked because it contained child pornography. The following day, Galaszewski’s parole officer seized his cellphone and laptop as permitted under the terms of parole. During the execution of a federal search warrant of defendant’s digital devices and online accounts, investigators found that they contained nearly 200 images and videos of CSAM. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Kane . This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country and 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 . To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org , or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


title: Texas woman sentenced to six years in prison for arson of Snohomish County church

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 38-year-old Temple, Texas, woman was sentenced today in U.S, District Court in Seattle to six years in prison for three federal felonies related to the arson at Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church (SLLC) in Snohomish County, Washington, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Natasha Marie O’Dell has been in custody since her arrest in Texas in August 2024. In April 2025, O’Dell pleaded guilty to Arson, Damage to Religious Property and Obstruction of Persons in the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs. At her sentencing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said, “This offense was devastating and dangerous. Ms. O’Dell deliberately set fire to a church causing complete destruction. … The scope of the destruction is staggering. You burned down the spiritual home of a congregation. … The wounds you have inflicted deepen for each day they are away from their home.” “Ms. O’Dell acted with extreme disregard for community safety when she poured more than a gallon of gasoline on the church building and used a lighter to start the blaze,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “This conduct put anyone inside the church, the neighbors around the church, and the firefighters who responded in extreme danger. It is fortunate that only one firefighter suffered injuries.” According to the plea agreement and the federal indictment, O’Dell was linked via cell phone records, credit card records and surveillance video to the fire that destroyed the Maltby, Washington, church on August 25, 2023. Over the time of the fire, Odell was visiting relatives in Woodinville, Washington. Even though the church was destroyed, part of the security system video surveillance survived the fire and depicted O’Dell, moving around the church with the red gasoline container. In the video O’Dell empties the container on the exterior walls of the church and items around the church. O’Dell moves out of camera range and fire is seen growing on the areas where she poured gasoline. Ultimately the video system stops functioning due to the fire. The investigation tied O’Dell to credit card purchases at an area service station when she purchased just over a gallon of gasoline in a container and some lighters. O’Dell took an Uber to the church to commit the arson. In the plea agreement O’Dell admits that she told various acquaintances that she was angry about churches and specifically with SLLC. Later she told another acquaintance that she planned to burn a nearby church. One firefighter was injured fighting the blaze and was transported to an emergency room. The fire did more than $3.2 million in damage to the church. The church has incurred additional costs renting a nearby middle school to hold their services two to three times a week. Judge Whitehead will determine the amount of restitution O’Dell owes at a hearing at a later date. The case was investigated by the Snohomish County Fire Marshall’s Office and the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.


title: Two Women and One Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Separate Methamphetamine Trafficking Cases

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: POCATELLO – Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced the results of three separate drug distribution cases in eastern Idaho today. In one case, Andrea Nichole O’Brien, 38, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to others. After law enforcement officers stopped O’Brien for a traffic violation, a dog, which was trained and certified to detect the odor of illegal drugs, alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle. During a search, police officers located 106.3 grams of methamphetamine under the driver seat and a loaded Glock 43 handgun in the driver’s door. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered O’Brien to serve five years of supervised release following her prison sentence. O’Brien pleaded guilty to the charge in May 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Pocatello Police Department for their investigation that led to the charges in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted this case. In the second case, Curtis Lee Campbell, 40, of American Falls, was sentenced to 143 months in federal prison for the distribution of methamphetamine. According to court records, in April and June 2024, Campbell sold methamphetamine to another person on three occasions in eastern Idaho. The first sale consisted of 7.24 grams, the second 27.23 grams, and the third was 28.62 grams, totaling 63.09 grams of methamphetamine. At sentencing, the Court determined that Campbell was a career offender because he had at least two prior felony convictions for controlled substance offenses. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Campbell to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Campbell pleaded guilty to the charge in May 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Pocatello Police Department, the Idaho State Police, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their investigation which led to the charges in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted this case. In the third case, Jessica Dona Elison, 44, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to others. According to court records, Elison traveled to Mexico or Arizona to get methamphetamine from her supplier. Bingham County Sheriff’s detectives were granted a search warrant to place a tracking device on the vehicle that Elison was driving. Detectives observed her vehicle coming back to Idaho. After Elison’s vehicle broke down in Pocatello, she moved the methamphetamine from her vehicle to another vehicle. During a search of that vehicle, officers found a bag that contained 281.53 grams of methamphetamine and 68.5 grams of marijuana. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Elison to serve five years of supervised release following her prison sentence. Elison pleaded guilty to the charge in May 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, and the BADGES Task Force, which is a HIDTA-funded task force that includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pocatello Police Department, the Idaho State Police, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Chubbuck Police Department, for their investigation which led to the charges in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted this case. These cases were handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho. The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts. This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 247 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 185 have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 11,910 months (approximately 985.58 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 82.13 months (6.84 years). Defendants indicted for drug trafficking offenses serve, on average, approximately 68.18 months (5.68 years) in federal prison. ###


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Assaulting U.S. Border Patrol Agent

