title: Melvindale Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to  Attack a Military Base on Behalf of ISIS

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - A Melvindale man – and former member of the Michigan Army National Guard – was arrested after he attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass-shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization. He is charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Sue J. Bai, Chief of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General of Army Counterintelligence Command. Charged was Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19. According to the complaint, Said informed two undercover law enforcement officers of a plan he had devised and formulated to conduct a mass-shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (“TACOM”) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. In April, 2025, the two undercover officers indicated they intended to carry out Said’s plan at the direction of ISIS. In response, Said provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target. Yesterday – which was the scheduled day of the attack -- Said was arrested after he traveled to an area near TACOM and launched his drone in support of the attack plan. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court this afternoon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the Court to hold Said in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee. “ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life. Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon. “This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.” “The FBI in Michigan is unwavering in our mission to safeguard the American people, particularly our brave service members who risk their lives to defend this nation,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “In strong partnership with the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will relentlessly identify, disrupt, and bring to justice anyone who attempts to carry out violent attacks against the United States and its territories.” "The arrest of this former Soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation," said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. "I commend the tireless work of our special agents and FBI partners who worked together to investigate and apprehend this individual. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent similar incidents in the future. We urge all Soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command, as the safety and security of our Army and our nation depends on our collective efforts to prevent insider threats." Based on the charges in the complaint, Said faces up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted. A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Salzenstein, and John Cella and Charles Kovats, Trial Attorneys, Counterterrorism Section, United States Department of Justice.


title: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Appoints Career Prosecutor Theodore S. Hertzberg as Interim United States Attorney

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed Theodore S. Hertzberg as Interim United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546, which provides that “the Attorney General may appoint a United States [A]ttorney for the district in which the office of United States [A]ttorney is vacant.” This appointment took effect on May 13, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. administered Mr. Hertzberg’s oath of office on May 14, 2025. Mr. Hertzberg previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for nearly ten years. His tenure with the Justice Department began in the Savannah headquarters of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia. In Savannah, Mr. Hertzberg prosecuted violent criminals, drug dealers, fraudsters, and money launderers while also serving as chief of the asset forfeiture section. Upon relocating to Atlanta in 2018, Mr. Hertzberg transferred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, where he prosecuted gang leaders, child sex predators, gun traffickers, armed felons, and other dangerous offenders. Before joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Hertzberg practiced law in the New York office of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, and he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Kristi K. DuBose of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. U.S. Attorney Hertzberg is a graduate of Amherst College and New York University School of Law. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Former Postal Employee Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Nearly $2M Worth of Checks from the Mail

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – Gregory Drake, 35, of Cleveland, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and theft of mail by a postal employee. The scheme involved stealing checks from the mail and giving them to co-conspirators to alter and deposit at banks. According to court documents, in May 2022, in Lakewood, Ohio, many businesses began to report a rash of stolen checks that were either mailed in or out of the Lakewood Post Office, which prompted the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) to begin an investigation. During that time and in the months that followed, Drake served as a postal worker in the Lakewood Post Office. Because of his role, he had access to mail that was in the custody of the USPS and was able to identify mail that contained checks. He would then give stolen checks to co-conspirators who would alter, duplicate, or forge them. On Oct. 6, 2022, USPS-OIG inspectors caught Drake stealing two business checks from the mail. During the subsequent investigation, authorities discovered that, in total, 127 checks were stolen with a value of $1,988,715.78. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna L. Fasko for the Northern District of Ohio. To report fraud, visit https://www.uspis.gov/report .


title: Boyd County Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland man, Phillip Conley, 28, was sentenced on Monday to 180 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In February 2024, law enforcement officers with the Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force (NKYDTF) began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Conley. On April 4, 2024, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Conley’s residence. During the search law enforcement located 57.6 grams of fentanyl, two firearms, and ammunition. Conley admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl, and that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. He also admitted to knowing that he was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Conley was previously convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance first degree in Boyd Circuit Court in May 2017. Under federal law, Conley must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by ATF and Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. – END –


title: MERIDAN MAN SENTENCED TO OVER 41 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ROLE IN MULTI-STATE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS - A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced to 500 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matt Reidell and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Director Phillip Pope. According to court documents, from June 2016 through May of 2018, Samuel Ykem Boler, 33, conspired with others to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from California and Tennessee into central Mississippi. This case is the result of an extensive investigation dubbed “Operation Highlife,” which targeted illegal methamphetamine distribute in central Mississippi. This case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. 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 case is being prosecuted by Criminal Chief Erin Chalk.


title: Convicted Sex Offender Indicted in Federal Court on Multiple Charges of Sexual Exploitation of Children

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County man has been indicted on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. A five-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges John Justin McCall, 53, of Madison, Alabama, with four counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography. According to the indictment, on several occasions between May 2023 and October 2023, McCall coerced and enticed minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, and he possessed child pornography. McCall was previously convicted of criminal sexual abuse in two separate cases in Illinois. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Huntsville, along with the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office in Paris, Texas, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Huntsville Police Department, and Madison Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: York County Man Sentenced To 24 Months In Prison For Threatening Federal Prosecutor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gregory Mitzel, age 59, of York County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 8, 2025, to 24 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for influencing, impeding, retaliating against a federal official by threat. Mitzel had previously pleaded guilty to that offense. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, beginning sometime in September of 2023 and continuing through July 2024, Mitzel began posting threats on the internet to then-President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. After notification that his threats were being jointly investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office, Mitzel called the assigned Assistant U.S. Attorney, identified himself, and proceeded to threaten the prosecutor and the prosecutor’s family. The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard T. Donahue prosecuted the case. # # #


title: St. Louis man sentenced to prison for unarmed bank robberies

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district court judge sentenced a St. Louis man to 87 months in federal prison after he admitted to robbing four banks in less than three weeks in 2023. Tyrone Leslie, 40, pleaded guilty in January to four counts of bank robbery. One count was charged in the Southern District of Illinois, and the other three were charged in the Eastern District of Missouri. The Missouri cases were transferred to southern Illinois to be prosecuted simultaneously. “Bank robbers like Tyrone Leslie threaten the safety of the community, even when they are not carrying guns,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “It is no defense that Leslie used threatening notes instead of more violent means.” According to court documents, Leslie robbed the U.S. Bank on Tesson Ferry Road in St. Louis of $2,740 on Nov. 14, 2023. On Nov. 17, he robbed the People’s National Bank on Hampton Avenue in St. Louis of $964. Leslie robbed the PNC Bank in St. Louis on Manchester Road of $5,050 on Dec. 2. He tried to take $4,125 from the FCB Bank in Caseyville, Illinois, on Dec. 4. Following the FCB Bank robbery in Caseyville, Leslie led police on a high-speed chase. The Caseyville Police Department led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Laura Reppert prosecuted the case.


title: Four Businessmen and Two Companies Charged in Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the unsealing today of a superseding indictment (“the indictment”) charging four businessmen and two companies with conspiracy and wire fraud offenses in connection with their execution of a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme. The corporate defendants, Bene Market LLC and Seguro Medico LLC, doing business as Quick Health, Q Health, Benefits Now, Express Benefits, and YourBenefits4U (collectively, the “Bene Market Group”), operated a boiler room call center near Reading, Pennsylvania, which peddled discount health and dental plans to consumers through a series of false, misleading, and deceptive sales practices. The businesses were controlled and managed by the principal architect of the alleged fraud scheme, defendant Alan Redmond, 42, of Wyomissing, Pa., who was supported by senior executives Arthur Walsh, 65, of West Lawn, Pa., and Jesus Barrera, 32, of Dillsburg, Pa., and head sales agent and manager Albert Groff, 44, of Wernersville, Pa. The 44-page indictment returned by the federal grand jury alleges that, from at least January 2018 through December 2022, the defendants collected tens of millions of dollars in commissions by regularly and systematically deceiving and misleading consumers seeking health insurance through bait-and-switch sales tactics, which included tricking consumers into buying limited benefit plans that provided little or no coverage by falsely representing that the plans provided comprehensive health insurance coverage, also known as “major medical insurance,” or provided coverage equivalent to major medical insurance, when they did not. As alleged in the indictment, the Bene Market Group paid lead generators for the transfer of live calls with consumers looking to purchase healthcare insurance. Once transferred over, the Bene Market Group employees falsely told consumers that the company was “the national enrollment center for health insurance” and worked as a third-party broker to search and compare health insurance products across the entire marketplace to find the best coverage at the lowest rate. The Bene Market Group also falsely claimed to “work with over 30 of the top A-rated insurance companies” and to sell comprehensive health insurance policies from well-known, blue-chip insurers. In reality, the Bene Market Group did not search the marketplace, did not work with the touted A-rated carriers, and did not even sell major medical insurance. Instead, the Bene Market Group peddled a limited set of discount plans that had lower and more restricted benefits than major medical insurance. In some instances, the limited benefit plans sold by the defendants were not even insurance. The indictment charges further that, as a result of the defendants’ bait-and-switch scheme, tens of thousands of purchasing consumers were left without insurance coverage for the majority of their medical, dental, and prescription costs. For some consumers with serious health care needs, the lack of coverage from the limited benefit plans sold by the defendants caused financial hardship and left them in significant medical debt in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to the indictment, in order to keep the fraud scheme going, Redmond and the manager defendants used unlicensed sales employees to sell the limited benefit plans; bundled products together to mimic major medical insurance; trained the sales employees with misleading scripts and sales pitches to use on the phones; used a variety of trade names and aliases when selling plans; engaged in “churning” and “policy-flipping” by reselling and upselling existing consumers; omitted and downplayed material restrictions about the limited plans sold; overbilled and double-billed consumers; told consumers to ignore or disregard the verification disclaimers or disclosures; altered recorded sales calls after the fact to deceive regulators; withheld information about the limited benefit plans from sales employees; ignored complaints from consumers, carriers, and regulators; and refused or delayed refunds to consumers. The indictment charges further that Redmond obscured his control of defendant Seguro Medico by using nominees, including his spouse, and used funds fraudulently obtained from victim purchasers to buy personal properties, commercial properties, jewelry, airline tickets, event tickets, private school tuition, and limousine services. The other manager defendants also received significant payments or distributions, as a result of the fraud scheme. The indictment further alleges that, between 2019 and 2022, Redmond caused Bene Market and Seguro Medico to withhold over $1.2 million in trust fund taxes from the wages and paychecks of employees, but Redmond did not pay over these withheld amounts to the IRS on behalf of the employees, as required. If convicted of the conspiracy, wire fraud, and tax offenses, defendant Alan Redmond faces a maximum possible sentence of 635 years’ imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $6,750,000 fine, along with restitution and forfeiture of various properties and money. Defendants Arthur Walsh, Jesus Barrera, and Albert Groff each face 600 years’ imprisonment, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine, along with restitution and forfeiture. The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel S. Dalke and Mary E. Crawley. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Preston County Man Admits to Federal Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven David Seeger, 46, of Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, has admitted to the coercion and enticement of a minor for sex and production of child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, Seeger was communicating with minor girls online. During those communications, he persuaded multiple victims to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos. Seeger faces 10 years to life in federal prison for the enticement charge and faces 15 to 30 years for the production of child pornography charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, and the Preston County Sheriff’s Office investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Philadelphia Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to 15 Counts of Assisting in the Preparation of False Tax Returns, Three Counts of Filing False Tax Returns

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that James J. Sirleaf, 65, of Darby, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today before United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond to engaging in a multi-year scheme to assist clients with filing false income tax returns to fraudulently increase their refund amounts, as well as to filing false personal income tax returns for himself. In April 2023, Sirleaf was charged by indictment with 15 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns and three counts of filing false personal income tax returns, and he pleaded guilty to all charges. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, at the time of the charged conduct, Sirleaf was the was the sole owner and operator of Metro Financial Services Inc., a tax preparation business in Philadelphia. Sirleaf prepared false and fraudulent Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Forms 1040, or U.S. Individual Tax Returns, for client taxpayers for at least tax years 2016 through 2019. Sirleaf included falsities on the tax returns — including false deductions, fabricated business expenses, and/or false dependent information — resulting in tax calculations lower than what the clients actually owed. In addition, Sirleaf filed false returns for himself for tax years 2017 through 2019, failing to fully report his income, which resulted in an additional tax loss to the IRS. In total, Sirleaf’s scheme caused a tax loss to the IRS of $219,622. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2025, and faces a maximum possible term of 54 years’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.


title: Justice Department Releases New Resources to Protect Servicemembers’ Rights

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has issued two fact sheets on the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The first explains how servicemembers, recent veterans, and their spouses can exercise their right to the six percent interest rate benefit under the SCRA. The second generally summarizes some of the most common protections and benefits under the SCRA for the military community. “Servicemembers make great sacrifices to protect and advance our nation’s safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that servicemembers are afforded their rights and benefits under the law.” The SCRA was enacted to enable servicemembers to devote their entire energy to the defense needs of the nation. When our servicemembers cannot focus on their mission because they are distracted by financial issues, our national security suffers. These fact sheets seek to help the military community by enabling them to learn more about and affirmatively assert their rights under the SCRA. They cover a wide variety of topics including housing rights, lending rights, property rights, and the portability of professional licenses. It is more imperative than ever that military families be able to access benefits that can ease their financial burdens. Today’s fact sheet on the six percent interest rate benefit will help more servicemembers, especially members of the Guard and Reserves, apply to their lenders for a successful reduction of their interest rates on eligible accounts. The Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, housed in the Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to ensure that the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past, are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s enforcement efforts under the SCRA and other laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and their families, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil .


title: California, Missouri Man Charged with Possession of Silencer and Machine Gun

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A California, Mo., man was charged this week by a federal grand jury with possession of a silencer and possession of a machine gun. According to the superseding indictment returned this week, Aubrey Foxworthy, 81, of California, Missouri was charged with possession of a silencer which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Foxworthy was also charged with possession of a machinegun. According to the superseding indictment, Foxworthy possessed an AR-15 conversion device. Foxworthy was previously indicted for selling firearms without a federal firearms license and possession of a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches and that rifle was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The superseding indictment added the charges of possession of a silencer and possession of a machinegun. The charges contained in the superseding indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson City Police Department, and the Boone 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. ###


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

component: Tax Division

body_text: Last week, a Florida man pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge David A. Baker for the Middle District of Florida to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns for clients. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Diandre Mentor, of Miami, worked for a tax return preparation company between January 2017 and 2019 named Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT). Mentor and his co-conspirators operated a dozen offices throughout Florida that fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricated deductions on their returns. Mentor and his co-conspirators also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns. In 2020, Mentor and his co-conspirators started their own tax return preparation business named Smart Tax & Finance that eventually expanded to 12 franchise locations throughout South and Central Florida. As with Neighborhood Advance Tax, Mentor and his co-conspirators prepared false tax returns for clients, including by fabricating deductions. As before, Mentor and his co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients. In total, Mentor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,090,077. Several of Mentor’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty. Abryle Y De La Cruz and Emmanual Almonor pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. Adon Hemley pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. Isaiah Hayes pleaded guilty to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. The two remaining co-conspirators, Franklin Carter Jr. and Jonathan Carrillo, are scheduled to go to trial on June 2. Mentor will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.


component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL — Last week, a Florida man pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge David A. Baker for the Middle District of Florida to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns for clients. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Diandre Mentor, of Miami, worked for a tax return preparation company between January 2017 and 2019 named Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT). Mentor and his co-conspirators operated a dozen offices throughout Florida that fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricated deductions on their returns. Mentor and his co-conspirators also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns. In 2020, Mentor and his co-conspirators started their own tax return preparation business named Smart Tax & Finance that eventually expanded to 12 franchise locations throughout South and Central Florida. As with Neighborhood Advance Tax, Mentor and his co-conspirators prepared false tax returns for clients, including by fabricating deductions. As before, Mentor and his co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients. In total, Mentor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,090,077. Several of Mentor’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty. Abryle Y De La Cruz and Emmanual Almonor pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. Adon Hemley pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. Isaiah Hayes pleaded guilty to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. The two remaining co-conspirators, Franklin Carter Jr. and Jonathan Carrillo, are scheduled to go to trial on June 2. Mentor will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.


title: Colorado man indicted for drug trafficking and firearms

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Colorado man for drug trafficking and illegal firearms. According to court documents, Russell Scott IV, 37, of Denver was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case. OTHER INDICTMENTS Chase Boyd, 39, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case. Jose Galan-Andrade, 39, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case. Jose Louis Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 35, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case. Darius Isaiah Jackson, 25, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case. Greggory K. O’Neal, 41, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Park City Kansas Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting the case. Guadalupe Rios-Edeza, 29, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Somerset Man Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON N.J. – A Somerset man was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Elliott Souder, 51, was charged by complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court on May 6, 2025. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From at least September 20, 2021 through November 16, 2021, Souder, via his home computer, connected to an Internet-based peer-to-peer network and requested three videos depicting child sexual abuse. When members of law enforcement executed a search warrant at Souder’s Somerset residence in March 2022, they found over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography on Souder’s computer’s hard drive, including two of the aforementioned videos previously requested over the peer-to-peer network. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent children, toddlers and infants, and sadomasochism on children. The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, specifically the Violent Crimes Against Children Unit, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation. This investigation was conducted under FBI’s Operation Restore Justice. 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 (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the Criminal Division in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Steven D. Altman, Esq., New Brunswick, NJ souder.complaint.pdf


title: Macon Mafia Member Sent Back to Prison for Illegally Possessing AR-Style Rifle

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon and confirmed member of the Macon Mafia criminal organization who was serving supervised release for a prior federal conviction in West Virginia when a gang-related fatal shooting occurred at a Macon gas station in 2024 was sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Nekoase Antwan Vinson, 41, of Macon, was sentenced to serve a total of 107 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on May 12. Vinson previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Feb. 20 in Case No. 5:24-CR-64-001 (sentence of 71 months imprisonment). In addition, Vinson’s supervised release was revoked in Case No. 3:09-CR-99-002 from the Southern District of West Virgina, for which he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (sentence of 36 months imprisonment). There is no parole in the federal system. “A man lost his life as a result of a gang-related shooting where convicted felons illegally possessed rapid-fire guns capable of killing many people," said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will use every federal resource available to lawfully hold repeat felons accountable for illegally arming themselves and endangering our community." “This case is a tragic example of the mayhem that results when criminal gang members with illegally possessed firearms try to settle scores in public,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We can be grateful that for almost nine years Nekoase Vinson will not be able to spew violence which might harm law abiding citizens.” According to court documents and statements made in court, Vinson and Joshua Teone Curry were present at the Marathon gas station on Napier Avenue in Macon on July 20, 2024, when gang-related violence broke out. Video surveillance showed Curry exchanged fire with unknown individuals using a fully automatic pistol, and Vinson brandished an AR-style rifle. Vinson and Curry left together in Vinson’s black Cadillac Escalade. Vinson wore a large “M4L” (Mafia 4 Life) medallion. That night, RaQuavian Smith, an associate of Vinson and Curry’s who was present at the Marathon, died from gunshot wounds sustained in the violence. Both firearms seen on video were seized by law enforcement, together with an additional pistol, on August 23, 2024. On August 23, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Roy Street at a location controlled by Vinson and Curry, taking both men into custody. Law enforcement found two firearms beneath a mattress: a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition and a switch plus a Sig Sauer, Model P320, .45 caliber pistol with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition. Officers recovered various Macon Mafia memorabilia, including t-shirts and hats. Hanging around Vinson’s neck was the M4L chain and medallion he wore during the July 20, 2024, shooting. Inside Curry’s vehicle, officers found a Del-Ton, Model DTI-15, AR-style caliber rifle. 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 case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Illegal Alien with Prior Sex Assault of a Child Conviction Sentenced to 35 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: An illegal alien from Mexico, previously convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Enrique Campos-Gomez, 45, was indicted in November 2024 and pled guilty in January 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was deported by immigration authorities in 2014. He was sentenced on Thursday, May 8, to 35 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle. At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued that Campos-Gomez was a danger to the community based on his violent criminal history, which included a 2008 Dallas County conviction for domestic violence, followed by multiple criminal violations of a protective order obtained by the same domestic-assault victim in 2008 and 2009, as well as his 2013 Dallas County conviction for sexually assaulting a fifteen-year-old girl. Campos-Gomez also failed to register as a sex offender, as he was required to do by federal law. “This case highlights the continuing need to protect the public from offenders with violent tendencies who should not be in the United States in the first place,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “Individuals such as these attempting to hide illegally in this country will be found and brought to justice.” “ICE and our federal law enforcement partners have an unrelenting commitment of protecting minors and other at-risk members in our society,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson. “Criminal aliens like this one who repeatedly prey on our children are not welcome in our communities. We will track them down and remove them to ensure the safety of those who cannot protect themselves.” ICE conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner prosecuted the case.


title: Nixa Woman Pleaded Guilty to Making False and Fictitious Claims Against the United States and Wire Fraud

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nixa, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to making false and fictitious claims against the United States and wire fraud. Tina Louise Yager, 66, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie Epps, Jr., to a federal information charging her with one count of wire fraud and one count of making false, fictitious and fraudulent claims against the United States. Yager, a tax preparer, utilized information from her clients to present false tax return documents to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from November 2023 through March of 2024. According to the plea agreement, Yager was entrusted with the personal information of her clients. Yager submitted tax return documents to the IRS in the name of her clients without their knowledge or approval. Yager also included unapproved tax deductions on tax return documents for her clients to fraudulently inflate her clients tax returns and then pocketed these falsely obtained monies. Yager would have debit cards issued that contained her clients tax return monies. Yager would then embezzle those monies and spent it for her personal benefit. The intended losses amounted to $48,481.00, but Yager was able to embezzle only $16,850.00 of those monies for her personal use. As part of her plea agreement, Yager must pay restitution of at least $14,447.00 to the IRS, the exact amount will be determined at her sentencing hearing and agreed to the Court entering a forfeiture money judgment of $16,850.00. Under federal statutes, Yager is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the IRS – Criminal Investigation.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Forfeits $736,040 Associated with DoorDash Scam

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Paul J. Ferencek, State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has forfeited $736,040 associated with a DoorDash scam. As alleged in the forfeiture complaint, on January 5, 2023, Stamford Police responded to a Stamford apartment for a domestic violence incident. David Smith was taken into custody and a victim was transported to the hospital. Later that day, investigators searching the apartment for a firearm found a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, and also found multiple safes containing a total of $736,040 in cash, and 118 credit and debit cards, almost all of which were in the names of other individuals. The investigation revealed that Smith was operating a scam in which he used multiple phones to place DoorDash orders for delivery. After the order was picked up, he would contact the drivers using a spoofed number and, using social engineering, convince the drivers to hand over their DoorDash account information. Using this information, Smith would steal the victim’s delivery money that had been pooled in their account. The cash that was seized and forfeited represents the proceeds from this scheme. Smith, who was being prosecuted by the State of Connecticut, was murdered in New York on January 6, 2025. The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint against the seized money and, on April 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court granted the government’s motion for a Decree of Forfeiture. Generally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office first forfeits the money, then returns it to the crime victims, so that the crime victims have clear title to the property without risk of further litigation. If you believe that you were a victim of this scheme, please visit this web page or this FBI New Haven Facebook post . There, victims of this particular scheme will find the instructions to make a petition for remission . Should the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering Asset Recovery Unit approve your petition for remission, you may recoup some or all of your losses. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.


title: Federal Jury Convicts a Former Armed-Robber of  Possessing a Firearm while on Supervised Release

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Raleigh man on Tuesday on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon. Cawajalin Kavin McNeil, age 30, will face up to 15 years of imprisonment when sentenced later this year. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of March 16, 2024, while heading home from work, an eyewitness saw McNeil in a confrontation with a young woman. When the eyewitness attempted to intervene, McNeil pointed a 9mm pistol at him. He then backed away to his vehicle where he called 911 to report the incident near North Carolina State University. The eyewitness described the black car the defendant got into, gave a nearly complete license plate number, and a physical description of McNeil. When Officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded, they found McNeil seated in a black vehicle matching the description of the car from the eyewitness. That vehicle’s license plate was nearly an exact match of the one given to 911 and McNeil himself matched the description of the individual who had pointed the gun at the eyewitness. A search of the vehicle found a 9mm pistol wedged between the front passenger seat and the center console. The gun was similar to the gun pointed at the 911 caller. McNeil was then arrested for not having a conceal-carry permit. During processing at the Wake County Detention Center, officers located a razor blade in McNeil’s shoe and felt an unusual object near the defendant’s groin. A subsequent search uncovered a second 9mm pistol hidden in McNeil’s underwear. It was later determined that McNeil was a convicted felon who had previously plead guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence. McNeil had been sentenced to 180 months in prison, had been released in November 2023, and was on supervised release when this incident occurred. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the verdict. The RPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-cr-00271. ###


title: East Point, Georgia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for CARES Act Unemployment Fraud

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, AL – On May 13, 2025, a federal judge sentenced Brandon Cody Carter, 36, of East Point, Georgia, to 78 months in prison for his role in a scheme to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims under the expanded Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst, of the Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Following his six-and-a-half-year term of imprisonment, Carter will serve three years on supervised release. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole. Beginning in March 2020, the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act expanded access to unemployment insurance programs to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Alabama, eligible individuals could receive enhanced benefits through the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL). According to court documents and Carter’s plea agreement, between March and September 2020, he conspired with others to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to ADOL. In doing so, Carter falsely claimed Alabama residency and used multiple aliases, submitting fictitious names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, and other fraudulent information. As a result of these false representations, ADOL issued substantial payments to Carter through unemployment insurance debit cards and direct deposits. On January 23, 2025, Carter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. During the plea hearing, he admitted his actions led ADOL to disburse $818,304 in fraudulent claims. A restitution amount will be determined at a later date. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of defrauding programs intended to help those truly in need during a national crisis,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Brandon Carter exploited a system designed to provide relief to families facing unprecedented hardship. Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute pandemic-related fraud wherever it occurs.” “Brandon Carter defrauded the Alabama Department of Labor by filing numerous false claims for unemployment insurance benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself by diverting taxpayer funds from a program that was intended to assist unemployed American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Special Agent in Charge Broadhurst. “We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of these critical benefit programs.” The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Alabama Department of Labor, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, Alabama Department of Transportation, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: National Police Week Honors the Service and Sacrifice of Law Enforcement

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: In honor of National Police Week 2025, observed this year from May 11 to May 17, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. “On Tuesday of this week I was privileged to attend the annual observance at the Maine Law Enforcement Officers Memorial,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff. “The names of two additional officers were added to the wall, bringing to 90 the number of officers whose names are etched on the wall to honor their sacrifice protecting the people of Maine. The service was a poignant reminder of the risks that law enforcement officers willingly embrace each day.” According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 147 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2024. The number of law enforcement professionals nationwide who died in the line of duty in 2024 increased 25% compared to 2023, according to preliminary data provided by the NLEOMF. The names of 345 fallen officers were added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., including the officers who were killed in 2024. In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. ###


title: Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy. Hector Torres, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 26, 2025. Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023 . In or about June 2022, a package sent from Puerto Rico to Worcester found to contain approximately 6.5 kilograms of cocaine was intercepted. On June 21, 2022, law enforcement executed a controlled delivery of the package. While accepting the delivered package, Torres apologized for not being there earlier, took the package, and set it on the ground in order to sign for delivery. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Torres, he fled on foot and was subsequently apprehended. The charges of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and conspiracy to do the same each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.


title: 5 Defendants Federally Charged in Los Angeles, Orange Counties as Part of Nationwide Crackdown on Child Sexual Abuse Offenders

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Pamela Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel recently announced an unprecedented national initiative to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities. The FBI launched a coordinated effort with all field offices in a sweeping action to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. Since the end of April, the FBI arrested 205 subjects across the country and rescued 115 children during Operation Restore Justice. These subjects are accused of various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. They include school leaders and registered sex offenders, among others. In the Central District of California, a seven-county jurisdiction that includes Los Angeles and Orange counties, five defendants were charged with federal crimes as follows: Andrew Castillon, 47, of El Monte, was arrested May 1 on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of child pornography. A federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $5,000 bond. Castillon’s arraignment is scheduled for May 27 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Assistant United States Attorney Thi H. Ho of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. Jose Olvera, 34, of North Hollywood, was arrested May 1 on a federal indictment charging him with two counts of distribution of child pornography and five counts of possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment and a June 23 trial was scheduled in this case. A federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond. Assistant United States Attorney Mikaela W. Gilbert-Lurie of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. Steven Martin Nuss, 66, of San Juan Capistrano, was arrested May 9 on a two-count federal grand jury indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and a federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond. He is scheduled to go to trial on July 1. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case. David Eugene Parker, 55, of La Palma, was arrested April 30 on federal grand jury indictment charging him with two counts of possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and a federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $100,000 bond. A June 24 trial date is scheduled in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Border of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. Gregory Cole Jr., 30, of Lancaster, was arrested April 30 in Arizona after he failed to appear at his trial earlier last month in which a jury found him guilty in absentia of one count of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of receipt of child pornography. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 23, at which time he will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Assistant United States Attorney Derek R. Flores of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case. Two additional individuals were arrested in Los Angeles for sexual exploitation of a child and charges of coercion and enticement, respectively; however, those cases are being prosecuted in separate districts. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. “Sexual predators who target children leave emotional scars that can last a lifetime,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we seek to bring a measure of solace to victims and put criminals on notice that they risk lengthy prison sentences and severe penalties for harming children.” “The amount of child predators arrested during Operation Restore Justice should shock the conscience of any law-abiding citizen and parents or guardians, in particular,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Each day, our agents are tackling criminal allegations involving children, whether it be online dangers such as ‘sextortion,’ emerging nihilist extremist networks such as ‘764,’ or children being groomed by someone close to them. We urge caretakers of all children to educate themselves about these constant threats targeting the most vulnerable members of our society.” As the nation marked National Child Abuse Prevention month in April, the timing of this effort was a culmination of countless hours by hundreds of FBI agents. It further underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Bureau works relentlessly to investigate these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of prevention and community education. The FBI takes a proactive approach to identify unknown individuals involved in the sexual exploitation of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. We do that through our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs) located in each field office. This allows the FBI to combine resources with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The FBI also partners with the nonprofit National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org . In 2004, the FBI created the Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) to identify individuals involved in the sexual abuse of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. The program is a collaborative effort between the FBI and the NMCEC. The FBI also offers resources for parents and caregivers to stay engaged with their children’s online and offline activities. The FBI's Safe Online Surfing (SOS) program teaches students in grades 3 to 8 how to navigate the web safely. The FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through our tiplines at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov , or by calling your local FBI field office. Other online resources: Electronic Press Kit: Violent Crimes Against Children How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids


title: Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Cristian Ceja, 28, of Turlock, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to 15 years and eight months in prison for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, between Aug. 27, 2023, and Jan. 3, 2024, Ceja transported a minor victim from the Eastern District of California to Idaho with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Ceja met the minor victim when Ceja was working as a delivery driver and delivered food to the minor’s house. Ceja thereafter used the minor victim’s phone number to track her down on social media and communicate with her. Ceja began a lengthy sexual relationship with the minor victim who, at that time, was 15. During the course of their sexual relationship, Ceja would sneak into the minor victim’s bedroom to have sex with her without being detected by her parents. On at least two occasions, Ceja video recorded himself engaging in sexual contact with the minor victim. Ceja kept used condoms and used feminine hygiene products in his storage unit as souvenirs of his relationship with the minor victim. On Aug. 26, 2023, the minor victim’s mother contacted law enforcement because she found provocative photographs of the minor victim in her bedroom and was concerned her daughter was having a sexual relationship with an adult. In the early morning hours of Aug. 27, 2023, Ceja took the minor victim and fled to avoid detection and to continue the sexual relationship. While on the run, Ceja attempted to evade detection by placing stolen license plates on his vehicle, obliterating the VIN from his vehicle’s dashboard, spray painting the vehicle a different color, and adopting a false name. In order to avoid detection, Ceja discarded his cellphone while in flight and used a “burner” phone. Ceja first took the minor victim to Nevada where they lived in his vehicle for approximately one week. Ceja then took the minor victim to a rural part of Idaho where they lived for several months in a small camper trailer without running water or heat. Law enforcement found the minor victim after she contacted a family member via social media to let her family know that she wanted to come home but could not leave on her own. On Jan. 3, 2024, law enforcement officers arrived at the camper trailer, rescued the minor victim, and arrested Ceja This case was the product of an investigation by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny prosecuted the case. 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Statement by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley Regarding Attempts to Obstruct ICE Operations

body_text: “The interference with ICE operations around Massachusetts has been disturbing, to say the least. This conduct poses significant public and officer safety risks. It is conduct that should be vilified rather than glorified. I will not stand idly by if any public official, public safety officer, organization or private citizen acts in a manner that criminally obstructs or impedes ICE operations. The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our federal partners, will investigate any violations of federal law and pursue charges that are warranted by such activity.”


title: Dominican National Indicted for Illegally Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national convicted for drug trafficking and deported has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island for illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Kelvin Roberto Feliz, 54, who has been detained at the Adult Correctional Institution in an unrelated matter since June 2024, was ordered deported from the United States in September 2014, following a conviction for trafficking heroin. He was removed from the United States on July 7, 2015. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ###


title: Sacramento Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Leadership Role in a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms

body_text: Michael Garcia, 36, of Sacramento County, was sentenced Tuesday to 17 years and six months in prison for conspiring to possess and distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Michael Garcia conspired with his wife Nancy Garcia, his father Gonzalo Garcia, Tyler Combs (all co-defendant in this case), and others to sell methamphetamine and heroin in Sacramento and Solano Counties. Michael Garcia began this conspiracy while he was serving a state sentence for narcotics offenses at the Tulare County Jail. Michael Garcia worked with his wife, father, and other coconspirators to sell a confidential informant a total of five pounds of methamphetamine and a quarter pound of heroin over five separate occasions, and he personally sold the CI a total of 4 pounds of methamphetamine. During the initial transactions, Nancy Garcia began to negotiate a firearms sale with the confidential informant and was present at the illegal firearms sale described below. Once out of state custody, Michael Garcia continued the conspiracy to sell methamphetamine and heroin. He also set up a deal with Tylor Combs to sell firearms to the confidential informant. Nancy Garcia, Michael Garcia, and Tyler Combs were present at this illegal firearms deal, which involved 10 firearms, including an unserialized machine gun. Screenshot of video Michael Garcia sent to confidential informant bragging about his drug proceeds, saying “Sac money is good money.” The 10 firearms that Garcia and Combs sold to the confidential informant. Michael Garcia and his wife also admitted that they bought a home in Arizona with drug proceeds. The United States is in the process of the forfeiture of this home. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case. Gonzalo Garcia passed away while in pretrial custody for this case. Tylor Combs has since pleaded guilty both to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and to being a felon in possession of firearms. On November 12, 2021, he was sentenced to six years and six months in prison. Nancy Garcia pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. On September 10, 2024, she was sentenced to five years in prison. 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian .


title: Colonie Man Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire Plot

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jeal Sutherland, age 57, of Colonie, New York, pled guilty today to using an interstate commerce facility in a murder-for-hire scheme targeting a Capital Region man. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As detailed in Sutherland’s plea agreement and an earlier-filed criminal complaint, between November 2024 and January 2025, Sutherland used his cell phone to arrange the murder of a man who is the father of a child with Sutherland’s then-partner. As part of this plot, Sutherland agreed to forgive a debt of the person he hired to kill the victim. Sutherland also agreed to pay an undercover FBI agent – whom Sutherland believed to be a hog farmer – for use of a Pennsylvania farm to dispose of the victim by having pigs consume the body. Sutherland admitted that in late January 2025, he had another man put the carcass of a Canada goose on the doorstep of the victim’s mother. When the dead bird was discovered, it had a threatening note stuffed in its beak that had been written at Sutherland’s direction. The intended victim was not harmed and the FBI arrested Sutherland on January 27, 2025. Sutherland has been in custody since his arrest. United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “Jeal Sutherland hatched a vicious plot to kill a romantic rival and intimidate his victim’s family. When members of the FBI and my office learned of Sutherland’s plans, they acted quickly and did not rest until Sutherland was brought to justice.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Sutherland’s diabolical plot intended to violently end a man's life and intimidate his family. Thanks to the swift actions taken by FBI Albany and our law enforcement partners, that plan never came to fruition and Mr. Sutherland was quickly arrested and remains in custody. The FBI will continue to work with our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue and hold accountable anyone looking to commit such egregious acts of violence in our communities.” Sutherland faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on September 22, 2025. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case, with assistance from the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Joseph S. Hartunian are prosecuting this case.


title: Ecuadorian National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the U.S. After a Prior Removal

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: An Ecuadorian national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal. U.S. District Court Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Juan Pablo Clabijo Tacuri , 37, to time served (approximately 105 days). According to court records, on January 27, 2025, an officer from the Brunswick Police Department observed Clabijo Tacuri operating a vehicle without a seatbelt. After Clabijo Tacuri pulled into a gas station parking lot, the officer approached the vehicle. When asked for his license, Clabijo Tacuri presented a Massachusetts driver’s license with a false name. Immigration records showed that he had previously been removed from the United States on four occasions and did not have a visa or other documentation that would allow him to re-enter the United States. U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Brunswick 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). ###


title: Twelve Years in Prison for Suburban Chicago Man Who Trafficked Fentanyl and Illegally Possessed Handgun

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who trafficked fentanyl and cocaine and illegally possessed a loaded handgun has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. WILLIAM FILLYAW possessed the drugs and gun on Oct. 28, 2022, in the parking lot of his apartment complex in Gurnee, Ill. Fillyaw carried a backpack that contained the cocaine packaged in quarter-ounce quantities, the fentanyl wrapped in three square bricks, and the handgun. Fillyaw intended to sell the fentanyl and cocaine on the streets, and he acknowledged possessing the gun in connection with his drug trafficking activities. The firearm had no serial number and had been assembled from a gun kit, making it an untraceable “ghost gun.” Fillyaw, 47, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal drug and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed the 12-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael E. Hensle, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Milwaukee, Wis., Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Milwaukee Police Department, Cudahy, Wis. Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. “Narcotics distribution and firearm offenses are serious crimes that adversely impact the people who live and work in the Northern District of Illinois,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The increased presence of ghost guns in Chicago, and the country in general, is troubling, as they are often used in crimes and are difficult to trace.” 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 attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.


title: 18th Street Gang Associate Pleads Guilty to Dealing Fentanyl

body_text: BOSTON – An associate of the 18th Street Gang pleaded guilty yesterday to drug charges in federal court in Boston. Elvin Martinez-Flores, 23, of Everett, pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl. United States District Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Aug. 5, 2025. Martinez-Flores was charged by criminal complaint in January 2025. On Sept. 20, 2024, Martinez sold approximately 400 pressed fentanyl pills to a cooperating witness. Later, on Oct. 28, 2024, Martinez sold another 500 pressed fentanyl pills to the cooperating witness. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kim Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Moran and Fred Wyshak of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Fresno-Based Community Health System Agree to Pay $31.5 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act Violations

body_text: Community Health System and its affiliate Physician Network Advantage Inc. have agreed to pay $31.5 million to the United States to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act based on financial benefits provided to referring physicians, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Community Health System operates in Fresno County and includes hospitals Community Regional Medical Center and Clovis Community Medical Center. “We cannot allow medical decisions to be distorted by kickback schemes or efforts to buy physicians’ loyalty with lucrative side perks,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “This settlement demonstrates this Office’s commitment to ensuring that patients’ best interests remain paramount.” The civil settlement announced today resolves allegations that Community Health System and Physician Network Advantage Inc. (PNA) provided several types of extravagant benefits to induce physicians in the Fresno area to refer their patients to Community facilities for medical services, in violation of the False Claims Act. PNA is a health care technology business formed and funded by Community to support Fresno-area physicians’ adoption of the electronic health records platform used by Community. The United States contends that PNA also played a key role in securing business for Community by unlawful means. In a custom-built lounge located on premises at PNA’s offices, known as HQ2, PNA provided expensive wine, liquor, cigars, and meals to referring physicians, with the knowledge and funding of Community. The settlement also resolves allegations that Community and PNA provided financial subsidies for electronic health records technology and equipment used by certain physicians in their private offices in return for the referral of governmental health care program patients to Community. Further, the settlement resolves allegations that Community paid bonuses to certain physicians ostensibly for participation in clinical integration activities, when the real purpose of the bonuses was to reward referrals. The United States contends that these financial benefits violated the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, resulting in false claims for the medical services referred by physicians receiving the benefits, that were submitted to governmental health care programs. The United States also contends that the conduct described above created financial relationships with referring physicians under the Physician Self-Referral Law (known as the “Stark Law”). The Stark Law seeks to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program by prohibiting a hospital from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions, which the United States contends were not met. “Kickback arrangements aimed at improperly influencing medical decisions will remain a top investigative priority for our agency,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement demonstrates HHS-OIG’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who engage in unlawful financial relationships at the expense of Medicare patients and the taxpayer.” In connection with the settlement, Community entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG that requires, among other conditions, the implementation of a risk assessment and internal review process designed to identify and address evolving compliance risks. The Corporate Integrity Agreement also requires an independent review organization to annually assess the policies and systems to track arrangements with some referral sources. The settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by relator Michael Terpening. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery from that action. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Terpening v. Fresno Community Hospital and Medical Center, et al ., 1:19-CV-01699 (E.D. Cal.). As part of the settlement announced today, Mr. Terpening will receive approximately $5 million. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and HHS-OIG with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Thiess handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Note: View the settlement here. 2025.05.07_executed_copy_chs_and_pna_settlement.pdf


title: Two Philadelphia Men Charged With Boarding a SEPTA Bus With Machine Guns

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kysem Humphrey, 19, and Jayquan Jett, 18, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested and charged by indictment with possession of a machine gun. The indictment alleges that on December 17, 2024, officers with the Philadelphia Police Department recovered personally manufactured firearms, modified to be fully automatic weapons, that the defendants had hidden under their clothing when they boarded a SEPTA bus. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison. The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department, SEPTA Transit Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: New Orleans Man Caught on Video Firing Gun and Driving Stolen Car Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Machinegun and Drug Trafficking Crimes

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RENARD SANTIAGO (“SANTIAGO”) , age 19, was sentenced on May 13, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to fifteen (15) years in prison, followed by four (4) years of supervised release, along with a mandatory $400 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy, and possession with the intent to distribute, marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, in 2024, SANTIAGO was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New Orleans Police Department. Specifically, an arrest warrant had been issued for SANTIAGO for an armed robbery committed on October 10, 2023. On December 25, 2023,he was captured on surveillance video firing a handgun with a drum magazine attached and then driving away in a stolen SUV. During their investigation into his whereabouts, law enforcement officers saw stories on SANTIAGO ’s social media account showing SANTIAGO in possession of a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device, posing with large amounts of cash, and advertising the sale of marijuana. The next day, officers executed a search warrant at SANTIAGO ’s residence. SANTIAGO hid in the attic for four hours before he was finally forced out of the house. Inside the attic, officers found SANTIAGO ’s handgun, with the machinegun conversion device still attached, a distributable quantity of marijuana, and over $400 in cash. 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. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Waterbury Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Federal Prison for Violent Carjacking, Drug Trafficking

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS CRUZ, also known as “Goldo,” 27, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 97 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in both a violent carjacking and a Waterbury-based narcotics trafficking ring. According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of June 18, 2023, two all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) were stolen from a Waterbury residence. After the theft, Cruz posted on Facebook offering $5,000 to anyone providing information about the location of the stolen vehicles. Cruz and others then mistakenly identified an individual (“Victim 1”), who they incorrectly believed was involved in the theft. Later that night, Victim 1’s friend, (“Victim 2”), picked up Victim 1 from work and drove him home. As they arrived at Victim 1’s residence, three vehicles followed them and surrounded the victims. Cruz and his associates, one of whom carried an assault-style rifle, exited the vehicles and approached the victims. Cruz and his associates demanded the return of the stolen ATVs, threatened to kill the victims, and physically assaulted them. Cruz, who was recovering from a leg injury, used a crutch to repeatedly strike one of the victims. Cruz and his associates then stole Victim 2’s vehicle, which was owned by Victim 2’s relative, and other items and cash belonging to the victims. Also, Cruz was one of 17 individuals charged with federal offenses as a result of an investigation into two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury. One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers. The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations. During the investigation, Cruz, who was involved in the William Street organization, was intercepted multiple times over a wiretap discussing the distribution of narcotics. Cruz distributed cocaine, and also stored narcotics for the organization at various hotels. Cruz and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash. On September 10, 2024, Cruz pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Cruz has been detained since his arrest. These investigations were led by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force, and the Waterbury Police Department. The carjacking case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and David T. Huang, and the narcotics trafficking case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .