title: Nevada Businesswoman Pleads Guilty to Multimillion Dollar Scheme to Fraudulently Claim COVID-19 Tax Credits

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Nevada businesswoman pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns claiming over $15 million dollars in COVID-19 related tax credits. According to court documents and statements made in court, Adonia Stiles, a Las Vegas-based real estate agent, tax preparer, and clothing store owner, conspired with others to file false tax returns fraudulently seeking refunds based on the employee retention credit (ERC) and sick and family leave credit. Congress created both the ERC and the sick and family leave credit to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. One of Stiles’s coconspirators was Candies Goode-McCoy, who was sentenced Monday to 54 months in prison for her role in the scheme. Stiles had Goode-McCoy file 11 false employment tax returns for Stiles’s clothing store seeking more than $800,000 in refundable tax credits. Stiles also directed 18 other people to Goode-McCoy for her to file over 150 false employment tax returns. Goode-McCoy claimed $15 million in fraudulent tax credits on these taxpayers’ behalf, causing the Treasury to pay more than $7 million in refunds. In exchange for making these referrals to Goode McCoy, Stiles received at least $135,000, which she did not report as income on her individual income tax returns. Stiles pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false claims. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are investigating the case. Trial Attorney John C. Gerardi of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jason Bloedow, 41, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced on April 8, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution. Bloedow pleaded guilty to this charge on January 8, 2026. In March and early April 2025, Bloedow sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. On April 24, 2025, officers stopped and arrested Bloedow on his way back to Wisconsin after he traveled to Minnesota to pick up methamphetamine. When officers searched Bloedow’s car, they found a box containing approximately 881 grams (or roughly two pounds) of methamphetamine. Bloedow later admitted to selling approximately 28 pounds of methamphetamine and making $48,000 in profit in just a three-month period. At sentencing, Judge Conley emphasized Bloedow’s long criminal history, noting Bloedow’s criminal conduct had continued to escalate despite his age. In arriving at a 10-year sentence, Judge Conley focused on Bloedow’s increase in the amount of methamphetamine he trafficked. The charge against Bloedow was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, the Dunn County and Chippewa County Sheriff’s Offices, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Dunn County and Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Remington prosecuted this case. Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department 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.


title: New Haven Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI today announced that MARCOS ALEX MENDEZ TORRES, 26, of New Haven, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with multiple child exploitation offenses including traveling to engage in sexual activity with minors he met and coerced online. As alleged in court documents, Mendez Torres used the social media usernames “nozuto” and “demoniodedinero” to communicate with girls online. In 2022, Mendez Torres began communicating with an approximately 11-year-old girl in Pennsylvania over the online game platform Roblox. Between 2022 and 2024, he used social media applications, including Discord and Snapchat, to communicate with the girl. Between 2023 and 2024, Mendez Torres also communicated via social media with another girl in Ohio beginning when she was approximately 12 years old. In March 2024, Mendez Torres traveled to Pennsylvania to meet with and to engage in sexual activity with the then-13-year-old girl residing there. He then traveled back to Connecticut before returning briefly to Pennsylvania and continuing on to Ohio with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with the then-12-year-old girl residing there. The criminal complaint charges Mendez Torres with coercion and enticement of a minor, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum of life; travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with children, an offense that carries a maximum of term of imprisonment of 30 years; and transfer of obscene materials to a minor, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Mendez Torres has been detained since June 26, 2024, when he was arrested by the Connecticut State Police on child exploitation and kidnapping charges relating to a 15-year-old girl in Connecticut. He was transferred to federal custody and appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court. U.S. Attorney Sullivan noted that investigators are seeking to identify additional victims and encouraged victims, witnesses, and anyone with helpful information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or to contact the FBI online at tips.fbi.gov . U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a criminal 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 investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis L. Beyerlein. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Journalist Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Thomas Pham LeGro, 48, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The Honorable John D. Bates scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2026. LeGro, a video journalist, was arrested June 26, 2025, after FBI agents executed a search warrant at his residence and seized several electronic devices. During the execution of the warrant, agents observed what appeared to be fractured pieces of a hard drive hidden under a rug in the basement of the residence. A review of LeGro's laptop revealed a folder that contained 11 videos depicting child sexual abuse. These videos depicted adult men sexually abusing prepubescent children and forcing them to engage in sex acts. This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in making the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell for the District of Columbia. It was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . 25cr192 ## Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: New York Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds for Scammers Targeting the Elderly