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Mario Garcia-Estrada, 26, of Hidalgo, Mexico, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 63 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Garcia-Estrada previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer. In the early morning of March 4, 2023, Garcia-Estrada illegally entered the United States from Mexico. United States Border Patrol (USBP) cameras spotted Garcia-Estrada near Bisbee, and an agent was dispatched to the area where she encountered Garcia-Estrada hiding. After determining that Garcia-Estrada was illegally present in the country, the USBP agent placed him under arrest, seizing his cell phone and identification. As the agent attempted to place Garcia-Estrada in her patrol vehicle, Garcia-Estrada pushed her to the ground and punched her several times in the face and head before fleeing the scene on foot. A USBP camera operator was able to track Garcia-Estrada, guiding other agents to his location where he was arrested. As a result of this vicious attack, the victim agent suffered a fractured nose and other injuries. The FBI Phoenix Division’s Sierra Vista office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Houston, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00321-SHR-BGM RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-143_Garcia-Estrada # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Prior felon pleads guilty to new child pornography charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Marcobrien S. Volcy, 28, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction under the laws of New York State relating to the possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that in August 2023, Volcy pleaded guilty in Monroe County Court to Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child Less Than 16 Years of Age and was sentenced to one to three years in prison. On January 19, 2024, while on New York State probation for his 2023 conviction, Volcy possessed a cell phone that contained images and videos of child pornography. In total, Volcy possessed more than 650 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted prepubescent children. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm. Sentencing is scheduled for January 14, 2026, before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Lackawanna man going to prison for distributing child pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Maxwell H. Gawley, 34, of Lackawanna, NY, who was convicted of distribution of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that in August 2022, Gawley engaged in sexually explicit conversations via Snapchat with a minor victim, who was a 14-year-old male. During these conversations, Gawley asked the minor victim to send him pictures of himself and discussed having sexual contact with him, which the minor victim complied with. In response, Gawley told the minor victim that he “might even have to make a road trip ... [come] see you if we were dating.” In September 2022, Gawley engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with another individual over Snapchat, during which Gawley shared images and videos of child pornography over the internet via Snapchat. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. # # # #


title: Level 3 sex offender pleads guilty to new child pornography charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James M. Lajoie, 30, of Appleton, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction under New York law relating to sexual abuse, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2016, Lajoie was convicted of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree and sentenced to serve three years in prison and 10 years post release supervision. In August 2023, a New York Parole Officer conducted a home inspection at Lajoie’s residence and found an unauthorized cellular telephone in his possession. A review recovered approximately 54 images and four videos of child pornography stored on the device. Lajoie obtained these images and videos of child pornography over the internet. Some of images depicted prepubescent minors and violence against children. The plea is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello. Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025, before Judge Arcara. # # # #


title: Ecuadorian man pleads guilty to illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today Wilson Paul Loja-Angamarca, 28, a citizen of Ecuador, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to re-entry of a removed alien. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that Loja-Angamarca is an alien without any legal status in the United States. He was removed from the United States in October 2019. On July 24, 2025, Loja-Angamarca was found in Cattaraugus County, NY, and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States. 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 plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato. # # # #


title: Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Tymell Cooks, age 36, of Albany, pled guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. Cooks admitted that between January and June 2024, he sold approximately 202 grams of fentanyl to another person, both directly and using a co-conspirator. In June 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his Albany residence and located approximately 69 grams of cocaine, a loaded Cobra Firearms Shadow 38 Special revolver, a loaded M&P Shield EZ 2.0 Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, ammunition, $4,850 in cash, and body armor. Cooks admitted that he possessed the firearms to protect his drug supply and proceeds. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Fentanyl continues to fuel the deadly overdose crisis across our communities. This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who traffic in this poison and use illegal firearms to protect their criminal enterprises. We thank the DEA and our law enforcement partners for their continued efforts to dismantle these dangerous networks.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III stated: “Today’s guilty plea of Tymell Cooks is thanks to the hard work and determination of our DEA special agents and partners in targeting those individuals who pose a danger to our society. New Yorkers deserve safe communities free of drugs and violence, and the DEA is committed to delivering that.” Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Cooks faces a prison term of at least 10 years and up to life; a fine of up to $5 million; and a supervised release term of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. DEA investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting the case. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Clinton Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt and Attempted Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Clinton man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography and attempted production of child pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received CyberTips that an account, later determined to be associated with Eric Jensen Salter, 37, received files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Salter’s Clinton residence. The investigation showed that Salter’s email account was used to seek out, receive, view, and possess child pornography, including content of prepubescent children. The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office further received records from Salter’s email account that revealed an email exchange with a sixteen-year-old female between May and October 2018. Salter attempted to use, persuade, induce, or entice the minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct, with the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, by requesting her to send sexually explicit images of herself to him. After completing his term of imprisonment, Salter will be required to serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Salter was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Clinton County Sheriff's Office, Davenport Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Nevada Woman Sentenced to Three Years Probation for Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Nevada woman was sentenced on September 3, 2025, to three years of probation for trafficking counterfeit Louis Vuitton merchandise. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Traci Linn Hubbard, 57, in March 2023, sold counterfeit Louis Vuitton merchandise out of her store, Unique Boutique, in Nevada, Iowa. On March 23, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Unique Boutique and over 100 counterfeit Louis Vuitton items were seized. Hubbard was also ordered to pay $13,800.41 in restitution to Louis Vuitton North America, Inc. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.


title: EPA Reaches Settlement with Homeworks Construction

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice reached a $10,000 settlement with Homeworks Construction Inc. to resolve alleged lead paint renovation violations in South Bend, Indiana. EPA alleged that beginning in 2018, Homeworks Construction performed renovations in 17 residential properties constructed prior to 1978 without complying with federal Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) regulations. The company has now obtained RRP certification and confirmed compliance with the current rules. “Protecting the health and safety of our communities, particularly our children, is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel. “We are committed to ensuring that companies comply with these regulations; it is a critical step in protecting all Americans from the harmful effects of lead exposure.” “We must enforce lead paint laws to protect public health, especially the health of vulnerable children,” said Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. “This settlement promotes and advances public health by remedying past violations and monitoring future compliance. I would like to extend my thanks to the public servants who successfully pursued this case.” Dust from lead-based paint is one of the most common causes of elevated blood lead levels in children. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to lead, which can create irreversible and lifelong health effects. Lead dust can be generated when lead-based paint is disturbed by renovation work such as window installation, demolishing painted surfaces like walls and porches and scraping or repainting homes. Companies and individuals performing renovations on housing built before 1978 are required to comply with regulations under EPA’s lead renovation program. The regulations require companies to train employees on safe work practices and obtain certification from EPA prior to renovations. The companies must also comply with recordkeeping requirements and notify homeowners about the hazards of renovation-related lead exposure. The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comment and access to the settlement agreement is available on the Department of Justice Proposed Consent Decree webpage . For more information about EPA’s enforcement program, visit the Agency’s website . Learn more about EPA’s Lead RRP rule.


