title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Possessing Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the indictment of JEFFREY BOONE(“BOONE”) , age 50, of New Orleans, on October 9, 2025, for the Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) and (a)(2). If convicted, BOONE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court records, beginning at an unknown time and continuing until July 8, 2025, BOONE was found in possession of images and videos of pre-pubescent child pornography. BOONE’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and federal agents on July 8, 2025. Following the search of his home, BOONE was arrested by Louisiana Bureau of Investigation agents. Thereafter, BOONE was transferred from state to federal custody in connection with this federal indictment. Previously, BOONE was convicted in federal court in 2008 for Possessing Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and was sentenced to one-hundred eight (108) months in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Owners and CEO of Wholesale Pharmaceutical Company Convicted of Distributing More Than $92 Million of Black-Market HIV Drugs

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale convicted two Maryland brothers who owned a pharmaceutical wholesale company on Oct. 29 for their roles in a scheme to purchase and resell more than $92 million worth of illegally obtained misbranded HIV drugs. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Patrick Boyd, 47, and Charles Boyd, 43, of Easton, Maryland, owned and operated a pharmaceutical wholesale company called Safe Chain Solutions. Their co-owner and co-defendant, Adam Brosius, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud with the Boyds. “This case exposed a reckless disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “The defendants put profit ahead of patient safety, moving more than $92 million in tampered, black-market HIV medication through pharmacies across the country. Our Office will continue holding accountable those who endanger the public and betray the trust that underpins our healthcare system.” Trial evidence showed that the Boyds conspired with at least five black-market suppliers to purchase HIV drugs obtained through patient “buyback schemes.” The Boyds then resold the drugs to thousands of pharmacies nationwide—including South Florida—while using falsified paperwork to make the medications appear to have been purchased from legitimate distributors. One of their suppliers, Peter Khaim, owner of Boulevard 9229, testified that he purchased HIV drugs from patients on the street, removed the original prescription labels, and packaged the bottles in cardboard boxes—sometimes scavenged from trash on pick-up days—before shipping them to the Boyds. On one occasion, Khaim used a diaper box he found on the street to ship the drugs because it was sturdy enough to hold the bottles. In a separate shipment, he sent approximately $500,000 worth of HIV medications in a single cardboard box to Safe Chain Solutions. Many of the bottles were dirty, scuffed, and missing patient instructions, yet the Boyds accepted and resold them with falsified paperwork concealing their origin. In total, the Boyds purchased and resold more than $35 million in black-market HIV drugs from Boulevard 9229 and more than $42 million from another supplier, Gentek, whose leaders were based in Miami. One Gentek leader has already been convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Throughout the conspiracy, pharmacies repeatedly complained that the drugs purchased from Safe Chain Solutions were dirty, tampered with, or contained the wrong medication. On at least a dozen occasions, pharmacies reported receiving bottles labeled as HIV medication that instead contained other drugs, including Seroquel, an anti-psychotic, and pain medication. One patient who ingested Seroquel believing it was his prescribed HIV medication lost consciousness for 24 hours. Evidence at trial established that missing even a single dose of HIV medication can increase a patient’s viral load and heighten community transmission risk in areas with high HIV infection rates. A former attorney for the Boyds testified that they concealed and misrepresented material information while seeking legal advice about pharmacy complaints and reporting obligations to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the evidence, the Boyds failed to report numerous incidents to the FDA involving pharmacies that had received incorrect or tampered medications. Safe Chain Solutions’ former Director of Compliance testified over four days that she repeatedly warned the Boyds about the risks of purchasing from black-market suppliers, but her concerns were ignored. She testified that Charles Boyd falsely told her the company could continue doing business with Boulevard 9229 because the lawyers had approved it, contradicting both attorney testimony and contemporaneous emails. A second former Compliance Manager testified that the Boyds instructed her not to document concerns in writing and often responded to compliance questions by saying, “Figure it the **** out,” or “FITFO,” a phrase she said was commonly used by the Boyds. After a multi-week trial, the jury convicted the Boyds each of one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs, two counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to traffic in medical products with false documentation, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of wire fraud. The Boyds each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs count, three years in prison for each count of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, 15 years in prison for conspiracy to traffic in medical products with false documentation, 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and 20 years in prison for the wire fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Special Agent in Charge Fernando Porras of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. HHS-OIG Miami and FBI Miami are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski and Trial Attorney Jacqueline Zee DerOvanesian of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20255.


title: Mexican National Convicted of Tax Fraud Scheme

component: Office of Public Affairs

body_text: Last week, a federal jury in Las Vegas convicted a Mexican national of operating a scheme in which he claimed to be an IRS officer and misrepresented to victims that he was able to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars for them from a fictitious IRS program. The following is according to court documents and evidence presented at trial: Francisco Ivan Velazquez, a Mexico national, falsely held himself out to be an employee of the IRS and claimed to his victims that he could secure large monetary payments for them from the IRS. Velazquez falsely claimed that such funds were available from a purported IRS program that allowed people who had previously lost a home to foreclosure to recoup money by applying to the IRS and filing certain documents. Velazquez advised the victims that, in exchange for a fee, he would submit an application for them to recover the funds. In some instances, Velazquez then aided in the presentation of a false tax return with the IRS on behalf of the victim that claimed that the victim had federal tax withholdings of $100,000 or more and requested the withholdings be refunded. Velazquez was convicted of three counts of wire fraud, one count of aiding the presentation of a false tax return, and two counts of impersonating an IRS officer. The jury did not return a verdict on four counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. Velazquez is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, a maximum penalty of three years in prison for aiding in the presentation of a false tax return, and a maximum penalty of years in prison for each count of impersonating an officer or employee of the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are investigating the case.