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Ivan Wilbur Seales, 58, a resident of New York and citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering on Tuesday, following a six-day jury trial. Seales laundered nearly $1 million in proceeds of a fraud scheme that targeted elderly victims from around the country including Arizona, with numerous victims losing significant portions of their life savings to the scam. Seals kept a portion of the ill-gotten gains for himself and helped the scammers launder the remaining funds through a maze of financial transactions he conducted either through crypto currency transfers or other financial transfers offshore, to include to India. The scam organization targeted elderly victims using “phishing attacks” such as fraudulent emails, text messages, pop-ups, or websites impersonating trusted entities like banks and software or tech companies. Some victims observed a “pop-up” display causing their computer to freeze. These victims were directed to call other scammers who claimed to be representatives of legitimate companies such as Apple or Microsoft. Other victims received “phishing” emails or text messages indicating they had received a charge on their account from Geek squad, PayPal, or an antivirus software company. These charges never occurred but were sent to the victims to lure them into the scheme. Once the victims called the fraudsters, they were led to believe that these “legitimate companies” erroneously transferred an over-refunded amount to the victims’ bank accounts. As instructed, victims then transferred their own money back to the scammers believing they were returning the scammers the “over-refunded amounts.” Victims were also lied to and informed that their bank accounts had been hacked or were compromised. Some were also told that money from their bank accounts was directed to child sexual abuse material, pornography, or a gambling site. To further the scam, the fraudsters directed the victims to transfer their money to various locations to “protect” their accounts and/or to “catch” the scammers. Seales, a lawful permanent resident of the United States, was remanded into custody after the jury’s verdict. Sentencing is set for June 18, 2026. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and New York State Police conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. Learn more about the Justice Department’s efforts to protect older Americans from exploitation here . CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-0419 RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-059_Seales # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Second Conviction for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Tracy Daniels, who had just completed a term of supervised release after serving 39 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, is heading back to prison after a second federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. This time, Daniels will spend 10 years in federal prison. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. A federal grand jury indicted Daniels, 34, of Mabelvale, in a four-count Indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. On October 20, 2025, Daniels pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Daniels to three years’ supervised release for this conviction. There is no parole in the federal system. An investigation revealed that on December 30, 2024, officers with the Jacksonville Police Department received a call regarding an attempted residential burglary. Upon arrival at the residence, officers met with the homeowner who stated the suspect, later identified as Daniels, walked up to the residence, kicked in the front door, and entered the residence. Once inside the residence, the family dog began to bark, which scared Daniels away. Officers reviewed two videos from the homeowner’s video camera that showed Daniels in the home. Officers observed a muddy shoe print on the front door. After broadcasting a description of Daniels to other officers, Daniels was then observed entering into the passenger side of a vehicle at a convenience store in Jacksonville. Officers approached Daniels and removed him from the vehicle. Officers asked Daniels to see the bottom of his shoe and the pattern matched what was observed on the front door of the residence. When officers asked Daniels to provide his identity, he gave them false names and dates of births. Officers were able to positively identify Daniels through a fingerprint scanner provided by the Arkansas State Police. Officers placed Daniels under arrest and conducted a search of the area near the vehicle where Daniels had been seated and located a .38 caliber firearm underneath a black plastic bag in the passenger side floorboard. The driver of the vehicle stated to officers that the firearm belonged to Daniels. Prior to transporting Daniels to the Pulaski County Detention Facility, officers conducted a search of Daniels’ person and discovered he had concealed a shopping bag containing a Ziplock bag with approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine and smaller baggies containing cocaine. In addition to the June 15, 2021, federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Daniels’ criminal history also includes a conviction for robbery and first-degree battery. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Jacksonville Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reese Lancaster. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud Leads to Federal Charges Against Michigan Man for $5 Million Plus Paycheck Protection Program Fraud Scheme

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: Federal law enforcement arrested West Bloomfield, Michigan resident Randon “Romero” Williams, who is charged by complaint with wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly defrauding financial institutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). “These efforts are the first fruits of President Donald J. Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and come on the heels of the establishment of the new National Fraud Enforcement Division working under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche,” U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced. “We will zealously prosecute any thief who steals from the hardworking American taxpayer,” said Gorgon. “The National Fraud Enforcement Division is ensuring that those who steal from taxpayers are held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald, of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The complaint alleges that between approximately April 2020 and March 2021, Williams, 40, applied for more than $5 million in loans across six applications submitted to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) participating lenders under the names of various businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigators allege that these businesses either existed only on paper or that the applications materially inflated employee headcounts, payroll expenses, and gross receipts during relevant periods—key factors used to determine loan eligibility and amounts. According to the complaint, Williams claimed that businesses with names such as “The Romero Group” and “Step Ladder Construction” employed between 21 and 75 individuals and reported monthly payroll expenses of more than half a million dollars. To support these claims, Williams allegedly submitted falsified tax documents with the loan applications. “The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was designed to be a lifeline for struggling businesses during a global disaster event, not a free-for-all for any unscrupulous fraudster looking for easy money,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “If you think that’s the case, you are dead wrong, and you will be held accountable for stealing from every hard-working tax-payer that pays their fair share. Our expertise is following the money, and we will find you.” The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Fasbinder and investigated by IRS Criminal Investigations. A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. In other news from around the country, an Iowa farmer who defrauded federal taxpayers out of more than $1.7 million in agricultural subsidies, stole multiple identities, and stalked a witness, was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in federal prison. In North Carolina, a federal judge sentenced a Robeson County woman, to 10 months in prison for her role in a half-million dollar covid fraud scheme. And in South Carolina, a former U.S. Department of Energy employee pled guilty to stealing a dead relative's pension. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


component: ENRD - Environmental Crimes Section

body_text: Owner of Old Dutch Mustard Co. Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison and Company Ordered to Pay $1.5 Million Fine for Secretly Pumping Pollutants into the Souhegan River CONCORD – A New York man and Old Dutch Mustard Co., a mustard and vinegar manufacturing company, were sentenced today in federal court for knowingly discharging acidic water into the Souhegan River, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Charles Santich, 60, of New York was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 18 months in federal prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. The Court sentenced Old Dutch Mustard Co., Inc., d/b/a Pilgrim Foods, Inc. (Old Dutch Mustard) to pay a $1.5 million fine and to establish environmental compliance and ethics programs. In February 2025, the defendants pleaded guilty to knowingly discharging a pollutant without a permit in violation of the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act “CWA” prohibits the discharge of any pollutant into navigable waters of the United States without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. According to the court documents and statements made in court, due to a long history of CWA non-compliance beginning in the 1980s, Old Dutch Mustard has been subject to several enforcement actions by the EPA, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (“NH DES”), and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. As a result of these actions, EPA and NH DES have required continuous monitoring of an Unnamed Stream that flows underneath and in front of the facility, eventually flowing into the Souhegan River. Santich and his company sought to purposefully evade this monitoring. The Souhegan River is one of nineteen rivers that the State of New Hampshire has designated as an important natural resource. “Throughout years of repeated civil and administrative attempts to encourage Santich and his company to follow the law, Santich lied to state and federal authorities and even purposefully built the illegal infrastructure needed to pump his manufacturing waste into New Hampshire’s waterways, pushing his employees to help him violate the law,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “New Hampshire is the best place in the country in which to start and run a business. State and federal agencies tried over and over to help Santich and his company end the pollution that left waterways with fewer fish, and impacted the recreationalists and homeowners who use the Souhegan River. As the result of this years-long scheme of intentional misconduct and deceit, a criminal sanction is necessary to protect the public.” “This case reflects a deliberate effort to violate environmental laws and evade detection, putting one of New Hampshire’s valued waterways at risk. We appreciate the strong partnership with our federal colleagues in holding the defendant accountable, and I want to thank our federal partners as well as the members of our New Hampshire Department of Justice Environmental Protection Bureau for their long and dedicated work on this case,” said New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella. “Protecting our rivers is a top priority, and our office will continue to pursue all appropriate actions to ensure compliance and safeguard New Hampshire’s water quality.” Santich executed a plan to elude monitoring of the Unnamed Stream, which was required due to past non-compliance with the law, and save on shipping costs by secretly pumping his excess wastewater into the Souhegan River. In May 2017, Santich hired an excavation company to extend an underground pipe to the top of a hill several hundred feet behind the facility. He also had the excavation company construct a drainage ditch or swale to direct water from the pipe into the Souhegan River. To minimize his paper trail, Santich had the owner of the excavation company alter its proposal to remove references to the illegal discharge pipe and drainage ditch. For the next six years, Santich directed his employees to repeatedly pump his acidic wastewater and stormwater through the underground pipe and ultimately into the Souhegan River. His employees reported that Santich would fire them if they did not assist in the crime. Santich hid this crime from state and federal regulators by, among other things, submitting false documents that concealed the illegal discharge pipe and by obstructing EPA’s efforts to obtain data about the volume of wastewater that flowed through a sump pump he used to illegally pump the wastewater into the river. After an evidentiary hearing, the Court found that the wastewater Santich pumped into the river caused environmental harm. Prior pollution from Old Dutch caused fish kills in the 1990s and Santich’s discharges continued to pollute the river and prevent its recovery and the return of acid-sensitive fish and other aquatic life to that area of the river. An EPA Toxicologist also testified at sentencing that Santich’s discharges likely contributed to conditions that resulted in a mercury fish consumption advisory in the area of the discharges. In May of 2023, state inspectors from NH DES discovered wastewater from the facility, with low pH and smelling of vinegar, flowing from the manmade ditch at the top of the hill on the Old Dutch Mustard property into the Souhegan River. Santich falsely told them that the residue from his illegal discharges was the result of a failed attempt to plant mustard seed, a lie he later had employees repeat to criminal investigators. In August 2023, EPA agents executed a search warrant at the facility where they discovered the pipe actively discharging. EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and Trial Attorney R.J. Powers of the Environment and Natural Resources Division prosecuted the case with the assistance of EPA Senior Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Dianne G. Chabot.


title: Federal Jury finds Memphis Man Guilty of Distributing Heroin and Carfentanil, Resulting in Fatal Overdose

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – After a 3-day jury trial, a federal jury found Steven McCurdy, 46 , aka Stephen McCurdy, aka “Kroger Man”, aka “Plug Tunchii”, guilty of distributing heroin and carfentanil, resulting in death. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty verdict today. On May 11, 2020, victim W.B. and a witness purchased what they believed to be heroin from the defendant, Stephen McCurdy, who the witness knew as “Kroger Man.” The victim and witness then went to the witness’s home in Byhalia, Mississippi, where they took the drugs recently sold to them by McCurdy. Later that night, the witness awoke and found W.B. unresponsive and called 911. First responders arrived within minutes, where W.B. was pronounced deceased on the scene. An autopsy was conducted by the Mississippi Medical Examiner’s Office, and the cause of death for the victim was determined to be a combination of heroin and carfentanil toxicity. Another witness called by the government during trial identified Stephen McCurdy as the person they knew as “Kroger Man”, aka “Plug Tunchii”, and as the individual who sold the witness narcotics around the time of May 2020. In his statement to Special Agents with the FBI upon his arrest, Stephen McCurdy admitted to selling marijuana and narcotics, but claimed no one had overdosed on his products. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 17, 2026 before the Honorable Chief Judge Sheryl H. Lipman of the Western District of Tennessee, where McCurdy faces not less than 20 years or more than life, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Heroin and fentanyl distribution cases resulting in death receive top priority for investigation and federal prosecution, regardless of the quantity involved or the prior criminal record of the offender. We commend the outstanding investigative work of our federal and local law enforcement partners, and we hope this conviction will achieve some measure of justice for the victim’s family.” "The FBI is committed to removing dangerous drugs from our communities and holding dealers, traffickers, and accomplices accountable for their actions," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "This case demonstrates the power of collaboration and our dedication to ensuring that no community is overlooked." This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Byhalia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryce H. Phillips and Wendy K. Caceres, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erica Ronquillo, of the United States Army Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving Cocaine, MDMA, Ketamine

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Cranston, R.I., man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in distributing cocaine, MDMA and ketamine. Lengsy Prum, a/k/a, “Leon,” 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2026. Prum was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. In June 2024, Prum was identified as a Rhode Island-based distributor of cocaine, MDMA and ketamine. On three occasions between July and August 2024, Prum distributed ketamine to undercover law enforcement – personally delivering the ketamine in the parking lot of a home improvement store in Attleboro, Mass. In total, Prum distributed 3.2 kilograms of ketamine to undercover law enforcement. During an August 2024 search of Prum’s residence in Cranston, six kilograms of ketamine, 6.6 kilograms of cocaine and 4.2 kilograms of MDMA were recovered. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Walpole Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


title: Former Veterans Affairs Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Multiple COVID-19 Benefits

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton man was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with wire fraud. Jesus Abreu, 38, who worked as a Food Service Worker with the Department of Veterans Affairs from November 2021 until March 2022, was indicted on three counts of wire fraud. As alleged in the Indictment, in July 2020, Abreu submitted an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and received $32,400. In the application for the EIDL, Abreu made false claims regarding gross revenues. Subsequently, in April 2021, Abreu submitted two applications seeking Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. In those applications, Abreu allegedly made false claims regarding gross income purportedly earned from a sole proprietorship. To support these false claims, Abreu allegedly attached fraudulent tax documents as part of the applications. The PPP loan applications were approved and Abreu received $41,666. Abreu allegedly used that money on personal expenses. However, in September 2021, Abreu allegedly submitted loan forgiveness applications that falsely claimed the entire $41,666 was spent on payroll. Based on the misrepresentation the loans were forgiven. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office; and Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Norwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. 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: Winthrop Man Charged with Receiving Stolen Government Money and Social Security Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Winthrop man was arrested today for Social Security fraud over a period of more than four years. Kenneth Riel, 51, was charged by Indictment with one count of receiving stolen government money or property and one count of Social Security fraud-concealment. The defendant was arrested today and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon. As alleged in the Indictment, Riel received approximately $88,383 in stolen Social Security retirement benefits from February 2019 through November 2023. Additionally, Riel allegedly concealed and failed to report to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that an individual receiving retirement benefits had died so that he could fraudulently receive the improper benefit payments. The charge of receiving stolen government money or property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of Social Security fraud-concealment provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the SSA Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Philadelphia Man Convicted of His Second Firearms Offense in Less Than Two Weeks