title: Noble Outdoors Owner Sentenced for Conspiracy to Violate the Lacey Act Involving 114 Illegal Hunts

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Dustin Noble, 46, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 4, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Noble to 22 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Noble’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Noble was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $179,680. Pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement, Noble forfeited multiple unlawfully taken wildlife taxidermy mounts, two crossbows, and several firearms. The Court also ordered that Noble shall not hunt, fish, trap, guide, outfit, or otherwise associate or be in the field with anyone engaged in those activities for 25 years, and shall not conduct, assist, or associate with any fish or wildlife taxidermy activities or be present, or assist with taxidermy services for 10 years. Enacted 125 years ago, the Lacey Act protects the nation’s wildlife resources by prohibiting wildlife violations that cross state or international borders. A joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division determined that Noble provided illegal hunting and guiding services to paying clients, family, and other associates, many from outside the state of Nebraska, between 2015 and 2021, while operating Noble Outdoors, a big game guiding business in North Platte. Noble also operated a commercial taxidermy business providing services of converting hides, skins, antlers, and other trophy parts of wildlife into taxidermy mounts. Some of Noble’s taxidermy clients included hunters unlawfully guided by Noble. The investigation determined Noble charged paying clients $1,200 to $4,000 depending upon the target species and conducted the guided hunts in at least Lincoln, Hayes, and Frontier counties in Nebraska. During those hunts Noble’s friends, associates and/or clients agreed with Noble to violate Nebraska hunting laws to take wildlife including mule deer and wild turkeys. Noble employed various tactics and unlawful methods to increase the probability of locating, killing, and acquiring trophy wildlife including using specialized hunting equipment comprised of firearm sound suppressors and thermal optics; taking wildlife from upon or close to the road; taking wildlife during night-time or closed season hours; and hunting upon privately owned properties without the knowledge or permission of the landowner. Under Nebraska state law, hunters are prohibited from possessing firearms or using firearms to hunt deer during the archery season, are prohibited from shooting from or over a roadway, are authorized to hunt only during the legal shooting hours from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, and must have landowner permission to hunt on private property. The investigation substantiated 114 unlawful hunts conducted by Noble during the course of the conspiracy with the vast majority occurring between 2018 and 2020. Noble’s unlawful activities primarily targeted trophy-sized mule deer, including early season mule deer in velvet antlers. As revealed by extensive evidence obtained during this investigation, Noble’s illegal hunts included the taking of more than 12 species of wildlife, including most notably: 61 mule deer, 33 wild turkeys, 4 pronghorn, 3 white-tailed deer, an American alligator, a timber rattlesnake, and approximately 12 upland game birds, migratory non-game birds, game fish, and furbearing or non-game animals. Prior to his conduct in this case, Noble was subject to a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission investigation and was charged with 71 counts. He was ultimately convicted on 10 counts in Dawson County Court, Nebraska, in February 2014. As part of his sentencing, he was subject to a 10-year hunting, fishing, and trapping revocation in the State of Nebraska. The current state/federal investigation revealed extensive and ongoing hunting violations committed, aided, and directed by Noble while his hunting privileges were revoked from his prior state conviction. Today’s sentencing marks the near conclusion of the ongoing prosecution of numerous defendants related to violations committed by Noble Outdoors and its owner, associates, and clients between 2015 and 2021. To date, 19 defendants have been sentenced and ordered to pay a more than $255,000 in fines and restitution for state and federal violations related to the interstate transport of unlawfully taken wildlife. The investigation included the seizure and subsequent forfeiture or abandonment of more than 50 trophy wildlife antlers or taxidermy mounts from 27 Noble Outdoors clients or associates. United States Attorney Woods said, “This case demonstrates what state and federal law enforcement can accomplish when they join forces and unite in a common pursuit of justice. Wildlife resources should be fairly preserved for the enjoyment of all Nebraskans – both present and future. Noble’s destructive tactics and actions targeted Nebraska’s mule deer populations in a manner that jeopardized the ability of Nebraskans to continue to enjoy a lawful hunting experience in the future. The United States Attorney’s Office is proud to join with our partners at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to ensure that Nebraska’s resources are protected and available to all its citizens equally.” “This case is a powerful example of the continued collaboration between Nebraska Game and Parks and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect our state’s wildlife resources,” said Colonel Jeff Clauson, Chief of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division. “Mr. Noble’s unscrupulous tactics targeting mature mule deer bucks for himself and paying clients or associates jeopardized herd health, strong genetics, breeding success, long-term population growth, and effectively stripped away seasons’ worth of hunting opportunity for the public and law-abiding hunting community. Holding wildlife violators accountable like those involved in this case, who demonstrate blatant disregard for game laws, is vital to conserving our state’s wildlife resources and preserving hunting opportunities Nebraskans cherish.” “This outcome reflects our strong commitment to working with partner law enforcement and wildlife management agencies to protect our Nation’s vital natural resources,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “The defendants demonstrated blatant disregard for the law and caused lasting harm to Nebraska’s mule deer populations. We remain steadfast in pursuing and apprehending those who profit from the illegal exploitation of our natural resources while undermining the legacy of ethical hunting.” The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Nathaniel Lee Stephenson, 28, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 4, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual (pure). United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Stephenson to 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Stephenson’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. On June 13, 2024, Stephenson sold 83 ½ grams, (approximately three ounces), of methamphetamine to an undercover Lincoln Police Department officer for $1,000 in Lincoln. Purity testing at the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab showed the methamphetamine was at least 93% pure. This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.


title: FIVE INDICTMENTS RETURNED FOR PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED ILLEGAL ALIENS IDENTIFIED IN RECENT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE & PENSACOLA – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that five previously deported illegal aliens have been indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. Narciso Oswaldo Moreno-Zepeda, 42, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in June 2025, after previously being deported in 2014. Trial is set for October 6, 2025, before United States District Judge M. Casey Rogers. Hector Chaves-Morales, 27, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Walton County in May 2025, after previously being deported in 2016. The matter is pending. Franklin David Zelaya-Funez, 32, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in June 2025, after previously being deported in 2021. The matter is pending. Kevin Noel Ochoa-Venegas, 32, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Bay County in April 2025, after previously being deported in 2016 and 2021. Trial is set for September 22, 2025, before United States District Judge Mark Walker. Edwin Martinez-Cruz, 38, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in July 2025, after previously being deported in 2022. Trial is set for October 20, 2025, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Ochoa-Venegas faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine pursuant to allegations of prior convictions qualifying for an increased maximum sentence. The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton, Alicia H. Forbes, Brooke DiSalvo, and Justin M. Keen are prosecuting the cases. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access 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: SIX ILLEGAL ALIENS CONVICTED IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST FOR ILLEGALLY REENTERING THE COUNTRY AFTER PRIOR REMOVALS

body_text: GAINESVILLE & PENSACOLA – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today that six previously deported aliens were recently convicted for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court records, the defendants had each been previously removed due to being unlawfully present in the country and thereafter illegally reentered without seeking the necessary permission or approval from the United States. The illegal aliens convicted in August include: Wilson Omar Hernandez-Ramos, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in August 2018. He was encountered in Escambia County on April 19, 2025. Noe Flores Vasquez, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in November 2013, November 2017, and May 2022. He was encountered in Alachua County on July 17, 2025. Juan Martinez-Hernandez, a Mexican national, who was previously removed in October 2017 and November 2022. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on April 11, 2025. Maximo Solis-Xec, a citizen of Guatemala, who was previously removed in August 2018. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on May 21, 2025. Joel Coto-Mendoza, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in May 2023. He was encountered in Escambia County on May 20, 2025. Francis Cantor-Garcia, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in June 2014, November 2014, and January 2015. She was encountered in Escambia County on July 19, 2025. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Each of these offenders had been previously deported for illegally entering our country – some, multiple times – and each knowingly and intentionally violated our national immigration laws yet again because they thought they could get away with it. Wrong. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting these crimes in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by making the enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws a top priority.” The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, with assistance from several state and local partners. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner, Jenna H. Callahan, Walter Narramore, Jeffrey M. Tharp, and Brooke DiSalvo prosecuted the cases. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access 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: Sully County Farmers Ordered to Pay Over $4 Million in  Civil Judgment for Crop Insurance Fraud

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has entered a judgment against James and Levi Garrett and ordered them to pay a combined total of $4,019,820 to resolve violations of the False Claims Act arising out of their 2018 and 2019 crop insurance fraud. The civil judgment follows the defendants’ 2022 criminal convictions for the same conduct. The defendants operated a family farm and ranch in Sully County. In 2018, the defendants falsely certified to a crop insurance company that they planted 2,200 total acres of sunflowers. In fact, the defendants did not plant any sunflowers, and they wrongfully received indemnity from the insurance company as if their entire crop failed. In 2019, James Garrett falsely certified he planted 47.5 acres of corn as part of a larger claim. In fact, no corn was planted, and he wrongfully received indemnity from the insurance company that year. The defendants fraudulently obtained over $1.3 million in total benefits from their crimes. “Protecting taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and abuse remains a top priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell, “and we won’t stop at criminal convictions. As this case demonstrates, those who attempt to cheat federal programs face serious consequences—both criminal and civil.” The False Claims Act allows the government to seek treble damages and civil penalties against individuals and companies that knowingly submit false or fraudulent claims for payment to federal programs. In this case, the defendants were held liable for civil damages in addition to their criminal convictions. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis A. Warner prosecuted the case.


title: Hinesville Man Convicted at Trial for Threatening to Kill Federal Employees and Americans

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A Hinesville man has been found guilty at trial for making threatening phone calls to the Department of Veterans Affairs in December 2024. Alexis Beatles, 44, of Hinesville, was convicted after a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court on charges of Interstate Communications with Threats to Injure Another, said Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The convictions subject the Defendant to up to a total of 10 years of imprisonment, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Beatles was arrested on a criminal complaint in January and was later formally indicted by a federal grand jury. Savannah Police Department SWAT and EOD Teams assisted the FBI with making the arrest. As described at trial, on December 18, 2024, Beatles called a Department of Veterans Affairs hotline and made demands to the phone operator wherein he threatened to kill federal employees and others if his demands were not met. Beatles made numerous threats, including threatening to crash his car into the Savannah VA Clinic, to “destroy” U.S. citizens, to rig his home with explosives to kill any police officers that came to his home, and to kill the children of any officers who attempted to arrest him. “Those who make threats against members of our community in violation of federal law will be held accountable, as we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who seek to intimidate and instill fear in our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “VA personnel and the veterans they serve should feel safe while working and receiving care within VA facilities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and stopping threats of terrorism and violence against VA personnel and operations.” “Threats of violence against federal employees and our communities will never be tolerated,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners to protect those who serve the public and to hold accountable anyone who seeks to cause fear and harm through threats.” The case was being investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron Hubbard.