title: Portland Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine : A Portland man was sentenced on November 5, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Keon Gaston , 36, to 48 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court records, in March 2025, officers from the Portland Police Department were dispatched following a report of a suspect breaking a vehicle window with a rock. Officers located the suspect and identified him as Gaston. When asked about the broken window, he replied, “What about it?” and told officers the vehicle had tried to “strike him.” After determining there was an active warrant for a failure to appear, officers searched Gaston and located a Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 9mm pistol, which had been reported stolen in August 2024. Gaston was precluded from possessing firearms due to previous convictions, including for drug trafficking and robbery. ATF investigated the case with assistance from the Portland Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods : 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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn . Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Professional Tax Return Preparer  Convicted for Preparing False Tax Returns

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Brunswick man was found guilty on October 29, 2025, of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns for others and of filing false tax returns for himself following a three-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Portland. According to court records and testimony at trial, Lawrence Okeyo , 48, was a professional tax return preparer in Portland. He prepared tax returns for others in exchange for a fee. Okeyo often collected his preparation fees, which sometimes exceeded $1,000, from the tax refunds issued to his clients. Okeyo falsified his clients’ tax returns by claiming bogus, unreimbursed employee expenses that can be deducted only by a limited set of professionals: Armed Forces reservists, qualified performing artists, fee-basis state or local government officials, and employees with impairment-related work expenses. Neither Okeyo nor his clients met these qualifications. By falsifying tax returns, Okeyo generated or inflated unwarranted tax refunds for his clients and himself. Okeyo also prepared a false tax return for an undercover IRS agent posing as a client. During his interactions with the undercover agent, Okeyo told the agent, “I know that you should pay [taxes]. What I’m wanting to do is save you from paying.” Okeyo then fabricated supposed business expenses on the tax return he prepared for the undercover agent. Okeyo advised the undercover agent that, if he was audited, he would not be able to prove that he was entitled to claim the expenses. Okeyo faces up to three years of imprisonment for each of the 18 false tax returns he was convicted of preparing and filing. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated this case. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Lowell, Massachusetts, man pleaded guilty on November 12, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of distributing methamphetamine. According to court records, Rocky Buth , 32, was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine between November 2024 and January 2025. In late November 2024, an FBI confidential source met with Buth and a co-conspirator in southern Maine and received approximately 220 grams of methamphetamine pills. On two subsequent dates in December 2024 and January 2025, Buth provided the FBI source with approximately 361 grams of methamphetamine pills and 419 grams of methamphetamine pills, respectively. Buth faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10 million fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Portland Police Department, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Bradley Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Bradley man pleaded guilty on November 6, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to court records, between July and October 2024, Darren Deorsey , 50, conspired with others to fraudulently obtain money by entering banks, impersonating legitimate bank account holders, and using fictitious identification cards to gain access to their bank accounts and withdraw funds. Through fraud, Deorsey was able to obtain funds from the accounts and take out an unauthorized $5,000 home equity line of credit in the name of an account holder. Deorsey faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. For aggravated identity theft, he faces a mandatory prison term of two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a $250,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bangor Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Enforcement Services Division. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Two Charged in Human Smuggling Event that Led to at Least Four Deaths

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – David Alfonso Barrera Nunes, a Mexican national believed to be the captain of a smuggling boat that capsized off Imperial Beach in rough surf over the weekend, was charged in federal court today in connection with the deaths of four passengers. Barrera Nunes was arrested Saturday and charged today with Bringing in Aliens Resulting in Death and Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. A detention hearing is scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Leshner. A second man, Luis Enrique Barreto Goitia, a Mexican national who was a passenger on the panga, was also charged for being a removed alien who again entered the United States illegally. He was most recently removed from the United States on November 3, 2025. He was first removed from the U.S. in 2012. According to the complaint, at about 11:30 p.m. on November 14, 2025, Border Patrol Agents were notified of a small vessel crossing the international maritime boundary between Mexico and the United States. About an hour later, Border Patrol Agents responded to Imperial Beach and spotted a vessel that had capsized in six-foot waves, with several people emerging from the water. Nine people were believed to be aboard the boat, including four who perished and five who were rescued, detained or both. The five survivors were transported to a hospital for treatment. Passengers told harrowing stories about their ordeal. One man, who had been trapped inside the cabin below deck when the boat overturned, found a pocket of air and was able to breathe while the boat was submerged with him and several others inside. He was able to exit the cabin after Border Patrol agents flipped the boat over. He said he doesn’t know how to swim and believed that he was going to drown. Somehow, he said, he was able to reach the shore where he was aided by Border Patrol agents. The complaint quoted several passengers who said the boat experienced engine problems, leading to an argument between the captain and passengers who urged him to return to Mexico. The captain refused and attempted to reach shore despite having no engine power, causing the vessel to rotate in the waves and capsize. According to the complaint, the captain was the second to make it to shore. He never attempted to rescue his passengers. One passenger told agents he was reluctantly accompanying his granddaughter on the voyage. He said that before the vessel capsized, the captain ordered everyone to jump into the water. The vessel then capsized; the grandfather and granddaughter were trapped inside the vessel. As it rolled, the grandfather was able to pull his granddaughter out, but he remained trapped. He said a piece of metal penetrated his leg, causing a severe injury. He believed he was going to die, he said, but when the vessel came to a stop, he was pulled out and rescued. Three deceased adults were identified as Bartolo Baltazar Baltazar; Epifanio Molina Bravo; and Hector Lopez Lopez. The fourth remains unidentified. “Bad weather, rough seas, a dangerous and overloaded vessel - these were all risks that smugglers were willing to disregard in their desire for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Maritime smuggling is extremely dangerous, and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law every individual responsible for these preventable tragedies.” “This event underscores the very real danger and consequences of crossing the border illegally,” said San Diego Sector Chief Border Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre. “The decision of this smuggling organization to carelessly risk the lives of everyone involved is truly inexcusable. We will ensure full accountability for anyone who chooses to violate our Nation’s laws.” “This tragic incident underscores the inherent dangers of maritime smuggling and the callous disregard smugglers have for human life,” said HSI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “Due to the exceptional work of the HSI San Diego Marine Task Force and our state, local, and federal partners who responded, lives were saved and those responsible for this tragedy are being held accountable. Together, we remain steadfast in our commitment to combat human smuggling and protect the safety and security of our communities.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Van Demark and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lauricella. DEFENDANTS Case Number 25mj6283-DDL David Alfonso Barrera Nunes Age: 37 Mexico Luis Enrique Barreto Goitia Age: 39 Mexico SUMMARY OF CHARGES Bringing in Aliens Resulting in Death – Title 8, U.S.C., Sections 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(II), and (a)(1)(B)(iv) Maximum penalty: Death or Life in Prison and $250,000 fine (Barrera Nunes) Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii) Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison with a three-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine (Barrera Nunes) Deported Alien Found in the United States – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1326 Maximum penalty: Two years in prison and $250,000 fine (Barreto Goitia) INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force U.S. Border Patrol U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations United States Coast Guard Imperial Beach Fire-Rescue Department Imperial Beach Marine Safety - Lifeguards San Diego County Sheriff’s Department San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Barrington, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty on November 6, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a felon. According to court records, in March 2025, Kittery Police Department officers responded to the Kittery Trading Post regarding a potential shoplifting incident. Police were directed to a group of males that had just left the store, one of whom was identified as Jonathan Grant , 43. Officers located a .22 caliber pistol and a box containing 100 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition during a search of Grant’s jacket. Grant was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition by virtue of prior felony convictions. Grant faces a term of imprisonment of up to 15 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a supervised release term of up to three years. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Kittery Police Department. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Peru Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Drug Trafficking

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Peru man was sentenced on October 14, 2025, in the U.S. District Court in Portland for his involvement in trafficking dangerous drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Adam Gill, 31, to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court records, on March 29, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 20 grams of fentanyl and 36 grams of methamphetamine from Gill. Gill himself obtained the drugs from a juvenile male, a Trinitario associate, whom the gang had dispatched to Gill’s house to sell drugs. The Trinitarios are a Dominican-based street gang with vast operations in Northern Massachusetts who routinely travel to points in Maine to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine. As with Gill, the Trinitarios frequently find drug-addicted individuals in Maine with stable housing; they then utilize the drug-addicted individual’s house to distribute drugs, employing the addict to middle drug transactions with locals. Gill’s prosecution is part of a larger operation conducted by FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Maine State Police, the Lewiston Police, the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rumford Police under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Greene Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Drug Trafficking

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine : A Greene man was sentenced on October 8, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a federal drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced John Labbe , 44, to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Labbe pleaded guilty on July 1, 2025. According to court records, in January 2025, Lewiston police officers approached and detained Labbe after they observed him operating a vehicle unlawfully. Officers recovered from Labbe a handgun with a laser sight. Inside a backpack he was wearing, officers found quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base. A later search of Labbe’s cell phone revealed communications in which he arranged for the distribution of controlled substances. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case, with the assistance of the Lewiston Police Department, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine Attorney General’s Office. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Bath Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Bath man was sentenced on October 2, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of firearms. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Noah Sibole-Little , 29, to 21 months in federal prison to be followed by 2 years of supervised release. Sibole-Little pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025. According to court records, in October 2024, the Bath Police Department received information that Sibole-Little had potentially threatened an individual at a residence with a firearm. Bath officers and Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office personnel responded to the area and established a perimeter. Officers observed Sibole-Little exit a rear door to the residence with a backpack and toss the backpack over a fence into a bush. Police seized the backpack and found three firearms inside, two 9mm pistols and a .380 caliber pistol. Sibole-Little had 2016 convictions for robbery and aggravated assault in Cumberland County and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Bath Police Department and Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office. Project Safe Neighborhoods : 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 Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn . Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Re-Entry After Deportation

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty on October 9, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally re-entering the United States after a prior removal. According to court records, Derli Francisco De Souza , 59, was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by Brunswick police officers in August 2025 for speeding. De Souza identified himself to officers as a national of Guatemala. Immigration records showed that he had previously been removed from the U.S. in 2011 and did not have a visa or other documentation that would allow him to re-enter the country. De Souza faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a year of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. Operation Take Back America : This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the US After Prior Removals

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national was sentenced on November 5, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Bangor for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Javier Amateco-Navarrette , 38, to a sentence of time served (approximately 50 days). Amateco-Navarrette pleaded guilty on September 30, 2025. According to court records, on September 16, 2025, Amateco-Navarrette was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol in Oakland, Maine. During the traffic stop, Amateco-Navarrette admitted he was a citizen of Mexico and in the U.S. illegally. He was previously removed from the country on two separate occasions in 2018. The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 6 Months for Making Interstate Threats

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: An Illinois man was sentenced on October 30, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making threatening interstate communications. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Massimo Frangella , 25, to 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Frangella pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025. According to court records, Frangella sent seven identical emails to Maine public officials from his email account. The subject line of each read: “You’re going to die.” In the body of the emails, Frangella further threatened: “I’m going to kill you and all of your child raping friends.” He targeted the victims because of their status as public officials. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from Maine Capitol Police. “Massimo Frangella used words as his weapon, sending threatening messages to Maine public officials whose views he didn’t agree with,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. "Now, he’ll spend the next six months behind bars in federal prison. Please don’t let keyboard courage short-circuit your future. There are productive ways to express your anger and desire for change, but threats of violence will never be one of them.” Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Federal Jury Convicts Howland Man of Passport Fraud

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Howland man was found guilty on October 16, 2025, of making false statements on a passport application, following a three-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Bangor. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Eric Ericson , 73, applied for a U.S. passport at a U.S. Post Office in Bangor on March 24, 2023. When asked about any other names he had used, Ericson failed to disclose his multiple aliases on his passport application. Ericson also falsely reported that he had never applied for or been issued a U.S. passport before, when in fact he had previously applied for and obtained a passport under a different name. He falsely certified that the information in his application was true and correct. Ericson faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Diplomatic Security Service Portsmouth Resident Office investigated the case with assistance from the Maine State Police. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 21 Months for Stealing Nearly $400,000 from Maine Couple While They Were on Vacation

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Texas man was sentenced on October 7, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Bangor for four counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Kyle Lawless Pollar , 28, to 21 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $360,000 in restitution. According to court records, in October 2022, the FBI began an investigation after a Maine couple reported a loss of nearly $400,000 via unauthorized wire transfers and purchases from their bank account. The couple stated that after returning from a vacation, they unsuccessfully attempted to log into their bank account and called the bank to request their username and password be reset. Once able to view the account, they found multiple wire transfers on the statement. The investigation showed that in August 2022, an unknown person called the bank pretending to be the account holder, requesting the account balance and updating the contact phone number. Shortly after, they also changed the contact email address. Over a two-week period, several transfers were made between the victims’ home equity line of credit account to their savings account. Multiple wire transfers were then made to a Texas bank account held by Pollar. The four wire transfers totaled $360,880. $66,000 from one wire transfer was transferred to a jeweler also located in Texas. Pollar withdrew funds from his account in cash and cashier’s checks, and the cashier’s checks were deposited in other Texas bank accounts in his name. Security cameras captured him making deposits and withdrawing funds. The FBI investigated the case. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: New Jersey Man Sentenced for Failing to Stop for Inspection at Calais International Port of Entry

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A New Jersey man was sentenced on September 30, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Bangor for failing to report his arrival and present himself for inspection at the international port of entry in Calais. U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced Jason Brenner , 53, to 115 days of imprisonment, followed by a year of supervised release. Brenner pleaded guilty on August 12, 2025. According to court records, on July 1, 2025, Brenner drove a vehicle traveling outbound from the United States and entered Canada. After a brief encounter with Canadian immigration officials, Brenner turned his vehicle around and sped back towards the U.S. Instead of stopping his vehicle and presenting himself for inspection at the Calais port of entry, Brenner entered the U.S. by traveling in the outbound lane in the wrong direction, bypassing the incoming traffic inspection lanes. Following a pursuit where Brenner reached speeds of over 100 mph, he crashed the vehicle and was found in the woods with a loaded firearm, two loaded magazines, and wearing body armor. Another loaded firearm was found inside the vehicle. U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol and the Baileyville and Indian Township police departments. Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations. ###


title: Transportation companies agree to pay $4.4 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations involving fraudulently obtained PPP loans

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that 3rd Avenue Transit, Inc. and Y&M Transit Corporation have agreed to pay $4.4 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they improperly obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for which they were not eligible. The PPP was an emergency loan program established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March of 2020 and expanded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in 2021. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could obtain loans to cover payroll costs or other specified business expenses. PPP loans were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and subject to forgiveness if spent on eligible expenses. However, PPP loans were only available to a subset of businesses that met the eligibility criteria. As one condition to second-draw loan eligibility, the applicant company and its affiliates must have had no more than 300 employees collectively. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications, including regarding their size, number of employees, and affiliate entities. 3rd Avenue and Y&M applied for and received a total of $2,402,800 in second-draw PPP loans, certifying that they were a small business with fewer than 300 employees. The government contends that 3rd Avenue and Y&M, along with a third company, were affiliates under the PPP rules. As a result, 3rd Avenue and Y&M were ineligible for the second-draw loans because they employed more than 300 employees. “Paycheck Protection Program loans were intended to help small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “Our office continues to invest time and resources to hold accountable those who obtained PPP funds for which they were not eligible.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement or judgment. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan W. Ferris, and Investigator Margaret McFarland, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability. # # # #


title: Attica man charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Edward Forrester, 67, of Attica, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography and possession of child pornography following a prior conviction. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prsion and a maximum of 30 years. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron J. Mango and Evan K. Glaberson, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in April 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alerted the New York State Police that a Google user identified as “edward forrester,” uploaded files of suspected child pornography to YouTube. One of the uploaded videos was described as “UNFAMILIAR and may depict NEWLY PRODUCED and/or HOMEMADE CONTENT.” Further investigation identified a victim in the video. On May 5, 2022, a search warrant was executed on a camper and two vehicles that Forrester stored at his brother’s property in Wyoming County. A cell phone and tablet were seized, and Forrester was charged in New York State Court with one count of Sexual Abuse First and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Investigators also executed a search warrant at Forrester’s residence at the time in Corfu, NY, during which two more cell phones were seized. A subsequent forensic review recovered four images of suspected child pornography, including an image of the victim. FBI Buffalo is seeking assistance from the public. Members of the public, who have specific information related to this case, are urged to contact the FBI Buffalo Field Office at (716) 617-3250. A photo of Forrester is attached. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Former CFO Sentenced To Three Years In Federal Prison For Embezzling Over $9 Million From SF Seafood Wholesaler

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Antonietta Nguyen was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for her role in orchestrating multiple fraud schemes against ABS Seafood, Inc., a seafood wholesaler in San Francisco where Nguyen previously served as Chief Financial Officer. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence on November 14, 2025. At the conclusion of a two-week trial in June 2025, a federal jury convicted Nguyen of 12 felony counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nguyen used her access to ABS Seafood’s bank account and credit cards to divert millions of dollars to pay off her personal credit card, pay personal expenses on her corporate credit card, and authorize payment of fraudulent invoices from a seafood exporter in the Philippines that was formally owned by Nguyen’s brother. Nguyen used the stolen funds to pay property taxes for her residence and a rental property, her children’s college tuition, and over a million dollars in luxury goods, among other expenses. From at least 2015 and continuing into 2020, Nguyen misappropriated approximately $2.7 million in company funds. Nguyen traveled the world to purchase luxury purses, scarves, and other items, which she stored in a designated room in her home. She also provided corporate credit cards to her family members and authorized charges including luxury vacations that were ultimately paid for by ABS Seafood. The Court found that over the course of six-and-a-half years, Nguyen cost ABS Seafood over $9 million through her fraud schemes. The jury also convicted Nguyen of evading federal taxes by failing to report her true income from ABS Seafood. Nguyen’s personal income taxes omitted the millions in benefits that she received from ABS Seafood through the payment for personal expenses. In total, the Court found that Nguyen owed an additional $121,336.08 in unpaid taxes related to the unreported income. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Judge Illston also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on February 6, 2026. A restitution hearing is scheduled for January 16, 2026. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja M. Paidipaty and Colin Sampson are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.


title: Dayton man pleads guilty to threatening to kill Congressman

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man admitted in federal court here today to threatening to kill a United States Congressman. Jeffery Dorsey, 60, formerly of Columbus, pleaded guilty to making interstate communications with a threat to inure. According to court documents, Dorsey left a voicemail on the Congressman’s main office line threatening to kill the representative if he voted to make cuts to Medicaid. He stated, in part, “If you vote to take my f***ing Medicaid away, I’m gonna cut your f***ing head off…But I tell you this, clearly to your brain, if you f*** with my Medicaid, you’re a dead f***.” Dorsey was charged federally and arrested in July 2025. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Adam Lawson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Morrisdale Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Brandon Kifer, 45, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines to Counts One and Two of the Indictment. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around February 2023 to March 2023 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Kifer conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Kifer.


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to More than Seven Years in Prison for Firearms Offenses

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

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. MARTEL WILLIAMS, 33, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Williams admitted in a plea agreement that on Dec. 1, 2023, he possessed a loaded semiautomatic firearm. Williams sold the firearm to a confidential informant. On Oct. 30, 2025, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Williams to 87 months in federal prison. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of ATF’s Chicago Field Division. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson. Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.


title: Wilmer Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Prison  for Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Wilmer man was sentenced to 168 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. According to court documents, on April 21, 2025, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting on Trace Lane in Wilmer, Alabama. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a 17-year-old deceased male with apparent gunshot wounds. Witnesses identified, and the investigation confirmed, Jason Paul Covington, 43, as the shooter. Following the shooting, Covington hid the firearm under a nearby shed and fled the scene. Deputies recovered the firearm, a Winchester Model 1200, 12-gauge shotgun. Covington has a prior felony conviction for Escape. As a convicted felon, Covington is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Covington was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock sentenced Covington to 168 months in prison to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica S. Terrill and Jimmy L. Thomas prosecuted the case on behalf of 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.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced For Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Henrry Dany Herrera-Hernandez, a/k/a Henrry Herrera Hernandez, age 52, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office. On July 29, 2025, Herrera-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 17, 2025, Herrera-Hernandez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on December 24, 2019. 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). The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Angel Urbina-Ramirez, a/k/a Angel Urbina Ramirez, a/k/a Angel Urbinaramirez, age 54, a Mexican national unlawfully present in LeFlore County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Poteau Police Department. On July 21, 2025, Urbina-Ramirez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 13, 2025, Urbina-Ramirez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on January 30, 2018. 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). The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Urbina-Ramirez will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alex Eduardo Turcios-Brizuela, a/k/a Alex Turcior Brizaela, a/k/a Alex Turcios, age 42, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 14 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office. On June 26, 2025, Turcios-Brizuela pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 18, 2025, Turcios-Brizuela, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on February 26, 2009, and March 20, 2009. 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). The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Turcios-Brizuela will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaime Yair Arellano-Perez, age 37, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. On October 8, 2025, Arellano-Perez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on October 1, 2025, Arellano-Perez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 25, 2012, October 6, 2014, and August 26, 2015. 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). The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Arellano-Perez was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Santos Reyes-Garcia, a/k/a Edgar Benjamin Colorado Mora, a/k/a Edgar Colorado-Moran, a/k/a Santos Garcia Reyes, age 38, a Guatemalan national unlawfully present in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. On June 9, 2025, Reyes-Garcia pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 5, 2025, Reyes-Garcia, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on December 15, 2008. 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). The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


title: Wagoner County Resident Sentenced For Aggravated Sexual Abuse Of A Child In Indian Country

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clovis Lee Estes, age 36, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. On June 26, 2025, Estes pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 11, 2025, Estes knowingly engaged in a sexual act with the victim, a person who had not attained the age of 12 years. The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Estes will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Marion County Man Pleads Guilty To Aiming A Laser Pointer At A Sheriff’s Office Helicopter

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Adam Santiago Lugo (41, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to a federal indictment charging him with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Santiago Lugo faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, on the night of August 2, 2025, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopter (“Air 1”) was in flight over Ocala working a burglary investigation when it was repeatedly struck with a green laser coming from Santiago-Lugo’s residence. The laser strikes interfered with the two-man flight crew’s ability to operate the helicopter and placed it in danger. The crew was forced to fly the helicopter primarily by instrumentation, shielding their eyes with their hands from the laser strikes. Using the helicopter’s cameras, the crew located Santiago Lugo in his front yard. He was wearing binoculars and holding a laser pointer in his right hand. Santiago Lugo in his driveway with the laser pointer and binoculars (as seen from “Air 1’s” cameras). Santiago Lugo pointing the laser at “Air-1.” A deputy was quickly dispatched to the residence and arrested Santiago Lugo. He was still wearing the binoculars around his neck and had the green laser pointer in his hand. After waiving his constitutional rights, Santiago Lugo admitted that he was “just being silly” when he repeatedly struck the helicopter with the green laser. He said he knew the aircraft was a sheriff’s office helicopter because it “flies over his house all the time.” This case was investigated by the Federal Air Marshals, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.


title: Eight Men Charged In Conspiracy To Steal More Than 100 Cars And Sell Them To Unsuspecting Buyers

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, and Superintendent of the New York State Police (“NYSP”), Steven G. James, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging eight defendants in connection with operating a years-long stolen car ring involving more than approximately 100 stolen cars, primarily Honda, Acura, and Jeep vehicles, worth approximately millions of dollars. The defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess and sell stolen vehicles, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Six of the defendants were arrested yesterday and presented in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky. “New Yorkers have every right to expect safety and security on our streets and in our homes,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers are smart. They know that car theft rings and other fraud schemes inflict great harm on their victims and cost all of us. As alleged, the eight men charged stole cars from the streets of New York, time and again, and trafficked them to unsuspecting buyers along the East Coast, causing millions of dollars in losses. Yesterday’s arrests reinforce that when thieves prey upon hardworking New Yorkers, the women and men of the SDNY and our law enforcement partners will bring them to justice on behalf of all law-abiding New Yorkers.” “This announcement highlights HSI New York's unwavering commitment to ensuring a safer community and to pursuing all individuals and co-conspirators allegedly tied to this auto theft ring,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “This is not a victimless crime; a stolen car disrupts daily life and inflicts lasting harm on innocent New Yorkers, robbing them of their sense of security and stability. The public deserves to know their neighborhoods are safe, that they can park their vehicles without fear, and that their hard-earned purchases are protected. HSI New York, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to identify, dismantle, and deter the criminal networks that exploit our neighborhoods and threaten our livelihoods.” “Hondas continue to represent a significant number of auto thefts in New York City, and the NYPD is doing exactly what we do best to combat crime: finding the criminals responsible and stopping their illegal operations,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “Through precision policing and a multi-year investigation, the world’s greatest detectives dismantled this massive criminal ring – and I want to thank the NYPD investigators for their commitment to this case, as well as HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued partnership.” “Through collaboration among law enforcement partners at all levels, we have intercepted a highly organized car theft operation that was responsible for victimizing car buyers across the East Coast,” said NYSP Superintendent Steven G. James. “The defendants had no regard for the financial damage they inflicted or for the safety of the victims. I commend the efforts of all those involved in bringing this criminal activity to an end and for the outstanding work that led to the charges in this case.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint: [1] From approximately March 2022 through November 2025, the defendants and others conspired to steal cars—primarily those parked on the street in the Bronx or Queens, New York—and sell them to unsuspecting buyers across the East Coast. After stealing the cars, the defendants and their co-conspirators stashed them in so-called lay-up spots for a cooling-off period to avoid law enforcement detection. Meanwhile, they took steps to disguise the fact that the cars had been stolen. They altered the cars’ Vehicle Identification Numbers (“VINs”) and then obtained services for the cars—often an oil change—using the new, fake VINs. This allowed the defendants to obtain vehicle history reports that appeared to show genuine maintenance and other activity, thereby helping the defendants to trick purchasers into believing that the car was not stolen. The defendants then offered to sell the stolen cars, generally starting on a social media platform that allows users to buy and sell products and then completing the sale in person. * * * PEDRO MANUEL LOPEZ MARTE, 38, of the Bronx, New York; JERRY LOPEZ PAULINO, 33, of the Bronx; SERGIO DIAZ RAMIREZ, 35, of the Bronx; PEDRO ROJAS, 62, of the Bronx; JUSTIN MARTHA, 24, of the Bronx; ERICK ROJAS CRUZ, 27, of the Bronx; JOSE FERREIRA, 48, of the Bronx; and RONALD ARIAS SANTOS, 30, of Hempstead, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and sell stolen vehicles, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the NYPD Auto Crime Division Major Case Team, the special agents and task force officers from the HSI New York Seaport Trade Group, and the NYSP Auto Theft Unit. The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Mandilk is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Financial Advisor Sentenced for Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 5, 2025, Robert C. Starnes (age: 66) was sentenced to 40 months’ incarceration for an investment fraud scheme that resulted in a loss of more than $3 million to more than a dozen victims. According to court records, Starnes operated Robert C. Starnes Financial Services in Wauwatosa, holding himself out as a legitimate investment broker and retirement advisor. Over the course of years, Starnes convinced friends, friends of friends, and family members to invest their retirement savings with him. He promised that he would increase the value of their retirement savings through his investment strategies. As part of his scheme, Starnes gave his victims fake statements, showing that their investments were growing. In reality, Starnes accepted checks from his victims and simply deposited them in his personal bank account, where he then used the funds to pay for his own expenses. At his sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman noted that Starnes had not invested any funds on behalf of his victims. Judge Adelman also noted that Starnes’s victims were not wealthy, but ordinary, hard-working families. In addition to the 40-month period of incarceration, Starnes was ordered to pay restitution to his victims in the amount of $3,093,304.17, and to serve a period of 3 years supervised release. “The sentence in this case takes into account both the significant financial losses caused by the defendant’s scheme and the fact that he abused the trust of his victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. “The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims and to hold those who engage in fraud schemes fully accountable for their actions.” "Illegal activity involving the investment industry has brought financial ruin to many Americans. IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to bring our forensic accounting skills to this joint venture and help put a stop to this and other types of white-collar crime.", said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today's sentencing demonstrates how law enforcement will work together to help put an end to the criminal behavior of those who prey on investors for their personal financial gain.” “Defrauding people out of savings for retirement is reprehensible,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Perpetrators of fraud should be held accountable. I’m thankful to those who worked on this case.” The Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case, and it was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carter B. Stewart. For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty To Illegal Reentry Into The United States

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jorge Mazariegos-De Leon (39, Mexico) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Mazariegos-De Leon faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, at some time between May 2014 and April 2024, Mazariegos-De Leon voluntarily entered the United States, with knowledge that he had previously been removed and that he was not legally permitted to reenter. On April 1, 2024, officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations found Mazariegos-De Leon in Manatee County. Mazariegos-De Leon is a native and citizen of Mexico and was previously removed from the United States on two different occasions in 2014. This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III. 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. NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Cryptocurrency Investment Firm Founder Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Defrauding Investors in $9.4M Ponzi Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Oklahoma man was sentenced yesterday to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay over $1 million in forfeiture and over $170,000 in restitution for his leading role in a cryptocurrency investment fraud conspiracy. According to court documents and admissions, Travis Ford, 36, of Glenpool, Oklahoma, was the CEO, co-founder, and head trader of Wolf Capital Crypto Trading LLC, a cryptocurrency investment firm that raised $9.4 million from approximately 2,800 investors. From at least January 2023 through at least August 2023, Ford solicited investments through the company website and other social media and internet-based promotion activities. Ford held himself out as a sophisticated trader, able to deliver high returns of 1–2% per day (approximately 547% per year). As part of his guilty plea, Ford admitted that he did not believe those promised investment returns were possible to achieve consistently. Instead, Ford and his co-conspirators allegedly made such false promises to induce members of the public to invest money in the company. Ford then misappropriated and diverted investor funds to benefit himself and his co-conspirators, to the financial detriment of investors. In January 2025, Ford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Acting Assistant Attorney Matthew R. Galeotti and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement. The USPIS is investigating the case. Trial Attorney John J. Liolos of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.


title: CROSS CITY MAN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR  TRAFFICKING IN METHAMPHETAMINE

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Khiri Jackson, 31, of Cross City, Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case exemplifies the excellent partnerships between our state and federal law enforcement partners that are forged in the unified commitment to rid our communities of deadly drugs and the criminals who traffic this poison. My office stands ready to aggressively pursue drug traffickers with the full force of the law.” Court documents reflect that the Drug Enforcement Administration had been investigating the drug trafficking activities of Jackson since late 2024. On April 15, 2025, a traffic stop was conducted as Jackson returned to Old Town from the Ocala area, where officers believed his source of supply was located. After a canine alerted on Jackson’s vehicle, approximately a pound of methamphetamine was located in a vacuum sealed bag on the driver’s floorboard. Jackson has prior state convictions for selling methamphetamine. "This sentence sends a clear message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated in Dixie County. Methamphetamine has devastated too many families in our community, and we will continue to work side by side with our federal, state, and local partners to hold offenders accountable and keep our neighborhoods safe," said Sheriff Darby Butler. “Stopping drug traffickers and keeping deadly drugs out of our communities is our mission,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Every Mr. Jackson we bring to justice is one step closer to protecting our communities.” The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James A. McCain. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access 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: Mexican National Indicted For Immigration, Fraud, And Identity Theft Crimes

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Juan Jaramillo Vazquez, a/k/a Juan Vazquiz (49, Bradenton), with one count of illegal reentry by a deported alien, two counts of Social Security fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Vazquez faces a minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment for each count of Social Security fraud, and up to two years in prison for illegal reentry. According to the indictment, Vazquez was found to be voluntarily present in the United States after having been previously removed from the United States three times in 2012. Vazquez had not received the consent of the Attorney General or Security of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Vazquez is a citizen of Mexico. Vazquez also fraudulently used the Social Security number related to Victim 1 to gain employment and tax benefits, fraudulently representing himself to an employer and the Social Security Administration. 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. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel. 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. NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: VRA Enterprises Agrees To Pay Over $17 Million For Allegedly Billing Medicare For Over-The-Counter COVID-19 Tests That Were Not Provided To Beneficiaries, Or That Were Sent To Beneficiaries Months After Being Billed To Medicare

body_text: Tampa, FL – VRA Enterprises, LLC dba Precision Rx (VRA), a pharmacy located in Tampa, Florida, has agreed to pay the United States $17,069,371 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims to Medicare for Over-The-Counter (OTC) Covid-19 tests that were not provided to beneficiaries, or that were sent to beneficiaries months after VRA had billed them to Medicare. Between April 2022 and May 2023, VRA distributed OTC Covid-19 tests in connection with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) OTC Covid-19 Test Demonstration Project (Demonstration Project). During the Demonstration Project, Medicare Part B beneficiaries could request OTC Covid-19 tests from participating providers, such as VRA, and CMS would reimburse those providers for up to eight OTC Covid-19 tests per beneficiary per month, at a fixed rate of $12 per test. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that VRA knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medicare for OTC Covid-19 tests in connection with the Demonstration Project. The United States contends that, between August 2022 and May 2023, VRA submitted claims to Medicare for OTC COVID-19 tests that it did not provide to beneficiaries. The United States also contends that, in January 2023, VRA submitted approximately 136,491 claims to Medicare for OTC COVID-19 test it did not ship to beneficiaries until April 2023. VRA received thousands of complaints from beneficiaries during the Demonstration Project about missing OTC COVID-19 tests. VRA also repeatedly acknowledged internally that it had “billed Medicare” for tests it “failed to ship” and should “issue a refund” to Medicare “immediately” for such tests, but did not do so. As a result of this conduct, the United States contends that VRA knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to the Medicare Program in violation of the False Claims Act. “The Department of Justice has been vocal in prioritizing the pursuit of civil fraud cases against providers that raided federal health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “This settlement is an excellent example of our district’s commitment to meeting this important challenge.” “When providers bill for services that were never delivered for matters such as COVID-19, they not only squander taxpayer dollars, but they also drain critical resources in our public health response,” said Christian J. Schrank, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stamp out deceptive schemes that violate the False Claims Act and undermine the integrity of our nation’s federal health care programs.” The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, and HHS-OIG. This matter was handled by Civil Division Fraud Section Trial Attorney Lindsay DeFrancesco and by AUSA Carolyn Tapie. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.