title: New Orleans Woman Sentenced For Federal Controlled Substances Act Violation

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KIANNA SCOTT (“SCOTT”), age 24, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on June 10, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to use of a communication facility in causing, and, the distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b). SCOTT was sentenced to five years probation and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, SCOTT used a telephone to assist another known individual in the distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, narcotics within the Eastern District of Louisiana. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Saint Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Saint John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Harahan Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


title: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Alabama Redistricting Case Opposing Request for Preclearance under the Voting Rights Act

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a Statement of Interest in the Alabama redistricting case, Milligan v. Allen, 2:21-cv-1530 (N.D. Ala.), opposing Plaintiffs’ request to have Alabama submit its future redistricting plans for preclearance by the U.S. Attorney General under Section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act. Three sets of plaintiffs filed lawsuits arguing that two Congressional Districts in Alabama should be majority Black. The Court found that Alabama’s attempt to create a second majority-Black district was insufficient. Alabama has agreed to use the Special Master’s Remedial Map going forward and has explained to the Court that it will not seek to redistrict again until after the 2030 Census. One plaintiff argues that it is insufficient and seeks Section 3(c) relief. In its Statement of Interest, the Justice Department explains that it would not be appropriate to require Alabama to submit future redistricting plans for preapproval by the Court or the federal government. “Section 3(c) preclearance is a drastic departure from basic principles of federalism, and nothing presented to the court justifies the extraordinary requirement of forcing Alabama to have redistricting plans pre-approved by the federal government,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael E. Gates of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The issues raised by the plaintiffs in this case have been remedied by the State of Alabama’s agreement to use the Remedial Map and pledge to not seek to redistrict again until after the next Census—over five years from now,” said United States Attorney Prim Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “The plaintiffs’ request to impose preclearance would unnecessarily tax principles of equal sovereignty that afford Alabama the Constitutional right to manage its own elections.” The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces federal statutes that protect the integrity of the vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting . Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – An Elizabeth City man was sentenced on Tuesday to 8.5 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute 189 grams of fentanyl. Al Esteban Ortiz, age 49, pled guilty to the charges on January 17, 2025. According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement received information that Ortiz, aka “Floyd Lee Riddick, Jr.”, had driven to New York to purchase narcotics. On May 4, 2024, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office investigators stopped Ortiz’s car once he entered Pasquotank County. After initiating the stop, law enforcement saw the driver throw a white bag out of the passenger side window onto the shoulder of the road. Investigators arrested Ortiz, the driver and sole occupant of the car, and recovered the bag from the shoulder of the road. The bag contained 189 grams of fentanyl. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for Ortiz’s house, where they recovered 25 grams of cocaine. Ortiz confessed to travelling to New York and purchasing what he believed to be heroin for $11,000, to bring back to Elizabeth City, North Carolina for distribution. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Pasquotank County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Avera and Phil Aubart prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-00021. ###


title: Baton Rouge Man Guilty of Federal Drug and Firearms Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that ROY ROBINSON (“ROBINSON”) , age 35, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on June 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Brandon Long to Title 27, U.S.C. Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, by conspiring to distribute, and possessing with the intent to distribute, five hundred (500) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, as well as to violating Title 18, U.S.C. Section 92a(c)(1)(A) by possessing a firearm to further this drug trafficking conspiracy. Judge Long scheduled sentencing for September 16, 2025. At sentencing, ROBINSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release as to Count 1, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to Count 1, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release, as to Count 2. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count. According to court records, law enforcement in Thibodaux, Louisiana observed ROBINSON conduct what they believed was a drug transaction in a parking lot. Specifically, law enforcement observed ROBINSON place two bags inside the vehicle of the individual he met while receiving a shoe box in return. After leaving the parking lot, law enforcement observed that the vehicle ROBINSON drove did not have a license plate. After a traffic stop, officers located a firearm, a Smith & Wesson 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun, along with a large amount of cash in ROBINSON’S vehicle. Officers also followed the vehicle into which ROBINSON placed the bags, and after the execution of a search warrant, they located over 6,000 grams of methamphetamine within the bags. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, Thibodaux Police Department, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Honduran National Sentenced to Six Months in Prison  for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Honduran national was sentenced June 18, 2025, in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Manuel A. Padilla, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. In April 2025 , Padilla pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In February 2025, Padilla was indicted by a federal grand jury. Padilla first entered the United States unlawfully in 2003. On March 4, 2003, Padilla was voluntarily removed to Mexico. At an unknown date, Padilla returned to the United States and in 2007 was charged and convicted of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and intimidation of a witness. On March 15, 2010, Padilla was removed to Honduras pursuant to a court order. After his 2010 removal, Padilla once again entered the United States unlawfully. In January 2013, Padilla was charged with multiple counts of assault and battery. On June 28, 2013, Padilla was once again removed to Honduras. Sometime after his 2013 removal, Padilla unlawfully reentered the United States for a fourth time. Since his return, Padilla was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and operation under the influence of alcohol. On Aug. 2, 2024, Padilla received a continuation without a finding on one count of operation under the influence of liquor. In January 2025, Padilla was arrested by immigration authorities. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez and David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for His Role in an International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Mexican national and violent member of Los Zetas cartel was sentenced today to 35 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $792 million for conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana knowing that the drugs would be unlawfully imported into the United States. The United States Department of State designated Los Zetas, now known as Cartel del Noreste, as a foreign terrorist organization on Feb. 20, 2025. According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was personally responsible for importing into the United States more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana, engaging in acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes, storing and transporting weapons, explosives, and ammunition, and bribing law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed. Gonzalez-Duran was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing for the Gulf Cartel. Gonzalez-Duran later served as a regional commander in the Mexican cities of Matamoros, Reynosa, and Miguel Aleman, after Los Zetas formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel known as “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran personally maintained a warehouse in Reynosa from which, in November 2008, authorities seized 540 rifles, 165 grenades, 500,000 rounds of ammunition, and 14 sticks of TNT that were used to secure drug territory and shipments. Gonzalez-Duran also was intercepted in a phone call in May 2007 coordinating the transportation of almost $1.5 million in cash from McAllen, Texas, into Mexico. “Jaime Gonzalez-Duran employed violence and intimidation tactics to maintain Los Zetas’ reign over key drug trafficking routes, especially on the U.S.-Mexico border, used to send vast quantities of narcotics into the United States,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence is a forceful reminder to Mexican terrorist organizations that the Department of Justice is committed to bringing to justice those who threaten the wellbeing and safety of the American people for their own personal gain.” “For decades, DEA agents have tirelessly pursued justice to bring down one of Los Zetas’ most violent leaders, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran,” Said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the DEA Houston Division. “Today, those relentless efforts by our agents have paid off, and Duran will now be held accountable for years of bringing deadly drugs into American communities and killing those who stood in his way. No matter the distance of a violent drug trafficking organization or the rank of its leader, DEA will track down anyone who threatens our national safety and security.” On Feb. 28, Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico. The DEA Houston Division investigated the case. Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez-Duran. 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 other 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 Neighborhoods.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Thousands of Child Pornography Files

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – Brent Bennett, 55, of Norwalk, Ohio, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James G. Carr for receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also known as child pornography. The judge imposed the sentence June 10, 2025, with Bennett previously pleading guilty to the charges in January. Additionally, the defendant was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment and register as a sex offender, per the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. He has also been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $126,500 to victims and $35,000 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act. The Act was established in 2018 to provide monetary assistance for victims of child sexual abuse. According to court documents, from Jan. 19 to March 13, 2023, Bennett used peer-to-peer file sharing programs to download and distribute sexually explicit photos and videos of children, including prepubescent females as well as sadistic depictions. During a federal search warrant execution in April 2023, investigators seized two cellphones, two laptops and several digital storage devices from his apartment. Forensic analysis of Bennett’s electronic devices revealed that they contained more than 10,000 images and nearly 1,800 videos of child exploitation. Of those, 6,845 images and 1,282 videos were found to be sexually graphic and were confirmed to be designated as CSAM. The visuals were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for further review and to identify victimized children. In total, 22 victims were identified and submitted impact statements to the court. The investigation also identified Bennett’s IP address as one of the top 10 in the state of Ohio for CSAM downloads at the time. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


title: First Sentencing in Burglary of Dozens of Firearms from Maryland Pawn Shop

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Juwon Markel Anderson, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 84 months in federal prison for his role in the December 2023 burglary of a Maryland pawn shop that netted dozens of firearms and for his subsequent attempt to sell several of the stolen guns. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Anderson, aka “Peezy,” pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. In addition to the prison term, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Anderson to serve three years of supervised release. According to the court documents, on Dec. 13, 2023, Anderson and at least four co-conspirators drove in two vehicles from the District to the A&D Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Glen Burnie, Maryland. At the pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door. Once inside, the quintet grabbed an array of rifles, shotguns, and pistols from the shelves and display racks. They fled with at least 34 guns. Two days after the burglary, on December 15, 2023, Anderson was arrested with two of the stolen firearms. He has been detained ever since. Co-defendant Tyjuan McNeal, 27, is scheduled to be sentenced July 1 for conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Vincent Lee Alston, 23, and Niquan Odum, 23, pleaded guilty March 6, 2025. Alston, aka “Vedo,” pleaded to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Cy'juan Hemsley, who pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025, and Odumn, aka “Stickz,” pleaded to conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and to possession of stolen firearms. This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Division and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar with valuable assistance from former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.


title: Justice Department Ramps Up Community Outreach and Prosecution of Fraudsters Targeting Elderly Victims

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: ATLANTA - In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg announced that the Justice Department has increased efforts to protect American seniors from schemes that cost victims billions of dollars, often depleting their life savings. In the past few months, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has prosecuted several fraudsters who targeted the elderly as well as conducted outreach to educate law enforcement about these schemes. “Prosecutors across the country are stepping up the fight against malicious schemes that target older Americans,” said Attorney General Bondi. “We are working with domestic law enforcement and foreign counterparts every day to hold criminals accountable and ensure that justice is done for our seniors both here at home and abroad.” “Our Office is committed to identifying and prosecuting fraudsters who target elderly citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Hertzberg. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to bring opportunistic scammers to justice and ensure they get the punishment they deserve.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office utilizes a two-pronged approach to addressing the threat of elder abuse by: (i) identifying and prosecuting domestic and foreign criminals involved in perpetrating elder fraud schemes and laundering the proceeds of their crimes; and (ii) engaging with law enforcement partners and community groups to educate them about elder fraud offenses and preventive measures to avoid such scams. Elder Fraud Schemes Although elder fraud may occur in a variety of ways, the most common schemes involve romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. Romance fraud involves perpetrators who feign romantic interest in victims in order to later extract money or property under false pretenses. Lottery fraud schemes trick victims into believing they have won a non-existent lottery or sweepstakes prize to extract fake fees, taxes, or other fabricated charges from the victim. Tech support fraud scams involve perpetrators deceiving victims into believing that a computer or phone is faulty, often through fake pop-up messages, followed by demands for payment to repair the problem. Grandparent scams involve scammers impersonating a grandchild or other close relative experiencing a fictitious emergency who needs money from the victim as soon as possible. Recent Prosecutions The U.S. Attorney’s Office has achieved significant results in prosecuting recent elder fraud matters. U.S. v. Parikh, et al. On June 18, 2025, Pradip Parikh and Alpesh Patel were convicted following a jury trial for their roles in receiving and laundering fraud proceeds arising from an Indian call center scam. The scam callers—posing as government officials—scared victims into believing that they faced serious financial or legal problems because their social security numbers had been compromised. To avoid the perceived consequences, these victims, many of whom were elderly, were instructed to deposit cashier’s checks in or wire money to bank accounts identified by the scammers. Parikh and Patel each controlled and operated a bank account that received the victims’ funds. Parikh was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering. Patel was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of money laundering. While Parikh and Patel are awaiting sentencing, on April 14, 2025, co-defendants Robert Starling and Sarah Starling received sentences of 27 months and 20 months imprisonment, respectively, after pleading guilty. The court also ordered restitution to the victims. U.S. v. Young, et al. and U.S. v. Grey. In April 2025, Rederic Young and Randolph Leggs pleaded guilty to bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for their roles in a retirement account takeover scheme. According to court documents, from July 2022 through January 2023, scammers involved in the scheme tricked an investment management company into authorizing a distribution to an imposter posing as the true accountholder. The conspirators created phony identification documents for the victim accountholder to open bank accounts in the victim’s name, which were used to receive and launder the stolen funds. In a related case, on June 10, 2025, Kendall Grey, a former community relations business associate, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Grey abused his position as a bank employee to open the fraudulent bank accounts used by Young and Leggs, knowing the accounts would be utilized to receive and launder proceeds of the identity theft crime. Sentencing hearings for Young, Leggs, and Grey are pending. Outreach Efforts World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Outreach Program . On June 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in an Elder Abuse Training for law enforcement presented in partnership with the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, and the Georgia Department of Human Services. The event hosted more than 125 attendees from approximately 45 agencies and service organizations across the district. National Elder Fraud Hotline 2025 WEAAD Campaign. The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a free, national resource for older adults and their loved ones experiencing financial fraud. Supported by the Office for Victims of Crime, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is staffed by professionals experienced in working with older adults. Staff are continuously updated on the latest scams, are trained to make referrals concerning resources and services in the older adult’s local area and to assist older adults in placing a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, a report which has the potential to freeze funds. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: (833) FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly to appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step, enabling authorities to identify those who commit fraud and to report certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible to increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Eastern Time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is part of the Department of Justice’s Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting defendants associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include romance scams, phone scams, mass-mailing fraud schemes, and tech-support fraud schemes. For further information on these scams, see https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/senior-scam-alert . More information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov or at (877) FTC-HELP (877-382-4357). The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONSPIRACY SPANNING FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTHERN ALABAMA DISMANTLED

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Kimberly Robinson Gandy, 47, of Gulfport, Mississippi, was found guilty on Wednesday afternoon, June 18, 2025, by a federal jury, of: Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; and Money Laundering. Her codefendant, Chad Cornelius Seymore, 49, of Dothan, Alabama, pled as charged, on Monday, June 9, 2025, immediately prior to the scheduled trial, to: Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Receiving Benefits From Sex Trafficking; Interstate Travel In Aid of Racketeering; and Money Laundering. The guilty plea and verdict were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the tireless efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners who investigated this case, and the tenacious work of the federal prosecutors and support staff in my office, we have dismantled this sex trafficking conspiracy and obtained justice on behalf of its victims. My office is committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively prosecute those who prey upon and profit from human trafficking victims. This outcome is a testament to the outstanding collaborative work of the Capital City Human Trafficking Task Force.” Court documents reflect that over a four-year period Seymore conspired with others to bond adult women out of county jail and then force them to commit commercial sex acts in Alabama and North Florida. Seymore recruited women suffering from drug addictions at hotels and through online advertisements. He threatened and physically abused his sex trafficking victims. Gandy conspired with Seymore to traffic women in Panama City Beach and Destin. They used online money exchange platforms to transfer funds received from commercial sex acts. Sentencing for Chad Seymore is scheduled for August 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Kim Gandy will be sentenced on September 15, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The defendants will be sentenced at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Alan C. Winsor. The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dothan, Alabama Police Department, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Panama City Police Department, with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Southern District of Texas charges 215 people in third week of June in relation to border enforcement efforts

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 204 new cases have been filed in the last week related to immigration, border security and related offenses from June 13-19, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Among those are 65 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 125 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while five cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes and more, including assault on officers. Two such charged include Adrian Alberto Castillo-Contador and Lorenzo Ramirez. Castillo-Contador, a Mexican national, allegedly attempted to make entry into the United States through the Hidalgo port of entry. The charges allege he failed to comply with commands and attempted to evade a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. Castillo-Contador allegedly pushed the officer and caused injury but was apprehended before able to exit. In another case, authorities allegedly found Lorenzo Ramirez near an abandoned vehicle after a failed smuggling event near Weslaco. The criminal complaint alleges that as a Border Patrol (BP) agent approached him, Ramirez fled, and a foot chase ensued. Law enforcement caught him, but during the struggle, Ramirez punched and elbowed the agent in the thigh and head, respectively, according to the charges. Ramirez also allegedly kicked another agent in the leg. The charges further allege authorities had to taser him. Both men face up to eight years in federal prison if convicted for assaulting an officer. Also part of the new cases are several complaints alleging previous felons had illegally reentered the United States. Mexican nationals Ivan Edgar Martinez, Carlos Bartolo Santiago-Hernandez and Hugo Jimenez-Castillo had all been previously removed from the country on various dates between 2017-2014, acceding to their respective charges. However, all were allegedly found in the Rio Grande Valley area this week. Martinez and Santiago-Hernandez have convictions for illegal reentry, while Jimenez-Castillo had been sentenced to two years in prison for his driving while intoxicated conviction, according to the allegations. If convicted, all face up to 20 years in prison. Throughout the district, law enforcement partners made multiple arrests, including nearly two dozen charged in large drug and money laundering operation . Grand juries in Houston and McAllen returned the five separate, but related indictments in May. The charges allegedly involve cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine trafficking, firearms-related offenses and money laundering. The arrests are the culmination of multiple months-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations dubbed Operation Red Ranger, Borrowed Time and Resurrection. During the investigation and operations, law enforcement also seized over 170 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, over two thousand kilograms methamphetamine, more than 100 firearms and nearly $3 million as well as four properties valued at $1.2 million. In Laredo, two cartel firearms traffickers have now been sent to federal prison. Mexican national Jorge Alberto Morales-Calvo received a 41-month-term, while Homero Arteaga Jr. previously received 57 months. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that the firearms were going to be smuggled across the border and delivered to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. On Sept. 18, 2024, they planned to purchase a Barrett .50 caliber rifle for $15,000 and a FN Herstal Belgium, 5.7 x 28 caliber pistol with a large capacity magazine for $850. They were both arrested as they tried to complete the transaction. “The Department of Justice is looking to hit the cartels from every angle and at every opportunity, which includes vigorously prosecuting not just the members of these terror groups, but those that enable them as well,” said Ganjei. “Those that arm or otherwise empower the cartels are going to the meet the full force of the federal criminal justice system.” In Corpus Christi, an Arkansas man was ordered to prison for 36 months for transporting illegal aliens in wheel well and fuel tank . The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes following a less than two-day trial before finding Noel Mercado guilty on two counts of alien smuggling March 11. At the sentencing hearing, the court noted the egregious crime and said the smuggled individuals had been “treated like trash.” All the illegal aliens were from the countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with no authority to be in the United States. “As we continue our successful campaign to secure the border, human smugglers are going to get increasingly desperate,” said Ganjei. “No matter how creative they think they are in their methods, our law enforcement partners are always one step ahead.” A Laredo felon was also sentenced for transporting illegal aliens. Braulio Ivan Rueda was ordered to serve 21 months after he had engaged in a high-speed chase. Rueda picked up several people running from the Rio Grande River into his SUV. When authorities tried to block the vehicle, four Guatemalan nationals fled towards the river. Rueda sped away and led authorities on a three-mile chase before stopping in a commercial parking lot and attempted to escape on foot. He admitted he needed money and agreed to smuggle the aliens for “easy money.” Also in Laredo, Anthony Jacob Garza was suspiciously driving a Ford Expedition about 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border in April. He admitted he stopped at a gas station, where authorities ultimately found three illegal aliens hiding under a blanket in the SUV’s cargo area. He had picked them up near a county road. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Two Mexican nationals and convicted felons, one who had previously assaulted public servant, are on their way back to prison for illegal reentry into the country. Abelino Hernandez-Torres was ordered to serve 60 months. He has prior convictions for illegal reentry as well as evading arrest with a motor vehicle and assault on a public servant. He was first ordered removed from the United States in 2015 and again in 2019 and 2020, and returned illegally. Authorities had encountered Hector Ruben Cardenas-Morales in jail following charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful restraint. He has other convictions, including burglary, evading arrest with a motor vehicle and illegal reentry and was last removed in 2023. At the sentencing hearing, the court noted how this was his fifth time coming back and was not serving himself by returning to the country or learning from his mistakes, stating “Sir, you have no future in the United States.” He was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, CBP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDTF and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Human smuggler heads to federal prison for fatal smuggling event

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for alien smuggling resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jose Guadalupe Antonio-Arredondo pleaded guilty April 3. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Antonio-Arredondo to serve 30 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. Antonio-Arredondo admitted to assisting in the smuggling of an illegal alien July 12, 2024, by acting as a river guide. He led the illegal alien and a brush guide across the river to the border wall, then returned to Mexico. After crossing, the illegal alien had trouble breathing and collapsed. The brush guide fled to a nearby house to hide from law enforcement. Authorities found the alien and took him to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased July 17, 2024. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker 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 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: Former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Immigration Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he ordered and carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings, and other acts of violence, against the Haitian people. Jean Morose Viliena, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the sentence imposed. On March 28, 2025 , Viliena was convicted of three counts of visa fraud following a two-week jury trial. “Jean Morose Viliena built a life in the United States by burying the truth about his violent past – a past marked by political persecution, bloodshed and the silencing of dissent in Haiti,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortably in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain. Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe haven for human rights abusers. Lying to gain entry into this country and then lying again under oath to avoid accountability, strikes at the heart of our immigration and legal systems. I commend the tremendous courage of the victims and witnesses who stood up and spoke the truth, despite the risks, and made this outcome possible.” “In Haiti, Jean Morose Viliena was involved in the violent killings, beatings, and assaults of whomever he believed threatened his power as mayor,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His lies to U.S. immigration authorities allowed him to unlawfully enter this country and obtain lawful permanent resident status. Individuals who commit violent crimes in their home countries should take note: we do not tolerate human rights abusers who lie to take refuge here. We will find you, investigate you, and prosecute you to ensure that you are held accountable to the maximum extent of U.S. law for your heinous criminal conduct.” “Today's sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to ensuring that individuals who commit heinous acts of violence and fraud are held accountable, regardless of where those crimes were committed” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations, New England. “Jean Morose Viliena's actions were not only a gross violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his community. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to bring justice to victims and protect the American people from foreign criminals seeking to escape justice in their home countries.” “The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the people in our communities. Emigrating to the United States is a privilege and if you conceal your criminal conduct to deceive your way into this country, you will ultimately be detected, held accountable and brought to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office. Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence. As Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders. The second incident occurred in or around April 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes and picks. On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena because of his association with the radio station. On the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms. On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application. On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States, including after visiting his family in Les Irois. Since unlawfully gaining entry into the United States, Viliena has received sufficient income through employment and raised a child who is now a U.S. citizen by birth. On March 22, 2017, a civil lawsuit was filed against the defendant alleging various violations under the Torture Victim Protection Act and Alien Tort Statute. On March 21, 2023, a jury found the defendant liable for the extrajudicial killing of Ecclesiaste Boniface, and the attempted extrajudicial killing and torture of Juders Yseme and Nissage Martyr. The plaintiffs were awarded $11 million in punitive damages. U.S. Attorney Foley; DOJ Head Galeotti; HSI SAC Krol; CBP Director De La O; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department and HRSP historian Christopher Hayden. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit prosecuted the case along with Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP).


title: Former Haitian Mayor and Human Rights Violator Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for  Lying about Past Involvement in Political Violence

body_text: Note : See indictment here . Jean Morose Viliena, the former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, was sentenced today to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release by Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV for the District of Massachusetts for possessing and using a Permanent Resident Card he had fraudulently obtained by falsely stating that he had not ordered, carried out, or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people. A federal jury convicted Viliena in March 2025 of three counts of visa fraud. “In Haiti, Jean Morose Viliena was involved in the violent killings, beatings, and assaults of whomever he believed threatened his power as mayor,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His lies to U.S. immigration authorities allowed him to unlawfully enter this country and obtain lawful permanent resident status. Individuals who commit violent crimes in their home countries should take note: we do not tolerate human rights abusers who lie to take refuge here. We will find you, investigate you, and prosecute you to ensure that you are held accountable to the maximum extent of U.S. law for your heinous criminal conduct.” “Jean Morose Viliena built a life in the United States by burying the truth about his violent past – a past marked by political persecution, bloodshed and the silencing of dissent in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortably in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain. Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe haven for human rights abusers. Lying to gain entry into this country and then lying again under oath to avoid accountability strikes at the heart of our immigration and legal systems. I commend the tremendous courage of the victims and witnesses who stood up and spoke the truth despite the risks and made this outcome possible.” “Today's sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to ensuring that individuals who commit heinous acts of violence and fraud are held accountable, regardless of where those crimes were committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “Jean Morose Viliena's actions were not only a gross violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his community. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to bring justice to victims and protect the American people from foreign criminals seeking to escape justice in their home countries.” Viliena, 53, was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until February 2010. As a candidate and as mayor, Viliena was backed by Korega, a political machine that used armed violence to exert power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and other armed supporters aligned with Korega and directed them to engage in armed violence to quash opposition to his authority. According to evidence presented at trial, on July 27, 2007, Viliena violently retaliated against an activist who had previously spoken at a judicial proceeding on behalf of a neighbor whom Viliena had assaulted. In a brutal act of reprisal, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to the activist’s home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the activist’s younger brother and then smashed the brother’s skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders. Viliena committed another act of violent retribution in April 2008, when he and his associates attacked community members who had founded a radio station that Viliena opposed. According to multiple witnesses’ testimony, Viliena mobilized armed members of his staff and supporters to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. Viliena distributed firearms to his men, some of whom also carried machetes and picks. According to the evidence presented at trial, during this incident, Viliena beat one man and ordered an associate to shoot him when he tried to flee. As a result, the man’s leg was later amputated above the knee. Viliena also beat a student who was at the radio station; when the student tried to flee, a bullet struck his face, leaving him permanently blind in one eye. Less than two months after the radio station attack, Viliena presented himself at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti, where he applied for a visa to enter the United States. The visa application specifically requires an applicant to state whether they are a member of any class of individuals excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded “no,” indicating that this category did not apply to him. Viliena thereafter swore to and affirmed before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. Based on Viliena’s false representations, the United States approved his visa application and permitted him to enter the country. The United States later granted Viliena lawful permanent resident status and a Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “Green Card.” For years, through the use of his fraudulently obtained Green Card, Viliena enjoyed a job; sufficient income; a comfortable home; a safe community; the ability to visit his family in Les Irois at any time; and the privilege of raising and educating a son who is now a U.S. citizen by birth. The HSI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Invaluable assistance was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from Boston Logan Airport. Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden. Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp .


title: Wakpala Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison  for Assault and Burglary of a Home within the Standing Rock Reservation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Burglary and two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on June 16, 2025. Francis Lee Dubray, age 35, was sentenced to five years and ten months months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Dubray was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023. He was found guilty on October 24, 2024, following a three-day federal jury trial. Shortly after nightfall on July 5, 2023, Dubray and two co-defendants went to a woman’s home in McLaughlin, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, to assault a man they believed had inappropriately touched a girl. As the woman yelled at them to go away, one of the co-defendants kicked in her front door. Dubray’s co-defendants rushed into the house while Dubray stood on the stoop, hollering and chastising the woman for allowing the man to stay in her house. Although the man they came to find was passed out, Dubray’s co-defendants repeatedly kicked him in the face and struck him with a bar while the woman pleaded for them to stop. The victim incurred a broken nose and shattered orbital and sinus bones in the assault. He still struggles with his vision and headaches today. As Dubray’s co-defendants left the home, one of them knocked the woman to the floor. As she crawled toward the front door, Dubray kicked her in the face, then fled with his companions. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Dubray was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Worcester Gang Associate Sentenced for Firearms Dealing, Possession of a Machinegun and Cocaine Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – A former Worcester resident with known ties to the Eastside gang in Worcester was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for firearms offenses and distributing cocaine. Juan Otero, 23, a/k/a “Nene” or “Blockz,” of Franklin, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In February 2025 , Otero pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license; one count of receiving a firearm while under indictment; one count of possession of a machinegun; and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine. Otero was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024 . In late August 2023, a cooperating witness working with federal law enforcement made contact with Otero via Snapchat about purchasing cocaine from the defendant. Subsequently, Otero sold the cooperating witness a total of 14 grams of cocaine over two separate occasions, on Nov. 15, 2023 and Dec. 6, 2023. Prior to the second drug sale, on Nov. 27, 2023, Otero also sold the cooperating witness a Taurus 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, ammunition and a 17- round magazine. Then, over a 12-day period in January 2025, Otero sold four additional firearms to the cooperating witnesses: a Colt MK IV Series 80 .45 caliber pistol, ammunition and a large capacity .45 caliber magazine on Jan. 11, 2025; a Walther PPK 9mm Kurz caliber pistol, a Ruger Security Six .357 caliber revolver with a defaced serial number, ammunition and a magazine on Jan. 17, 2025; and a Glock 30S .45 caliber pistol with a machinegun conversion device attached to the back, a 40- round drum magazine and two additional magazines loaded with ammunition on Jan. 23, 2025. In addition to the five pistols Otero sold, he offered to sell the cooperating witness additional firearms – including a different Glock pistol, a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber, a Walther .22 caliber, a different Taurus pistol and an AR-style rifle. At the time of the offenses, Otero was on release pending trial for state firearm charges. Specifically, in 2022, Otero was indicted in Worcester Superior Court for multiple state crimes, including the unlawful possession of a large capacity weapon, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large capacity firearm and ammunition and attempted assault and battery. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Paul Saucier, Chief of the Worcester Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Franklin, Mansfield and Auburn Police Departments. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/PSN .


title: Former Federal Officer Charged With Possession And Distribution Of Child Sexual Abuse Material Appears In Court

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that Philip Andrew Douglass, 42, of Pineville, N.C., and a former federal officer, appeared in court this morning to face charges of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Chip Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the criminal indictment that was unsealed in federal court today, from July 24 to August 20, 2024, Douglass knowingly distributed CSAM and possessed and accessed with intent to view CSAM. During the time of the alleged offense, Douglass was an Enforcement and Removal Operations Officer with U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to holding accountable those who commit crimes involving vulnerable children, especially those serving in positions of public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “I commend the SBI for their investigative work on this case and I thank Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance throughout the investigation.” “The SBI is dedicated to protecting children from predators and exploitation. I take great pride in the work of our Computer Crimes Unit and our collaboration with federal partners to ensure that those who prey on our children are brought to justice. The SBI will continue its relentless efforts to hold those who exploit our youth accountable. The SBI would like to thank the office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the United States Attorney's Office, Western District, for their partnership in this case,” said Director Hawley. Douglass made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler. He was released on bond and subject to electronic monitoring and warrantless searches pursuant to the U.S. Probation Office. The SBI is in charge of the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Co-Founder of Los Cuinis Drug Cartel Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison; High-Ranking Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) Operative Pleads Guilty

body_text: Today, a Mexican national and the co-founder of the armed, violent, and prolific Los Cuinis drug cartel was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy. According to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia, 49, of Michoacan, Mexico, was one of the top leaders — alongside his brothers, Gerardo Gonzalez-Valencia and Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia — of Los Cuinis, a major Mexican drug cartel responsible for trafficking multiple tons of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States. Los Cuinis financed the founding and growth of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which traffics hundreds of tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States and other countries, and is known for extreme violence, murders, torture, and corruption. In February 2025, President Trump designated CJNG a foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents, the top leader of CJNG, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” is the brother-in-law of the Gonzalez-Valencia brothers. Closely allied, Los Cuinis and CJNG form one of the most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations in the world, responsible for sending staggering amounts of drugs into the United States and inflicting extreme violence to further that objective. Also today, as part of the Department of Justice’s focus on dismantling CJNG, another Mexican national, Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa, also known as “El Guacho,” a high-ranking CJNG member and El Mencho’s son-in-law, pleaded guilty to one count of international money laundering conspiracy. “Today, the Criminal Division dealt two more devastating blows to CJNG and Los Cuinis through the sentencing of Jose Gonzalez-Valencia and the conviction of Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These men and the cartels they led are responsible for immeasurable death and destruction in the United States and Mexico. The Justice Department will continue to dismantle CJNG, Los Cuinis and all other transnational criminal organizations that flood our streets with dangerous drugs and engage in extreme violence to control their operations.” “CJNG is one of the most powerful, influential, and ruthless criminal organizations to threaten our public safety and national security. Each leader and associate of CJNG who faces justice within the United States brings us one step closer to dismantling this terrorist organization,” said Acting Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Robert Murphy. “DEA will continue to use all available resources to disrupt CJNG’s drug trafficking and money laundering operations and systematically destroy their network.” From at least 2006 to 2016, according to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed and coordinated numerous multi-ton shipments of cocaine destined for the United States using air, land, sea, and underwater methods. In 2007 the U.S. Coast Guard seized one shipment from a semi-submersible vessel that was transporting at least 4,000 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico for further distribution into the United States. As one of Los Cuinis’ top leaders, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed acts of extreme violence in furtherance of drug trafficking activities, including the murder of an individual who allegedly stole a shipment of approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Los Cuinis, according to court documents. Jose Gonzalez-Valencia personally carried firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities and supplied weapons and ammunition to the CJNG. In 2015, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia went into hiding in Bolivia — a country that did not extradite anyone to the United States from 2001 to 2023, despite an existing extradition treaty — and resided there for over two years under a fictitious identity. In 2017, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia was arrested in Brazil while on vacation and was subsequently extradited to the United States. Brazil’s extradition treaty required that the U.S. Government not recommend more than a 30-year sentence. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Gutierrez-Ochoa admitted that he was a member of CJNG who was connected to CJNG’s top leadership. He also admitted that from at least 2023 until his arrest in 2024, he and other CJNG operatives used sophisticated money laundering methods involving real estate transactions, shell companies, and international money transfers to launder CJNG’s drug trafficking proceeds. For example, Gutierrez-Ochoa and others completed two wire transfers totaling $1.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds to purchase a luxury residence in Riverside, California, titled in the name of a Mexican entity owned and controlled by CJNG. When Gutierrez-Ochoa was arrested in November 2024, he was living at that property under a fictitious identity and possessed two untraceable and illegal firearms, approximately $2.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds, and numerous luxury items purchased with CJNG’s drug proceeds, including jewelry, watches, and vehicles. Gutierrez-Ochoa is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Today’s sentencing of Gonzalez-Valencia and conviction of Gutierrez-Ochoa follow several recent strikes into CJNG’s most inner circle. El Mencho’s older brother, Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, and Erick Valencia Salazar, an alleged co-founder of CJNG and El Mencho’s close advisor, were among the 29 wanted cartel leaders taken into U.S. custody on Feb. 27, 2025. Shortly after, on March 7, 2025, El Mencho’s son, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, known as El Menchito, was sentenced to a term of life in prison plus 30 years to run consecutively and ordered to forfeit over $6 billion in drug trafficking proceeds. Before his arrest, Oseguera-Gonzalez was CJNG’s second-in-command and led CJNG for nearly seven years. He is responsible for trafficking more than 50 metric tons of cocaine and supervising drug labs that produced more than 1,000 metric tons of methamphetamine in Mexico. In 2013, he was one of the first contributors to the fentanyl epidemic in the United States, pledging to “do it big” and build an empire from counterfeit oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl. As the evidence at trial showed, he also committed heinous acts of violence. According to statements made in court and trial testimony, Oseguera-Gonzalez ordered the murder of more than 100 people, some of whom he murdered himself. The DEA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section have been systematically dismantling the leadership of the CJNG and Los Cuinis at the highest level. To date, the ongoing investigation has led to indictments of approximately 30 high-value CJNG and Los Cuinis command-and-control targets, including seven Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), the top drug trafficking command-and-control leaders. As of June 2025, 12 defendants have been convicted, including two at trial. A number of indicted leaders of CJNG and Los Cuinis remain fugitives, including El Mencho, whose capture reward was recently increased to $15 million under the State Department’s Narcotic Rewards Program. Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia, another top leader of Los Cuinis and El Mencho’s brother-in-law, was arrested in 2015 by Mexican authorities pursuant to the U.S. indictment but since then has been fighting extradition to the United States. The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance with obtaining foreign evidence and securing Jose Gonzalez-Valencia’s extradition to the United States. Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the cases. 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: Wesley Chapel Woman Convicted Of Stealing Almost $2 Million In Unemployment Insurance Benefits And Identity Theft Of Over 100 Victims

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Maria Morales (58, Wesley Chapel) guilty of trafficking in unauthorized access devices and aggravated identity theft. Maria Morales faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 19, 2025. Maria Morales was indicted on September 4, 2024. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Morales received over 100 debit cards issued by the state of Nevada for unemployment insurance benefits distributed during the COVID pandemic. Each of these debit cards was created using personal identifying information of unwitting individuals from all over the United States. The debit cards mailed to Morales had the names of those individuals on both the debit cards and the envelope in which the cards were mailed. Upon receipt, Morales traveled to various ATMs in the Middle District of Florida and withdrew thousands of dollars in unemployment insurance benefits. In less than one year, Morales received almost $2 million in unemployment insurance benefits to which she was never entitled. In so doing, she stole the identity of over 100 individuals. This case was investigated by the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.


title: Eight Defendants Indicted in Connection with Drug Trafficking Conspiracies and One Defendant Indicted for Unlawful Reentry into the United States

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – Eight defendants have been indicted in connection with drug trafficking organizations operating out of Massachusetts and distributing illegal narcotics in Manchester. One defendant was also in the United States following a previous deportation, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. On June 18, 2025, law enforcement arrested six of these defendants each on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, and one defendant was also charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. The following defendants have been indicted and arrested in connection with these charges: Ariel Lara Aguasviva, age 35, of South Attleboro, MA; and is in federal custody. Victor Manuel Mejia Guzman, age 49, of Methuen, MA; and is in federal custody. Jarlin Soto Jimenez, age 29, of Lynn, MA; and is in federal custody. Robert Alexis Pena Lara, age 25, of Providence, RI; and is in federal custody. Edwin Manuel Mejia Mejia, age 43, of Dorchester, MA; and is in federal custody. Carlo De Los Santos Ruiz, age 28, of Dorchester, MA; and is in federal custody. According to the charging documents, between November 20, 2023 and May 7, 2025, the defendants knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl. Additionally, according to the charging documents, Victor Manuel Mejia Guzman, a Dominican Republic national unlawfully residing in Methuen, was previously deported on November 19, 2007. Mejia-Guzman was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender Task Force and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. DEA New England, HSI New England, and the Boston, Attleboro, Methuen, Lynn, and Providence Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Shannon and Heather Cherniske are prosecuting the case. This effort 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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes Report

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending June 20, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 58 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 4 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 29 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 69 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for alien smuggling, fraud, drug possession, and reentry of a deported alien. On June 18, 2025, the District of New Mexico obtained two convictions under Title 50 U.S.C. § 797, Violation of Defense Property Security Regulations, and Title 18 U.S.C. § 1382, Military Trespass, following the recent designation of a military-controlled National Defense Area (NDA) along the U.S.-Mexico border. Title 50 U.S.C § 797 and Title 18 U.S.C. § 1382 are among the federal statutes that establish criminal penalties for unlawful intrusions into areas designated as National Defense Areas. Title 50 USC § 797 refers to the willful violation of a defense property security regulation, which, pursuant to lawful authority, was approved by the Secretary of Defense—or a military commander designated by the Secretary of Defense—for the protection or security of Department of Defense property. Title 18 USC § 1382 subjects anyone to criminal penalties who, within the jurisdiction of the U.S., entered upon a military post, fort, or yard—in these cases, the New Mexico National Defense Area—for a purpose prohibit by law or lawful regulation, that is, illegal entry into the United States. These laws allow for prosecution of unauthorized entry into the NDA as a federal misdemeanor, carrying penalties of up to one year in prison and/or a fine. In the first case, Andres De Los Santos-Martinez , a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty to re-entry after deportation, willfully violating a defense property security regulation, and military trespass by entering the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), a restricted military zone established in April 2025. De Los Santos-Martinez was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 1, 2025, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, after crossing the border at a location not designated as a lawful port of entry. De Los Santos-Martinez had previously been apprehended in the NMNDA on May 7, 2025, and was advised in Spanish that unauthorized entry into the restricted military area was prohibited and subject to federal prosecution. In the second case, Eduardo Herrera-Juvencio , also a Mexican national, pled guilty to re-entry after deportation, willfully violating a defense property security regulation, and military trespass by entering the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), a restricted military zone established in April 2025. Herrera-Juvencio was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 1, 2025, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, after crossing the border at a location not designated as a lawful port of entry. Herrera-Juvencio had previously been apprehended in the NMNDA on May 7, 2025, and was advised in Spanish that unauthorized entry into the restricted military area was prohibited and subject to federal prosecution. This week a significant case, Alejandro Villalobos-Torres, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Las Cruces charging Villalobos-Torres with conspiracy to take a hostage and two counts of hostage taking. In October 2022, HSI received reports of two illegal aliens be held against their will in a stash house in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. After executing a search warrant at the residence, agents located two men being held in the house. The victims were reportedly threatened with physical harm and one victim’s family member was contacted to request money for the victim’s release. Villalobos-Torres was arrested in March 2025 while in ICE custody and will remain in U.S. Marshals custody pending trial. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Newton County Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury this week for illegally possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction. Jason A. Duncan, 40, was charged with three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. The indictment, which replaces a complaint filed on June 3, 2025, alleges that Duncan possessed a Palmetto State Armory rifle and a Taurus pistol on Aug. 19, 2024, a Hi-Point pistol on Oct. 3, 2024, and Glock pistol on Jan. 23, 2025. Duncan has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Joplin, Seneca, and Springfield, Mo., Police Departments. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Venezuelan National and Suspected Tren de Aragua Member Charged with Attempted Murder of Federal Officer

body_text: Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced today that Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, a citizen of Venezuela residing illegally in Bellevue, Nebraska, was charged on June 19, 2025, by criminal complaint with one count of attempted murder of a federal officer and one count of assault of a federal officer with infliction of bodily injury. Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation possessed an active immigration-related warrant for Hurtado-Cariaco’s arrest and encountered him in Sarpy County near his residence while he was driving. The agents initiated a traffic stop with lights and sirens. Hurtado-Cariaco pulled over and exited his vehicle with his arms raised. The agents gave instructive commands to Hurtado-Cariaco and attempted to place him in hand cuffs. According to the complaint, Hurtado-Cariaco, a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, began to fight with one Special Agent where both landed on the ground. Hurtado-Cariaco was able to throw the agent off him launching the agent through the air resulting in the agent forcefully striking their head and elbow on the pavement injuring them. A second Special Agent engaged with Hurtado-Cariaco to subdue and detain him. Hurtado-Cariaco resisted with both landing on the ground. While both agents tried to control Hurtado-Cariaco while on the ground, he maneuvered behind the injured agent and placed that agent in a chokehold. Hurtado-Cariaco ignored commands from the other agent and continued to choke the agent on the ground. The second agent placed Hurtado-Cariaco in a chokehold to stop the assault. Hurtado-Cariaco released his chokehold on the agent and then used his leverage, broke away from the second agent, and ran. The agents pursued Hurtado-Cariaco by foot, locating him at his apartment in Bellevue and arrested without further incident. After the arrest, the injured agent was transported to the hospital for treatment. “Deadly violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated by this Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We have charged this illegal alien with attempted murder.” “The arrest and prosecution of this vicious Tren de Aragua gang member underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers in the line of duty,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Violent attacks from terrorists against those who serve our communities will be met with swift and decisive justice.” “Violence against federal law enforcement officers in the line of duty will not be tolerated in Nebraska," said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods. “Federal law enforcement officers are tasked with enforcing the laws of the United States and they must be able to do so safely. These federal agents maintained their professionalism while being met with potentially fatal violence. Despite sustaining injuries, the agents did not give up and made a successful arrest.” Hurtado-Cariaco appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Carson on June 20, 2025. Magistrate Judge Carson ordered the defendant detained and set a preliminary and detention hearing for June 24, 2025. A criminal complaint is a charging document that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years. Hurtado-Cariaco was arrested on June 18, 2025, in Sarpy County, Nebraska. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Read the complaint .


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering His Girlfriend’s Husband

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Keyon Slaughter, 28, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the December 2022 murder of Dana Bailey, Jr., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Slaughter pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed. His guilty plea, which is contingent on the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon 16-year prison sentence, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for August 29, 2025. According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on December 5, 2022, at approximately 10:15 a.m., Slaughter entered Apartment 3 at 3224 E Street Southeast, Washington, D.C., the residence of Dana Bailey, Jr. Once inside the apartment, Slaughter confronted Mr. Bailey and shot him once in the chest with a .40 caliber handgun, causing his death. Slaughter then fled the apartment and soon thereafter fled the District of Columbia to North Carolina. At the time of the murder, Slaughter was engaged in a relationship with the wife of Mr. Bailey, who was indicted with Slaughter and pleaded guilty to obstructing justice. At the time of the offense, Slaughter was on supervised probation for a 2019 conviction for armed robbery in Charles County, Maryland. Slaughter was arrested in this case in July 2023 and has been detained since. This case was investigated by members of MPD’s Homicide Branch. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles R. Jones.


title: Bristow Man Sentenced to Life After Violently Killing His  5-Year-Old Daughter and Setting Her on Fire

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Bristow man was sentenced today for the murder of his 5-year-old daughter, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Adam Raymond Mason, 34, for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Judge Russell ordered Mason to serve life imprisonment. “What Mason did to this 5-year-old little girl was inhumane. There will be no first dances for her. She will not have the opportunity to attend college or become a mother herself,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This was a hard-fought case for prosecutors and law enforcement. Life imprisonment shows the seriousness of this crime and ensures public safety.” “The suffering this innocent child endured at the hands of her own father is completely incomprehensible. The defendant deserves every second of the sentence imposed, and more,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will use every tool and authority to pursue this kind of evil in our community. I commend the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who handled this case with unwavering dedication. Our thoughts remain with all who loved this child.” On August 26, 2020, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to check on the well-being of a 5-year-old child. The mother of the child told law enforcement that their daughter was staying the night with her father, Mason, and that he would not let her speak with the child. Upon arrival, deputies located the burned body of a child, which they believed to be the 5-year-old. Deputies found Mason hiding in the woods nearby and took him into custody. Mason told law enforcement that he believed the 5-year-old was controlled by witchcraft. Court records show that Mason punched the child in the head multiple times. Mason took her to a nearby creek where he placed a tire on top of her, set her on fire, and fled the scene. Mason is a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Cyran prosecuted the case.


title: Erie Coke Corporation Pleads Guilty to Air Emissions Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. – Erie Coke Corporation, which is no longer in operation, pleaded guilty earlier this week in federal court to two counts related to criminal air emissions violations and agreed to pay a $700,000 fine for those violations, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. On June 17, 2025, Erie Coke pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and knowingly emitting unburned or raw coke oven gas, a hazardous air pollutant, in violation of Erie Coke’s environmental permit. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Erie Coke, which owned and operated a now-shuttered coke manufacturing plant in Erie, Pennsylvania, conspired with its employees to violate the Clean Air Act by, among other things, removing caps on heating flues atop the coke oven batteries in order to allow combustion gases to vent directly into the air and avoid the plant’s environmental monitoring system. In doing so, Erie Coke emitted pollutants in violation of specific provisions of the Title V permit governing opacity limits and discharge of raw coke oven gas. The corporation then knowingly submitted emissions monitoring data to regulators each quarter that did not reflect the actual amount of emissions. The Court was also advised that Erie Coke fostered a culture of noncompliance with the relevant regulations and permit conditions, and that the amount of the fine called for under the plea agreement was determined in part based on the funds currently available to the corporation, which ceased business in 2019. The Court may accept or reject the fine as agreed to by the parties in the plea agreement. Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2025. The law provides for a fine of up to $1 million. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Vasquez Schmitt and Michael L. Ivory are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Environmental Protection Agency conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Erie Coke.