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Arthur Thompson, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted this afternoon at trial of possession of a firearm by a felon. The defendant was charged by indictment in July of last year. As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on October 18, 2023, investigators with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) carried out an operation to locate Thompson, who was the subject of an active arrest warrant. Investigators conducting surveillance on the 3000 block of North Percy Street in Philadelphia saw two people, who they believed were the defendant and his girlfriend, in a parked car, which drove away from that location a few hours later. GVTF members maintained constant visual surveillance of the vehicle, which subsequently pulled over to drop off the female passenger. After the male drove off, investigators relayed its location and path of travel to Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) Highway Patrol officers, who initiated a vehicle stop. After the male driver was removed from the vehicle and positively identified as Arthur Thompson, the PPD officers arrested him on the active warrant. GVTF investigators obtained and executed a search warrant on the vehicle, recovering a loaded 9mm handgun. Thompson 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. This is the defendant’s second trial and gun conviction in less than two weeks. On March 31, in a separate case, a federal jury found Thompson guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. He is scheduled to be sentenced for both gun convictions on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence on each charge of 15 years in prison. 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 Samantha A. Arena.


title: Chelsea Man Sentenced for His Role in a Mail Theft and Check Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Chelsea man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fraudulently depositing checks stolen from the mail. Josman Romero-Delgado, 24, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to time served (approximately four months in prison) and three years of supervised release. Romero-Delgado was also ordered to pay $39,157 in restitution. In November 2025, Romero-Delgado pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to steal and possess stolen mail. From at least June 2023 until February 2024, Romero-Delgado and his co-conspirators stole mail from USPS collection boxes, looking to steal checks. After they stole these checks, they washed the hand-written ink from the checks using commercially available chemicals. The checks were then re-issued to the co-conspirators or other bank accounts that they controlled. After the checks were fraudulently deposited, the defendants and their co-conspirators withdrew money from ATMs or bought money orders with the fraudulently obtained funds. A review of the co-conspirators’ cellphones revealed that they had collaborated to advance this criminal scheme. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge for the Boston Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston and Wellesley Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Philip C. Cheng of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


title: Retired Massachusetts State Police Sergeant Agrees to Plead Guilty to PPP Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A retired Sergeant for the Massachusetts State Police has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to allegedly fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program loan, which was later forgiven. Damian Halfkenny, 54, of Boston, was charged with one count of wire fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the court. According to the charging document, in 2021, Halfkenny was employed full-time as a Sergeant with the Massachusetts State Police. He also owned and rented several real estate properties, a business for which he had no employees. It is alleged that in March 2021, Halfkenny submitted a PPP loan application for his real estate business, falsely representing that he had a monthly payroll expense of $8,488. In support of this application, Halfkenny allegedly provided a fabricated IRS Schedule C. Based on his alleged misrepresentations, the U.S. Small Business Administration issued Halfkenny, and later forgave, a $21,220 PPP loan. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges, including his participation in two murders and two other attempted murders. Luis Enrique Santana, a/k/a “Chiquito,” 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Aug. 19, 2026. Enrique Santana was arrested and charged in February 2025. The Trinitarios are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Trinitarios adhere to a Magna Carta, employ an internal hierarchy to organize and execute violence, and undertake extensive efforts to maintain the secrecy of the organization and its members. In February 2025 , federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios. The charges were the result of a multijurisdictional investigation, dubbed Operation Paper Machetes, which began in the aftermath of four murders as well as a series of attempted murders and shootings that took place in Lynn in 2023, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios criminal enterprise and its members. In March 2025 , a Lynn member of the Trinitarios was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In June 2025 , two members of the Trinitarios were charged with kidnapping a drug supplier. In July 2025 , the leader of the Lynn Chapter was sentenced to fourteen years in prison. In December 2025, two members of the Lynn Chapter, Michael Miliano and James Jimenez pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy. Luis Enrique Santana is the ninth defendant to plead guilty. During today’s court proceeding, Luis Enrique Santana admitted to his membership in the gang and his participation in a shooting March 2019, where the Trinitarios intended to kill three rival gang members. Enrique Santana also admitted to his participation as an accessory after the fact to two murders in September 2023. During this incident, three members of the Trinitarios drove by a party in Lynn and discharged numerous rounds at the people gathered outside celebrating someone a recent graduation and heading off to college. Seven people were shot during this incident, including two who later died from the gunshot wounds they sustained. After the shooting, Enrique Santana assisted the Trinitarios in moving the vehicle used in the shooting from Lynn to Lawrence in order to conceal it from law enforcement and destroy evidence that it contained. The charge of RICO conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. 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: Wagoner Resident Sentenced For Felony Assault And Illegally Possessing Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kelly Justin Van Lewis, age 35, of Coweta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 26 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and to 26 months in prison for one count of Possession of Ammunition While Subject to Protective Order. The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Coweta Police Department. On August 21, 2025, Van Lewis pleaded guilty to the charges in federal district court. According to investigators, on April 30, 2024, Van Lewis threatened and pointed a firearm at the victim, then racked the slide of the firearm three times after an apparent malfunction. Law enforcement arrested Van Lewis the same day, and the victim obtained a protective order which included a prohibition against Van Lewis possessing firearms or ammunition. In June of 2025, ATF Special Agents executed a search warrant at Van Lewis’ residence and seized 980 rounds of ammunition Van Lewis possessed in violation of his protective order. The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to join forces with the ATF and with all local, state, Tribal, and federal agencies to investigate and prosecute perpetrators who wrongfully use firearms to jeopardize the peace and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “This conviction and federal sentence make clear that those who use firearms to threaten and terrorize intimate partners will be held fully accountable under the law,” said ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner. “ATF plays a critical role in enforcing the firearm prohibitions established under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), working alongside federal, state, and Tribal partners to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. This work is essential not only to protecting victims and preventing further violence, but also to upholding our trust responsibilities to our tribal partners by ensuring safer communities and respect for the rule of law.” The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Van Lewis 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 Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Washtenaw County, Michigan for Interfering with Federal Immigration Laws

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Yesterday, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the County of Washtenaw, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia M. Dyer, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney Eli Slavit, and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, over Washtenaw County’s policies, orders, and resolutions that promote aliens over citizens and obstruct the Executive’s enforcement of our Nation’s immigration laws. Not only are Washtenaw County’s “sanctuary” policies illegal under federal law, the policies shield criminal illegal aliens from apprehension by federal law enforcement. As alleged in the complaint, Washtenaw County’s ban on cooperation with federal immigration authorities has resulted in the release onto American streets of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal, including illegal aliens convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a child under thirteen years old, sexual assault, domestic violence, and DUI. Washtenaw County’s policies prioritize the illegal alien over the safety of its own American citizens. The County’s failure to honor ICE detainers endangers the public and places federal officers at great risk. Illegal aliens, previously in Washtenaw County custody but released without being transferred to ICE custody, have been re-apprehended by federal officers only after the illegal aliens attempted to flee from federal officers both on foot and in vehicles. In at least one instance, an illegal alien rammed federal vehicles with his own in an attempt to escape. This chaos is entirely avoidable if Washtenaw County acted with common sense rather than political theater. “Federal agents are risking their lives to keep Michigan citizens safe, and yet Washtenaw County’s leaders are enacting policies designed to obstruct and endanger law enforcement,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Counties may not deliberately interfere with our efforts to remove illegal aliens and arrest criminals — Washtenaw’s sanctuary policies will not stand.” Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of 14 other suits brought by the Department in the last year targeting illegal sanctuary policies across the country, including in New York , Minnesota , Los Angeles , Boston , and New Jersey . Acting Attorney General Blanche has vowed to continue bringing litigation to end sanctuary policies nationwide. In keeping President Trump’s campaign promise to the American people to heal our Nation from Biden’s open-border policies, the Department will continue working to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal immigration laws or impede lawful federal immigration operations. “Our efforts will not end until every sanctuary city’s lawless insurrection against the supremacy of Federal law and the Executive’s duty to take care over immigration matters ceases,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward.


title: IBM Pays $17 Million to Resolve Allegations of Discrimination Through Illegal DEI Practices

body_text: Today, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the first False Claims Act resolution secured under the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, which he launched in May 2025. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) has agreed to pay the United States $17,077,043, inclusive of civil penalties, to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to comply with anti-discrimination requirements in its federal contracts due to practices the United States contends discriminated against employees and applicants for employment because of race, color, national origin, or sex. Most federal contracts contain provisions that require contractors to comply with anti-discrimination requirements as to employees and applicants for employment. As a condition to being a federal contractor, the company must certify that it will not discriminate against an employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, national origin, or sex and must further certify that it will take steps to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to race, color, national origin, or sex. The settlement resolves allegations that IBM failed to comply with these requirements and knowingly maintained practices that the United States contends were discriminatory employment practices. “Racial discrimination is illegal, and government contractors cannot evade the law by repackaging it as DEI,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Department launched the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative to root out this misconduct, hold offenders accountable, and end this practice for good.” In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that IBM took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government in its investigation. IBM made early disclosures of facts relevant to the government’s investigation gathered during IBM’s independent investigation, including information to assist in the calculation of damages and penalties. The company also undertook voluntary remedial measures, including the termination and/or modification of various programs and practices at issue. “Merit drives promotion and opportunity. Not someone’s sex or race,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “Today’s settlement proves this Department’s commitment to ensure companies are not using taxpayer funded work to further woke unconstitutional practices in American workplaces.” “The Nation’s anti-discrimination laws are clear and reflect our basic commitment that opportunity, compensation, and advancement should turn on merit and performance, and not immutable characteristics,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna E. Jenny. “When a company accepts federal funding while engaging in practices that sort, prefer, or disadvantage employees on the basis of race or sex, the company is stepping outside the conditions under which the government agreed to contract with them, and we will hold them accountable.” The United States alleged that IBM took race, color, national origin, or sex into account when making employment decisions, including by using a diversity modifier that tied bonus compensation to achieving demographic targets. The government further alleged that IBM altered interview criteria based on race or sex through the use of “diverse interview slates” and other related employment practices in connection with identifying “diverse” candidates for hiring, transfer, or promotion. Additionally, the government alleged that IBM developed race and sex demographic goals for business units and took race and sex into account when making employment decisions to achieve progress towards those demographic goals. Finally, the United States alleged that IBM offered certain training, partnerships, mentoring, leadership development programs and educational opportunities only to certain employees, with eligibility, participation, access or admission limited on the basis of race or sex. The settlement can be viewed here . The matter was handled by the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section. The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Thomasville Man with Violent Criminal Past Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A South Georgia man with a prior conviction for rape and kidnapping who was wanted for a north Florida bank robbery and captured in Georgia after attempting to run from deputies while carrying a firearm is facing a maximum of 15 years in prison on a federal gun charge. Jonathan Lamar Wooten, aka “Chico,” 53, of Thomasville, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on April 9. Wooten faces a maximum of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system. “Violent felons caught with guns will be prosecuted federally in the Middle District of Georgia, where penalties are tough and there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is committed to strictly enforcing federal gun laws and working with law enforcement to bring repeat offenders to justice.” According to court documents and statements referenced in court, there was a bank shooting in Tallahassee, Florida, on May 5, 2023, in which Wooten was allegedly involved and now is facing state charges in Florida for attempted murder, aggravated battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. Florida authorities issued a BOLO for Wooten, with a description of the Ford F-150 he was allegedly driving from the scene of the bank shooting. Thomas County, Georgia, deputies spotted the F-150 and attempted to pull it over when a chase ensued. After several minutes, Wooten slowed the vehicle, jumped out of the pickup truck and ran. Both officers saw a gun in Wooten’s hand as he fled. Wooten discarded the Glock firearm behind a building on North Boulevard in Thomasville and he was found within minutes, sitting on the ground with his back against the building. The Ford F-150 Wooten drove was stolen in Grady County, Georgia. The Glock was compared to and matched the shell casings collected at the Tallahassee bank shooting. Wooten has a prior conviction in Thomas County Superior Court for rape and kidnapping. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. 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. The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department, Homicide Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Asian Boyz Gang Member and Second Gang Associate from Lowell Plead Guilty to Methamphetamine Pill Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – Two Lowell men with allegiances to the Asian Boyz gang have pleaded guilty to distributing and conspiring to distribute thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Owen Landry, a/k/a “Oski,” 24, pleaded guilty on April 8, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine; and two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2026. Zachary Hansen, 31, pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine. Judge Burroughs scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2027. The defendants were among five charged in January 2025 . In 2021, an investigation began into the Asian Boyz gang to disrupt the manufacturing and distribution of substantial quantities of methamphetamine pills impacting Lowell. The investigation revealed that Landry, an Asian Boyz gang member, and Hansen, a gang associate, allegedly formed a conspiracy with another gang member, Sovath Yern, a/k/a “Stryke”, to profit from the sales of bulk quantities of the counterfeit Adderall pills. Hansen agreed to let Landry use his residence in Lowell, as one of the group’s storage and distribution centers. At Landry’s direction, Hansen also sold the counterfeit Adderall pills and collected payments. Specifically, Landry negotiated two large counterfeit Adderall pill deals in July and August 2024 and directed the buyers to Landry’s Lowell residence to complete the transactions. Unbeknownst to Landry and Hansen, the pill deals were part of law enforcement operations to surveil and record the purchases. In July 2024, a cooperating witness met Hansen inside the Lowell residence and paid him $2,000 in exchange for 5,000 pills. In August 2024, a co-conspirator was observed, travelling back and forth from Landry’s residence in Lowell during a deal with a second cooperating witness, who paid another $2,000 in exchange for 2,000 pills. Later in 2024, Landry himself sold pills he had allegedly obtained from Yern’s apartment in Billerica to a cooperating witness. Specifically, on two separate occasions in November 2024 and December 2024, Landry directed the cooperating witness to meet him in the garage of Yern’s apartment complex. After meeting the cooperating witness and taking the cash payments, Landry then entered the building where Yern allegedly escorted him inside. Landry was seen entering Yern’s apartment with the money and then leaving with large bags of pills. Landry then returned to the cooperating witness to deliver methamphetamine pills – 4,000 pills in the November 2024 instance, and 5,000 pills in the December 2024 instance. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine, each provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Greg C. Hudon, Superintendent of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, Methuen, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant in the case is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Man Sentenced to 14 and a Half Years in Prison for Carjacking Vehicle at Gunpoint in Backyard of Chicago Residence

body_text: CHICAGO — A man who carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint in the backyard of a Chicago residence has been sentenced to 14 and a half years in federal prison. On the evening of Nov. 2, 2023, DAMARRI CONNER and KENNETH MERRITT carjacked an Audi sedan in the backyard of a residence in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood. A woman and her daughter had just returned home in another vehicle when Conner and Merritt sprang from a hiding place and attacked them. Conner punched the woman in the face, causing her to fall to the ground, and then pointed a loaded handgun at her. Conner then pointed the gun at the woman’s husband, who had rushed outside to help his family and calm the situation by providing instructions to the carjackers on how to start the Audi. The carjackers took the Audi and drove off. The carjacking was captured on a home-security video, which can be viewed here . Conner, having stolen the keys to the victims’ other car—a Range Rover—during the carjacking, returned to the victims’ home on Nov. 14, 2023, and took the Range Rover from in front of the house. Law enforcement was able to track the Range Rover to Conner’s neighborhood and later found him hiding in the closet of a residence, leading to his arrest. Conner, 23, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal carjacking and firearm offenses. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Sunil R. Harjani sentenced Conner to 14 and a half years in federal prison. Merritt, 29, of Chicago, also pleaded guilty earlier this year to carjacking and firearm offenses. Judge Harjani scheduled Merritt’s sentencing for June 9, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. Conner’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. “Carjackings are among the most personal and terrifying crimes committed in this District,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Conner’s case. “This crime was heinous and violent. The trauma he inflicted on his victims will take years to repair.”


title: Domestic Violence offender, and a repeat DUI defendant, both illegally present in U.S., sentenced for returning following deportation

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Two Mexican citizens, both illegally present in the U.S., were sentenced in the last few weeks for reentry of a removed alien, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Both Jorge Velasquez-Sandoval, 36, and Filadelfo Garcia Garcia, 36, returned to the U.S. after two prior removals. “These cases typify what we are seeing as the sanctuary policies of Washington State prohibit local officials from cooperating with immigration enforcement,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. “Mr. Velasquez-Sandoval was arrested in Snohomish County for domestic violence but was released before immigration agents could take him into custody. When he was arrested again for violating a protection order we were able to secure a judicial warrant for illegally re-entering the United States and keep him detained. Similarly, Mr. Garcia Garcia has multiple DUI convictions and even more arrests. This criminal alien was repeatedly released back into the community rather than turning him over to immigration authorities. It is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed because the State refuses to cooperate with federal law enforcement. My office will continue to use the tools we have available to ensure crimes are not committed by individuals who are in United States illegally.” According to records filed in the case, Velasquez-Sandoval was first encountered by law enforcement in 2007 in the Benton County Jail. In February 2009, an immigration judge ordered him removed to Mexico, and he was removed at the San Ysidro, California Port of Entry. In December 2015, Velasquez-Sandoval was encountered by Homeland Security Agents at Tecate, California. Velasquez-Sandoval was again removed from the U.S. at the San Luis, Arizona Port of Entry. In October 2024, Department of Homeland Security Agents were alerted that Velasquez-Sandoval had been arrested in Snohomish County for 4 th degree assault (domestic violence). Velasquez-Sandoval was released back into the community. DHS was again alerted in September 2025, that Velasquez-Sandoval had been arrested for violating a protection order related to the domestic violence assault. Homeland Security Agents obtained a judicial warrant for Velasquez-Sandoval’s arrest and took him into federal custody on February 5, 2026. On February 26, 2026, Velasquez-Sandoval pleaded guilty. At the March 31, 2026, sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, ““It is clear that Mr. Velasquez-Sandoval has no respect for the law. . .. It looks to me that I’ve got somebody who’s essentially committing crimes every time he’s here.” Velasquez-Sandoval will be turned over to immigration authorities and detained while being processed for removal to Mexico. In the second case, Fidelfo Garcia Garcia was sentenced April 9, 2026. At that sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said, “I shouldn’t have to tell you that drinking and driving is serious…. I take that seriously.” According to records filed in the case, Garcia Garcia was first removed from the U.S. in August 2018. He was found in California and removed a second time in May 2019. In December 2025, Agents learned that Garcia Garcia was arrested in Lewis County and obtained a judicial warrant for his arrest. In its sentencing request, prosecutors noted that Garcia Garcia has a dangerous history of driving under the influence. “For example, he has DUI convictions from 2014, 2016, and 2025, in addition to other arrests for DUIs that did not result in convictions from June 2015, August 2017, October 2022, and August 2025. He also has multiple arrests for ignition interlock violations over the years, one of which resulted in a conviction. Also concerning is a 2017 arrest for a hit and run of an attended vehicle, which was dismissed after entering into a stipulated order of continuance.” Garcia Garcia will be turned over to immigration authorities and detained while being processed for removal to Mexico. Both defendants received time served sentences – approximately 54 days for Velasquez-Sandoval and 28 days for Garcia Garcia. The cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI). The cases were prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Christine Cáceres. Ms. Cáceres is an attorney with Homeland Security Investigations specially designated to handle immigration matters in federal court.


title: Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Escaping from FCI Danbury

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that XIAOQIN YAN, 32, a citizen of China, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to escape from the custody of the Attorney General. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 10, 2024, Yan escaped from the Federal Satellite Low facility at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury (FCI Danbury) where she was serving a federal prison sentence imposed in the Middle District of Alabama for arson and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Yan was apprehended on December 10, 2024, and has been detained since her arrest. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for July 21, at which time Yan faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Danbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.


title: Ansonia Man Admits Distributing Fentanyl and Cocaine

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw today announced that JOSUE MUNIZ, 35, of Ansonia, pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to a fentanyl and cocaine distribution offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Stamford Police Department learned that an individual, subsequently identified as Muniz, was trafficking fentanyl and cocaine in the Naugatuck Valley. Investigators conducted multiple undercover purchases of narcotics from Muniz in November and December 2024. On December 20, 2024, after investigators coordinated a purchase of narcotics, Muniz was arrested at a car dealership in Milford where he was employed. Muniz possessed approximately 58 grams of fentanyl at time of his arrest, and related searches of his vehicle and Ansonia residence revealed quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine. Muniz pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled. Muniz, whose criminal history includes state felony convictions for narcotics offenses, has been detained since his arrest. This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Stamford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo. 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: Federal Jury Finds San Antonio Tax Preparer Guilty of Filing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury convicted a San Antonio woman today on 11 counts of aiding or assisting in the filing of a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Natasha Sheree Banks-Brown, 45, owned and operated a tax preparation business named “Tasha’s Total Tax Service,” beginning in 2016. In December 2020, IRS Criminal Investigations began investigating an increasing number of questionable tax returns prepared by Banks-Brown. The investigation revealed that Banks-Brown filed individual tax returns on behalf of her clients which included false and fraudulent deductions and credits which significantly increased their tax refunds. Banks-Brown never quoted a specific price for her services and said that she would take her fee out of the return. As part of her fraudulent scheme, she used tax preparation software that allowed her to designate returns to be deposited into a bank account she controlled. The client would then receive a portion of the return via a transfer from Banks-Brown’s bank account to the client’s account. Multiple clients testified that they never received a copy of the tax return themselves or reviewed the returns with Banks-Brown, and that they were unaware of her actions. Evidence introduced at trial indicated that Banks-Brown filed close to 1,200 tax returns between 2017 and 2021 that resulted in over $8 million dollars of refunds. Banks-Brown was indicted on April 3, 2024, and arrested April 16, 2024. A jury was selected on April 6, 2026, and a four-day trial, presided over by U.S. District Judge David Ezra, began on April 7. A sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for July 13. “Everyone rightly wants to get the best deal on their tax preparation and the largest refund possible, but some things are just too good to be true,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “The public should be aware that tax preparers may have the incentive to defraud the IRS for their own personal benefit and to the detriment of their clients. This defendant abused the trust of her clients to make more than a million dollars for herself and cost the government several times that amount. This tax season, and every tax season, taxpayers should make sure to properly vet their tax preparers and keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior both to protect themselves and the country as a whole from these types of fraudsters.” “We use tried and true investigative techniques, including undercover special agents, to document what a return preparer does when they think the government isn’t looking,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “In this case, the evidence was very clear that the tax fraud was committed. As tax season comes to a close, be careful who you let file your tax returns.” IRS-CI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Ryan Groomer are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Drug Trafficker Leading Armed Fentanyl Ring  in Berkeley County, West Virginia Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced today that 45-year-old Delano Alan Butler has admitted to spearheading a drug trafficking ring in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. Butler pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, approximately 200,000 lethal doses, as well as methamphetamine and cocaine. According to court documents, Butler organized a crew of six individuals to facilitate the sale of these substances and maintained a dedicated property located in Berkeley County for their distribution. As part of his plea agreement, Butler will forfeit several firearms connected to the operation, including six semi-automatic rifles; two semi-automatic pistols; and one semi-automatic shotgun. Four of Butler's co-defendants have also entered guilty pleas and are currently awaiting sentencing. Butler faces a potential prison term of 180 to 288 months. His final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge following a review of U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force was the lead investigative unit. Other investigative agencies that assisted include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Juan, and Philadelphia Field Offices; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisville and Chicago Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Martinsburg Police Department; Ranson Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; West Virginia Air National Guard; Mineral County Sheriff's Office; Grant County Sheriff's Office; Hampshire County Sheriff's Department; Keyser Police Department; Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia; Pennsylvania State Police; Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania; Winchester Police Department, Virginia; Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Virginia; Virginia State Police; Sunnyvale Police Department, California. Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and drug trafficking. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble. Find the related press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/twenty-five-charged-drug-trafficking-eastern-panhandle


title: Slidell Doctor Sentenced For $6.6 Million In Health Care Fraud

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ROBERT TASSIN, M.D. (“TASSIN”) , age 67, of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced on April 9, 2026, for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347 and 1349, in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary cancer genetic (“CGx”) tests, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. According to court documents, TASSIN worked for several purported telemedicine companies. From approximately February through September of 2019, TASSIN , through the purported telemedicine companies, signed doctors’ orders for CGx tests for Medicare beneficiaries he never saw, spoke to, or otherwise treated. As a result, TASSIN ’s orders resulted in over $6.6 million in false and fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare, of which Medicare reimbursed over $2 million. To conceal and perpetuate the fraud, TASSIN made several false and fraudulent statements in support of the orders he submitted, including falsely certifying in medical records that the CGx tests were medically necessary for the patients’ treatment. In exchange for electronically reviewing patient charts and ordering CGx tests, TASSIN was paid a set fee per doctor’s order, typically $30. Unites States District Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced TASSIN to three years of probation, with the first twelve months to be served in home confinement, and a ban on participating in a healthcare business during probation without prior approval from United States Probation. Consistent with the plea agreement, Judge Ashe also ordered TASSIN to pay restitution of $2,043,542.23 to Medicare; $106,757 in forfeiture (which TASSIN paid the day of sentencing); and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Kelly Walters and Zakeria Haidary of the Fraud Division’s Healthcare Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Moses, for the Eastern District of Louisiana, prosecuted the case. ***


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 111 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 111 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On April 7, Daniel Lopez Patino, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 124 pounds of cocaine concealed in the door panels and rear quarter panels of Lopez Patino’s vehicle when he applied for entry at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. On April 8, Jesus Obed Mejia Cortez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the defendant was captain of a fishing vessel that was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard with three undocumented aliens on board, including a man who could not swim and was not given a life vest. Also charged was passenger Diana Eloisa Huerta De Los Santos with Attempted Entry after Deportation. On April 9, Jorge Madrid, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, a Border Patrol agent found the undocumented alien hiding behind a rock, about a half mile north of the U.S.-Mexico border, east of Tecate. He was previously deported in 2023 from Nogales, Arizona. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Carjacking a Cabdriver at Gunpoint

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Manuel Joseph Rose III of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 10 years in prison for committing an armed carjacking and unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Rose was convicted in two separate jury trials in October. First, a jury found Rose guilty of Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Violent Crime. The following week, a different jury found Rose guilty of possessing thousands of rounds of firearm ammunition while being a convicted felon. “An armed carjacking is more than a theft — it is a violent crime that leaves lasting trauma for victims,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This sentence reflects the serious danger posed when a convicted felon arms himself and threatens innocent people.” According to evidence presented at the carjacking trial, a cabdriver was dispatched to pick up Rose on the evening of July 3, 2024. After the cabdriver took Rose to several locations, Rose’s behavior became alarming. He started looking around and slinking down in the back seat of the cab. This prompted the cabdriver to stop at a 7-Eleven to ask for help. When the cabdriver did that, Rose said “Why did you go here? Why did you stop?” Rose then pulled out a handgun, racked the slide of the handgun, and pointed it at the cabdriver. As the cabdriver ran into the 7-Eleven, he dropped the keys to the cab just outside the driver’s door. While the cabdriver was in the 7-Eleven calling police, Rose picked up the keys and fled from the in the cab. Minutes later, Chula Vista police found Rose driving the stolen cab and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Rose refused to yield to police and instead led police on a high-speed chase across multiple freeways. Rose drove so recklessly that police terminated the pursuit to protect the public. Rose eventually ditched the cab in North Park and, when apprehended by police, denied ever being the cab. However, Rose’s DNA and his hat were found in the cab, and the victim identified Rose as the carjacker. The firearm Rose used during the carjacking was never recovered by police. However, on July 8, 2024 - five days after the carjacking - Rose’s living area was searched. During that search, investigators recovered, among other items, ghost gun kits, semiautomatic handgun parts and two loaded semiautomatic handgun magazines. The July 8 search of the defendant’s living area also revealed a rifle-style firearm and safe containing more than five thousand rounds of various caliber ammunition, high-capacity ammunition magazines, and various gun-related items. Rose was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. While the jury was deliberating in the carjacking trial, a second trial began concerning the firearm and ammunition seized from Rose’s residence. The second jury found Rose guilty of possessing the ammunition but did not reach a decision on whether Rose illegally possessed the rifle-style firearm. When pronouncing the defendant’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Todd Robinson described the cabdriver’s experience as “horrific,” adding: “No one should have to go to work and face the situation he faced that day.” “The FBI worked diligently on this investigation and our collaboration with our partners at the Chula Vista Police Department was the driving force that led to a successful prosecution,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue to engage with our partners to ensure all violent criminals are held accountable.” “I would like to recognize the exceptional efforts of both our Patrol officers and Special Investigations Unit detectives, along with our federal partners,” said Chula Vista Police Department Acting Chief Dan Peak. “Their teamwork, professionalism, and dedication were critical in ensuring a thorough investigation and successful prosecution of the suspect.” DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr1586-TWR Manuel Rose III Age: 40 San Diego, CA CHARGES Carjacking (18 U.S.C. §2119) Maximum penalty: 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (18 U.S.C. §924(c)(1)(A)) Maximum penalty: Life in prison and a $250,000 fine Felon in Possession of Ammunition (18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1)) Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation Chula Vista Police Department United States Marshals Service Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives