title: Former Tennessee Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Johnathan Nathaniel Allen, 27, of Chattanooga Tenn., has pleaded guilty to production of child sexual abuse material.* Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in September 2024 Allen used accounts on Reddit and Text Me to contact a 13-year-old girl in South Carolina. Allen posed as a 14-year-old boy named “Josh” on the applications and pressured the minor to produce sexually explicit material at his request. At the time, Allen was 25 years old and had been a deputy with a county sheriff’s office in Tennessee since 2021. On Reddit, Allen navigated to a forum that referenced teenagers in the title. He started a conversation with one of the minors and then directed the conversation to text messages. There, Allen used a virtual phone number he obtained through the TextMe platform. The minor showed Allen pictures of her stuffed animals and he “begged,” according to evidence, for pictures of the minor. He told the minor she could trust him and that he would not share the files. Allen caused the production of sexually explicit content depicting the minor. Allen told the victim that he was proud of her, and that she learned something new she could do. He requested additional sex acts, and he told her to delete the messages so no one else would see them. When agents searched Allen’s home, they found a phone with Reddit, Text Me, and the fake “Josh” identity. Agents also found 19 communications on Allens’ phone with the minor, including numerous calls to the minor after law enforcement had seized the minor’s phone. Data from the Reddit and Text Me account, including pictures shared by the user, all resolved to Allen. Agents also found clothes in Allen’s bedroom that “Josh” was wearing when it shared sexually explicit images on the platform. One of the pictures shared by the Reddit user when posing as a teenager was a picture of Allen when he was younger. “This outrageous criminal conduct, especially from someone sworn to protect society’s most vulnerable, its children, will be met with the full force of the federal government,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We’re grateful to the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the York County Sheriff’s Office and the Hamilton County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office for their work to bring this defendant to justice.” Allen faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender, he faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and a term of up to lifetime supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Allen after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the York County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Hamilton County, TN Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case. ### * The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.


title: Previously removed Mexican national headed to federal prison for illegal reentry

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 53-year-old man who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country without authorization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Jose Alcantar Esquivel Moreno pleaded guilty Feb. 20. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Moreno to serve 54 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he will be removed following his imprisonment. In imposing the sentence, the court noted Moreno had been told what would happen if he came back, and he chose to do so anyway. Moreno has a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault-family violence. Authorities first removed him from the United States in February 2012. Law Enforcement discovered Moreno again Oct. 23, 2022, following his arrest for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Moreno has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration Customs Enforcement – Enforcement Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Law prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Perfectus Aluminum Inc. and Related Companies Agree to Pay $549.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Evaded Customs Duties

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – California-based companies Perfectus Aluminum Inc., Perfectus Aluminum Acquisitions LLC and four affiliated warehousing companies have agreed to pay a total of $549.5 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly evading, or conspiring to evade, antidumping and countervailing duties owed to the United States on aluminum extrusions imported from the People’s Republic of China (China). “The President’s America First Trade Policy defends this country’s national and economic security and ensures compliance with trade laws, including the payment of tariffs intended to level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Those who try to game the system harm American businesses and workers and will be brought to justice.” “Unscrupulous, corrupt, and anti-competitive practices against American manufacturers will not be tolerated,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Law enforcement will use all legal means to protect American taxpayers, workers, and businesses.” “Consistent with the goals of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud , this settlement reflects our commitment to hold accountable those who commit fraud on the government by withholding duties that are owed on imported goods,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Civil Division will continue to zealously pursue those who attempt to evade such duties and harm U.S. manufacturing jobs.” U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) played a pivotal role in this action, providing critical support through the Office of Trade, Office of Field Operations, Office of Finance, and Office of Chief Counsel. “Duty evasion is not a victimless crime; it hurts businesses that play by the rules and undermines U.S. economic security,” said CBP Office of Trade Executive Assistant Commissioner Susan S. Thomas. “I am proud of CBP’s close collaboration with the Justice Department and Homeland Security Investigations, as we work together to protect the American economy.” To enter goods into the United States, an importer must declare, among other things, the country of origin of the goods, the value of the goods, whether the goods are subject to duties, and the amount of duties owed. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects applicable duties, including antidumping and countervailing duties assessed by the Department of Commerce. Antidumping duties protect against foreign companies “dumping” products on U.S. markets at prices below cost, while countervailing duties offset foreign government subsidies. During the relevant time period, aluminum extrusions from China were subject to both antidumping and countervailing duties. The settlement resolves civil allegations that, from July 2011 through June 2014, Defendants Perfectus, Perfectus Aluminum Acquisitions, and its affiliated warehousing companies 1001 Doubleday, LLC; Von-Karman Main Street, LLC; 10681 Production Avenue, LLC; and Scuderia Development, LLC (together, “Perfectus Defendants”) knowingly made, and caused others to make, false statements on Customs Form 7501 Entry Summaries that were material to obligations to pay duties owed to CBP on extruded aluminum. The Perfectus Defendants knowingly and improperly avoided antidumping and countervailing duties owed on more than 2.2 million aluminum extrusions in the form of “pallets,” which they misrepresented to CBP as finished merchandise not subject to antidumping and countervailing duties. The pallets were simply aluminum extrusions that were spot-welded together to make them appear to be functional pallets. In fact, there were no customers for these pallets imported by the Defendants between 2011 and 2014, and no pallets were ever sold. On August 23, 2021, a jury in the Central District of California convicted the Perfectus Defendants of Conspiracy to Commit an Offense Against the United States or Defraud the United States, among other things. United States v. Perfectus Aluminum Inc., et al. , No. 2:19-cr-00282-GK (C.D. Cal.). The settlement with the Perfectus Defendants resolves civil lawsuits filed by relators Mike Rapport, Eric Shen, and the Aluminum Extruders Council under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The lawsuits were separately filed in the Central District of California and later consolidated under the caption United States ex rel. Rapport v. PengCheng Aluminum Enterprise Inc., et al. , No. 5:15-cv-00712 (C.D. Cal.). As part of today’s resolution, the relator share will be 17.5 percent of the settlement proceeds that are returned to CBP. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from CBP’s Office of Associate Chief Counsel, Los Angeles West Region. This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Civil Division coordinated this action through the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Department’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here . Assistant United States Attorney Hunter B. Thomson for the Central District of California and Attorneys Jennifer Chorpening and Martha Glover of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Fraud Section, handled the case.


title: Washington Man Charged with Harassing Endangered Monk Seal “Lani” by Hurling Large Rock at Her Head

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was charged by criminal complaint on May 12, 2026, for harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. Lytvynchuk was arrested today, May 13, 2026, near Seattle, Washington by Special Agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Lytvynchuk is currently in custody and is scheduled for an initial appearance on these charges in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington (Seattle courthouse) on May 14, 2026 at 9 AM. According to the criminal complaint unsealed today, Lytvynchuk was observed and filmed on May 5, 2026 walking along the shoreline in the Lahaina area of Maui tracking the movements of a Hawaiian monk seal, known as “Lani,” as she playfully pushed a floating log close to the shoreline. According to the complaint, Lytvynchuk then picked up a large rock, took aim, and threw the rock directly at Lani’s head. The rock narrowly missed her nose, startling her, and causing her to rear up out of the water. Witnesses immediately confronted Lytvynchuk and told him they had contacted law enforcement, to which Lytvynchuk reportedly responded that he was “rich enough to pay the fines,” before walking away. According to witnesses, Lani remained largely immobile for an extended period of time after the incident, which caused much concern over her welfare. If convicted, Lytvynchuk, faces up to one year in prison for each charge, plus a term of supervised release. Lytvynchuk also faces a fine of up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and a fine of up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. “The unique and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii’s special place in the world and its incredible biodiversity. We are committed to protecting our vulnerable wild species, in particular endangered Hawaiian monk seals, like Lani,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “We pledge that those who harass and attempt to harm our protected wildlife will face rapid accountability in federal court.” The charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service – Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar is prosecuting the case.


title: Belgrade man sentenced to over 18 years in prison on cocaine and gun charges

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA – A Belgrade man who was trafficking cocaine while possessing a firearm in Belgrade and Bozeman was sentenced today to 220 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said. Leodis Robert Roach, 43, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christenson presided. The government alleged in court documents that on May 6, 2025, law enforcement officers used a confidential informant to conduct a controlled purchase of one ounce of cocaine from Leodis Roach and a co-defendant. On May 22, 2025, the confidential informant conducted another controlled purchase of one ounce of cocaine from Roach and a co-defendant. On June 4, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop in Bozeman. Roach was a passenger in the vehicle and was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Officers located approximately 25 grams of cocaine that was individually packaged in the vehicle and a Glock pistol under the passenger seat where Roach had been sitting. A search warrant was executed at the driver’s residence. Roach’s vehicle was in the garage and contained approximately 937 grams of cocaine, body armor, and a Diamondback firearm. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Justice Department Files Complaint Against D.C. Bar Disciplinary Authorities Over Their Weaponization of the Bar Disciplinary Process Against Federal Government Attorneys

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today filed a complaint against D.C. Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton P. Fox III, the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel, and the D.C. Court of Appeals Board on Professional Responsibility over their improper use of bar discipline to regulate the official actions of Federal Government attorneys. The filing advances President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government and Presidential Memorandum on Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Courts. Specifically, the complaint seeks to nullify the D.C. Bar’s unlawful prosecution of former Assistant Attorney General Jeff Clark based on internal deliberations relating to potential fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election, which remains the subject of litigation nearly six years later. "As our complaint and history make clear, the DC Bar has long acted as a blatantly partisan arm of leftist causes. No more,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “President Trump promised to put an end to the weaponization of the legal process, and today’s lawsuit against the D.C. Bar makes good on that promise,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “The D.C. Bar will no longer be permitted to probe sensitive Executive Branch deliberations and target Executive Branch officials with whom they happen to politically disagree, and Federal attorneys will once again be free to share their candid legal advice with their bosses and colleagues.” Just last week, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in support of former interim United States Attorney Ed Martin, who is seeking to have the D.C. Bar’s unlawful prosecution of him heard in a neutral Federal tribunal. As three former Attorneys General recently recognized, the D.C. Bar’s efforts to discipline Justice Department attorneys “for making recommendations, factual assertions, and providing legal advice during confidential internal agency deliberations on law enforcement and sensitive public policy” are “improper and constitutionally impermissible.” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward filed the complaint. The complaint is available here .


title: Maryland Woman Sentenced for CARES  Act Unemployment Insurance Fraud

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland woman received a prison term for her role in an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud conspiracy. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Kiara Smith, 28, of Prince George’s County, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, in connection with the scheme. Judge Boardman also ordered Smith to pay $3.5 million in restitution and imposed a criminal forfeiture of $275,000. Smith, who served as a contractor for the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), allowed her co-conspirators to use her work laptop to alter and approve fraudulent Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act UI claims. She also sought and fraudulently obtained a significant amount of UI benefits separate from the conspiracy. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. According to the court documents, beginning in May 2021, and continuing until June 2022, Smith and her co-conspirators engaged in an identity theft scheme to defraud the United States, State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions, and multiple individuals. The co-conspirators submitted false and fraudulent UI benefits claims to the MD-DOL, Maryland’s agency that is responsible for processing the UI claims. As part of the conspiracy, the co-conspirators fraudulently obtained more than $3.5 million in unemployment insurance benefits. Company 1 employed Smith to provide professional support services, including fraud detention efforts, to the MD-DOL. As part of the scheme, Smith provided a company-issued laptop to co-conspirators to access and alter non-public UI data and MD-DOL-maintained databases. This enabled the co-conspirators to maximize the UI payouts on fraudulent UI claims. Smith’s co-conspirators altered the contact email addresses, online account passwords, and payment methods for existing UI claims. The co-conspirators furthered the scheme by using the identity theft victims’ personal identifying information (PII). They also used their access to the MD-DOL databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of fraudulent UI claims; remove fraud holds on UI claims; certify weeks for determining UI benefits; and engage in other actions to facilitate the fraudulent UI benefits payments. During the scheme, the MD-DOL believed it was disbursing UI benefits to debit cards/accounts of UI applicants, but the accounts were opened and controlled by the co-conspirators. Judge Boardman previously sentenced co-conspirators Lawrence Nathanial Harris, 32, of Temple Hills, Maryland, Ahmed Hussain, 23, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, Zakria Hussain, 28, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, and Bryan Nushawn Ruffin, 27, of Woodbridge, Virginia, to 180-month, 102-month, 36-month, and 27-month federal-prison sentences, respectively. Terry Chen, 25, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, is receiving his sentence on Wednesday, May 20. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI for their work in the investigation and the Maryland Department of Labor for its assistance. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Joseph L. Wenner, who are prosecuting this case. She also recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Mary Esther Fraudster Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Treivorn McLeod, 25, of Mary Esther, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit of money laundering. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fraudsters will try every angle and scheme to steal money from innocent, unsuspecting victims, so it remains of critical importance to educate the general public about these fraud threats to prevent more of our citizens from being victimized. Thanks to the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partners and the aggressive prosecution by my office, this scheme has been dismantled and this fraudster finds himself in federal prison where he belongs.” Between June 1, 2022, and January 29, 2024, the defendant was part of a criminal conspiracy that defrauded victims by falsely claiming that the victims had won millions of dollars in the Publisher’s Clearing House lottery and the American Cash Rewards lottery. The conspiracy falsely told the victims that, to collect their winnings, the victims would have to pay fees and costs in advance. However, none of the victims received any money or prizes as promised after sending these fraudulent fee payments. In total, the defendant’s criminal conspiracy defrauded victims of approximately $530,000. The defendant faces up to 80 years’ imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by the Air Force Department of Special Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp. Sentencing is scheduled for August 24, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Role in Southwestern Connecticut Drug Ring

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GERALD COLEY, also known as “G Rock,” 56, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 37 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking narcotics in southwestern Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. An investigation in 2024, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada, Coley, and others orchestrated the street level distribution of narcotics through other members of the conspiracy. Investigators intercepted more than 5000 text messages and calls in which Canada coordinated his drug trafficking activities. Coley was intercepted numerous times over a wiretap discussing drug trafficking activity with Canada. He also managed cash for the drug trafficking organization and sometimes supplied Canada with drugs he acquired in New York City. Coley, Canada, and other members of the conspiracy were arrested on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien, and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles. A search of Coley’s Bridgeport residence revealed approximately 20 grams of crack cocaine, more than 700 grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. On December 17, 2025, Coley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He has been detained since his arrest. Coley’s criminal history spans more than 30 years and this is his third federal conviction. In 2001, he was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for trafficking crack cocaine, and in 2014, he was sentenced to 48 months for unlawfully possessing a firearm and violating the conditions of his federal supervised release. Canada pleaded guilty and, on December 15, 2025, was sentenced to 110 months of imprisonment. This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone.


title: FCI Schuylkill Inmate Indicted For Possession Of A Weapon

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brayan Giron-Ferman, age 22, a federal inmate incarcerated at FCI Schuylkill, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on the charge of possession of a weapon. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on February 27, 2026, Giron-Ferman possessed a prison-made weapon, approximately a seven-and-a-half-inch sharpened piece of metal with a cloth handle, commonly referred to as a “shank.” The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Special Investigative Services of the Federal Bureau of Prisons investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Federal Prison for Firearm And Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with drug trafficking and weapons crimes. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Dominick Mackall, 37, of Lexington Park, to 110 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Judge Boardman also entered an order that Mackall forfeit all his firearms, ammunition, and $4,298 in cash. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Sheriff Steven A. Hall, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. According to court documents, on October 26, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mackall’s residence and took him into custody in connection with a five-month narcotics trafficking investigation. During the search, law enforcement discovered multiple loaded firearms, including a ghost gun, and numerous rounds of ammunition in Mackall’s bedroom. Mackall is a convicted felon, so he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Law enforcement also uncovered several controlled substances in different quantities — including 964 fentanyl pills, cocaine, and marijuana — $4,298 in cash. Additionally, law enforcement found reloadable government-benefit cards in other people’s names. 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Appleby-Rumon who prosecuted the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Illinois Tax Preparer Convicted at Trial After Stealing More Than $11 Million from Taxpayers in COVID-19 Assistance Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: A federal jury in the Northern District of Illinois convicted an Illinois woman yesterday of unemployment insurance fraud for submitting false claims to a COVID-19 assistance program. From May 2020 and continuing through December 2022, Haim Hmaidan, 54, of Orland Park, Illinois, and her co-conspirators submitted nearly 700 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims that caused over $11 million in fraudulent unemployment benefits to be dispersed. “Hiam Hmaidan stole more than $10 million from American taxpayers during the COVID-19 pandemic through an unemployment insurance fraud scheme that submitted nearly 700 fraudulent claims,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division will continue to find and prosecute fraudsters who exploited a national crisis to steal from Federal benefit programs.” “Hiam Hmaidan nefariously used the identities of her tax clients and others without their knowledge or consent to steal over $10 million in unemployment insurance benefits meant to support struggling Americans,” said Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito of the U.S. Department of Labor. “Her conviction sends a clear message: my office, alongside Vice President Vance's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, will relentlessly pursue those who commit fraud and hold them accountable. Protecting the integrity of these critical programs isn’t optional — it’s our highest priority. Fraud is a tax you never voted for, and we’re coming after the people collecting it.” “This guilty verdict is justice for the American people,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chicago Field Office. “Hiam Hmaidan took advantage of a program people relied on to get through a very difficult time. She and her co-conspirators stole millions from taxpayers at a time when families were struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on their tables. Working closely with our fellow law enforcement partners, IRS-CI followed the money to expose the full scope of this scheme and helped bring it to an end. This verdict sends a clear message that if you try to cash in on a national crisis, you will be brought to justice and held accountable for your crimes.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hmaidan operated an unemployment insurance fraud scheme in which she agreed with others to defraud the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, which Congress established in 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Hmaidan, together with her co-conspirators, submitted claims containing false information regarding the claimants’ employment status and the impact of the pandemic on their ability to earn a living. Hmaidan abused her position as a tax preparer by submitting many of the fraudulent claims using her clients’ names and personal information. Based on those fraudulent claims, unemployment insurance benefits were loaded onto debit cards and mailed directly to Hmaidan or to addresses accessible to Hmaidan and her co-conspirators. Once Hmaidan and her co-conspirators obtained the debit cards, they used the fraudulent proceeds on the cards to withdraw approximately $2.8 million in cash from ATMs near where they lived. The jury convicted Hmaidan of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and five counts of mail fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2. Hmaidan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on all counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and IRS-CI investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Shy Jackson and Meredith B. Healy of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Luxury Yacht Companies Plead Guilty to Violating Lacey Act for Using Illegally Obtained Burmese Teak on Multimillion Dollar Yachts; Agree to Pay $200,000 Fine

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Sunseeker International Limited and Sunseeker USA Sales Co. Inc. (Sunseeker) pleaded guilty this week to two violations of the Lacey Act for using illegally obtained Burmese Teak on yachts that it imported into the U.S. Sunseeker agreed to pay a fine of $200,000, and to implement a compliance plan, among other penalties. Sunseeker manufactures luxury performance motor yachts and superyachts. “Congress amended the Lacey Act in 2008 to prohibit the importation of illegally harvested timber,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “By enforcing the law, we ensure a level playing field for companies that follow the law. Timber trafficking is the third most lucrative form of transnational crime, so enforcing the law keeps money from flowing into criminal enterprises.” “South Florida is one of the world’s great gateways for luxury vessels, but our ports are not open to illegal goods,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Sunseeker admitted that illegally obtained Burmese teak was used on yachts imported into the United States. That matters. Trafficking in illegal timber, wildlife, and other protected natural resources harms legitimate businesses, supports corrupt supply chains, and turns the natural world into profit for criminal organizations. This guilty plea, fine, and compliance requirements are a direct step toward accountability.” “Timber trafficking is a transnational crime that damages forests and puts legitimate businesses at a disadvantage,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “We are actively disrupting illegal timber supply chains and holding violators accountable under the Lacey Act. This case is part of our ongoing work to protect natural resources and ensure American markets aren’t a destination for illegal goods.” Sunseeker manufactures its vessels in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and sells them internationally, including in the U.S. Sunseeker pleaded guilty to using Burmese Teak on their yachts, specifically, a Teak balcony door intended to be incorporated into a yacht, and Teak parts incorporated into two yachts priced at approximately $2.98 million and $1.07 million, respectively. The illegal logging of Teak in Myanmar has been a known problem since at least 2017. Both the U.S. and the U.K. have imposed sanctions against Myanmar and the U.S. has sanctioned the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE), the sole authorized seller of export Teak harvested in Myanmar. U.S. sanctions prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or those transiting the U.S. that involve any property or interest in property associated with the MTE. The U.K. has concluded that timber harvesting, specifically Teak, has financially supported dictatorships in Myanmar. Sunseeker was previously charged in the U.K. and pleaded guilty in 2023 to three criminal violations of the U.K.’s Timber and Timber Products Regulations (UKTR). The company was sentenced and fined approximately $450,000. The Teak imports that Sunseeker imported into the U.S. came from the illegal Teak imports charged in the U.K. case. Sunseeker is set to be sentenced on Aug. 20. Last month, ENRD hosted a TIMBER Working Group roundtable where ENRD PDAAG Gustafson outlined ENRD’s commitment to enforcing timber trafficking laws. It is estimated that the U.S. Forest products industry loses $500 million annually to trafficking through depressed wood prices and lost export opportunities. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case. ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov , under case number 26-cr-20181. ###


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to a Year in Prison for Feloniously Assaulting Law Enforcement Officers During Arrest

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — An illegal alien residing in Aurora, Ill., has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for feloniously assaulting law enforcement officers during the execution of an arrest warrant. The assaults occurred on the afternoon of July 17, 2025, in the lobby of the Kane County Sheriff’s Department in St. Charles, Ill. Two officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations approached FRANCISCO JAVIER ACEVEDO-CALDERA and informed him that they had a warrant for his arrest. Acevedo-Caldera, who had recently been bonded out of the Kane County Jail, resisted the arrest, kicked one of the officers, head-butted the other officer, and then bit a Kane County Sheriff’s Deputy who offered to help, puncturing the Deputy’s skin. The officers were eventually able to subdue Acevedo-Caldera and execute the arrest warrant. Acevedo-Caldera, 40, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to a federal charge of assaulting a federal employee. On May 7, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jeremy C. Daniel sentenced Acevedo-Caldera to 12 months in federal prison. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Raymond Hernandez, Acting Field Director for ICE-ERO in Chicago. Valuable assistance was provided by the Kane County Sheriff’s Department. “Defendant’s conduct was serious—he made physical contact with all three officer victims and caused bodily injury to two of them,” Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Finch argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Assaulting these officers in a government building caused risk to public safety and demonstrated disrespect for the law and law enforcement.”


title: Rochester man who threatened and stalked a police officer going to prison

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Orlando Justice, 38, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of transmission of threatening communications in interstate commerce, was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca. On November 23, 2024, a Rochester Police officer (Victim) participated in the arrest of Justice, who was intoxicated at the time of arrest and was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. While at Strong, Justice threatened the officer by stating that he would come to officer’s house and injure him. Justice was subsequently charged with Trespassing and Resisting Arrest and issued an appearance ticket. The following day, Justice called the officer multiple times via cellular service and FaceTime. In one call on FaceTime, Justice told the officer, “I told you that I would find you,” and that he knew the officer’s personal information and where he lived. Justice also stated that the officer “messed with the wrong one” and that he (Justice) was “a different breed of human.” Justice demanded that the officer give him the names of the other officers who were present during his arrest. Justice threatened to go to the officer’s home, continued calling the officer and encouraged his friends to do the same. A few hours later, Justice called the officer again via FaceTime, asking “Why your friends come to my house?” the officer asked Justice who he was, and he responded that the officer knew who he was and gave the name “John Doe.” The officer ended the call by telling Justice not to call him. The following day, Justice sent a series of text messages. In one of these messages, Justice told the officer, “Don't get scared now.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher. # # # #


title: Property Management Company to Pay $60,000 to Servicemember for False Affidavit

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: TAMPA, FL — The Justice Department today announced that Rental Marketing Solutions, LLC (RMS), a property management company based in St. Petersburg, Florida, will pay $60,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by obtaining an unlawful eviction judgment against an active duty Navy sailor. This is the largest amount the Department has ever obtained for a single servicemember in a case involving the filing of a false military service affidavit. “Protecting the civil rights of our servicemembers is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to aggressively enforce the SCRA to protect the servicemembers who fight to protect us here at home. These servicemembers, along with their families, sacrifice to serve our country and deserve to be treated with dignity. No servicemember should ever be denied housing or have their record tarnished based on a false affidavit.” “It is unacceptable and illegal for a landlord or property management company to file a false affidavit stating that an active duty servicemember is not in military service,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This SCRA violation had significant consequences, as potential landlords refused to rent to a sailor once they learned of the eviction on his record. He became homeless and his wife was forced to move back in with her parents in another state. The Justice Department will continue to fight to protect the rights of military families.” The Department alleges that RMS named the sailor as a defendant in an eviction action for a property he had not lived in for several years, filed a false affidavit stating he was not on active duty, and obtained an eviction judgment against him in a Florida county court while he was assigned to the USS Nimitz at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. Because the eviction judgment showed up on his background reports, a dozen or more landlords refused to rent to him and his wife. For four months, he had to live separately from his wife and rotate among temporary accommodations, including sleeping on the berthed Naval ship, which had no heat. The SCRA requires a plaintiff in a case where a defendant does not make an appearance to file an affidavit stating whether the defendant is in military service, with necessary supporting facts. This allows the court to appoint an attorney to represent the servicemember and to postpone the proceedings if a defense cannot be presented without the servicemember’s presence. Because RMS filed a false affidavit stating that the sailor was not in military service, he did not receive the benefit of those protections. Under the settlement, RMS will pay $60,000 in compensation to the sailor and for ten years of credit monitoring for him. RMS will also be required to pay a $6,000 civil penalty and maintain SCRA policies and procedures to avoid committing future violations. The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained $489 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil . Do not reply to this message. If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.


title: South Puget Sound former financial advisor sentenced to three years in prison for stealing nearly $1 million from elderly client

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 57-year-old Fox Island, Washington, man was sentenced late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to three years in prison for his scheme to steal from an elderly client who trusted him as a financial advisor, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. John S. Winslow was indicted just over a year ago on four counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, four counts of money laundering, and four counts of making and subscribing a false tax return. Winslow was a financial advisor at a national financial services firm until he was fired following revelations he had stolen over $920,000 in life savings and inheritance from a former client, a widow in her 70’s. “This crime was personal,” U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright. “Mr. Winslow had a longstanding relationship with this victim.” “Over about four years, this defendant stole more than $900,000 from an elderly victim. First, he ingratiated himself with the victim. He took her grocery shopping and bought her flowers and chocolate. Then, he took advantage of her trust, her cognitive decline and isolation,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “He used the victim’s funds to live with luxuries – buying an island home, installing a hot tub, and purchasing a new car. All the while, the victim scrimped and lived on a limited budget. This prison sentence holds him accountable.” “Lies, deceit, and fraud are not things that should be associated with any financial advisor trusted to protect a client’s hard-earned money. However, Mr. Winslow chose exactly these things when he callously stole from his client,” said Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to pursue justice against those who choose to commit such financial crimes.” According to records in the case, Winslow moved funds out of the victim’s brokerage accounts with the financial services firm and into her outside bank account in multiple transactions. He did this to conceal his fraud by placing the victim’s funds outside of the firm’s surveillance system. From the victim’s outside bank account, the funds were transferred into Winslow’s bank account, again in multiple transactions. Winslow used his trusted status with the victim to further the fraud. He falsely claimed to the victim that if she transferred money to him, he would repay her at a higher interest rate than what she was getting from her banks. He visited the victim at her home and instructed the victim to call the bank and put the call on speaker. He then told the victim what she should tell the bank. Winslow then used the victim’s funds for his own benefit. To hide the illicit nature of the funds, Winslow funneled the victim’s funds through extra layers of transactions. For example, Winslow purchased gold coins from an online gold retailer in multiple transactions. He then sold those gold coins to two local brick-and-mortar gold retailers before depositing the proceeds into his bank account. With each of these transactions, Winslow made the decision to steal from the victim. Prosecutors argued that such persistent and intentional fraud deserved a 70-month prison sentence. “Before each of these transactions, Winslow had the chance to stop and to ponder what he was doing to his victim. But he did not stop. He wanted the gravy train to keep on going. He kept at it even after his withdrawals from (the victim’s) accounts triggered an elderly fraud alert. And he meant to bleed (the victim) dry. The only thing that stopped him from taking more of (the victim’s) money was getting caught.” During the fraud-scheme period, Winslow also failed to report the funds that he stole from the victim on his federal tax returns, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $254,000. Judge Carwright ordered Winslow to pay $1,175,475 in restitution representing the theft from the victim as well as the tax loss to the U.S. The victim sued the financial services firm, and they settled the suit for $920,483. So that amount of restitution is due to the financial services firm. Unfortunately, the victim had to pay attorney fees of nearly $321,000 to obtain the settlement and so still suffered financial loss. Winslow has agreed to forfeit his Fox Island home to help pay his restitution obligation. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Yunah Chung and Lauren Staniar. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


body_text: Tampa, FL - The Justice Department today announced that Rental Marketing Solutions, LLC (RMS), a property management company based in St. Petersburg, Florida, will pay $60,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by obtaining an unlawful eviction judgment against an active duty Navy sailor. This is the largest amount the Department has ever obtained for a single servicemember in a case involving the filing of a false military service affidavit. “Protecting the civil rights of our servicemembers is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to aggressively enforce the SCRA to protect the servicemembers who fight to protect us here at home. These servicemembers, along with their families, sacrifice to serve our country and deserve to be treated with dignity. No servicemember should ever be denied housing or have their record tarnished based on a false affidavit.” “It is unacceptable and illegal for a landlord or property management company to file a false affidavit stating that an active duty servicemember is not in military service,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This SCRA violation had significant consequences, as potential landlords refused to rent to a sailor once they learned of the eviction on his record. He became homeless and his wife was forced to move back in with her parents in another state. The Justice Department will continue to fight to protect the rights of military families.” The Department alleges that RMS named the sailor as a defendant in an eviction action for a property he had not lived in for several years, filed a false affidavit stating he was not on active duty, and obtained an eviction judgment against him in a Florida county court while he was assigned to the USS Nimitz at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. Because the eviction judgment showed up on his background reports, a dozen or more landlords refused to rent to him and his wife. For four months, he had to live separately from his wife and rotate among temporary accommodations, including sleeping on the berthed Naval ship, which had no heat. The SCRA requires a plaintiff in a case where a defendant does not make an appearance to file an affidavit stating whether the defendant is in military service, with necessary supporting facts. This allows the court to appoint an attorney to represent the servicemember and to postpone the proceedings if a defense cannot be presented without the servicemember’s presence. Because RMS filed a false affidavit stating that the sailor was not in military service, he did not receive the benefit of those protections. Under the settlement, RMS will pay $60,000 in compensation to the sailor and for ten years of credit monitoring for him. RMS will also be required to pay a $6,000 civil penalty and maintain SCRA policies and procedures to avoid committing future violations. The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained $489 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil


title: Wyola man pleads guilty to sex offense

body_text: BILLINGS - A Wyola man who sent inappropriate text messages, photos, and videos to a minor admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said. The defendant, Truman Frank Jefferson, Jr., 50, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement. Jefferson faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for September 29, 2026. Jefferson remained detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in June 2024 law enforcement responded to a home in Lodge Grass for a trespass complaint regarding Jefferson. There, 16-year-old Jane Doe disclosed Jefferson had been sexually harassing her for years. Jane Doe reported she began receiving inappropriate text messages, photos, and videos from him years earlier. Doe described multiple instances when Jefferson messaged her to come see him and then requested she touch his exposed penis. Jane Doe said one of those incidents occurred when she was 14 or 15 years old in Bozeman when Jefferson sent her a text message instructing her to come outside to his vehicle because he had a present for her. Once she was close to him, Jane Doe observed his exposed penis and he told her to “touch it.” Investigators recovered messages from Jefferson to Jane Doe. One of the recovered conversations was from Jefferson’s cell phone and contained his request to perform oral sex on Jane Doe. Jefferson, in his 40s when he was messaging Jane Doe, knew she was under 18 years old. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Hendricks is prosecuting the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Defendant Pleads Guilty to Damaging the Brooklyn Headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dan Sohail pleaded guilty to damaging religious property. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. When sentenced, Sohail faces imprisonment and restitution. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the guilty plea. “By pleading guilty today, the defendant admitted that he intentionally damaged the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters, a globally significant Jewish religious institution, by repeatedly crashing his vehicle into the building’s entrance,” said United States Attorney Nocella. “At a time when acts of violence directed at Jewish institutions have dramatically increased, this prosecution underscores our Office’s commitment to ensuring that worshippers can gather safely and those who threaten religious institutions will be held accountable.” “The defendant’s dangerous conduct was a targeted attack on the religious liberty and peace of worship to which every American is entitled,” stated Assistant Attorney General Dhillon. “Today’s conviction sends a clear message: the Department of Justice will not tolerate acts of hatred and violence against religious institutions.” “The defendant's actions caused panic within the community. The guilty plea holds him accountable for using a vehicle as a dangerous weapon and demonstrates the FBI's continued commitment to partner with our local law enforcement agencies to protect the public and pursue justice for those impacted,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “By repeatedly ramming his vehicle into the entrance of the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters, the defendant targeted a sacred institution at the heart of the Jewish community,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “At a time of rising threats against Jewish New Yorkers, attacks on places of worship carry deep fear far beyond the immediate damage they cause. Today’s guilty plea holds this defendant accountable for his actions, and the NYPD will continue working with our federal partners to protect every New Yorker’s right to practice their faith safely and freely.” According to court filings and statements made during the plea hearing, on the evening of January 28, 2026, Sohail drove to the Chabad Headquarters located on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. The Chabad Headquarters was hosting an event marking the anniversary of the death of the movement’s leader. After arriving at the side entrance of the building, Sohail exited his vehicle and moved barriers that had been set up to protect the building, which includes a synagogue and religious gathering spaces. After gesturing for congregants to move away, Sohail returned to his vehicle and drove his car into the building’s side entrance. He then reversed his vehicle and accelerated into the entrance four additional times, knocking the entrance door off its hinges. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights and General Crimes Sections. Assistant United States Attorney Eric Silverberg and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brachah Goykadosh are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Marlane Bosler. The Defendant : DAN SOHAIL Age: 36 Carteret, New Jersey E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-127 (ENV)


title: Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Immigration Fraud, Possession of Child Pornography, and Tax Offenses

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for engaging in immigration fraud, possessing child pornography, and committing tax fraud. JOSE GREGORIO SOSA CARDONA operated Delta Global Solutions, Inc., which assisted individuals in applying for asylum, immigrant visas, and other immigration benefits. From 2020 to 2024, Sosa Cardona conspired with others to knowingly provide false information to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of his foreign national clients who were seeking immigration benefits. Among other things, Sosa Cardona fabricated foreign law enforcement reports and other documents to falsely corroborate his clients’ asylum claims. He also falsely represented himself as a licensed attorney to clients and USCIS when, in fact, he was not an attorney and was not authorized to represent applicants in U.S. immigration proceedings. A court-authorized search of Sosa Cardona’s electronic devices in 2024 turned up approximately 2,877 photos and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Sosa Cardona also filed fraudulent individual tax returns and failed to pay taxes withheld from his employees’ pay for the calendar years 2020 to 2023, causing a loss to the IRS of approximately $316,000. Sosa Cardona, 42, of Downers Grove, Ill., pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of tax fraud. U.S. District Judge Sunil R. Harjani imposed the nine-year prison sentence during a hearing on May 7, 2026, in federal court in Chicago. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell. On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Arizona man sentenced for supplying drugs via the U.S. Postal Service

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: A Chander, Arizona man was sentenced for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl. U.S. Attorney Darin Smith announced that Zakary Faccio, 35, will serve 67 months’ imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on May 5. Faccio was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Office Service. According to court documents, in July 2024, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in Worland. They identified Micah Maas as a major distributor through interviews and other investigative techniques. After Maas was arrested on January 15, 2025, investigators learned he had sent $2,000 to Zakary Faccio in Arizona to mail suspected drugs to him. Agents intercepted the USPS package bound for Maas’ address containing 98 grams of fentanyl and 23.4 grams of heroin. Surveillance footage from the Mesa, Arizona post office identified Faccio as the individual who shipped the package. “This case sends a clear message: if you traffic fentanyl and heroin into Wyoming, you will be prosecuted and sent to prison,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “These deadly drugs are destroying lives and communities across America, and our office will continue working aggressively with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of narcotics in Wyoming.” "Narcotics are destroying lives and devastating communities across the region. Every gram, every pill, and every sale of these drugs has the potential to ruin lives,” said Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Denver Division. “Postal inspectors remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of these deadly drugs through the mail and hold criminals who profit from poisoning our neighborhoods accountable." Faccio was arrested on Sept. 24, 2025, in the District of Arizona. He was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Feb. 10 in Casper. DCI, USPIS, and DEA investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods.


title: Cole County Man Charged with Multiple Counts of Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON City, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man has been charged by a federal grand jury with child pornography charges. Nathan Robert Kent, 33, is charged with three counts of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Following a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Cyber tip from Snapchat, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Kent’s residence. After a forensic examination of Kent’s electronic devices, law enforcement discovered he was using Snapchat and encrypted cellular phone applications to entice minor females to produce child pornography. Kent also sent files depicting Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) to multiple users. Kent possessed over a thousand CSAM files. 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. Under federal statutes, Nathan Robert Kent is subject to a sentence of up to 140 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff and Jefferson City Police Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Brooklyn Woman Sentenced in $600 Million Covid Tax Credit Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Brooklyn tax preparer was sentenced on Friday to 36 months in prison for her role in a fraud scheme that fraudulently claimed more than $600 million in COVID-19-related employment tax credits. According to court documents and statements made in court, Tiffany Williams, 43, of Brooklyn, conspired with others to file tax returns seeking fraudulent refunds based on the employee retention credit and paid sick and family leave credit, credits passed by Congress to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. From November 2021 to June 2023, Williams and her co-conspirators filed more than 8,000 false tax returns seeking COVID-19 related tax credits. In total, Tiffany Williams and her co-conspirators sought more than $600 million in credits they and their clients were not entitled to receive, which caused a loss to the United States of approximately $45 million. Williams previously pleaded to one count of wire fraud. Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. for the Eastern District of New York made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Trial Attorney Richard J. Kelley of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Toporovsky and James Simmons of the Eastern District of New York prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Administrator of charity program for Virginia state employees sentenced for stealing over $1.5M

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Texas woman was sentenced today to four years in prison for stealing more than $1.5 million from the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC), the officially sanctioned non-profit charity fundraising program for Virginia’s more than 120,000 state government employees. This case is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. According to court documents, from 2017 through 2023, the Virginia Department of Human Resources Management employed Linda Natelle Brown, 43, of Houston, to administer the CVC. The CVC promised that Virginia state government employees could safely and easily donate to their preferred causes throughout the year via credit card payments, mailed checks, and by payroll remittances deducted directly from employee paychecks. Brown was supposed to steward these funds and make corresponding payments to charities designated by donors. Between January 2019 and August 2023, Brown embezzled more than $1.5 million of the over $5.3 million donated by state government employees. Instead of paying the charities designated by donors, Brown stole this money for personal spending. For example, Brown paid $10,400 in fraud proceeds for a plastic surgery procedure. Brown also used stolen charity funds to pay for a “fish pedicure” spa in Las Vegas. She fraudulently used charity funds for multiple flight tickets to destinations around the country, stays at luxury hotels, a luxury apartment in Houston, designer clothing and shoes, beauty and cosmetic products, and food and alcohol. Brown also concealed her embezzlement from the CVC by attempting to replenish the funds she had stolen with a $494,469 U.S. Small Business Administration-backed business loan, which Brown obtained by making false statements to the lender. The Court entered a money judgment forfeiture order of $1,581,161. The IRS Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Office of the Inspector General of Virginia investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan K. Pathan assisted the prosecution. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-141.


title: Victorville Man Who Used Instagram to Pose as Teenage Football Player to Sexually Exploit Girls Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Bernardino County man was sentenced today to 540 months in federal prison for sexually exploiting two teenage girls he met on Instagram, including by posing as a teenage boy to entice them into having a sexual relationship, and for bringing one victim from San Luis Obispo County to Mexico to engage in illicit sexual activity. Daniel Navarro, 42, of Victorville, was sentenced by United States District Judge André Birotte, Jr., who also ordered him to pay $15,000 in restitution. Navarro has been in federal custody since July 2022. At the conclusion of a four-day trial in July 2025, a jury found Navarro guilty of six felonies: two counts of sexual exploitation of a child to produce a sexually explicit visual depiction, one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, one count of transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of transportation of child pornography. According to evidence presented at trial, from at least August 2021 until July 2022, Navarro used Instagram to entice two 14-year-old girls into believing he was “Danny,” a 15-year-old football player from California, using the handles “dn.2021.01” and “dn84831.” Navarro later groomed and enticed the victims into producing sexually explicit images of themselves. From June 30, 2022, to July 1, 2022, Navarro traveled with one of the victims, an Arizona girl who was spending the summer in the San Luis Obispo County town of Nipomo, to Tijuana, Mexico, with the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity. According to court documents, Navarro had an online relationship with this victim for approximately five months. A review of one of Navarro’s Instagram accounts revealed conversations between Navarro and the victim on the victim’s Instagram account in which Navarro professed his love for the victim and discussed getting her pregnant. Mexican law enforcement rescued this victim at a Tijuana residence in mid-July 2022. “[Navarro] was a nearly-40-year-old man making empty promises to dozens of girls in pursuit of his own sexual gratification,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Navarro] lied to, groomed, and manipulated children to get what he wanted most from them: sexually explicit images and sex acts with these children.” The FBI and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office investigated this matter. The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office provided substantial assistance. The FBI’s Legal Attaché in Mexico City and Mexican law enforcement authorities provided assistance during this investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathy Yu, Chief of Ethics, Trials, and Compliance, and Kevin B. Reidy of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.


title: Man Sentenced to More Than Six and a Half Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded Firearm During Burglary Attempt in Chicago

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than six and a half years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded firearm while attempting to burglarize a store in Chicago. NARVEAL RAGGS possessed a loaded handgun in the early morning hours of Nov. 15, 2024, while he and others attempted to break into a store in the 2600 block of North Halsted Street in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. The handgun had been equipped with a “switch” device, allowing it to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger, essentially turning the firearm into a machine gun. Chicago Police officers arrived on the scene before Raggs and the others could break into the store. Raggs took off running and threw the handgun onto the roof of a nearby building before he was apprehended. A screenshot from the store’s video surveillance footage depicts Narveal Raggs holding a handgun. Raggs had previously been convicted of several felony offenses, including firearm-related convictions, and was legally prohibited from possessing a gun. Raggs, 27, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. On May 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall sentenced Raggs to six years and 8 months in federal prison. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Jodrey.


title: Stamford Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking Charge

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON TURNER, also known as “Bizz,” 31, of Stamford, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to a narcotics trafficking offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Stamford Police Department’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit identified Turner as a narcotics distributor. In July 2024, investigators made a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Turner. On April 21, 2025, employees of an apartment complex where Turner had been employed as a maintenance worker found a tool bag in a storage room that contained approximately 790 grams of fentanyl and one kilogram of cocaine. The investigation, which included a review of surveillance camera and the use of DNA analysis, determined that Turner had placed the bag in the storage room. A related court-authorized search of Turner’s vehicle revealed additional quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. Turner pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Turner, who is detained, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 5. The DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford, and Stratford Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Former New York State Judge and Brooklyn Real Estate Investor Charged with Wire Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Sam Sprei, also known as “Yechiel Sprei,” “Shimon Sprei,” and “Eli Shapiro,” and Edward Harold King, a former Kings County Supreme Court Justice, with wire fraud conspiracy. Both defendants were arrested this morning and are scheduled to make their initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York), announced the arrests and charges. “As alleged, the defendants stole millions of dollars from investors by cynically leveraging King’s position as a sitting judge to lend false legitimacy to supposed investment opportunities,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s arrests demonstrate that this Office will hold accountable those who exploit victims for their own financial gain. Holding corrupt individuals accountable for the abuse of public trust will always be a priority of our Office.” “Fraud that hides behind a veneer of legitimacy—especially the authority of a judge—strikes at the heart of public trust,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis. “IRS‑CI will relentlessly follow the money, expose deception, and ensure that those who manipulate and mislead investors are brought to justice. Today’s arrests send a clear message: schemes dressed up as opportunity will not shield wrongdoers from accountability.” As set forth in court filings, Sprei and King perpetrated numerous schemes to defraud, including multiple schemes to defraud real estate investors in which they solicited the victims’ funds in fictitious investment opportunities, represented to the victims that their invested funds would be returnable on demand if the victims decided to end their involvement in the investments, and then later refused to return the money based on false excuses and converted a significant portion of the victims’ funds for their own use. For example, in November 2024, Spreipresented two investors (the Investors) with an opportunity to purchase commercial real estate located in Freehold, New Jersey (the Property). Sprei told the Investors that to take advantage of this opportunity, they would first have to show “proof of liquidity” by depositing funds in escrow. In addition, Sprei told the Investors that King was an independent escrow agent and a New York judge. Sprei also made numerous misrepresentations designed to deceive the Investors, including that if the Investors decided not to pursue the investment, they could so advise the escrow agent and would receive the full amount deposited within two business days. Based on these representations from Sprei, the Investors wired a total of $6.5 million to a bank account in King’s name pursuant to written escrow agreements signed by the Investors and King. In the days immediately following the wire transfers from the Investors to the bank account in King’s name, millions of dollars of the Investors’ funds were withdrawn or transferred to a bank account in Sprei’s name. When the Investors subsequently wrote to King to request the return of their deposited funds, King provided false excuses as to why he could not return the $6.5 million. Months later, King and Sprei returned to the Investors $1.5 million, representing only a portion of the Investors’ investment. To date, Sprei and King have not returned any further funds to the Investors. The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of wire fraud conspiracy, the defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Schuman and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Special Agent Anthony J. Cunder and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Bennett. The Defendants : SAM SPREI (also known as “Yechiel Sprei,” “Shimon Sprei,” and “Eli Shapiro”) Age: 37 Brooklyn, New York EDWARD HAROLD KING Age: 72 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-MJ-91 26mj0091_complaint.pdf


title: Former CEO of West Michigan Nonprofit Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Dr. Nkechy Ezeh was the Founder of Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced today that Dr. Nkechy Ezeh, 61, of Kent County, Michigan, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme that stole $1.4 million in taxpayer and donor money intended for vulnerable preschool children. She was also sentenced to a concurrent prison term of 60 months for evading income taxes. Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who imposed the sentence, characterized Ezeh as “a fraud and a thief,” described the scheme as “brazen and widespread,” and noted that Ezeh stole money intended for some of West Michigan’s most vulnerable children. Judge Jarbou ordered Ezeh to pay $1.4 million in restitution to the victims of the fraud and $390,174 to the IRS. Judge Jarbou also remanded Ezeh directly to prison to begin serving her sentence immediately. “Nkechy Ezeh’s greed is beyond reprehensible,” VerHey said. “She stole taxpayer and private-donor dollars meant for low-income children in our community. Instead of helping kids, she spent that money on herself. The stolen money could have supported hundreds of West Michigan children and their families. Judge Jarbou’s sentence was perfectly appropriate.” Ezeh – the 2018 West Michigan Woman of the Year, a two-time appointee to the State of Michigan’s Early Childhood Investment Corporation’s Executive Committee, and a tenured professor of education – founded Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), a West Michigan nonprofit funded by the Department of Health and Human Service’s Early Head Start program, the U.S. Department of Education, and private donors. It provided meals, transportation, funding, advocacy, and other services to children in preschools located in underserved communities. As a result of the fraud, ELNC had to close its doors in 2023, many West Michigan preschools lost funding, and needy children lost valuable resources. ELNC also had to lay off its 35 employees without any notice. Sharon Killebrew, ELNC’s former bookkeeper and Ezeh’s co-conspirator, was sentenced in November 2025 to 54 months in federal prison for her role in the scheme. In a sentencing memorandum, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said that Ezeh used the stolen money to fund her lifestyle, pay for a family member’s wedding, and to travel to Hawaii, Europe, and Africa. She placed her family members on a ghost payroll that caused ELNC to pay them hundreds of thousands of dollars for little or no work, and she used money mules to wire hundreds of thousands of dollars of stolen money to her family in Nigeria. The sentencing memorandum also pointed out that, although the direct victims of the fraud were ELNC’s donors – the federal government’s Early Head Start Program, the U.S. Department of Education, and three of Michigan’s largest, most generous, and most well-known charities – the people most affected were the children and their families who lost the support ELNC once provided. These were mostly children of color under the age of five years old, 72% of whom lived below the federal poverty level in some of the poorest neighborhoods in Kent County, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek. “This case underscores the seriousness of misusing federal grant funds for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Our commitment to protecting the integrity of HHS programs remains steadfast, and we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to uphold these standards and ensure that violators are held accountable.” The case was investigated by HHS-OIG and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler is the prosecutor. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefits programs.