title: Former BIA Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Lying to Investigators

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Murrell Deela, a former Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer, pleaded guilty today to sexual abuse involving a minor and to lying to federal investigators. “Rather than serve and protect those within the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, the defendant used his position of power to sexually assault a minor entrusted to his care, and then he lied and attempted to conceal his crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The minor victim suffered harm that cannot be quantified, but this Justice Department will hold accountable those who violate positions of public trust and prey on the citizens they have sworn to protect.” “The outcome reflects the victim’s courage in coming forward,” said Special Agent in Charge Jutin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “Any abuse of authority, especially against a minor, causes lasting harm and is a betrayal of everything law enforcement stands for. The FBI will continue working to ensure accountability for those who exploit positions of trust to harm others.” According to records filed in the case, on Aug. 7, 2024, Deela, then 29 years old, was on duty and acting in his official capacity as a BIA officer in the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, when he encountered the minor. The minor victim was apprehended and placed in the back of Deela’s patrol vehicle. Instead of driving the teenager to her family’s house, Deela drove the minor to an alternate location. Deela then proceeded to engage in sexual acts with the minor victim without the victim’s consent. The minor victim disclosed the victimization the following day, and the FBI’s analysis of the evidence provided additional facts that corroborated the minor’s outcry. Several days after the incident, Deela was instructed to bring his patrol vehicle to the BIA station for evidence collection. Hours prior to the scheduled report time, Deela reported that his patrol vehicle was on fire. The patrol vehicle and its video system were severely burned. An investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) determined the patrol vehicle was set on fire intentionally. Following the incident, Deela wrote a false report omitting that he had driven the minor victim to the alternate location. When interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Deela falsely told agents that he drove the minor directly to her family’s home and had not made any other stops. When confronted with evidence, Deela later admitted that he had driven the minor to an alternate location. The case was investigated by the FBI and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Lee for the District of North Dakota and Senior Sex Crimes Counsel Tara Allison and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry, Misuse of Social Security Number, and Benefits Fraud

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national illegally residing in the United States has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island for engaging in a years-long scheme in which he used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and unemployment benefits, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Jesus Matos Perez, 52, pleaded guilty today to illegal entry, false representation of a Social Security number, health care fraud, and wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to court documents, for approximately ten years, Matos Perez used the stolen identities of two American citizens, including dates of birth and social security numbers to obtain $75,000 in combined Medicaid SNAP, and unemployment benefits. Matos Perez was taken into custody on October 1, 2025. The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan. The matter was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Homeland Security Investigations 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: Fort Totten, ND, Man Pleads Guilty to Assaults and Voluntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced today that, Kolby Jae McKay, also known as Kolby Woods, age 33, from Fort Totten, North Dakota, appeared in United States District Court for the District of North Dakota. and pled guilty before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte to charges of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangulation, and Voluntary Manslaughter. McKay is detained pending sentencing, set for July 22, 2026. McKay’s guilty pleas were entered in two separate cases. McKay pled guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangulation related to an incident on March 13, 2024. McKay became upset with a woman, identified in the case as “Jane Doe,” with whom he was in a dating relationship. McKay grabbed a knife and held it to Jane Doe’s neck. Jane Doe pushed the knife away and McKay strangled Jane Doe by placing his hands tightly around Jane Doe’s neck until she almost lost consciousness. McKay also pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter as a result of an incident a few weeks later. McKay killed Monte Ray Herman Sr. on April 3, 2024. Both incidents occurred on the Spirit Lake Reservation. McKay fled after killing Herman and was at large for several days, prompting the Spirit Lake Tribal Council to issue a community curfew and offer a reward for information leading to McKay’s whereabouts. This case was investigated the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Benson and Eddy County Sheriff’s Department, North Dakota Highway Patrol, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Lake Region Narcotics Task Force, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Schmidt and Lori Conroy. # # # # # #


title: Colorado Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty To Terrorist Financing Charge

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Humzah Mashkoor, 20, of Westminster, Colorado, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to concealing the nature, source, or ownership of funds with the knowledge or intent that such funds would be provided to a foreign terrorist organization. According to the plea agreement, between September 2022 and December 2023, Mashkoor communicated with FBI online covert employees regarding his intent to travel to join ISIS, to provide money to ISIS in support of their efforts, and to recruit others to support ISIS through travel and/or financial contributions. Mashkoor told various FBI online covert employees that he planned to travel in December 2023 to the United Arab Emirates, where he would transfer funds to ISIS and stay until he continued on to either Afghanistan or Syria to serve as a fighter for ISIS. In advance of his travel, Mashkoor took steps to conceal the nature, source, or ownership of funds while he was in the United States that would allow him to covertly transfer funds to ISIS via cryptocurrency upon his planned arrival in the UAE. On December 18, 2023, federal agents arrested Mashkoor at the Denver International Airport before he boarded the first leg of his trip to the UAE. “Providing material support to a terrorist organization is a serious crime against the United States and I am glad the defendant will spend years in federal prison for what he did,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “This investigation was the result of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (comprised of federal, state, and local partners) as well as the Thornton and Westminster police departments,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “We vigorously pursue investigations when an individual crosses the line from espousing particular views into planning or committing acts of violence, in this case in support of a foreign terrorist organization. Defending the homeland continues to be an FBI top priority.” United States District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing. The FBI Denver Field Office handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cramer-Babycz and Jasand Mock for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Case Number: 24-cr-0018-RMR


title: Brazilian National Charged with Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian national currently serving a two-year sentence in the Middlesex House of Correction for Operating Under the Influence (4th or greater offense) has been charged in federal court with unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Jose Antonio Ramos, 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. The defendant will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on April 8, 2026. According to the charging documents, the defendant was removed from the United States in November 2008. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Zacks of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Brighton Man Charged with Receipt of Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A Brighton man has been arrested and charged with receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). John Tapley, 33, was charged with one count of receipt of child pornography. Tapley was arrested at his home yesterday, and following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for April 6, 2026. According to the charging documents, Tapley was identified as a member of 15 group chats on the Signal messenger application. Many of these chats had group names that were indicative of the exchange of CSAM. During a search of Tapley’s residence yesterday, it is alleged that five CSAM files were found to have been received by Tapley on his Signal account. The victims in these videos appeared to be between approximately seven and 11 years old. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by United States Postal Inspection Service and Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Wildlife Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – A Reading, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking in wildlife parts from endangered and protected species. Adam Bied, 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to eight months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Bied was also ordered to pay a $75,000 fine to fund wildlife enforcement efforts. In January 2026 , Bied pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, specifically, illegally imported wildlife parts, and two counts of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking in wildlife. The wildlife that Bied unlawfully imported and conspired to import was protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). None of the wildlife Bied imported was declared as required by law. Bied was charged in June 2024 . “Trafficking in the remains of endangered and protected animals is not a collector’s hobby – it is a crime that fuels the exploitation of vulnerable species around the world,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “As the Department of Justice has made clear, protecting animal welfare and enforcing our wildlife laws is a priority. This defendant knowingly smuggled and profited from the killing of protected animals – some of which were slaughtered at his direction – undermining global conservation efforts. Today’s sentence holds him accountable and sends a clear message: those who traffic in wildlife will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” “Our agency works diligently to combat the illegal international trafficking of wildlife parts due to its devastating effect on a wide variety of vulnerable species,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “In their quest for quick profit, wildlife smugglers push critically endangered animals toward the edge of extinction and undermine global conservation efforts. Halting this illegal trade remains one of our highest priorities and together with the Department of Justice, we will bring those responsible to justice.” Beginning in at least January 2018 and continuing until at least June 2021, Bied bought, sold and traded in wildlife parts and products from threatened and endangered species knowing that many of the transactions violated U.S. laws and regulations, including the ESA and the Lacey Act. Bied also knowingly failed to declare the wildlife to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) upon importation into the United States. Specifically, Bied placed orders with individuals in Cameroon and Indonesia who were in the businesses of killing and acquiring wildlife, including endangered and protected species, received the parts in the United States unlawfully and then resold or traded the wildlife to customers in the United States. In text messages, Bied and a co-conspirator in Cameroon (CC-1), a person Bied knew to be a poacher of native species, discussed hunting and killing wildlife. For example, in June 2018 when CC-1 told Bied that he was unable to obtain bullets for hunting wildlife due to the ongoing civil war, Bied offered to send him bullets. After CC-1 said he could go to jail if he is caught receiving ammunition during the ongoing civil war, Bied offered to send him money for bullets in exchange for skulls including, as they discussed, chimpanzee skulls. Bied also requested a gorilla skull. Both gorillas and chimpanzees are endangered, and most gorilla species are critically endangered. Bied also sought to purchase skulls from elephants, lions, hippos and other “rare” and “large animals.” Bied repeatedly instructed CC-1 not to send him skulls with bullet holes, writing “stop sending me skulls with holes” and “Just send me a lot of big skulls. Also no skulls with bullet holes.” In various messages with CC-1, Bied referred to his customers, advising CC-1, “I need rare things for my customers.” Bied was aware of the laws protecting wildlife and governing wildlife importation and that it was illegal to trade in endangered and protected species. For example, on Dec. 26, 2019 Bied took photographs of an educational exhibit at a zoo about illegal wildlife trafficking, that prominently featured pangolins as the “most heavily trafficked wild mammal.” Later that day, Bied texted CC-1, “I'd like to buy the pangolin skull – I'd like to buy this pangolin still.” All subspecies of pangolins are protected under CITES. Bied and his conspirator in Indonesia (CC-2) exchanged electronic messages about the acquisition, purchase, and sale of wildlife, and protected wildlife. Among other wildlife, Bied purchased multiple orangutans and Javan leopard skulls from CC-2. Both species are critically endangered. Bied later sold two illegally imported leopard skulls to an undercover federal agent. During the negotiations over one skull, Bied lied about its origin, falsely claiming to the agent that the leopard skull was at least 60 years old, that he had purchased it at an auction, and that he believed the sale of this skull to be legal. In fact, the skull had been recently illegally imported from Indonesia. Bied neither sought nor obtained the necessary USFWS import/export licenses or CITES permits before importing these items, nor did he declare the wildlife to the USFWS upon import as required. Instead, Bied and his co-conspirators took steps to conceal the wildlife parts from U.S. authorities by falsely labeling them as “decorative masks” and “rodents,” among other things. Bied unlawfully imported skulls from the following wildlife species, among others: baboon, chimpanzee, pangolin, orangutan and leopard. Bied has consented to the civil forfeiture of over 100 wildlife parts from endangered, threatened, or protected species seized by the USFWS in July 2021 from Bied’s residence, storage unit and vehicle. The wildlife parts identified in the civil forfeiture complaint include: Orangutan skulls Tiger skulls Leopard skin, skulls and a claw Jaguar skin and skull African lion skulls Polar bear skull Narwhal tusk Otter skeleton Harp seal skull Pangolin skull South American fur seal skull Elephant seal skull Babirusa skulls Mandrillus skulls Wallaby skull Jackal skull Federal wildlife statutes and regulations prohibit international and illegal trade in vulnerable wildlife species. The ESA, the Lacey Act and CITES, as well as the accompanying regulations, prohibit the import, export, possession, transport, purchase and sale of protected species. The restrictions apply to live and dead wildlife specimens, as well as the skins, parts and products made in whole or in part from listed species. Additional documents are also required for wildlife protected by the CITES treaty, which regulates trade in endangered or threatened species through permit requirements. The lawful importation of vulnerable wildlife species requires a CITES permit. The lawful importation of any foreign species requires a USFWS wildlife declaration. Individuals are also required to have a USFWS import/export license to import wildlife for commercial purposes. U.S. Attorney Foley and USFWS Assistant Director Ault made the announcement. This case was worked jointly with the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Casey and Carol E. Head are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.


title: Portland Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in an interstate drug trafficking organization. Luis Garcia Zurita, 38, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. According to court documents, Garcia Zurita was both an interstate drug transporter and local distributor for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization operating in Portland. In August 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) determined that Garcia Zurita was traveling from Los Angeles, California, to Oregon. Investigators conducted a stop of Garcia Zurita and subsequently applied for and were granted a search warrant for his vehicle. Agents seized from the vehicle approximately 4 kilograms of fentanyl pills and 2 kilograms of cocaine. On March 5, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Garcia Zurita with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. On December 1, 2025, Garcia Zurita pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. This case was investigated by the DEA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul T. Maloney. CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of False Statements, Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, Money Laundering, Possessing a Stolen Vehicle and Wire Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – HARDELL MACK (“MACK”), age 54, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 25, 2026 before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to a four count indictment charging him with making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), conspiring to commit mail fraud, money laundering, and possessing a stolen vehicle. Additionally, MACK plead guilty to wire fraud, a matter transferred from the Middle District of Louisiana, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court records, in Count One, MACK fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP”) loan, which was authorized during the pandemic by the CARES Act, by making a false statement on or about July 24, 2020. This resulted in a loan in the amount of $20,284. He also obtained three other fraudulent PPP loans resulting in a total loss to the Small Business Administration of $79,356. Count Two alleged that MACK also conspired to file false tax records by interstate mail in order to obtain an Employee Retention Credit from the Internal Revenue Service, that was funded by the U.S. Treasury. This resulted in a loss to the government of $625,310. Using the funds from the mail fraud, MACK committed money laundering as alleged in Count Three by sending over $10,000 to an investment company in Florida. In Count Four, MACK also pleaded guilty to possessing a McLaren automobile that was stolen from Connecticut. Concerning the Middle District matter, MACK pleaded guilty to Count Two of the indictment, charging him with wire fraud for defrauding an investor in a concert promotion scheme. Sentencing will occur on June 24, 2026. MACK faces up to five (5) years imprisonment for Counts One and Two, and up to ten (10) years imprisonment for Counts Three and Four in the Eastern District of Louisiana. MACK may receive up to twenty (20) years of imprisonment for his plea to Count Two in the Middle District of Louisiana matter. All the counts include up to $250,000 in fines or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person, and up to three years of supervised release along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count due after conviction. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC), the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera from the Eastern District of Louisiana and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth White from the Middle District of Louisiana are in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Chinese National Unlawfully Residing in U.S. Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft and Vehicle Theft Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HUACHUN ZHENG, also known as “Ri Yuan,” 43, a citizen of China last residing in Queens, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment for offenses related to a series of vehicle thefts from dealerships utilizing personal information from identity theft victims. According to court documents and statements made in court, Zheng, who did not have legal status in the U.S, and others used stolen personal and financial information and stolen or counterfeit identity cards from multiple identity theft victims to apply for loans to purchase or lease luxury vehicles from a car dealership in Greenwich. They then transported the vehicles to New York and sought to resell them. On September 27, 2022, Zheng, using a stolen identity, obtained $94,742.73 in financing to purchase a 2019 Porsche Panamera from the Greenwich dealership. After the fraud scheme came to light, the dealership repossessed the vehicle before it could be resold. Zheng’s co-conspirators fraudulently obtained financing and purchased other vehicles from the dealership. The investigation revealed that Zheng and his co-conspirators used stolen identity information to perpetrate other frauds. On September 10, 2022, Zheng was arrested in Nassau County, New York, in connection with a scheme in which he and others passed fraudulent checks to purchase jewelry. At the time of that arrest, Zheng was driving a Maserati that had been purchased from a dealership in Jamaica, New York, and was registered in the name of the victim whose identity Zheng used to purchase the Porsche Panamera from the Greenwich dealership later that month. Zheng has been detained since his arrest on January 28, 2025. On January 6, 2026, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Zheng faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term. This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Greenwich Police Department and the New York City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elena L. Coronado.


title: Former Computer Systems Administrator at Federal Public Defender’s Office Charged with Stealing Government Property

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Noah Fallon, Acting Investigations Branch Chief for the Federal Protective Service, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging PETERSON BERNADEL, 39, of Meriden, with offenses related to the theft of government property. The indictment alleges that Bernadel was a Computer Systems Administrator (CSA) at the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Connecticut (FDO). As a CSA, he had physical access to the FDO’s inventory of digital and electronic devices, including computers, tablet computers, cellular telephones, and other devices. He also had the ability to add, remove, and edit information contained in their digital inventory record-keeping system. Bernadel stole property from the FDO, including iPads, Apple and Dell computers, a Mavic drone, and a Canon digital camera, and exchanged the items for cash at pawn shops. He also falsified an inventory record related to an Apple laptop computer that he had stolen and pawned. The indictment, which was returned on March 24, 2026, charges Bernadel with eight counts of theft of government property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count, and one count of falsifying records and information, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Bernadel was arrested on April 1, 2026. He is released on a $50,000 bond pending trial. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George.


title: Southington Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun and Drug Offenses Stemming from 2020 Shooting in Hartford

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ERIC D. COX, 43, of Southington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 29 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for firearm and narcotics offenses stemming from a shooting in Hartford in 2020. According to the evidence presented during his trial, on September 4, 2020, Cox engaged in a violent altercation near Hartford Hospital in Hartford. During the altercation, in which Cox was slashed with a knife, Cox pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots at the individual who slashed him and others in the vicinity, which resulted in a bystander being shot multiple times. Hartford Police responded to the incident and found several cartridge casings on Jefferson Street where the stabbing and shooting occurred, and a hospital employee found a discarded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol outside the entrance of the hospital’s emergency department and notified law enforcement. Police searched Cox’s car after the incident and found a bag containing approximately 28 grams of cocaine. Subsequent analysis of the firearm revealed the presence of Cox’s DNA. Cox’s criminal history includes a federal conviction in 2008 for a crack cocaine distribution offense. On November 21, 2025, a jury found Cox guilty of one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of possession of cocaine. Cox, who is released on $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on August 6. The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted the other individual involved in the altercation. This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and Mary G. Vitale.


title: Chinese National Pleads Guilty in $65 Million Multinational Fraud and Money Laundering Ring Targeting Seniors

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Ziyue Zhao, aka “Chris Zhao,” pleaded guilty in federal court today and admitted he participated in a $65 million fraud and money laundering scheme targeting elderly victims across the United States, including in San Diego. Zhao, a Chinese national, is the first defendant to plead guilty following a nationwide takedown in August 2025 of 28 alleged members of a Chinese organized crime ring. The defendants, who are charged in various related indictments, are accused of participating in a massive $65 million fraud scheme targeting thousands of seniors across the United States—including a 97-year-old San Diego widow of a Holocaust survivor who lost her entire life savings. Operating since at least 2019 and rooted in Southern California, the criminal network—primarily composed of Chinese nationals, many in the U.S. illegally—worked closely with India-based scam call centers. Fraudsters who took the calls posed as technical support agents, government officials, or bank employees, according to court records. Victims received unsolicited calls or emails directing them to call various phone numbers, which, unbeknownst to the victims, were for the India-based scam call centers. Once connected, the scammers used scripted lies and psychological manipulation to gain the victims’ trust and often remote access to their computers. The most common scheme involved convincing victims they had received a mistaken refund and pressuring—or threatening—them to return the supposed excess funds via wire transfer, cash, or gift cards. Victims sending cash were instructed to use overnight or express couriers, addressing packages to fake names tied to false IDs. These were sent to short-term rentals in the U.S. used by conspirators, including the indicted defendants, to collect the fraud proceeds. In his plea agreement, Zhao admitted that to facilitate receipt of victim packages, members of the conspiracy, including Zhao, booked short-term rentals in a hub-and-spoke pattern: a hub would be booked for approximately one week; spoke locations would be booked nearby for shorter stays. After some time, members of the conspiracy would relocate to a new location and continue the pattern. Once a victim had been defrauded, victims were instructed to withdraw bulk cash, to conceal the cash in packages, and to send cash-laden packages via express mail carriers to names and addresses provided by the conspirators. The recipient names were fictitious names corresponding with fake IDs. The recipient addresses were for the short-term rental locations. In his plea agreement, Zhao admitted that he participated in the fraud between February 2020 through March 2021. During that time, the organization received approximately 1,269 victim packages each containing an average of approximately $14,000, or an estimated $17,776,000 in victim losses during just that time period. This multi-year fraud and money laundering investigation was led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California and Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. A sentencing hearing for Ziyue Zhao is scheduled for June 23, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari. DEFENDANT Case Number 25-cr-1765-TWR-07 Ziyue Zhao, aka “Chris Zhao” Age: 30 Flushing, NY SUMMARY OF CHARGES Count 1 – Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud - Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1349, 2326 Maximum penalty: Forty years in prison; a maximum $1 million fine Count 2 – Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; a maximum $500,000 fine or twice the amount of monetary instruments involved in the offense, whichever is greatest INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations Federal Bureau of Investigation Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation San Diego County Sheriff’s Department San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD) San Diego County District Attorney’s Office Mountain View (CA) Police Department Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FLDE) Alachua County (FL) Sheriff’s Department Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT) Irvine (CA) Police Department La Verne (CA) Police Department Mesa (AZ) Police Department Sarpy County (NE) Sheriff’s Department U.S. Postal Inspection Service


title: Chinese National in YouTube Video Pleads Guilty in $27 Million Multinational Fraud Scheme Targeting 2,000 Seniors

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Jiandong Chen, aka “Little Tiger,” pleaded guilty in federal court today and admitted he participated in a $27 million fraud and money laundering scheme targeting approximately 2,000 elderly victims across the United States. Chen, a Chinese national, is the second defendant charged in a five-defendant indictment unsealed in 2024. According to public documents, members of the conspiracy operated a series of technical support, bank impersonation, government impersonation and refund scams targeting elderly victims. Victims received unsolicited phone calls, emails, and pop-up ads directing victims to call a phone number. Unbeknownst to the victims, those phone numbers belonged to India-based scam call centers. Once a victim called the call center, members of the conspiracy used social engineering techniques to build trust with the victim. In many instances, the conspirators had victims download commercially available remote desktop software, which the conspirators used to access victims’ computers and to carry on the scams. One of the most frequent scams was a refund scam. Victims were told they were entitled to a small refund, for example, from a retailer for an alleged unauthorized charge. While pretending to process the refund, the victim would be accidentally “over-refunded” money. The conspirators would then instruct the victim to send the alleged over-refunded money through wire transfer or in cash via express mail to members of the conspiracy. In reality, the victims had not received any money. After building trust with a victim, the conspirators would induce victims to send money to members of the conspiracy in the United States, in locations throughout Southern California, Nevada and elsewhere. The money was sent to members of the conspiracy, including Chen, most often as bulk cash via express mail packages but also as wire transfers. Certain members of the conspiracy also did in-person pickups of money directly from victims. In one such instance captured in a YouTube video, defendant Chen traveled to a residence in the Los Angeles area to pick up bulk cash from someone he believed to be an elderly victim of the fraud scheme. In a video posted to YouTube entitled “CONFRONTING SCAMMERS WITH A FAKE FUNERAL (EPIC REACTIONS),” Chen was confronted by a team of YouTubers about working for a scam organization. Here’s the video . In most instances, however, victims were duped into sending bulk cash in the mail. When that would happen, members of the conspiracy would provide India-based co-conspirators a fictitious name plus an address of a retail location that could accept express mail packages. Those names and addresses would then be relayed to the victims, who were instructed to express mail the bulk cash. Then, once a victim had sent the cash in the mail, Chen and his co-conspirators would use fake IDs to get the packages of cash sent by the elderly victims. In his plea agreement, Chen admitted that he used fraudulent driver’s licenses or IDs matching the fictitious recipient names to retrieve the victim packages containing bulk cash. Investigators identified over 2,000 elderly victims from throughout the country, including victims in San Diego, who were defrauded and who suffered more than $27 million in losses over an approximately two-year period between 2021-2023. Victims were in their 70s and 80s. Chen also admitted that he and his co-conspirators laundered fraud proceeds through cryptocurrency to transfer funds to foreign-based counterparts, to pay co-conspirators, and to fund travel to retrieve cash packages sent by victims, including trips to Las Vegas, Nevada. Chen and four co-defendants were charged by indictment in June 2024. In August 2024, federal agents conducted a nationwide takedown of this investigation, which led to Chen’s arrest in the greater Los Angeles area. A sentencing hearing for Chen is scheduled for June 26, 2026, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari. DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-1317-RSH-02 Jiandong Chen, aka “Little Tiger” Age: 42 Los Angeles, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349, 2326 Maximum Penalties: Forty years in prison; $1 million fine Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(a)(1)(A)(i), 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) and 1956(h) Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General Homeland Security Investigations San Diego County District Attorney’s Office San Diego County Sheriff’s Department San Diego Police Department San Diego Elder Justice Task Force Chino Police Department Coronado Police Department Escondido Police Department Glendora Police Department Long Beach Police Department Orange County Sheriff’s Department *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Previously Removed Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug and Immigration Crimes in the District of Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A previously removed illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced today to five years’ imprisonment after he possessed and intended to distribute approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine and illegally reentered the United States after being removed in 2020. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Juan Alexis Castanon-Chavez, 28, residing illegally in Bountiful, Utah, was sentenced to one year of supervised release. Upon his release from imprisonment, Castanon-Chavez will be remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings. According to court documents and statements made at Castanon-Chavez’s sentencing and change of plea hearings, on March 2, 2025, agents arranged a controlled purchase of narcotics from Castanon-Chavez. On that day, Castanon-Chavez brought approximately eight kilograms of methamphetamine to sell to an undercover agent posing as a drug purchaser. Agents seized approximately 7,930 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine from Castanon-Chavez’s vehicle. Castanon-Chavez admitted he intended to sell the methamphetamine had it not been seized by law enforcement. He further admitted that he unlawfully reentered the United States after he was removed on March 3, 2020. See prior press release: Mexican National Facing Drug and Immigration Charges . First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Davis County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Vernon G. Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: LeFlore County Resident Pleads Guilty To Assault With The Intent To Commit Murder Of Webbers Falls Police Officer

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Billy Wayne Williams, age 47, of Wister, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to charges relating to the shooting of a Webbers Falls police officer in March of 2025. On April 1, 2026, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by no less than 10 years consecutive to any other sentence imposed and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that on or about March 16, 2025, Williams assaulted the victim with intent to commit murder. The Indictment further alleged that on March 16, 2025, Williams assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon intending to do bodily harm; that Williams assaulted the victim resulting in serious bodily injury; and that, during that crime of violence, Williams knowingly discharged a firearm. According to investigators, on March 16, 2025, Williams pulled his firearm and shot a Webbers Falls, Oklahoma police officer in the face during a routine traffic stop. Williams fled the scene and law enforcement issued a statewide Blue Alert for Williams, cautioning that Williams was armed and dangerous. The Webbers Falls officer was taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. In the early morning hours of March 17, Grants, New Mexico Police received a BOLO for Williams’ car. At 7:42 a.m., Grants officers picked up Williams’ plates on their traffic cameras and apprehended him a short time later in an area Walmart parking lot. The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Webbers Falls Police Department, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Grants, New Mexico Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Williams will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.


title: Co-Defendants Sentenced For 2024 Armed Assault

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Demontrae Davion Rogers, age 20, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, and Damarion Hiawatha Nichols, age 21, of Moore, Oklahoma, were sentenced on charges relating to assaults occurring on April 2, 2024, in Wewoka, Oklahoma. Rogers was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and to 84 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, and Brandish of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The Court ordered the sentences to be served consecutively. Rogers was also sentenced to 12 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number. The Court ordered that charge to be served concurrently to the Assault count. On June 6, 2025, Rogers pleaded guilty to the federal firearm charge. On December 8, 2025, Rogers pleaded guilty to the armed assault charges. On March 6, 2026, Damarion Hiawatha Nichols, age 21, of Moore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for four counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. On December 8, 2025, Nichols pleaded guilty to the charges. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. According to investigators, on April 2, 2024, Rogers and Nichols forcibly entered a detached residential garage in Wewoka. Once inside, they held four individuals at gunpoint. As Rogers and Nichols pointed their firearms at the victims, they proceeded to strike one occupant with their weapons, causing lacerations and abrasions. During the assault, Roger’s weapon misfired, and he ejected the casing. Law enforcement investigating the crime scene recovered the casing, which later returned as a ballistics match to a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The crimes occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “Enforcing federal firearm regulations is crucial to protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and ensuring public safety,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “This sentence should serve as a warning: removing the serial number from a firearm will not protect you from being prosecuted for your crimes.” ATF Dallas Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner had this to say about the sentencing: “Eastern Oklahoma is safer today following the sentencing of a Demontrae Rogers, who attempted to carry out an assault using a firearm with an obliterated serial number. This deliberate act to conceal the weapon’s origin reflects the serious threat posed to our community. “Through the use of ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), our agents linked critical evidence and confirmed Rogers’ involvement in the armed assault. This case demonstrates the power of intelligence-driven investigations and the effectiveness of coordinated law enforcement efforts. “This outcome was made possible through strong collaboration among federal, state, local, and Tribal partners. Together, we remain committed to identifying violent offenders, holding them accountable, and protecting the citizens of the Eastern District of Oklahoma.” This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/tools-services-law-enforcement/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Rogers and Nichols will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Edith Singer represented the United States.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Vance White, 40 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. White was sentenced to 46 months of prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $264,705.53 in restitution. According to documents in the case, White engaged in a scheme to defraud and to obtain money from retail stores by paying for merchandise with counterfeit checks. He would then return the stolen merchandise to different outlets of the same retail store and receive cash for the returns. White committed his fraud at retail stores in the Northern District of Indiana and in more than 25 states, including Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. “Vance White methodically executed a scheme to defraud store after store across half of the states in the Union,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “He must now repay over a quarter of a million dollars in ill-gotten gains that he accrued over four years, and he must now spend several years in federal custody. Fraudsters should take note—any illicit scheme designed to bilk innocent citizens or their businesses of hard-earned money will be investigated, prosecuted, and punished. My thanks go out to the brave agents and prosecutors who brought White to justice.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Customs and Border Protection. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.


title: Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS – Dedrick Brown, 32 years old, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker after pleading guilty to threatening a federal employee, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Brown was sentenced to 21 months in prison. According to documents in the case, on March 25, 2025, Brown appeared at a supervised release revocation hearing in the Southern District of Indiana. During the hearing, Brown made several threats against his probation officer, who had just testified against him, including that he would shoot his probation officer and that he would “make it his job” to find and kill him when he was released. Brown then attempted to spit on his probation officer. “Federal employees who take an oath to support and defend the Constitution should never have to fear that performing their jobs faithfully will provoke an attack,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “This office takes such threats seriously and will continue to hold those accountable who threaten and intimidate public servants. My thanks go out to the dedicated federal agents and prosecutors who brought Dedrick Brown to justice.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Steven J. Lupa and Thomas M. McGrath, who were appointed as Special Attorneys in the Southern District of Indiana.


title: Pulaski County Woman Sentenced for  Armed Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Science Hill, Ky., woman, Vicki Allred, 41, was sentenced on Thursday to 60 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to her plea agreement, on April 23, 2024, Allred possessed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intention of distributing it. Specifically, during the execution of a search warrant at Allred’s residence and her box trailer in the driveway, law enforcement recovered more than 280 grams of methamphetamine packaged in distribution quantities, additional plastic bags, and digital scales. Additionally, from a lockbox containing two bags of methamphetamine, law enforcement found a pistol, a loaded magazine, and four sets of digital scales. From Allred’s trailer, law enforcement also recovered a rifle, four loaded AR magazines, and a shotgun with ammunition. Allred admitted that she possessed the firearms to protect herself from the dangers associated with drug trafficking. Under federal law, Allred must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years. Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Fifth Circuit Affirms Former Amory School Teacher's Conviction and 192 Year Sentence for Abusing Students

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, La. – The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has affirmed the conviction and sentence of Toshemie Wilson, 50, a former educator in the Amory School District who was sexually abusing students over a ten year period. Wilson was found guilty of eight counts of sexual exploitation of children by a federal jury to which he was given 24 years for each count by United States Chief Judge Debra M. Brown. Testimony at trial revealed that the defendant exploited his students for his sexual pleasure. Seven victims testified at trial that the abuse spanned from 2007 until at least 2016. The conduct was exposed by one former student coming forward to report the conduct. Wilson challenged several aspects of the trial including his argument that he did not produce the child exploitation material for anything but to “conduct scientific research.” The Fifth Circuit dismissed that argument and stated that the jury “evidently believed the victims.” Wilson will continue to serve the remainder of his 192-year sentence at a federal prison. The investigation was a joint effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and many state and local officers. United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Scott F. Leary, made the announcement. Additionally, Leary said “Our motto, found on the Mississippi Coat-of-Arms, is the Latin phrase “Virtute et Armis” – Virtue and Arms. Virtue is a trait of character exhibiting inner strength and personal integrity, resulting in morally good conduct. The Latin phrase “armis” refers to military equipment and is often used in phrases indicating force. As citizens of this great country, we must vigilantly protect the vulnerable from injustice, at times through “Armis”. No self-respecting nation should ever submit to wrongs committed against its children. In this case a victim came forward and courageously reported this crime. State and federal authorities then worked together and ended a reign of terror perpetrated by a predator teacher. A 192-year sentence is justice. Hopefully the victims of this crime can move on with their lives knowing justice was served. The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the FBI did an excellent job investigating this case. Our prosecutors are pros, convicting the defendant at trial and seeing the case through appeal. Well done all.” Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff said, “The justice system got it right. Wilson’s conviction highlights the FBI’s and our law enforcement partners’ unwavering commitment to protecting minors from predators. Those who exploit positions of trust to harm children will be held accountable.” “This case serves as a reminder that those who abuse positions of trust will be prosecuted to the fullest extent,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “We are grateful for the Court’s decision to uphold this conviction. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership and diligent work on this case. My hope is that these victims and their families can move forward and find healing.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Parker S. King and Clyde McGee prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Bryan County Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Eagle Chambers, age 39, of Colbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Prohibited Person. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Achille Police Department. On September 15, 2025, Chambers pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on March 26, 2025, Chambers knowingly possessed a pistol and ammunition after receiving actual notice of being subject to a court order restraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner in reasonable fear of bodily injury, and which by its terms explicitly prohibited the use, attempted use, or threatened used of physical force. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: McCurtain County Resident Sentenced For Failing To Register As Sex Offender

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Allan Wayne Hilton, a/k/a Alan Wayne Hilton, a/k/a Terry L. Leonard, a/k/a Allen Wayne Hilton, age 67, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Failure to Register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force. On September 9, 2025, Hilton pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, Hilton was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted of three counts of Rape in Miller County, Arkansas, on February 25, 1993, and from June 20, 2023, until June 10, 2025, Hilton failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hilton will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.


title: Okfuskee County Resident Sentenced To Life In Prison For 2024 Okemah Murder

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Wayne Lambert, age 56, of Weleetka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to Life in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country, and ten years in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The Court ordered the terms to be served consecutively. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okemah Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. On September 11, 2025, Lambert was found guilty by a federal jury at trial. According to investigators, in the early morning hours of June 30, 2024, Lambert shot the victim multiple times on the stairs of an Okemah apartment complex, fled, then discarded the murder weapon off the side of the Bearden River Bridge into the North Canadian River. There, investigators recovered a Ruger 9mm from the riverbank that matched the shell casings recovered from the crime scene. The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Lambert will be held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Ryan Conway represented the United States.


title: Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty To Assault With Dangerous Weapon

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaxson Clayton Vaughn, age 19, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that on November 22, 2024, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian country, Vaughn knowingly assaulted a victim with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Vaughn will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.


title: Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty To Aggravated Sexual Abuse In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaxson Clayton Vaughn, age 19, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, punishable by up to Life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that on November 14, 2024, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian country, Vaughn knowingly caused the victim to engage in a sexual act by use of force and by threatening and placing the victim in fear of death, serious bodily injury, and kidnapping. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Jason A. Roberston, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Vaughn will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.


title: Del Rio Man Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Firearms

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 105 months in prison for conspiracy to traffic firearms, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents, Mark Anthony Jimenez aka “M-Thang,” 24, obtained a pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device, also known as a switch, and purchased two boxes of 9mm ammunition in Del Rio. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives discovered videos Jimenez shared on Facebook depicting himself, a juvenile, and codefendant Alleena Nikole Soto, firing rounds from the pistol with the switch attached, in fully automatic mode. ATF canvassed the property where Jimenez was seen firing the automatic pistol and recovered multiple 9mm shell casings consistent with the ammunition that he purchased. Jimenez and Soto were arrested on Feb. 8, 2024. Both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms. Soto was sentenced to 44 months in prison with credit for time served on Nov. 18, 2025. The ATF investigated the case with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office, the Del Rio Police Department, and Val Verde County Adult Probation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allyson Breach prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: Justice Department Sues Idaho for Failure to Produce Voter Rolls

body_text: Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced it has filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Idaho for failing to produce their full voter registration lists upon request. This brings the Justice Department’s nationwide total to 30 states and the District of Columbia. “The Justice Department will continue to fulfill its oversight role dutifully, neutrally, and transparently wherever Americans vote in federal elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Many state election officials, however, are choosing to fight us in court rather than show their work. We will continue to verify that all States are carrying out critical election integrity legal duties.” According to the lawsuits, the Attorney General is uniquely charged by Congress with broad authority to request election records under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. This Act allows her to demand the production, inspection, and analysis of statewide voter registration lists that can be cross-checked effectively for improper registrations.


title: Pensacola Man Sentenced for Illegal Weapons Charges

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Isaiah Markeis Sims, 23, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 27 months’ in federal prison following his previous guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The term of imprisonment will be followed by three years on federal supervised release. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners are on the front lines of the fight against dangerous criminals in our communities, and my office stands ready to back them up with successful prosecutions like this one to keep our streets safe. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice toward eliminating the threats to our communities posed by dangerous criminals, and my office is committed to ensuring we are successful in that effort.” Court documents reflect that in August 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which the defendant was a passenger. After detecting the odor of marijuana in the vehicle, law enforcement asked the occupants to step out of the vehicle. Upon exiting the vehicle, the defendant fled on foot and deputies gave chase, catching him when he later fell to the ground. After detaining him, deputies found a loaded Glock handgun that the defendant had dropped next to him on the ground. The defendant is a convicted felon. The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Panama City Beach Meth Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Jerry Thomas McCarigie, 49, of Panama City Beach, was sentenced to over six years in federal prison after a jury previously found him guilty of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Eliminating the scourge of methamphetamine in our communities requires close collaboration between our state and federal law enforcement partners and aggressive prosecutions to send the peddlers of this deadly poison to prison. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward dismantling and eradicating drug trafficking networks that have invaded our communities, and my office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this one to deliver on the promise that our citizens deserve safe, drug-free streets.” Evidence and testimony admitted at trial established that on November 15, 2023, the Bay County Sheriff's Office’s Special Investigations Division conducted a drug trafficking investigation at a motel located in Panama City Beach. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s motel room. During the execution of the warrant, the defendant was detained and law enforcement located fentanyl, multiple baggies containing more than 48 grams of methamphetamine, and a digital scale in the defendant’s pockets. “We continue to have success targeting criminals in the Panhandle region,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Drug Enforcement Administration Tampa Field Division. “We will not rest until they are brought to justice.” After serving his term of imprisonment, McCarigie will have to serve 4 years on supervised release. The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Marijuana Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dejaun Angelo, 23, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing marijuana intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Angelo pled guilty to this charge on November 19, 2025. In June 2025 the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a tip indicating that Angelo’s “X” account posted racist and violent threats to kill Jews and African Americans. Police obtained a search warrant for Angelo’s near eastside Madison apartment and found numerous marijuana compounds including approximately 19.5 pounds of marijuana, 423 grams of hashish, and 1,500 grams of hashish oil. Police also found numerous firearms in the apartment and hundreds of ammunition boxes in Angelo’s rented storage unit. The investigation determined that Angelo operated a cannabis company and regularly sold marijuana in the community. At Angelo’s sentencing, Judge Conley expressed profound concern over Angelo’s hateful online comments and noted that it was fortunate police stopped him “before he went further.” The charge against Angelo was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case.


title: Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Life Plus 60 Months for Violent Kidnapping-for-Ransom Scheme

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to life in prison plus 60 months after a federal jury convicted him on kidnapping charges stemming from a 2018 abduction, following nearly seven years on the run from law enforcement. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2018, just weeks after his release from prison for a felony firearm conviction stemming from a high-speed police chase, and while under court supervision and wearing a GPS ankle monitor, Jose Ramirez , 47, engineered a calculated and violent kidnapping-for-ransom scheme targeting his former employer, a 68-year-old business owner who had fired him years earlier for theft. On July 25, 2018, the day before the kidnapping, Ramirez met with his co-defendants in Albuquerque and enlisted them in the scheme, which he described as a plan to retaliate against his former boss and “take him for all he had.” One co-defendant further recruited a third participant, who acted as the primary enforcer during the attack. In the early morning hours of July 26, after stealing a vehicle from a family member, cutting off his GPS monitor and discarding his phone to conceal his movements, Ramirez and his co-defendants traveled to the victim’s residence in Placitas. At approximately 6 a.m., the defendants ambushed the victim as he exited his home. Ramirez restrained the victim in a chokehold and held a knife to his throat. During the ensuing struggle, the victim was pistol-whipped multiple times before being subdued. The defendants forced the victim into his own Ford Ranger and drove him to a remote location, where they robbed him of cash and a check, bound him, and transported him to a dilapidated shed in Albuquerque. Ramirez held the victim captive for approximately 15 hours, during which the victim endured additional beatings. Throughout the day, Ramirez made multiple ransom calls to the victim’s daughter, demanding $9,600 and directing her to wire money to a bank account in Mexico. Despite his previous efforts to avoid detection, Ramirez used his personal cell phone to make the calls, which were traced by investigators, and he spoke directly to the victim’s daughter during a recorded call, further identifying himself. The scheme ultimately unraveled when Ramirez failed to provide the necessary banking information required to complete the international wire transfer. After obtaining only $600 from the victim, Ramirez abandoned the ransom attempt. That evening, the victim was released in southwest Albuquerque and walked to a nearby gas station, where he called for help. In the aftermath, Ramirez attempted to profit further by using a stolen check bearing his fingerprint, which led to an additional bank fraud conviction for an associate. He then fled New Mexico, traveling to California, where he lived under aliases and continued engaging in criminal activity. Ramirez evaded law enforcement for seven years before being apprehended in California. On December 12, 2025, a federal jury convicted Ramirez on multiple charges, including conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to carjack, carjacking, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and extortion. Due to his more than thirty years of criminal conduct and the particularly violent and calculated nature of the crime, the government requested—and the court imposed—a sentence of life in prison plus 60 years. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico Corrections Department Probation and Parole. Assistant United States Attorneys Jack E. Burkhead and Sarah Mease are prosecuting the case.


title: Two Men Indicted in Lehigh Valley-Area Drug Cases

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two defendants have been charged in separate Lehigh Valley-area drug cases just unsealed. Richie Rivera , 33, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that, on or about February 24, 2026, in Berks County, Pa., the defendant was found in possession of approximately 1.24 kilograms of heroin, approximately 435 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, medetomidine, and xylazine, approximately 711 grams of cocaine, and approximately 206 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment further alleges that, prior to possessing these narcotics, Rivera was convicted in October 2023 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. This case was investigated by the Reading Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti. Samuel Paulino , 51, of Union City, New Jersey, was charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. The indictment alleges that on or about March 2, 2026, in Northampton County, Pa., the defendant was found in possession of approximately four kilograms of heroin and approximately six kilograms of cocaine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. This case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schopf. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Unlawful Possession of a Gun and Ammunition by a Felon

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Arthur Thompson, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted late yesterday afternoon at trial of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on December 20, 2022, two Philadelphia police officers saw the defendant commit a traffic violation and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Thompson stopped his car, got out, tossed a loaded firearm, and ran away from the officers. After a brief foot chase, the defendant was detained and later charged locally with firearms violations. Thompson was federally indicted in January of last year and then charged by superseding indictment in December. He had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Gun Violence Task Force, and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Tracie J. Gaydos.


title: Ludlow Man Charged with Witness Tampering and Retaliation

body_text: BOSTON – A Ludlow man has been arrested and charged for allegedly threatening the father of a victim in a pending federal sex trafficking case. Christopher Barbaro, 72, was charged with harassing and threatening a witness in an ongoing sex trafficking prosecution. The defendant was arrested on March 27, 2026 and made an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson in federal court in Boston. The defendant was released on conditions. According to the charging document, in May 2025, Barbaro’s grandson was charged with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor and with transporting a victim to engage in prostitution. While those crimes were under investigation in the fall of 2024, government investigators interviewed multiple people, including one of the victims and that victim’s father. After the individuals had been interviewed, Barbaro allegedly sent the victim’s father a text message in November 2024 that stated: “You and your kid are a couple of f***** rats [rat emoji] and you know what happens to rats they choke on cheese you no good mother f***** I know what you guys did.” It is further alleged that in December 2025, Barbaro allegedly called the victim’s father and left the following voicemail: “You c***sucker. I’m gonna get ahold of you at your f****** office, you prick. Be ready!” Five minutes after leaving that voicemail, Barbaro allegedly called the victim’s father again and told him, among other things, that he was a “rat.” In March 2026, Barbaro allegedly told federal agents that he made communications to the victim’s father. It is further alleged that Barbaro confirmed that he knew where the victim’s father lives and works. Barbaro allegedly stated that if he saw the victim’s father he would “beat the s*** out of him…after what he did to my grandson.” When asked again if he would beat up the victim’s father, Barbaro allegedly stated, “I’d like to smash his face is what I’d like to do, for what he did miss. I’ll be honest with you. You can write that down. Take it as a threat. Whatever you wanna do. But that’s my feelings towards him. Alright? He’s a slippery SOB.” “My office is committed to vigorously prosecuting anyone who threatens or harasses victims or witnesses,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This office is committed to protecting the brave individuals who report crimes and assist in prosecutions to hold defendants accountable for their criminal conduct.” “Christopher Barbaro learned today that witness tampering can land you in handcuffs,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Mr. Barbaro is accused of harassing and threatening to harm a federal witness in a sex trafficking conspiracy case involving his grandson. Let me be clear: ensuring the safety of federal witnesses both before and after a prosecution is paramount, and the FBI takes Barbaro’s alleged acts extremely seriously.” The charge of harassing another person and thereby hindering a person from assisting in a criminal prosecution, or attempting to do so, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of threatening to cause bodily injury with intent to retaliate against a witness, or attempting to do so, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Foley and FBI SAC Docks made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Ludlow, Wilbraham and East Longmeadow Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings, Craig Estes and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Twice Deported Peruvian National Previously Convicted of Narcotics and Other Offenses Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CESAR RUBEN YLLESCAS, 52, a citizen of Peru, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a removed alien. As alleged in court documents, between 1995 and 2015, Yllescas was arrested, convicted, and sentenced multiple times in Connecticut Superior Court and Chicopee, Massachusetts District Court for narcotics offenses, threatening, assault, failure to appear in court, and illegal operation of a motor vehicle. In June 2016, Yllescas was deported to Peru. He subsequently reentered the U.S., was convicted in federal court of unlawful reentry and, in December 2019, was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment . In May 2020, Yllescas was again deported to Peru. It is further alleged that Yllescas again illegally reentered the U.S. On March 20, 2026, he was arrested by the West Springfield, Massachusetts Police Department for motor vehicle-related charges and on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court in 2015 for a violation of probation. After Yllescas was released on bond on those state charges, he was arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on March 23, 2026, in West Springfield. Yllescas appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was ordered detained. If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Yllescas faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Four Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Role in Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced the sentences of four defendants who assisted each other in distributing methamphetamine in southern Idaho. Two of the defendants lived in eastern Oregon and traveled to Idaho to help conduct a drug transaction. According to court records, beginning in 2023, Aaron Wesley Newman, 58, of Boise, sold controlled substances to another person on three separate occasions. During the last transaction, investigators identified three other individuals who aided Newman in distributing the methamphetamine. Jessica Leticia Cuevas, 39, of Nyssa, Oregon obtained payment from Newman for the drugs. Selena N. Medrano, 30, of Ontario, Oregon supplied the methamphetamine to Newman. Clark Christopher Brown, 44, of Boise, helped Newman weigh and package the methamphetamine before distribution. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Newman to 156 months in federal prison. Newman was also ordered to complete five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Judge Winmill previously sentenced Newman’s codefendants to prison. On October 28, 2025, he sentenced Brown to 77 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release and sentenced Medrano to 29 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On November 13, 2025, he sentenced Cuevas to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nampa Police Department, Idaho State Police, Idaho Department of Corrections Probation & Parole, Nyssa Police Department, and High Desert Drug Task Force, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher A. Booker prosecuted the case. ###


title: New Jersey Emergency Medical Services Company Owner Admits Tax Evasion

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The owner of several New Jersey companies, including an emergency medical services company, pleaded guilty to willfully evading taxes, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today. Louis V. Greco III, 38, of Highland Mills, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court today, to an information charging him with tax evasion for tax years 2018 to 2022. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Greco owned NJ Mobile Health Care LLC (“NJMHC”), an emergency medical services company that provided ambulance services out of Mahwah, New Jersey. Beginning in or around 2018, Greco caused NJMHC to fail to pay over payroll taxes that were collected from NJMHC’s employees. After the IRS began efforts to collect the outstanding payroll taxes, Greco opened SSME Services LLC (“SSME”) and moved NJMHC’s employees to SSME. Greco then caused SSME to fail to pay to the IRS payroll taxes that were collected from SSME’s employees. After the IRS began efforts to collect the outstanding payroll taxes owed by SSME, Greco opened Lime Line Operations LLC (“LLO”), and moved employees that were previously under NJMHC and SSME’s payrolls to LLO’s payroll. From 2018 to 2022, Greco caused these three companies to fail to pay to the IRS more than $1.4 million in payroll taxes, as well as over $400,000 in Trust Fund Recovery Penalties the IRS assessed against Greco for causing the three companies to fail to pay their employment taxes. The tax evasion charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for August 5, 2026. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Laserna, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit. 26-050 ### Defense counsel: Kevin G. Walsh, Esq., Florham Park, New Jersey Jude Roberto Cardenas, Esq., Carle Place, New York greco.information.pdf