title: Mexican National Living Illegally in the United States Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 31, a Mexican national living illegally in the United States, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024 until in or around about October 2024, Villa-Chairez conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his guilty plea, Villa-Chairez admitted that he assisted the conspiracy by shipping methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere. In July 2024, Villa-Chairez shipped two separate packages containing a total of 1.97 kilograms of methamphetamine “ice” from Houston, Texas, to a customer in West Virginia after receiving instructions from a co-conspirator. On or about July 18, 2024, Villa-Chairez picked up a package containing $4,800 sent by the customer, notified a co-conspirator that he had obtained the package, and re-shipped it to Washington state. In August 2024, Villa-Chairez shipped a package containing approximately 963.8 grams of methamphetamine to Alabama. In October 2024, Villa-Chairez assisted a co-conspirator who was delivering approximately 5.905 kilograms of methamphetamine “ice” and approximately 4.402 kilograms of methamphetamine by vehicle to West Virginia by providing him with directions to a hotel and a casino in Kanawha County. As part of his guilty plea, Villa-Chairez also admitted that he has lived illegally in the United States under the name “Jose Jesus Villa-Chairez” and has been convicted of two federal felony offenses under that name. Villa-Chairez is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Villa-Chairez and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings upon the completion of any sentence. Villa-Chairez and two other Mexican nationals living illegally in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury as the result of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston. Co-defendant Silvester Barcenas, 23, pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2025. Co-defendant German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 41, remains a fugitive. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Israel Chaires-Villa, 23, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty on February 13, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine as a result of the joint investigation and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2025. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-176. ###


title: Local Man Gets Federal Sentence for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: OXFORD, MS – A Booneville, Mississippi man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for distributing child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, Austin Thompson, 21 years old, was using an internet application to distribute sexually explicit images and videos of minors as young as 8 years old. Agents identified Austin Thompson as the likely owner and user of the identified accounts based on prior contact with law enforcement for trafficking in child pornography. “People who have a sexual interest in children do not belong in society, they belong in prison,” said United States Attorney Clay Joyner. “Thanks to exemplary teamwork by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, the FBI, and AUSA Parker King, another criminal who views kids as sex objects is behind bars.” “Each time child pornography is exchanged over the internet, children are re-victimized,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “The FBI’s work with its partners to stop Austin Thompson’s calculated, deliberate efforts to distribute sexual abuse material and this sentencing demonstrate our resolute commitment to preventing future harm. The FBI has a great resolve to pursue justice for the predators who seek to exploit the youth of our communities and stands firm with the USAO, Mississippi AGO, and Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department in protecting our most vulnerable population - our children." “While this conviction does not turn back the clock, it prevents this predator from inflicting more harm,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “I appreciate the strong partnership our office has with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. Together, we are dedicated to serving justice for the victims and making Mississippi a safer place for everyone.” The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of the Project Safe Childhood nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Exporting Protected Turtles

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Note: correcting information in an earlier caption, the case number is 25-cr-100 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. Wei Qiang Lin, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York for falsely labeling live turtles as fake toys prior to exporting them in delivery boxes on a weeks-long journey to Hong Kong. According to court records, between August 2023 and November 2024, Lin exported to Hong Kong approximately 222 parcels containing around 850 turtles, but he labeled the boxes as containing “plastic animal toys,” among other things. The approximate market value of the turtles was $1.4 million. Law enforcement intercepted the turtles during a border inspection and observed them bound and taped inside knotted socks within the shipping boxes. Lin also exported 11 other parcels filled with reptiles including venomous snakes. Photo of intercepted eastern box turtles; from the criminal complaint in United States v. Wei Qiang Lin, 25-cr-100 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. Credit: USFWS. Lin primarily shipped eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles, native U.S. species which feature colorful markings — a prized feature in the domestic and foreign pet market, particularly in China and Hong Kong. Both are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as a result of the illegal export of tens of thousands of box turtles every year during the 1990s. Lin is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 23. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the illegal activity. As part of his plea, Lin also agreed to abandon any property interest in the reptiles seized during the investigation. Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York made the announcement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — with help from other federal and local law enforcement entities including Customs and Border Protection, Postal Inspections Service, and Homeland Security Investigations — investigated the case. Trial Attorney Rachel Roberts and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango for the Western District of New York are prosecuting the case.


title: Jay Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Narcotics and Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Jay man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to distributing narcotics and illegally possessing a firearm. According to court records, Thomas Ray Cook , 44, sold $600 worth of cocaine to a Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) confidential information source (CI) in February 2025 from Cook’s home in Jay. In March 2025, Cook sold the CI additional cocaine and seven firearms for $1,600, from a different residence in Farmington. Cook is prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple prior Maine state felony convictions, including Aggravated Operating after Habitual Offender Revocation and Eluding an Officer. For the narcotics charge, Cook faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. For the firearms charge, Cook faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and MDEA investigated the case. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Kenduskeag Man Pleads Guilty to Producing  and Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Kenduskeag man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to two counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. According to court records, in February 2024, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at the home of Justin Leonard , 24, based on a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Leonard was home during the warrant’s execution and provided the password and Face ID to a hidden folder on his cellular telephone. In this hidden folder, investigators located multiple sexually explicit images and videos of two very young children. Leonard admitted that he had taken these images and videos. The parents of the children confirmed Leonard’s statements and identified their children in the images and videos. A subsequent forensic review of Leonard’s phone uncovered Facebook chats where he expressed an interest in children and a desire to acquire children. In addition, in the Safari history of Leonard’s phone, artifacts were found indicating an interest in Rohypnol or Roofies, a powerful sedative. His queries included, “youngest age you can safely give a roofie” and “Is there any drug that can make a person unconscious for 2 hours?” For each child pornography production count, Leonard faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. For the child pornography possession count, Leonard faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HSI and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: Florida Man Charged with Defrauding Lynchburg Doctor  Out of Almost $500,000

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – Tommie Lee Nelson, 65, of Miramar, Florida, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Roanoke today and ordered detained on six counts of wire fraud, based on a two-year scheme that defrauded a Lynchburg doctor out of nearly a half million dollars. This arraignment follows Nelson’s initial appearance in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after FBI agents arrested him in July at his home near Miami. According to the indictment, beginning around April 2020, the victim, a Lynchburg doctor, sought to purchase a commercial building in Danville, Virginia, in partnership with an agricultural cooperative. Nelson represented himself to the victim as a hard money lender who could assist in purchasing the building. Through Nelson’s lies and machinations, he convinced the victim to wire him several payments from July 2020 and into 2021, ultimately totaling almost $500,000. Despite Nelson’s representations, these payments did not go toward the building purchase. Instead, the indictment alleges Nelson spent the victim’s money at casinos and for his personal benefit. By 2021, the purchase agreement had fallen through, and Nelson stopped responding to the victim’s calls. In 2024, the victim won a civil judgment against Nelson’s corporation. In entering that judgment, the presiding United States district judge referred the case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for criminal investigation. If convicted, faces a maximum punishment of 120 years in federal prison. United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law


title: Laplace Man Guilty Of Bank Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ERNEST X. TAYLOR, JR. (“TAYLOR”) , age 40, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on August 6, 2025, to Bank Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344(2). According to court documents, between 2019 and 2022, TAYLOR applied for over $400,000 in loans from credit unions and falsely claimed that the funds would be utilized to purchase vehicles. TAYLOR applied for loans under other people’s names and did not disclose to the credit unions that the loan proceeds would go to TAYLOR . In furtherance of his scheme, TAYLOR presented materially false documentation to the credit unions, including fraudulent vehicle titles and falsified pay stubs. After receiving the loan proceeds, TAYLOR defaulted on the loans. The Honorable Jane T. Milazzo set TAYLOR’s sentencing for October 29, 2025. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria M. Carboni and Edward Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit are handling the prosecution. * * *


title: United Nuclear Corporation and General Electric to Perform $63M Cleanup of Uranium Mine Waste at Northeast Church Rock Mine and UNC Mill Sites in New Mexico and Navajo Nation

body_text: The United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) and General Electric Company (GE) have agreed to a consent decree with the United States, Navajo Nation, and the State of New Mexico under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, also known as the Superfund law. This agreement requires UNC and GE to excavate and remove approximately one million cubic yards of uranium mine waste from the Northeast Church Rock Superfund Site, located on the Navajo Nation, and transfer it to the UNC Mill Site, a federally licensed uranium mill and tailings disposal facility located adjacent to Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico. The Navajo Nation and the State of New Mexico are also parties to the agreement as co-plaintiffs with the United States. The cleanup is expected to cost nearly $63 million and take more than a decade to complete. “Today’s settlement will achieve tangible remediation of the Mine and Mill Sites and protect human health from radioactive wastes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Consistent with this administration’s enforcement principles and priorities, the settlement follows CERCLA’s text, focuses on the affected locations, and assigns the cost of cleanup to the settling defendants, not taxpayers.” “This agreement ensures that the companies responsible for the contamination will bear the cost of cleanup, not the community,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “It is a decisive measure reflecting years of inaction, and while nothing erases the damage done, this cleanup is necessary to protect public health and right a persistent wrong.” “This extraordinary cleanup agreement will improve the lives of the Navajo people, benefiting their children, grandchildren, and future generations,” said Regional Administrator Josh F.W. Cook of EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “The consent decree will ensure the removal of contaminated mine waste from their community and make their land suitable for future residential use.” “This agreement represents extensive cooperation between EPA, the Navajo Nation, and the state of New Mexico. Each partner plays a critical role in working toward a safer environment for communities of Western New Mexico,” said Regional Administrator Scott Mason of EPA’s South Central. “With this historic settlement, we are ensuring cleanup progress will continue at the NECR mine site while improving existing protections at the UNC mill site.” “This settlement sends a message that federal, sovereign, and state governments can come together to improve the lives of both New Mexican and Navajo Nation residents,” said Secretary for the New Mexico Environment Department James Kenney. “It’s the result of our regulatory partners' unwavering commitment to addressing the longstanding risks faced by communities impacted by uranium mining waste.” The Northeast Church Rock Mine operated from 1967 to 1982 and served as the principal source of uranium ore for the UNC Mill. These mining operations left behind uranium mine waste piles, several former ponds and former mill tailings storage areas. Although EPA has required several shorter-term cleanup actions to be completed at the NECR Mine site, conditions at the site continue to present a risk of releases of hazardous substances to the air, surrounding soils, sediments, surface water and groundwater. The UNC Mill site is a former uranium mill which operated from 1977 to 1982, generating mill tailings containing radionuclides and other hazardous substances. Disposal of about 3.5 million tons of tailings took place in on-site impoundments. Studies performed under EPA oversight have demonstrated that the transfer of Northeast Church Rock mine waste to the UNC Mill site, and placement of the waste over the tailings disposal area, would improve the cover and enhance erosion controls at the Mill site. The agreement is the culmination of two decades of coordination between EPA’s Pacific Southwest and South Central Regional offices, the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of the Interior, state and Tribal stakeholders, and UNC and GE. EPA continues to work closely with federal partner agencies, Navajo Nation, and adjacent states to address impacts from uranium contamination at 523 abandoned uranium mines on or near Navajo land. This EPA work includes the assessment and cleanup of abandoned uranium mines, consultation with Navajo elected officials, and gathering input from affected communities throughout the cleanup process. EPA investigated the case. ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section is handling the case. The proposed consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. The settlement is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing on the Justice Department’s website at: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees .


title: Lubbock Man Convicted of Threatening to Kill Secret Service Agents and Their Families

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: LUBBOCK, Texas —A federal jury in Lubbock convicted a Lubbock man for issuing online threats to kill United States Secret Service agents and their families, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. Tristan Rene Langston, 37, of Lubbock, Texas, was charged in March 2025 with the federal offenses of transmitting threats in interstate commerce and threatening a federal law enforcement officer, stemming from online threats Langston made in February 2025. On Thursday, August 7, 2025, after a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted Langston on both counts. According to evidence presented during trial, on February 21, 2025, Langston posted a message to X.com, formerly Twitter, criticizing two U.S. Secret Service agents and then declaring, “2nd Amendment in full effect. Gonna slit the throats of agents and their families.” Evidence in the case revealed that Langston’s statements went well beyond mere political rhetoric or bluster and constituted true threats directed at specific federal agents. The jury heard evidence that Langston became angry with the two specific Secret Service agents after they investigated a threat Langston made online in 2023. Over the ensuing months, Langston targeted one of the agents and his family in online posts and memorialized the anger and resentment he harbored against the agents in videos and notes he maintained on his cellphone over a period of years. Testimony established that the defendant knew the agents would perceive the graphic threat as retaliation for their investigation. “Targeting federal agents and their families with threats of violence is not protected speech—it is a federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “This verdict reaffirms our office’s commitment to take all threats seriously and to hold accountable those who try to intimidate and terrorize our law enforcement partners.” “We commend the jury’s decision in finding Tristan Langston guilty of threatening to kill United States Secret Service agents and their families,” said Christina Foley, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Dallas Field Office. “Threats against federal law enforcement officers and their loved ones are taken with the utmost seriousness, and this verdict reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting those who serve.” Langston faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2025. The matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Howey and Sean Long of the Lubbock Division.


title: Fourteen-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Todd Wade Powers (38, Middleburg) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Powers pleaded guilty in April 2025. According to court documents, on April 30, 2024, deputies with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a gas station regarding a complaint. While there, the deputies observed a car parked near a gas pump and recognized the license plate affixed to the car as one that had been reported stolen out of Jacksonville. The deputies saw an open backpack on the passenger seat of the car along with a firearm and a white powdery substance, later identified as cocaine, at the top of the open backpack. During a search of the car, the deputies found fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, as well as two loaded firearms. During the course of their investigation, the deputies were able to tie Powers to the car, and Powers later admitted that the firearms and drugs were his. Powers was previously convicted of 14 felonies, including three counts of possession of controlled substances, two counts of felony petit theft, seven counts of sale or delivery of controlled substances, dealing in stolen property, and false verification of ownership on a pawnbroker transaction form. Therefore, Powers is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Belle Glade Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Kemmye Jimbryl Watson (29, Belle Glade) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Watson to forfeit the firearm possessed during the offense. Watson pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025. According to court documents, on August 1, 2024, in Lehigh Acres, Watson sold a pistol to another individual for $500. At the time, Watson had multiple prior felony convictions including aggravated assault with a firearm, trespass while armed, and robbery by sudden snatching. As a convicted felon, Waston is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Founder of Lender Service Pleads Guilty for Role in PPP Fraud Scheme

body_text: A founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn pleaded guilty today in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “During a national emergency, this defendant exploited a taxpayer-funded program that individuals and small businesses desperately needed to survive,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This conviction demonstrates the Department’s ongoing commitment to bring to justice those who would steal from the public fisc to enrich themselves.” “This defendant had the opportunity to help small businesses overcome tremendous financial hardships during a time of national crisis but instead exploited the system to line his own pockets with taxpayer money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. “We will continue to pursue convictions against those fraudsters who preyed upon the generosity of the American people as we struggled through the pandemic.” “The FBI takes our responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain very seriously,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Reis and others exploited a program meant to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to prevent these programs from becoming targets and fight fraud wherever we find it.” According to court documents, Nathan Reis, 47, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications, including by fabricating documents that falsified income and payroll figures in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible. Reis co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to help small businesses and individuals obtain PPP loans. Through Blueacorn, Reis and his co-conspirators submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications they knew contained materially false information to make more money. Reis and others fabricated documents, including tax documents and bank statements. As part of the conspiracy, Reis and his co-conspirators charged borrower’s fees based on a percentage of the funds received. Reis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI, IRS-CI, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case. Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www. justice. gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud. MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: Shelby County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempting to Sexually Exploit a Minor

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Shelby County man has been sentenced for attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Justin Warren Lindstrom, 43, of Sterrett, Alabama, to 120 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In April, Lindstrom pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. This conviction will require Lindstrom to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. “Thanks to the collaborative efforts or our dedicated law enforcement partners and prosecutors, we have removed yet another child predator from our community,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Today’s sentence ensures he can no longer pose a threat to our most vulnerable – our children. My office remains committed to protecting children and holding those who seek to harm them fully accountable.” “This sentencing confirms that the FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to protect our children from predators who seek to exploit them,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Birmingham. “Together, we have ensured one less predator is victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.” According to the plea agreement, in November 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl posted an advertisement on a social media application. On November 15, 2023, Lindstrom arrived at a park in Vestavia Hills to engage in a sexual act with a minor. Vestavia Hills police officers conducted a traffic stop and arrested Lindstrom. After obtaining a search warrant, agents later located child pornography in one of Lindstrom’s email accounts. If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The FBI investigated the case along with the Vestavia Hills Police Department and the Homewood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Craig Hatfield, also known as “Bobby,” 48, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to carrying a firearm during and in relation to the distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2025, Hatfield sold a SCCY 9mm pistol and approximately 4.5 grams of heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $340. Hatfield admitted to conducting the transaction, which occurred at his Huntington residence, and to arranging it beforehand. Hatfield is scheduled to be sentenced on November 24, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-45. ###


title: Columbus Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Geiontay Marshant Hoskins, 27, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison for selling methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a playground. According to court documents and statements made in court, Hoskins, also known as “G” and “Cuddy,” was selling methamphetamine near Overbrook Playground in Wheeling. Investigators searched Hoskins’ motel room in Elm Grove, and seized150 grams of methamphetamine and 56 grams of fentanyl. A subsequent traffic stop on Hoskins’ vehicle recovered nearly $5,000 and the key to the motel room. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Investigative agencies include the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office; and the Wheeling Police Department. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: W. Ellis Boyle Sworn in as United States Attorney

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – W. Ellis Boyle. has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The oath was administered by United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle at the Terry Sanford Courthouse in Raleigh. Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Boyle as the interim U.S. Attorney on August 7, 2025. As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Boyle is the lead federal law enforcement official in the Eastern District of North Carolina, which includes the 44 eastern most counties of North Carolina. He oversees a staff of 119 employees, including 58 attorneys and 61 non-attorney support personnel. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes across the district, including crimes related to immigration, gang violence, National Security, drug trafficking, and violent crime. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States. Before becoming the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Boyle practiced law at Ward and Smith, P.A., where he practiced litigation, representing businesses, government entities, and individuals in complex matters. He also served as General Counsel and Deputy Secretary at the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS), which employs over 27,000 people. The department oversees the state's prison and probation/parole systems, the State Highway Patrol, Emergency Management, the National Guard, and the juvenile justice system. Prior to his role at DPS, Mr. Boyle was an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Eastern District of North Carolina for two years. During his time in the Civil Division, he tried many cases in federal court. He gained extensive experience representing the United States in cases involving negligence and medical malpractice claims for personal injuries under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), as well as in bankruptcy cases. Before serving as an AUSA, Mr. Boyle was an associate in the business litigation practice group of Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice in Winston-Salem, where he primarily represented companies in matters related to business disputes and dissolution. Mr. Boyle is from northeastern North Carolina, born and raised in Edenton. He earned a degree in history from Davidson College. After graduating, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Army where he served as an infantry officer for four years, eventually rising to the rank of Captain. Following his time in the Army, Mr. Boyle earned a law degree from Wake Forest University Law School. After graduating, he spent a year as a law clerk for the Honorable Claude Hilton, a U.S. District Court Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia.


title: Temple Hills Man Pleads Guilty to Cares Act Unemployment Insurance Fraud and Firearms and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – Lawrence Nathanial Harris, 33, of Temple Hills Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with submitting fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance (UI) claims. Additionally, in a separate case, he pled guilty to possession of a machine gun, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD). According to the plea agreement, beginning in at least January 2021, and continuing until about September 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States, the State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions, and multiple individuals, including identity theft victims. The co-conspirators submitted false and fraudulent UI benefits claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), Maryland’s agency that is responsible for processing the claims. Harris participated in submitting UI claims resulting in losses exceeding $550,000, but less than $1.5 million, and he used debit cards issued in the names of aggravated identity theft victims to obtain UI fraud funds. Company 1, which provided professional support services to the MD-DOL to review UI claims and administer UI benefits, employed co-conspirators Bryan Nushawn Ruffin, 27, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Kiara Smith, 27, of Fort Washington, Maryland. As detailed in the plea agreement, Harris and his co-conspirators possessed and used computers that Company 1 issued to Ruffin and Smith to access non-public UI data and databases maintained by the MD-DOL. Ruffin and Smith then granted Harris and his co-conspirators access to MD-DOL databases which they used to change information on existing UI claims. This included the contact email address, online account password, and payment method 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, MD-DOL believed it was disbursing UI benefits to the of UI applicants’ debit cards/accounts, but Harris and his co-conspirators allegedly opened and controlled those accounts. Harris also admitted that on November 16, 2022, while law enforcement executed a residential search warrant at his home, he threw a firearm and a bag of marijuana from his room. He possessed this firearm in furtherance of his drug-trafficking activities. Law enforcement then searched an attic in the residence that Harris had access to. Authorities found three additional firearms, including one that functioned as a machinegun, stored in the attic. Harris knew that the firearm functioned as a machine gun. Law enforcement also recovered approximately 37 pounds of marijuana that Harris intended to distribute. Harris faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy, a mandatory sentence of two years — consecutive to any other imposed sentence — for aggravated identity theft, 10 years for possession of a machine gun, 20 years for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and life for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Harris’s sentencing is set for Thursday, November 6, at 2 p.m. The District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 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 . 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 DOL-OIG, ATF, FBI, and PGPD, for their work in the investigation and the MD-DOL for its assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Paul A. Riley, Joseph L. Wenner, Christopher Sarma, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanay Mitchell, 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/community-outreach . # # #


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jaron Andrew O'Neal, 39, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, investigators obtained a search warrant for a package addressed to a Barboursville address after a K9 alerted to the package. Investigators opened the package and found it contained approximately 1 kilogram of fentanyl. Investigators replaced the fentanyl with a sham substance and conducted a controlled delivery of the package to the Barboursville address. On January 24, 2023, O'Neal retrieved the package from the address and drove away with it in his vehicle. Investigators conducted a traffic stop of O’Neal’s vehicle and found the package in the vehicle. O’Neal told investigators that he retrieved the package believing that it contained controlled substances. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-85. ###


title: United Kingdom Citizen Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A citizen of the United Kingdom was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga ordered Jack Edward Coles, 40, to serve 188 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release. According to court records, in October 2024, Coles met a 14-year-old boy through a dating app. Coles arranged for an Uber to pick up the minor victim from his residence and bring him to the hotel where Coles was staying. Upon the minor victim’s arrival, Coles engaged in sexual acts with him. Coles later attempted to arrange additional meetings with the minor victim in October and November 2024, and again in February 2025. In November 2024, Coles also enticed the minor victim to send him sexually explicit photographs. United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement. HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the City of Miami Police Department and the State Attorney’s Office, Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne Williams prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-20073. ###


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Eugene Ginther, 42, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 24, 2024, Ginther possessed approximately 98.58 grams of methamphetamine in the Charleston area. Ginther admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine. At the time of this offense, Ginther was serving a term of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 2, 2018. Ginther is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United States Marshals Service. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-33. ###


title: Romania Nationals Indicted on Federal Wire Fraud and Identity Theft Charges

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: A federal grand jury returned a sixteen count Indictment charging Romanian nationals Bogdan Alexandru Gherghevici, 26, and Viorel Cristea, 33, with federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. According to the allegations contained in the indictment, Gherghevici and Cristea, beginning at least as early as March 2025, and up to and including May 2025, participated in an extensive fraudulent scheme falsely claiming to do business in the Southern District of Georgia. This scheme involved selling fictitious farming equipment to Victims across the country, and resulted in a total loss of over $600,000 from the Victims. Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia and Special Agent in Charge Steven Schrank of the HSI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement. “This case highlights the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to aggressively pursue individuals who exploit others through fraudulent schemes,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “The defendants allegedly orchestrated a complex operation targeting victims nationwide, resulting in significant financial losses. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to ensure those who engage in such criminal activities are held accountable and brought to justice.” Gherghevici and Cristea face a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge, and a mandatory 2 years in prison consecutive to any other potential sentence for the Aggravated Identity Theft charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The HSI Savannah Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Bondura for the Southern District of Georgia is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime and Violating Supervised Release

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Lee Taylor, 44, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and for violating supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 19, 2025, law enforcement officers obtained consent to search a Huntington residence and found approximately 104 grams of heroin, three digital scales, and plastic bags for packaging the heroin in a storage tote on the back deck of the residence. As part of his guilty plea, Taylor admitted that he possessed the seized heroin and that he intended to distribute it. Taylor further admitted to selling approximately 7 grams of heroin to a confidential informant for $491 on the back deck of the Huntington residence the day before the search. Officers executed a search warrant at Taylor’s residence in Huntington on March 19, 2025, and seized approximately $8,661. Taylor admitted that the seized cash was proceeds from the distribution of heroin. At the time of this offense, Taylor was on supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 1, 2023. Today’s sentence includes eight months for committing a crime while on supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-74. ###


title: Carson Woman and Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Checks and Credit Cards from the Mail

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A South Bay woman who formerly worked as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service in Torrance pleaded guilty today to stealing checks and debit and credit cards from the mail then selling them to her accomplices for three years, using the illicitly obtained funds to take international trips and buy luxury goods, and then flaunting the cash on Instagram. Mary Ann Magdamit, 31, of Carson, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Magdamit, who has been in federal custody since July 1, is a former letter carrier at the Torrance Main Post Office. According to her plea agreement and court documents previously filed in this case, from at least 2022 until July 2025, Magdamit stole mail containing checks, personal identifying information (PII), and debit and credit cards. She then activated the stolen bank-issued cards online, used the cards to make purchases, and sold some stolen cards to her co-conspirators. She also arranged to have her co-conspirators cash the stolen checks, usually by people using counterfeit identity documents in the name of the check’s payee. Federally insured banks and credit unions were victimized in this scheme. Law enforcement searched Magdamit’s apartment in December 2024, and seized 133 stolen credit and debit cards,16 U.S. Department of Treasury checks, and a loaded, un-serialized Glock-clone, with an extended 27-round magazine, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” Agents also discovered luxury goods purchased with cards she stole from the mail. She also used stolen cards on international trips she took to Turks and Caicos and Aruba. Agents arrested Magdamit on July 1, after learning that she continued to make purchases with victims’ credit cards. A second search of Magdamit’s apartment that day yielded more stolen cards. Magdamit remains in federal custody. Magdamit posted on Instagram her luxury purchases and vacations, and flaunted stacks of hundred-dollar bills. Magdamit has agreed to forfeit a Rolex watch and other luxury goods. United States District Judge John F. Walter scheduled an October 27 sentencing hearing, at which time Magdamit will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Treasury Inspector General of Tax Administration investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Khali Marquise Barnes, 26, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a home compliance check at Barnes’ residence in Huntington and located a loaded Glock 19 9mm handgun in Barnes’ bed. Barnes admitted to possessing the firearm. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Barnes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on August 10, 2021. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-61. ###


title: Two Mexican Nationals Charged for Bribing State-Owned Energy Officials

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas charging two Mexican businessmen for their roles in an alleged bribery scheme to retain and obtain business related to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP), PEMEX’s wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary. “The defendants — foreign nationals residing in the U.S. — are alleged to have bribed Mexican officials in order to rig the bidding process to secure millions of dollars of lucrative contracts and other advantages,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment should send a clear message that the Criminal Division will not tolerate those who enrich corrupt officials for personal gain and to the detriment of the fair market.” “Bribery harms fair competition, erodes public trust, and will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigation Division. “Today’s indictment underscores the commitment of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, to fairness for communities in Texas and beyond.” According to court documents, Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez, 46, of The Woodlands, Texas, a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, and Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga, 61, of Spring, Texas, a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, together with others, allegedly conspired to pay and offered to pay at least $150,000 in bribes to officials at PEMEX and PEP in order to obtain and retain business from PEMEX and PEP for companies associated with Rovirosa. Between at least 2019 and continuing into at least 2021, Rovirosa, Avila, and their co-conspirators allegedly offered to pay and paid bribes in the form of luxury goods, including from Louis Vuitton and Hublot, cash payments, and other valuable items, to at least three PEMEX and PEP officials in exchange for those officials taking certain actions to help companies associated with Rovirosa obtain and retain business with PEMEX and PEP. Those improper advantages helped companies associated with Rovirosa obtain contracts with PEMEX and PEP worth at least $2.5 million. Rovirosa and Avila are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and three substantive violations of the FCPA. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Following his arrest, Rovirosa was arraigned today. Avila is a fugitive and remains at large. The FBI and HSI are investigating the case, with assistance from the Office of the Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in this case. Trial Attorneys Lindsey D. Carson, Abdus Samad Pardesi, and Paul G. Ream of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA and FEPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pete Serrano Appointed Interim United States Attorney  for the Eastern District of Washington

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Pete Serrano was sworn in today as the Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. United States Attorney Serrano was appointed to the position by Attorney General Pam Bondi on August 6, 2025. As Interim United States Attorney, Mr. Serrano supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in the Eastern District of Washington in which the United States has an interest. He leads a staff of approximately 79 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel across Eastern Washington. Prior to his appointment as Interim U.S. Attorney, Mr. Serrano was Mayor of the City of Pasco, Washington. In 2021, Mr. Serrano co-founded the Silent Majority Foundation, a nonprofit organization to fight for civil liberties. Mr. Serrano was Director and the General Counsel for the Foundation. From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Serrano worked as an attorney for the Department of Energy focusing on environmental law. From 2018 to 2021, Mr. Serrano worked at Energy Northwest including working on permitting small modular nuclear reactors.


title: Ohio Man Accused of Stealing Millions of Dollars from Missouri Grocery Chain

body_text: ST. LOUIS – An Ohio man accused of defrauding a Missouri grocery chain out of more than $15 million worth of groceries and inventory has been arrested. Muhammad Babar Chaudhry, 46, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on July 23 with four counts of wire fraud. He was arrested Wednesday night. On Friday, he was ordered held in jail until trial at a hearing in U.S. District Court in Detroit. The indictment says Chaudhry owns a grocery chain in southern Ohio called Sunshine Stores LLC. Beginning in May of 2021, the Missouri chain licensed its brand to 38 stores operated by Chaudhry and supplied those stores with groceries, the indictment says. In March of 2023, Chaudhry ordered $7.6 million in groceries and inventory from the Missouri chain with no intention of paying, the indictment says. He ordered $7.5 million more in April of 2023, the indictment says, then repeatedly lied to the victim company about payments. An employee was told to lie and say that Chaudhry was out of the country, and later say that “fraudulent activity” caused the failure to pay, the indictment says. Chaudhry intentionally drained his bank accounts so the victim company could not withdraw the funds and then falsely claimed he was wiring the payments, the indictment says. A motion seeking to have Chaudhry held in jail until trial says he stole copper from one grocery store that will cost $1 million to replace and had concrete poured down the sinks and drains at the victim company’s grocery stores. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.


title: Richmond psychotherapist convicted of healthcare fraud to pay over $1M

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Mechanicsville Licensed Clinical Social Worker who was convicted of criminal health care fraud has agreed to pay an additional $449,014.93 to settle civil fraud claims asserted against him by the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia. According to court documents, between January 2017 and December 2022, Daniel Jacobsen, 72, knowingly submitted at least $335,824.31 in fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Virginia Medicaid and Medicare for services that weren’t rendered. These included claims that billed for more than 16 hours in services in one day or that used billing codes for more complex services with higher rates than the services that were provided. To support his fraudulent claims, Jacobsen used false psychotherapy progress notes reflecting the patients’ supposed receipt of services. Jacobsen pled guilty to health care fraud on Oct. 17, 2024, and on March 13, was sentenced to three months in prison. As part of his criminal case, Jacobsen paid $316,338.31 in restitution and was ordered to pay $335,821.31 in forfeiture and a $100,000 fine. To resolve the civil fraud claims against him, Jacobsen agreed to pay an additional $449,014.93. The restitution, forfeiture, fine, and settlement total $1,201,174.55. The resolutions obtained in these matters were the result of an effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Virginia Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore prosecuted the criminal case. The civil fraud matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McIntosh and Virginia Assistant Attorneys General Joseph Hall, Ray Bowman, and Christopher Salerno. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia . Case records may be found on PACER under case number 3:24‑cr‑140. The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.


title: Los Angeles County Man Responsible for Trafficking over 3,500 Pounds of Methamphetamine Sentenced to over 21 Years

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Jose Nunez, 43, of Lancaster, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 21 years and 10 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, Nunez worked for a Mexico-based drug-trafficking ring that imported from Mexico into the United States large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. That drug ring was dismantled in June 2024, in an operation dubbed “Toxic Waste.” Nunez served as a “stash house” operator for the drug ring. He maintained the organization’s drugs in the United States and distributed it to others who resold it. He was also involved in establishing and operating a methamphetamine conversion laboratory, where he and others converted liquid methamphetamine to crystal methamphetamine. Nunez was arrested along with 14 others an investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds of fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. For sentencing purposes, Nunez was found to be responsible for distributing 3,500 pounds of the methamphetamine. As evidenced by tens of thousands of recorded communications, the organization smuggled methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl (in powder and pill form) in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also secreted thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi-trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars and brought it across the border. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office’s Inland Regional Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Los Angeles Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.


title: Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Texas Tax Return Preparation Business for Claiming Fabricated Credits and Expenses

component: Tax Division

body_text: Note: view complaint here. The Justice Department filed a complaint today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to permanently bar Maxumus Tax LLC and its owner and tax return preparer James Carroll III from preparing tax returns for others. Maxumus Tax allegedly operates a tax return preparation store located in Fort Worth, Texas, and serves customers online. According to the complaint, Maxumus Tax prepared customers’ tax returns that inflated by more than $5 million claims for tax credits enacted to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Further, Maxumus Tax allegedly fabricated business losses on tax returns, including by concocting entirely non-existent businesses, to fraudulently reduce reported taxable income. Between 2021 and 2024, Maxumus and Carroll prepared more than 7,000 income tax returns, according to the complaint. Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams , and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant . The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns. In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.


title: Kings County Drug Trafficker Arrested in Operation Red Reaper Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison

body_text: Ryan Gines, 44, of Hanford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 15 years and six months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in March 2019, various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies partnered in Operation Red Reaper, an investigation into the Nuestra Familia prison gang and the Norteño street gang in Kings County. The investigation uncovered that Nuestra Familia was responsible for large-scale trafficking of methamphetamine and other controlled substances, as well as various firearms offenses and other violent crimes. The operation resulted in federal charges brought against 21 drug traffickers, including Gines. In May 2019, recorded interceptions on a wiretap revealed that Gines was conspiring with others to obtain and sell more than 5 pounds of methamphetamine. With the aid of the wiretap, shortly after midnight, a Kings County Sheriff’s deputy stopped the car transporting that methamphetamine, searched the car, and found the drugs. This case was the product of an investigation by the Kings County Gang Task Force, Agents of the Special Operations Unit which is a team of agents from the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the FBI, the Kings County District Attorney's Office, and the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. The DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations all assisted with the takedown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Violent Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: LORENZO CARTER, also known as “Zo” and “Skiii,” 30, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 480 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang. Today’s announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and Acting Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal John Iverson. According to court documents and the evidence presented during the trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder, and other acts of violence. Carter was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers, and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities. On August 9, 2018, O.N.E. members stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport. In the following days, O.N.E. members conspired to use the car to kill East End gang members and their allies who they had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, Carter and other O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Stratford and Union Avenues in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car. After the shooting, Carter and other O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Well State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder. O.N.E. members committed other violent crimes, including murder. Carter and other O.N.E. members, posted videos to social media in which they and others brandished firearms, celebrated violent gang culture, and referenced rivals who were killed. Carter has been detained since May 21, 2021. On November 21, 2023, he was convicted after trial of racketeering conspiracy. Carter’s criminal history includes state and federal firearm convictions. In 2016, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 21 months of imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Approximately 47 members and associates of multiple Bridgeport-based gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders. This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the police departments from Norwalk, Stamford, Fairfield, Stratford, Ansonia, Monroe, Waterbury, Naugatuck, Eastchester (N.Y.), Rye (N.Y.), and Newburgh (N.Y.). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, and Rahul Kale. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.


title: Kansas City Men Sentenced for St. Louis County Carjacking

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two men from Kansas City, Missouri have been sentenced for a 2022 St. Louis County carjacking. U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Monday sentenced Reginald Hudson, now 29, to 125 months in prison. On July 9, Judge Ross sentenced Ki’Juan Calhoun, 28, to 144 months in prison. Both men were ordered to pay restitution of $24,438. Hudson and Calhoun pleaded guilty in April to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. They admitted stealing a 2019 Ford Fusion at gunpoint from a woman on Jan. 12, 2022, at her apartment in St. Louis County. The woman saw two men walking down the stairs from the third floor to the second, both pointing handguns at her. One of the men demanded her car keys, purse and phone, and then both men fled in her car. “I completely understand the terror you had to be feeling that night,” Judge Ross told the victim in court. The victim’s car was found the next day by the Kansas City Police Department. After an investigation, officers found Hudson as well as the victim’s purse and her debit card in a nearby home, along with two handguns. The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Walker prosecuted the case.


title: Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms 108-Month Sentence for Memphis Man Convicted of Machinegun Possession

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the 108-month federal prison sentence handed down to Jaquan Bridges , 22 , following his conviction for possession of a machinegun in the Western District of Tennessee. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the affirmation of the sentence today. On February 1, 2022, a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy observed Bridges driving a gray Ford Fusion near I-240 and Walnut Grove, traveling slowly while looking at his cell phone. The deputy activated emergency equipment to alert Bridges to put his phone down. Bridges rolled down his passenger-side window and fired gunshots at the deputy’s vehicle, striking it several times. Bridges then fled at a high rate of speed, leading deputies on a 10-mile pursuit, before Bridges hit at least three other vehicles and crashed into a concrete barrier at I-240 and Highway 385. When Bridges was taken into custody, deputies recovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an attached machinegun conversion device (known as a “switch”) and extended magazine. On February 6, 2024, Bridges pled guilty to possessing a machinegun. On September 17, 2024, Senior United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Bridges to 108 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Bridges appealed the judgment of the district court, arguing that his prosecution for machinegun possession violated his Second Amendment right to bear arms. In an opinion filed August 7, 2025, the Sixth Circuit upheld the 108-month sentence and the constitutionality of the federal statute regulating the possession of machineguns. This is the first published case in which the Sixth Circuit has addressed this issue since the Supreme Court’s holding in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen , 597 U.S. 1 (2022). This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo prosecuted this case and handled the appeal on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Houston doctor agrees to pay over $2 million to settle allegations of fraudulent billing of federal programs

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 63-year-old Houston man has agreed to pay $2,053,515 to resolve allegations he submitted false claims to federally funded health care programs for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Dr. Ajay Aggarwal is an anesthesiologist and pain medicine doctor who practices in Bellaire and Lake Jackson as well as Van Vleck. Ajay Aggarwal, a sole proprietorship, and PRWCSWTX LLC are entities Aggarwal used to conduct his medical practice known as The Pain Relief & Wellness Center. From Nov. 16, 2021, to March 28, 2023, Aggarwal billed federally funded health care programs, such as Medicare and the Department of Labor’s Workers’ Compensation Programs, for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes. These are invasive procedures usually requiring use of an operating room. As a result, Medicare and other federally funded health care programs pay thousands of dollars per procedure. However, neither Aggarwal nor his staff performed these surgical procedures, according to the allegations. Instead, patients allegedly received devices used for electro-acupuncture, which only involved inserting monofilament wire a few millimeters into patients’ ears and taping the neurostimulator behind the ear with an adhesive. All device placements took place in Aggarwal’s clinic, not a hospital or surgical center, and no incision was made on a patient, according to the allegations. “A doctor who uses simple medical devices on his patients, yet bills Medicare for a sophisticated spinal surgery, is bilking the American taxpayer, plain and simple,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will ensure that losses to federally funded healthcare programs from fraudulent billing, like what happened here, are recouped and that wrongdoers are held accountable.” “The civil penalties imposed today strongly serve as a clear deterrent to those engaging in fraud against federal benefit programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “USPS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue these investigations and exhaust all efforts to protect the Postal Service from fraud, waste and abuse.” “Investigating alleged false claims involving the programs administered by the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) is an important part of our mission. That is particularly true when a medical provider is involved,” said Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard, DOL-OIG, Central Region. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and OWCP to protect the integrity of DOL’s worker compensation programs.” “This settlement underscores our agency’s steadfast commitment to enforcing the False Claims Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)-OIG. “Working with our law enforcement partners, DHHS-OIG remains dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of federal health care programs and protecting the individuals who depend on them by investigating schemes that compromise the proper use of medical devices.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with significant assistance from OIG offices of USPS, DOL and DHHS. OIG offices of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Veterans Affairs also contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura E. Collins handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms 50-Year Sentence for Man Convicted of Attempted Robbery Leading to Death and Firearm Crimes

body_text: Memphis, TN – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the 50-year federal prison sentence handed down to Louis Holloway , 44 , following his conviction for the attempted robbery of John Stambaugh in 2002 and firearms crimes. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the affirmation of the sentence today. On September 8, 2002, John Stambaugh, a student at the University of Memphis, was robbed and murdered by a shotgun blast while delivering pizza in Memphis’s Cooper-Young neighborhood. Holloway was identified as a suspect and later charged with attempted robbery and gun crimes. In 2008, after a jury trial, Holloway was found guilty of attempted robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of attempted robbery, and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to life in prison. Due to changes in the law which went into effect in 2022, Holloway’s life sentence was vacated, and the district court scheduled a resentencing hearing. At that hearing, United States District Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced Holloway to 50 years in federal prison, the statutory maximum sentence in light of the changes in law, followed by three years of supervised release. The Sixth Circuit affirmed the 50-year sentence, holding that it was reasonable considering the horrific nature of the offense and Holloway’s very serious criminal history. This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department. On behalf of the government, Assistant United States Attorney Tony Arvin prosecuted this case in the district court and at the post-conviction stage. AUSA Naya Bedini prosecuted this case at the post-conviction stage and on appeal. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Owner and Captain of Scuba Charter Vessel Sentenced to Over Eight Years in Prison for Seaman’s Manslaughter and Fraud

body_text: MIAMI –The owner and captain of a scuba charter vessel has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison after a federal jury found him guilty in March 2025 of seaman’s manslaughter (both as the vessel’s owner and captain ), lying to the U.S. Coast Guard, and fraudulently obtaining Covid-19 pandemic relief funds. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon sentenced Dustin Sean McCabe, 50, to 100 months in prison—above the advisory Sentencing Guidelines—citing McCabe’s reckless conduct and the horrific circumstances and nature of the victim’s death. In early March 2020, McCabe purchased a 48-foot vessel, named it Southern Comfort, and falsely claimed on Coast Guard forms that it would be used for recreational purposes. Instead, McCabe intended to operate the Southern Comfort to run paid scuba charters, refitting it himself for commercial use. On March 28, 2020, McCabe took paying passengers on a scuba trip aboard the Southern Comfort . During the trip’s two dives, the Southern Comfort experienced significant mechanical malfunctions, including one propeller unexpectedly engaging, loss of steering, and the vessel running aground. In one incident, the port-side propeller activated while the vessel was in neutral during a diver pickup, pulling a diver toward the propeller before the diver narrowly escaped injury. Despite these dangerous malfunctions, McCabe operated another paid scuba trip the very next day without reporting the prior day’s incidents to the Coast Guard, warning passengers of what had happened the day before, or repairing the vessel. During this second trip, the same propeller malfunction occurred as the victim and her spouse were boarding from the water. The propeller pulled the victim and her spouse into it, killing her. Following the fatality, McCabe was prohibited from operating the Southern Comfort . Months later, McCabe applied for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, a federal relief program designed to help small businesses survive the economic impact of the pandemic. To secure the loans (and later their forgiveness), McCabe falsely claimed that his scuba charter business was still operational and submitted fraudulent payroll information and tax documents to obtain the funds and secure loan forgiveness. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Josh W. Packer of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Southeast Field Office made the announcement. CGIS Southeast Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Lake Worth and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Office of Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller, U.S. Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Koffsky prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-CR-80103. ###