title: Brevard County Man Pleads Guilty To Drug And Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Cedrick Deon Hawkins (43, Cocoa) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Hawkins faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Sentencing is set for November 12, 2025. Hawkins has agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized from inside his residence, which were used in the commission of the offenses. According to the plea agreement, between October 2024 and February 2025, Hawkins sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential source. In April 2025, a search warrant was executed on Hawkins’s residence in Cocoa. During the search, agents located additional methamphetamine, fentanyl, and drug processing materials. Agents also located five firearms throughout the home, including three rifles and a handgun in the master bedroom closet and a loaded pistol in a kitchen cabinet. Six additional firearms and ammunition were found in a pickup truck parked in the yard of the residence. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Titusville Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Braddock Felon Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Drug and Firearm Crimes

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 100 months of imprisonment on his conviction of drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Jeffrey Lee Hancock Jr., 41, of the Braddock neighborhood of Pittsburgh, on September 2, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, on April 25, 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police executed a search warrant of Hancock’s residence in connection with an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking activity by Hancock and two co-conspirators. As investigators entered the residence, Hancock threw a bag containing approximately 50 bricks of fentanyl from the second story window of the home. Inside the residence, investigators also found an additional 200 bricks of fentanyl and $2,902, as well as two handguns, which Hancock was prohibited from possessing based upon his prior felony convictions. Hancock admitted to conspiring to distribute a total of between 280 and 400 grams of fentanyl. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman noted Hancock as a “recidivist drug trafficker and illegal gun user” who was involved in “poisoning our community” through “the dark and dangerous drug trade.” Judge Stickman stated that a sentence of 100 months—at the high end of the advisory guideline range—reflects the serious nature of Hancock’s crimes and should signal to others that a “career of crime [will be] met with stiff federal time.” Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hancock.


title: U.S. Seizes 300,000 Kilos of Meth Precursor Chemicals Sent from China Destined for Mexico’s Sinaloa Drug Cartel

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – More than 300,000 kilograms of chemicals used to produce methamphetamine and intended for clandistine labs controlled by the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico were seized this week by agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the Port of Houston, announced U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Acting Director Todd Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “This is the largest seizure of precursor chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine in U.S. history,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “China was sending over 700,000 pounds on the high seas to the Sinaloa Cartel before my office seized them. Because President Trump and Secretary Rubio declared the Sinaloa Cartel a Foreign Terrorist Organization, we can now strike faster and hit harder.” “This marks the first time a seizure warrant was issued for material support for terrorism,” said Acting Director Todd M Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “After seizing these two shipments, Homeland Security Investigations International worked closely with foreign law enforcement partners to consolidate the shipments in Panama and bring them here to the Port of Houston. I can’t thank all of our partners enough." “These many barrels of precursor chemicals are directly linked to one of the most dangerous and deadly terrorist networks, the Sinaloa Cartel. It’s one of the most violent and brutal terrorist organizations in the world. They are responsible for countless deaths, devastation, and destruction of communities in the U.S. and abroad,” said Director of Field Operations Jud Murdock of Customs and Border Protection, Houston. “This represents one of the largest interdictions of its kind in history and highlights the critical role of collaboration and intel sharing in combating threats posed by drug trafficking organization and terrorist groups.” The chemicals, which originated in and were sent from China, could have been used to produce nearly 190,000 kilos of methamphetamine – worth about $569 million if they had reached their intended destination. Instead, agents seized six shipping containers of benzyl alcohol, a solvent used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, weighing 164,880 kilos and six shipping containers of N-methyl formamide, another liquid organic solvent, weighing 151,560 kilos. To put in perspective the impact of this seizure, in Fiscal Year 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) seized a total 78,925 kilos of methamphetamine along the entire southwest border. In order to transport the chemicals from port to a secure HSI storage facility, it took twenty-four, 18-wheeler trucks to transport the sheer volume of precursor chemicals. In 2023, more than 34,800 Americans died of overdoses from psychostimulants, primarily methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia obtained the seizure warrant that provided the legal authority to seize the chemicals. Because the Administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on January 20, 2025, the designation provided federal prosecutors in the District the authority to execute the seizure under the terrorism forfeiture provision. Joining in today’s announcement were Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations, Houston; Director of Field Operations Jud Murdock of Customs and Border Protection, Houston; Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston; and FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the Houston Field Office. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia as part of its Cartel Elimination effort, a collaboartion between the office’s National Security section’s Threat Finance Unit (TFU) and Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) section. The effort is also a part of the Attorney General’s February 5, 2025 directive, calling for the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations by harnessing the resources of the Department of Justice and empowering federal prosecutors throughout the country to work urgently with the Department of Homeland Security and other parts of the government toward the goal of eliminating these threats to U.S. sovereignty. ## https://www.youtube.com/@usao_dc/streams


title: Federal Judge Sentences Elizabeth City Career Criminal to 14 Years

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

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A U.S. District Judge sentenced Miguel Yasmir Williams, a 35-year-old man from Elizabeth City to 14 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a felon. Williams entered his guilty plea on January 29, 2025. “Miguel Williams kept on selling drugs and poisoning our communities. No more,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This prison sentence puts him out of business. Law enforcement officers caught this dangerous drug dealer armed with a gun that he used to terrorize good citizens and families. We will ensure he pays the price for harming our communities by spending a long time in prison.” “For too long, drugs have profoundly affected the lives of countless individuals in our community. We want to send a clear message: if you are engaged in selling this poison, especially to our family members, we will not stand idly by. We are committed to actively pursuing those who distribute these harmful substances. Weapons and drugs will no longer plague our community,” said Elizabeth City Police Interim Chief Eddie Graham. “There is an absolute connection between drug dealing and gun violence in our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “A firearm in the hands of a drug dealer and felon is a serious danger, and ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to do everything possible to apprehend those that pose these threats to our communities.” According to court documents and information presented in court, Elizabeth City Police Officers responded to a bar in downtown Elizabeth City on February 10, 2024, after the bar requested emergency assistance. When EMS arrived, they found Williams unresponsive and prepared him for transport to the hospital. EMS personnel noticed a gun handle sticking out of his pocket. The gun was not only loaded but also stolen. At the hospital, medical personnel discovered a bag containing cocaine in his possession. This cocaine was packaged into numerous smaller baggies for distribution. Due to his extensive criminal history, including convictions for kidnapping and possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver cocaine, as well as larceny of a firearm, Williams faced enhanced federal sentencing. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the sentencing after Judge Dever's ruling. The Elizabeth City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Robbie Dodson prosecuted it. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Related court documents can be found on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina's site or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-CR-28.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains Settlement in Housing Discrimination Matter

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 22, 2025, the United States entered into a settlement agreement in United States v. Estrada (E.D. Wis.). The complaint, which was filed on November 19, 2024, alleged that defendants Tammy Estrada and Ramiro Estrada—the owners and managers of a rental property in Appleton, Wisconsin—discriminated on the basis of disability in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). In particular, the complaint alleged that the Estradas denied tenants’ reasonable accommodation requests related to emotional support animals and retaliated against the tenants when they attempted to exercise their rights under the FHA, among other violations. The case was referred to the Department of Justice after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, conducted an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. Under the settlement, the tenants will be paid $20,000 and the defendants are required to adopt a reasonable accommodation policy and attend fair housing training. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Assistant U.S. Attorney Nia Schmaltz for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. ### For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: The Department of Justice Proposes Legislation to Protect Children from Gender Mutilation

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Yesterday the U.S. Department of Justice transmitted a legislative proposal to Congress that protects and defends children from chemical and surgical mutilation under the guise of “gender-affirming care,” in line with Executive Order 14187 . The Victims of Chemical or Surgical Mutilation Act (VCSMA), led by Representative Bob Onder (R, MO-03) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), prohibits healthcare professionals, physicians, hospitals, or clinics from participating in the chemical or surgical mutilation of a child and creates a private right of action for children and the parents of children whose healthy body parts have been damaged by medical professionals practicing chemical and surgical mutilation. “The Department of Justice has heard from far too many families who have been devastated by mutilative medical procedures that fly in the face of basic biology,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “While we continue our ongoing legal battle to protect children, we appreciate our colleagues in Congress who are working diligently alongside us to end these abusive procedures once and for all.” Read The Victims of Chemical or Surgical Mutilation Act HERE .


title: Nicaraguan National Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry After Removal

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Nicaraguan national has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after being removed. On August 26, Senior U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck sentenced Marco Orlando Vado, 66, to 60 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to illegal reentry. The sentence will run consecutive to a 72-month term Vado received in June 2024 in Broward County for violating his probation in a drug trafficking case, following his guilty plea in Miami-Dade County to attempted sexual battery of a minor under 12. According to court records, Vado was initially encountered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in November 2009 after learning he had been convicted in Broward County of trafficking more than 400 grams of cocaine and sentenced to six years of probation. On December 23, 2009, Vado was deported to Nicaragua. Despite his removal, on April 22, 2022, Vado was again encountered in the United States after being arrested by the North Miami Beach Police Department for attempted sexual battery of a minor under 12. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Field Officer Director Garrett Ripa of the ICE Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), Miami Field Office, made the announcement. ICE/ERO Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. Cooley prosecuted the case. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60244. ###


title: Honduran National Sentenced For Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, JORGE LUIS VILLANUEVA (“ VILLANUEVA ”), age 35, was sentenced on August 14, 2025, by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) and Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(b)(1). VILLANUEVA was sentenced to time served, one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to the bill of information, VILLANUEVA , reentered the United States after being previously deported on September 11, 2013. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.


title: Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize War Criminal Who Beat, Tortured, and Sexually Assaulted Civilians in the Bosnian War in 1992

component: Civil Division

body_text: The United States filed a denaturalization action in the Western District of Virginia yesterday against Slobodan Letic, a native of Croatia, who, according to the Department of Justice’s complaint, concealed and misrepresented his involvement in the beating, torture, and sexual assault of civilians in the Bosnian War in 1992, when he was an officer in the Bosnian Serb army. Letic took two women detainees out of a camp before driving them to an apartment where he beat and raped them. After the women were released from the camp, Letic later found one of them walking in the streets and again took her to an abandoned house and forcefully raped her. Letic also invaded the homes of other civilians in Bosnia and inflicted severe beatings, torture, and mock executions on them. Letic concealed his involvement in war crimes and acts of persecution throughout his immigration and naturalization proceedings after entering the United States by claiming to be a refugee in 2000. Additionally, the civil complaint alleges that Letic concealed his Bosnian criminal convictions for corruption-related acts he performed as a police officer after the war. Letic naturalized as a U.S. citizen on Sept. 22, 2006. “The United States is not a safe haven for war criminals and human rights violators,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Letic entered our country posing as a victim of persecution when in fact he had committed horrendous acts as a persecutor of others. He took advantage of our generous system for refugee admissions and should not have been granted U.S. citizenship. This action seeks to redress that wrong, and we are committed to upholding the integrity of the naturalization process against fraud and misrepresentation.” Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship may be revoked, and his certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. This case was investigated by the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, with assistance from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations Historian William Tomljanovich and Attaché John Christoforo of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the government of Bosnia. The litigation is being handled by Trial Attorney Christopher Lyerla and reviewed by Max Weintraub of the Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit. The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into The United States

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILMER ANTONIO GARCIA-AQUINO (“GARCIA-AQUINO”) ,age 43, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced on August 21, 2025, for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections1326(a) and 1326(b)(1). GARCIA-AQUINO was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 3 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release upon release from imprisonment, and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. At the completion of his imprisonment, he will be surrendered to the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings consistent with the Immigration and Nationality Act. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Former Postal Worker Stripped of Citizenship, Sentenced to 66-Months in Prison, for Stealing $1.6 Million from the U.S. Mail

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: WASHINGTON – Hachikosela Muchimba, 45, a former letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and resident of the District of Columbia, was stripped of his U.S. citizenship and sentenced to 66 months in federal prison today in connection with mail theft and bank fraud scheme that illegally netted him $1.6 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. A federal jury found Muchimba guilty on March 14, 2025, of conspiracy to commit theft of mail and bank fraud; theft of mail; bank fraud; engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization. In addition to the 66-year prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Muchimbato to pay $651,068.35 in restitution to victims and to forfeit his ill-gotten gains of $1,273,403.36. Muchimba also will be subject to deportation. Muchimba, originally of the Republic of Zambia, was naturalized as an American citizen on May 26, 2022. The mail theft and bank fraud scheme ran from December 2020 until March 2023. On his application for citizenship he falsely claimed to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services that he had not previously committed any criminal activity, all the while he was actively conducting his theft of mail and scheme to defraud. Because it was unlawfully procured, the Court revoked Muchimba’s citizenship. Joining in the announcement of the sentencing was Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson, of the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General. According to court documents, between December 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba was a letter carrier based in Friendship Heights, when he executed a scheme to steal U.S. Treasury checks and private party checks from the U.S. mail. The stolen checks were intended for District postal customers living on over 30 different mail routes. Muchimba deposited the checks, sometimes while wearing his U.S. Postal uniform, into bank accounts under his control. Bank surveillance footage captured images of him making deposits and withdrawals of the funds. The total amount of the U.S. Treasury checks fraudulently deposited into Muchimba’s various bank accounts was over $1.6 million. Muchimba used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle that included international travel, stays at luxury hotels, and $100,000 spent at gentlemen’s clubs. Muchimba was arrested on Sept. 20, 2023, at Dulles International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Zambia. At the time of his arrest, Muchimba had $2,000 in cash in his luggage. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorneys John Borchert and Diane Lucas of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. 23cr393


title: Romanian Man Guilty Of Access Device Fraud

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on August 19, 2025, Romanian national, ANDREI FAGARAS (“FAGARAS”) , age 35, pled guilty to the three-count indictment, charging him with access device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(4). According to court documents, on November 13, 2024 and November 14, 2024, FAGARAS and two other individuals possessed device-making equipment, namely credit/debit card skimmers, at three retail locations in the Eastern District of Louisiana and installed those skimmers on point-of-sale machines. FAGARAS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office; and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution. * * *


title: Canonsburg Resident Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Destruction of Evidence

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on August 27, 2025, to 240 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $28,000 in restitution to his victims for his convictions of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of minors and the destruction of evidence, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Justin Darby, 37. According to information presented to the Court, on or about October 28, 2021, Darby knowingly altered and destroyed records associated with an instant messaging application on his cellular telephone with the intent to impede and obstruct an investigation of Darby for offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children when agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation attempted to execute a search warrant at the defendant’s residence. Darby additionally was convicted for attempting to induce and inducing a minor to send to him an image of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct over a social media application on February 6, 2024. Darby also accepted responsibility for additional offenses involving the sexual exploitation of minors, including the inducement of three other minors to send him visual depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct through text messages and social media applications during 2023 and early 2024. In imposing the sentence, Judge Ranjan emphasized that the sentence was justified by Darby’s lack of respect for the law and continued pattern of criminal behavior. Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Darby. 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Arnold Resident Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficking

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Arnold, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of fentanyl and heroin trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Kevin Watson, 36, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy to possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on April 26, 2019, Watson was pulled over by the Pennsylvania State Police for traffic violations, with a young child present in the back seat of Watson’s vehicle. When asked to get out of the vehicle, Watson sped away from the traffic stop and led officers on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of 115 mph. Eventually, Watson crashed the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving the child, who was not seriously injured, alone and unattended in the vehicle. Later, the Pennsylvania State Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle, which revealed more than $100,000 of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin in the trunk. Watson has an extensive criminal history that includes, among other convictions, three previous drug trafficking convictions, and was on parole at the time of this offense. Judge Hardy scheduled sentencing for January 8, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Pending sentencing, Watson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Barbara K. Doolittle are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Pennsylvania State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Watson. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Virginia Trucker Admits to Transporting a Minor with Intent to Engage in Sex

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Virginia truck driver admitted to a federal judge today that he had sexual contact in multiple states with a minor female who traveled with him in his tractor-trailer truck, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. David Romero Reyes, 55, of Stafford, Virginia, pleaded guilty as charged by way of indictment with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. No plea agreement was filed in this matter. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In April 2021, Romero Reyes was detained by Naval Station Newport Police when a routine background check conducted prior to his being allowed to enter the Navy base to make a delivery determined that he was wanted in Texas on a charge of felony assault of a child. The young girl was located inside the sleeping compartment of the truck during a routine inspection. The girl, determined through a medical examination at Hasbro Children’s Hospital to be approximately five months pregnant, was reported missing from her Virginia home in July 2020, when she was 14 years old. An investigation determined that Romero Reyes was known to the girl and to her family prior to her disappearance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and John P. McAdams. The matter was investigated by the Naval Station Newport Police, FBI, and Rhode Island State Police. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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: Three Foreign Nationals Indicted For Illegal Reentry

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of indictments charging Francisco Juarez-Hernandez (25, Mexico), Javier Melendez-Serrano (29, Honduras), and Israel Godinez-Carrillo (27, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. According to the indictments, Juarez-Hernandez was found voluntarily present in the United States on August 3, 2025, after having been previously deported on November 10, 2020. Melendez-Serrano was found voluntarily present in the United States on March 7, 2025, after having been previously deported on October 11, 2019. Godinez-Carrillo was found voluntarily present in the United States on August 2, 2025, after having been previously deported on June 25, 2019. None of these individuals had received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Bradenton Man Sentenced To More Than 15 Years For Coercion And Enticement Of A Minor, Receipt And Possession Of Child Sex Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced James Stephen Ahearn, Jr. (33, Bradenton) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and receipt and possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). Ahearn pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025. According to court documents, using the Snapchat application, Ahearn misrepresented himself to be a 19-year-old male and coerced and enticed a 14-year-old victim to engage in sexual activity. Following the execution of search warrants, the FBI located similar sexually explicit messages with additional minor females in Ahearn’s cellphone. The FBI also located images of CSAM requested and received by Ahearn. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry. 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 Attorney’s 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.justice.gov/psc.


title: Greenwich Investment Group Operator Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Stealing more than $3.4 Million in Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUSTIN C. MURPHY, 50, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 54 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for operating an investment fraud scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, Murphy owned and operated Greenwich-based Mara Investment Group, LLC, also known as Mara Investment Management LP and Mara Investments Global Management LLC (“Mara”), which Murphy purported to be a hedge fund that solicited and accepted investments and used a quantitative strategy that balanced long and short positions in securities. Between approximately 2016 and September 2022, Murphy defrauded investors by pursuing a much riskier investment strategy than he told investors; diverting substantial investor funds for his own personal use and benefit; representing to investors that their invested funds were performing more favorably than was, in fact, the case, including providing investors with account statements that falsely representing their account balances; and providing investors with federal tax forms that falsely reported business income upon which investors would be required to pay tax. Murphy stole approximately $3,465,812 in investor funds through this scheme and used the funds to pay for personal expenses, to purchase a personal stake in his relative’s startup company, and then to fund nearly a year of living in luxury hotels in Brazil while avoiding investor complaints and lawsuits. Judge Bolden ordered Murphy to pay restitution of $3,782,154, which includes losses to an additional investor who had placed money with Murphy prior to the beginning of the charged scheme. Murphy was arrested in Brazil on December 6, 2023, and was detained for nearly 11 months while awaiting extradition to the U.S. On April 29, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Murphy, who was released on a $250,000 bond on November 1, 2024, is required to report to prison on October 15. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Brazilian authorities provided assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.


title: Groton Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Making and Possessing Child Sex Abuse Material

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL W. LANDON, 39, of Groton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 360 months of imprisonment and 15 years of supervised release for producing and possessing child sex abuse material. According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2023, the FBI began investigating an individual, subsequently identified as Landon, who was distributing child pornography on Wickr, a secure messaging and collaboration service that provides end-to-end encryption for messages, calls, and file sharing. Landon was trading videos in a Wickr chat room dedicated to spy cameras and voyeurism. The videos Landon shared depicted surreptitious videos of a minor girl in a bathroom and bedroom. On April 4, 2023, investigators seized Landon’s iPhone. Forensic analysis of the phone revealed a video of Landon sexually assaulting a minor boy, and additional videos and images depicting child sexual abuse. The phone also contained messages using the Telegram application with links to “CP (‘child pornography’) And Rape Mega Drive Collection” and “Forced Teen Sex.” Landon has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 28, 2023. On April 8, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography. The state charges against Landon are pending. This matter was investigated by the FBI and the Town of Groton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard and Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the New London State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case. To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Felon Sentenced After Jury Convicted Him of Unlawful Firearm Possession

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced after a federal jury convicted him in April of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Prophet Kelly Lamar Clark, 53, to 15 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Tulsa Police officers responded to a 911 call about a suspect with a gun. The physical description provided to law enforcement was later identified as Clark. Responding officers saw Clark walking away from the caller’s home on the phone, with a pair of keys and a loaded magazine in his right hand. When the officer asked Clark if he had a weapon, he did not respond. While Clark was being placed in handcuffs, the officer pointed out the magazine in Clark’s hand and asked again if he had a firearm on him. Clark told the officer, “right,” implying the firearm was on his right side. A purple handgun was taken from Clark’s right side. Once Clark’s identity was confirmed, records showed that he was a convicted felon. Court records show that in 2010, Clark pled guilty to felony possession of a controlled drug in state court, driving without a driver’s license, and improper tail lamps. He was sentenced to a five-year deferred sentence, which was ultimately converted to a conviction in 2011, resulting in Clark being placed on probation. Clark was detained at sentencing, pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the Tulsa Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Jessica Wright prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .