title: Seven Charged with Scheme to Cash Stolen U.S. Treasury Checks Throughout New England

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: BURLINGTON – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on May 28, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Davon Olin, 36, of Hackensack, New Jersey and The Bronx, New York; Corey Vasquez, 35, of The Bronx, New York; James Michael Roosevelt Williams, 34, of The Bronx, New York; Mark Ochoa, 34, of The Bronx, New York; Lindsay Sheehan, 37, of The Bronx, New York, and two others with wire fraud conspiracy, bank fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. Olin appeared in United States District Court for the District of New Jersey on June 3, 2026, and was detained pending further proceedings to occur on June 8, 2026. Ochoa and Williams appeared in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 3, 2026, and were ordered released upon satisfaction of conditions. Sheehan is expected to appear later today. Vasquez was previously arrested on state charges in Kentucky, and Vasquez’s appearance in federal court has not yet been scheduled. Two additional defendants have not yet been arrested. According to court records, from approximately August 2024 to August 2025, Davon Olin obtained stolen, legitimate U.S. Treasury checks in the names of various individuals. Olin then obtained false identification documents, including driver’s licenses, using the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of the intended U.S. Treasury check recipients and photographs of Vasquez, Ochoa, Sheehan and other group members. Working with Vasquez and Williams, Olin provided the false identification documents to check depositors, including Vasquez, Ochoa, and Sheehan, who then presented the stolen U.S. Treasury checks and their false driver’s licenses to banks in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and elsewhere to open accounts and deposit the stolen checks, thereby fraudulently obtaining government funds. The scheme involved more than $500,000.00 in stolen U.S. Treasury checks. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that the seven defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Each defendant faces up to 30 years of imprisonment if convicted. Cory Vasquez, Mark Ochoa, and Lindsay Sheehan also face aggravated identity theft charges which carry a mandatory 2-year consecutive sentence. The actual sentences, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Eugenia A. P. Cowles. The seven defendants have not yet retained nor been appointed counsel. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Columbia Men Sentenced to Federal Prison After Breaking into Cars, Stealing Guns During Concert

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

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Damion Walker, 25, and Malcolm Price, 38, both of Columbia have been sentenced to federal prison for being felons in possession of firearms. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Nov. 18, 2022, Price and Walker were present on the campus of the University of South Carolina during a concert at the Colonial Life Arena. An officer with the University of South Carolina Police Department (USCPD) patrolled the area near the arena and saw Walker and Price near a vehicle with a broken window. The officer entered the parking lot to investigate, and Price and Walker left the parking lot with Price driving. USCPD officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and found Price and Walker in possession of four firearms, a window punch tool, and various personal effects stolen from multiple vehicles. Further investigation by USCPD found that Price, Walker, and a co-conspirator traveled to various parking lots around the Colonial Life Arena, broke into multiple vehicles, and stole firearms and other personal items belonging to attendees of the concert. Price had prior convictions for strong arm robbery and domestic violence 2 nd degree. Walker had prior convictions for failure to stop for a blue light and multiple convictions for breaking into motor vehicles and grand larceny of $10,000 or more. These convictions prevented them both from possessing firearms under federal law. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Damion Walker to 27 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Judge Lydon sentenced Malcolm Price to 70 months imprisonment to be followed by a two-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives., the University of South Carolina Police Department, and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall prosecuted the case. ###


title: Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to the Sentencing of Illegal Alien from Mexico Operating as Local Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization with Ties to CJNG Cartel

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Elian Rene Fabian Valladolid, 26, an illegal alien from Mexico and leader of the local cell of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) with ties to the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), was sentenced to 262 months in prison yesterday for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Valladolid will be removed from the United States after he completes his prison sentence. “This case is one example of many that our emphasis on the cartels and their related drug-trafficking organizations is working,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We are infiltrating these organizations and toppling them from the top.” “Drug trafficking organizations exploit vulnerabilities in our communities, placing dangerous narcotics on our streets and fueling crime that threatens the safety of families and neighborhoods,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North and South Carolina. “This investigation demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the Homeland Security Task Force and our law enforcement partners to identifying and dismantling criminal networks that unlawfully operate within our communities.” At the sentencing hearing, the government argued for and received a sentencing enhancement for Valladolid’s leadership role within the drug trafficking organization (DTO). According to filed documents and court proceedings, federal, state, and local law enforcement began an investigation into the drug smuggling and trafficking operations of a poly-drug DTO based in Mexico with ties to the CJNG cartel. The DTO was organized into local cells that coordinated the sale and distribution of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. Between 2022 and 2023, Valladolid was the leader of the DTO’s local cell, in charge of overseeing drug distribution activities and was involved in recruiting other members to work for the DTO. During the investigation, law enforcement identified local stash houses used by members of the DTO to store drugs, including a storage unit. Law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at one storage unit seizing several bags, luggage, and boxes that contained drugs and a variety of contraband. Investigators also recovered packaging materials consistent with drug distribution, four digital scales, a drug press, and a cutting agent used to “cut” drugs to increase the quantity of the drug product for resale. They also found kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. In total, the drug conspiracy involved 9.6 kilograms of “actual” methamphetamine; 5.9 kilograms of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine; 2.7 kilograms of fentanyl; 1.9 kilograms of heroin; and 648.11 grams of cocaine. Valladolid will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), United States Customers and Border Protection (CBP), United States ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the North Carolina Insurance Bureau, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Raleigh Police Department, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the Nash Count Sheriff’s Office, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Brunswick Count Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Nags Head Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the Kannapolis Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department, the Gastonia Police Department, the Huntersville Police Department, the Cornelius Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Pineville Police Department, the Stallings Police Department, the Kings Mountain Police Department, the Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Anderson City Police Department, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston County Airport Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Summerville Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Alamance County Sheriff’s office, the Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Eden Police Department, the Piedmont Triad Internal Airport Police Department, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of North and South Carolina.


title: National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Healthcare Fraud Unit Secures Six Trial Convictions Involving over $1.1 Billion in Fraud In Under Three Weeks: Convictions Span five Federal Districts & six Distinct Categories of Healthcare Fraud

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division today announced that its Health Care Fraud Unit, one of the most active white-collar litigating components across the Department, secured federal jury trial convictions in six trials in just under three weeks. The convictions in six trials between May 13 and June 1 spanned federal courtrooms across the United States, including in Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Detroit, New York and Nashville. Six trial convictions in under three weeks ties the Health Care Fraud Unit record for number of trials to result in a conviction in a single month period. The cases behind these recent convictions, however, represent a greater level of sophistication and complexity: more than $1.1 billion in fraud losses across six distinct schemes, including a digital health platform that industrialized Medicare fraud at national scale, a proactive data-driven prosecution of a physician who out-billed every other Medicare provider in the country for Botox, and prosecutions requiring simultaneous command of health care data analytics, financial forensics, sophisticated digital evidence, and expert testimony. These results reflect not merely the volume of trials but the caliber of the Fraud Division’s trial practice that carried each one of them to conviction. The Health Care Fraud Unit has completed nine trials to date in 2026 (all of which have resulted in convictions) and 17 trials in 2025, maintaining an extraordinary pace of white-collar trial activity. The Health Care Fraud Unit operates through an integrated team model, pairing specialized trial-ready prosecutors with data analysts, investigators, and paralegals who work together from the opening of an investigation through the return of a verdict. Leadership reinforces this specialization and emphasis on trial preparation: specialized Assistant Chiefs for Trials oversee and support trial teams across the country, facilitating trial preparedness and institutional knowledge. The results demonstrated over this period reflect a team of trial lawyers who are prepared to take cases to trial and hold accountable those who defraud our nation’s health care programs and steal from the American taxpayer. “What sets the Fraud Division apart is not only our ability to proactively detect, investigate and dismantle fraud schemes before they cause further harm, but the depth and skill of the trial lawyers who carry those cases across the finish line. The American people should rest assured that we are prepared to seek accountability at trial for health care fraudsters, whether for a $1 million fraud in Michigan or a $1 billion fraud in South Florida,” said Colin McDonald, Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division is providing full-spectrum accountability to any fraudster who seeks to use Americans’ hard-earned savings as their personal piggy-bank.” United States v. Blackman Trial Conviction (Industrial-Scale Telehealth Platform Fraud, $1 Billion) : Brett Blackman was the founder and CEO of HealthSplash, which owned DMERx, an internet platform that did not facilitate legitimate medicine but instead industrialized fraud. Foreign call centers blasted spam mailers targeting hundreds of thousands of Medicare’s most vulnerable patients, pressuring elderly beneficiaries into accepting medically unnecessary orthotic braces. When patients agreed, DMERx connected the leads to telemedicine companies that took illegal kickbacks in exchange for signing bogus physicians’ orders, orders that falsely certified a doctor had personally examined the patient, when in many cases the doctor never spoke with them at all. The government’s undercover agent posed as a Medicare beneficiary and documented the scheme in real time: a foreign call center pushed the agent into multiple braces, and a DMERx doctor then signed orders claiming to have conducted in-person tests that are physically impossible to perform remotely. To conceal the conspiracy, Blackman and his co-conspirators manipulated physicians’ orders to evade Medicare audits and used sham contracts to disguise kickback flows. All told, the scheme generated more than $1 billion in false billings, of which Medicare paid more than $450 million. Blackman was convicted of health care fraud conspiracy, kickback conspiracy, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. His co-defendant Gary Cox, convicted at a prior trial, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. (Southern District of Florida) United States v. Mailyan Trial Conviction (Proactive Data Driven Lead for Botox Billing Fraud: Obstruction, Fabricated Records, $45 Million) : This prosecution began not with a witness or a complaint, but with a data anomaly. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team identified Dr. Violetta Mailyan as a statistical extreme: she had been paid more by Medicare for Botox injections than any other physician in the United States, collecting more than $24 million over four years, roughly six times the next-highest provider group, all neurologists. What the data predicted, the trial evidence confirmed. Mailyan billed for thousands of Botox injections that were never administered, including while she was on vacation in Cabo, Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; Las Vegas; Pennsylvania; and New York. She billed for a patient who was federally incarcerated at the time of the purported injection. She submitted more than $19 million in claims on days when her clinic was closed. She back-dated claims to bill for injections purportedly provided before patients had even contacted her clinic to request an appointment. When federal investigators closed in and a grand jury subpoena arrived, Mailyan fabricated and back-dated patient consent forms and medical records and delivered the altered documents to agents, adding obstruction charges to the fraud counts. Post-verdict, the jury found a Tesla Model X, a Tesla Cybertruck, brokerage accounts valued at over $7.3 million, and four California properties subject to forfeiture as proceeds of the fraud. (Central District of California) United States v. Scott Trial Conviction (Home Health Kickback Network: Hospital Nurse Bribed via CashApp, Stolen Patient Identities) : Ruby Scott, a licensed nurse and owner of Delta Home Health Care LLC in Michigan, built her patient pipeline by corrupting a hospital discharge nurse, a relationship she had first cultivated at a prior employer and then carried with her when she launched Delta. The nurse used her hospital access to identify Medicare patients and fax their confidential records to Delta without their knowledge or consent. Scott transmitted over $130,000 in illegal kickbacks to the nurse through CashApp, PayPal, check, and cash. Scott then used those stolen patient profiles to bill Medicare for home health services, falsely certifying that physicians had evaluated and cleared the patients as homebound, when in fact no physician had ever seen them for that purpose. Scott went further, appropriating the identities of real doctors to fabricate the existence of physician certifications those doctors never performed. A witness testified that one patient for whom Delta collected thousands of dollars in payments had never received any services from the company at all. Delta failed to maintain records for over one-third of its billed patients, patients for whom Medicare paid more than $1.2 million. Total losses exceeded $1.6 million. Scott was convicted of five counts of health care fraud, conspiracy, and four counts of paying illegal kickbacks. (Eastern District of Michigan) United States v. Brown-Arkah Trial Conviction (Substance Abuse Clinic as Narcotics Hub: Narcotics Diversion, Undercover Video, $52 Million) : Tony Brown-Arkah owned American Medical Centers, a Brooklyn clinic nominally offering substance abuse treatment that functioned in practice as a vehicle for drug diversion, kickbacks, and large-scale fraud against Medicare and Medicaid. The clinic lured patients by prescribing Suboxone, a Schedule III narcotic used to treat opioid use disorder that, as a trial witness testified, is commonly abused by prison inmates by boiling the medication and administering it as eye drops, then directed patients who did not want their prescriptions to a van parked on the clinic steps where they could sell them for cash. Prescriptions were signed by a nurse practitioner who lived in Florida and never saw or spoke with patients. Laboratory results showing the absence of Suboxone in patients’ systems, a significant clinical red flag for diversion, were ignored. Brown-Arkah billed Medicare and Medicaid for office visits where he, a non-clinician, was the only person who met with the patient, and for services that were never provided at all. He paid patients cash kickbacks to recruit additional patients and received thousands of dollars monthly from a laboratory in exchange for referring patients to unnecessary testing, concealing those payments through a shell company and sham contracts, and then lying to law enforcement about them. A confidential source captured Brown-Arkah on undercover video offering an illegal cash kickback, during which he described competitors who engage in the same conduct and observed, apparently without self-awareness: “that’s why they go to jail.” Total fraud losses exceeded $52 million across Medicare and Medicaid. (Eastern District of New York) United States v. Popovych Trial Conviction (Physical Therapy Clinic Kickback Ring: Ambulette Drivers, Coded Texts, Falsified Records) Olga Popovych managed a network of Brooklyn physical therapy clinics whose patient referral pipeline ran not through physician referrals but through cash payments to ambulette drivers, the operators who transported Medicare patients from their homes to therapy appointments. Popovych was personally involved in distributing the kickbacks and communicated about them with co-conspirators through coded text messages, having suspected law enforcement was watching the clinics. To conceal who was actually providing care, Popovych falsified medical records to indicate that licensed physical therapists had treated patients on days those therapists were not present at the clinic. Between 2018 and 2020, Medicare paid the clinics more than $8 million on the strength of those fabricated records. Evidence at trial also showed Popovych took steps to conceal the scheme when she suspected surveillance, communicating in code with co-conspirators about the payment of kickbacks. After a one-week trial, the jury convicted Popovych of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to make false statements, four counts of health care fraud, and three counts of making false statements relating to health care matters. (Eastern District of New York) United States v. Marks Trial Conviction (Nurse Prescribed Nearly 1 Million Highly Addictive Opioid Pills to Tennessee Community) Heather Marks was an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner who was licensed by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to distribute controlled substances. Marks prescribed controlled substances to patients seeking pain treatment at Lifeforce Pain and Wellness (Lifeforce), a pain clinic located in Carthage, Tennessee. Lifeforce was a small, rural clinic that purported to provide pain treatment. Marks and others overprescribed highly addictive opioids, including oxycodone and oxymorphone, to Lifeforce patients from September 2016 through May 2018. Marks herself prescribed nearly a million opioid pills to almost 1,000 Lifeforce patients over the course of the conspiracy. These patients were often addicted to illegal drugs and the opioids Marks and others prescribed to them at Lifeforce. Marks ignored obvious signs of Lifeforce patients taking illegal drugs at the time she prescribed them opioids, which put these patients in danger of overdosing. Marks further prescribed opioids to Lifeforce patients who she knew were likely selling the opioids on the street. Lifeforce patients would often travel hundreds of miles to obtain opioid prescriptions at Lifeforce because they knew Marks would prescribe the opioids they needed to either abuse or sell on the street. The jury convicted Marks of conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances and eight counts of illegally distributing controlled substances. (Middle District of Tennessee) * On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs . Since March 2007, the National Fraud Division’s Health Care Strike Force program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Mother in 13-Month-Old’s Death Arrested and Charged

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Valencia Duke, 25, of the District of Columbia, was arrested and charged Wednesday with first-degree felony murder and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children for the January 18 death of her thirteen-month-old daughter and near death of her thirteen-month-old son in Southeast, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Duke made her initial appearance June 4 before Superior Court Judge Heidi Hermann. Judge Hermann found probable cause that Duke committed the offenses and ordered her to be held without bond pending trial. According to court documents, between January 14 and January 18, 2026, Duke left her two thirteen-month-old children alone in her residence. On January 18, 2026, officers responded to the 4700 block of Southern Avenue Southeast and located the female child deceased and decomposing and the male child dehydrated and malnourished. The male child was transported to the hospital where he stayed for several days. An autopsy was done on the female child where it was determined that her cause of death was dehydration. Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being investigated by the Special Victims Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma McArthur. Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Four L.A.-Based MS-13 Members Found Guilty of Committing Three Grisly Murders in the Angeles National Forest

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Four members of Mara Salvatrucha, a violent street gang and terrorist organization known as MS-13, were found guilty by a jury today of brutally murdering three victims in the Angeles National Forest, including one victim who had his heart carved out of his chest and his body dismembered then tossed down a canyon. The following defendants, all of whom remain in federal custody, were found guilty of racketeering conspiracy and violent crimes in aid of racketeering – murder: Angel Amadeo Guzman, 31, of Panorama City; Fernando Garcia Parada, 28, of Panorama City; Edgard Velasquez, 43, of Reseda; and Jose Jonathan Castillo, 34, of Koreatown. According to evidence presented at a 17-day trial, MS-13 Los Angeles is a violent criminal street gang that operates through subsets known as “cliques,” including the Fulton clique in the San Fernando Valley and the Francis clique around MacArthur Park. The gang derives income from drug trafficking, extorting legal and illegal businesses, committing robberies, and via other illicit means. The gang implemented rules that require its members to use murder and extreme violence to rise within its ranks. From March 2017 to June 2017, the defendants committed three murders on behalf of MS-13. In March 2017, one victim was accused of painting the graffiti of a rival gang. Velasquez authorized the victim’s murder. Guzman, Garcia, and others later abducted the victim, strangled him, and drove him to the Angeles National Forest, where they and several co-conspirators attacked the victim with machetes. Later, they dismembered the victim, carving out his heart and throwing his body parts into a canyon. In April 2017, Guzman and co-conspirators killed another victim, who had fled El Salvador without MS-13’s permission when it had been investigating the victim for cooperating with law enforcement. One conspirator used the Facebook account of a teenage girl to catfish the victim, who was lured to the Angeles National Forest and then killed. Finally, in June 2017, Castillo, Garcia, and co-conspirators murdered another victim, an MS-13 associate who was accused of overstating his position in the gang. The victim was taken to the Angeles National Forest, where he was stabbed and hacked to death. United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr., scheduled October 20 sentencing hearings for these defendants, all of whom will face one or more mandatory sentences of life in federal prison. Federal prosecutors have secured more than 30 convictions in this case. In November 2025, five MS-13 members were convicted of committing six murders to advance their standing in the gang. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled to occur in the coming months. The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office investigated this matter. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. The HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. Special Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Siddall of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and Assistant United States Attorneys Jason C. Pang of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, and William Larsen and Suria M. Bahadue of the Criminal Appeals Section are prosecuting this case.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Controlled Substances Act and Federal Gun Control Act Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On May 27, 2026, REUBEN WEBB (“WEBB”) , age 33, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty to two counts of a four-count indictment charging him with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and the Federal Gun Control Acts, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. In Count 2, WEBB is charged with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Count 3, WEBB is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry will sentence WEBB on September 2, 2026. According to court documents, beginning in August 2024, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) conducted a joint criminal investigation within the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans. On September 9, 2024, NOPD conducted surveillance from the Real Time Crime Center, focusing on the 8800 block of Fig Street. While conducting surveillance, detectives observed a known individual standing on the front porch of a residence, in possession of a firearm. Minutes later, WEBB arrived at the same residence, driving a gray Jaguar F-Pace with no license plate. WEBB exited the driver’s seat while possessing a firearm. Shortly after, WEBB walked to a nearby store. Uniformed officers entered the store and attempted to apprehend WEBB , but he fled the store. Officers detained WEBB shortly thereafter. When the officers searched WEBB ’s waistband area, they discovered a Glock Model 29 Gen 4, 10-millimeter pistol, bearing serial number BYWN588. The firearm was equipped with a magazine containing fifteen (15) live rounds of 10mm ammunition with one live round in the chamber. After WEBB ’s September 2024 arrest, members of law enforcement continued to investigate him. After learning that he continued to illegally possess firearms and engage in drug trafficking, despite being on bond from his earlier arrest, NOPD detectives obtained a search warrant for WEBB ’s Instagram account. This search revealed pictures of WEBB in possession of firearms and Tapentadol. The search also revealed messages regarding the sale of controlled substances between WEBB and others. In response, detectives obtained court authorization to monitor WEBB ’s location. On May 15, 2025, NOPD detectives located WEBB in the same 2019 Jaguar F-Pace car as before and detained him. A narcotics-trained canine was deployed to conduct an open-air sniff investigation upon WEBB ’s vehicle. The canine alerted to the right and left door handles of the vehicle. As a result, after obtaining a search warrant for WEBB ’s vehicle, officers located yet another Glock Model 29, Gen 4, 10-millimeter pistol, bearing serial number BNTG133, inside of the glove box. A search warrant was also obtained for WEBB ’s residence in the 2400 block of General Ogden Street. During the search, detectives recovered items/paraphernalia used by drug traffickers for distributing controlled substances, including packaging materials, two digital scales, a vacuum sealer, as well as 180 tablets of Tapentadol. Additionally, officers recovered a stolen, Kel-Tec Model PLR-16, AR-15 pistol, bearing serial number PD468, one (1) live round of 10mm caliber ammunition, two (2) boxes of .223 live rounds of ammunition, one (1) live round of .40 caliber ammunition, one black magazine containing thirty-eight (38) live rounds of 2.23x56 caliber ammunition, and one Magpul 60 round drum magazine. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: New Mexico Man Gets Life in Federal Prison for 2023 Carjacking Murder

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A New Mexico man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to life in prison for the carjacking, kidnapping and murder of a Las Cruces man, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in December 2023, Brayden Matthew Alvarado, 23, of Vado, New Mexico, carjacked a man before driving him onto Fort Bliss desert property and fatally shooting him in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun. On Dec. 13, 2023, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division conducted a crime scene investigation and collected the body of a deceased individual. Two days later, an autopsy identified the individual as Abel Patrick Tarin, who had previously been reported missing by the Las Cruces Police Department and Dona Ana Sheriff’s Office. Tarin’s vehicle was subsequently located, having been towed and impounded in El Paso. A search of the vehicle resulted in blood evidence and the discovery of a gunshot hole on the interior, as well as several fingerprints belonging to Alvarado. Further investigation led to Alvarado’s arrest on Dec. 22, 2023. Alvarado was indicted on Jan. 17, 2024. On Aug. 14, 2025, a federal jury found him guilty of kidnapping resulting in death and carjacking resulting in death. The kidnapping conviction carries a mandatory life in prison penalty. The FBI, Army CID, El Paso Police Department, and Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Rasmussen, Lori Hughes and Patricia Acosta prosecuted the case. ###


title: California Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Coercing and Enticing a Minor

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Rigoberto Rios Gallardo (33, Los Angeles, California) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. Rios Gallardo pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026. According to court documents, Rios Gallardo initially met the 12-year-old victim on TikTok and began communicating with the victim on other internet-based applications including Telegram, Discord and Signal. On three dates in August and September 2024, Rios Gallardo used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual images. Between August 2024 and December 2024, Rios Gallardo knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced the victim to engage in sexual activity. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Port Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Rochester man going to prison on meth charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Chad Burgess, 40, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute five grams of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 88 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. On March 26, 2025, the Niagara County Drug Taskforce executed a search warrant at a Locust Street residence for suspected narcotics trafficking. During the search, officers recovered approximately 125 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 45 grams of crack cocaine. Burgess admitted that the methamphetamine and crack cocaine belonged to him, purchasing the drugs approximately 1-2 days prior. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Drug Taskforce, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone. # # # #


title: Member of local drug trafficking organization sentenced to 10 years for distributing drugs in Homeland Security Task Force case

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 10.8 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic deadly drugs to Alaska and into the Anchorage community. According to court documents, Andrew Akulaw, 42, conspired with co-defendant, Rodney Godwin, 52, the leader of the drug trafficking organization. From April to December 2023, Godwin organized and operated a drug trafficking organization while under indictment for a separate drug trafficking crime. Godwin’s organization imported and distributed over 3.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.6 kilograms of cocaine and 1.3 kilograms of heroin within Alaska. Court documents detail that Akulaw’s role in the conspiracy was to receive large shipments of drugs in the mail and through air cargo, as well as collect outstanding drug proceeds. Law enforcement learned of Akulaw’s involvement in the drug trafficking organization on Sept. 5, 2023, when Akulaw got into a car accident. At the scene of the accident, first responders discovered a firearm in Akulaw’s pocket, a fanny pack with a large amount of drug proceeds, and an Arizona driver’s license for another individual. Law enforcement had to use a fingerprint scanner to identify Akulaw. In doing so, law enforcement learned that Akulaw had two active State of Alaska arrest warrants. At the hospital after the accident, Akulaw directed his fanny pack be given to a co-conspirator. Officers seized the fanny pack and through a search warrant, found almost thirty thousand dollars. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement attributed over 3.7 kilograms of drugs directly to Akulaw. On May 23, 2024, Akulaw and seven co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in this matter. On Nov. 18, 2025, Akulaw pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and also pleaded guilty to a felon in possession of a firearm in a separate federal case. “Mr. Akulaw has spent decades committing violent crimes and violating supervision, ultimately turning to distributing deadly drugs in his own community,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Poisonous drugs have no place in our state, and we will not stop fighting the threat illegal narcotics pose to Alaskan communities. Working with our law enforcement partners to find those who traffic them and dismantle their operations remains a top priority for my office and the U.S. Department of Justice.” “Akulaw not only facilitated the flow of deadly drugs into and throughout Alaska, but also the collection and enforcement of drug debts to sustain its operations,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Thanks to the tenacious work by the investigative team, another dangerous member of this drug trafficking organization has been brought to justice. The FBI will continue working with our partners, at every level, to ensure drug traffickers are held accountable and removed from our streets.” Co-defendants in this case include: Rodney Godwin, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a continue criminal enterprise on May 10, 2025, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Nov. 24, 2025, which will run consecutively to a previous 20-year federal drug trafficking sentence. Calvin Oktollik, 39, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on July 28, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2026. Miles Apatiki, 39, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy on Jan. 6, 2026, and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2026 Jennifer Godwin, 41, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on July 11, 2025, and was sentenced to three years in prison on May 6, 2026. Reigna Archuleta, 40, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one count of carrying firearms during a drug trafficking crime on Dec. 19, 2025, and will be sentenced at a later date. David Henry, 52, of Palmer, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 4, 2025, and was sentenced to 6.6 years in prison on April 16, 2026. Page Peak, 27, of Sterling, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on July 30, 2025, and was sentenced to five years’ probation on March 3, 2026. The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile, IRS Criminal Investigation, Alaska State Troopers and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Beausang and Mandy Mackenzie prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region One comprises agents and officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations – Seattle; the United States Attorney’s Office(s) for the Districts of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP – Office of Field Operations; CBP – Air & Marine Operations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska. ###


title: Puerto Rico Pharmacies Agree to Pay $4.6 Million to Federal Authorities in Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Cases

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: San Juan, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico has recovered over $4.1 million from four Puerto Rico pharmacies and their owners during the period from February 26 to May 28, 2026. The pharmacies and owners have agreed to pay $4.6 million to resolve allegation of Medicare and Medicaid fraud between January 2021 and January 2024, for billing for diverted prescriptions sold to unsuspecting patients which had been misrepresented as properly sourced, despite unverifiable origins. Officials warn that such practices threaten patient safety and the integrity of federal health programs, which require medications to come from approved distributors. Diverted drugs may be improperly stored or handled, affecting their safety and effectiveness. The below-listed pharmacies and their owners agreed to pay and have paid the civil penalties outlined below: Pharmacy Owner(s) Amount of Penalties Amount of Penalties Collected to Date Farmacia Unity (Aibonito) Raúl Morera Enid Rivera $600,000 $165,000 Farmacia La Rampla (Yabucoa) Edwin Gómez $1,000,000 $1,000,000 Farmacia Monte Verde (Bayamón) María T. Rivera Valerie Cintrón $1,000,000 $1,000,000 Farmacia Santa Olaya (Bayamón) Jaime Figueroa $2,000,000 $2,000,000 These cases were investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, with support from other federal and local agencies. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rafael López Rivera investigated and prosecuted the cases. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Madison Man Sentenced to Almost 8 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Ammunition While on Federal Supervision

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marvin Coates, 39, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 71 months in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Coates pleaded guilty to this charge on March 18, 2026. Judge Peterson also sentenced Coats to an additional 24 months in federal prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. On August 28, 2025, Madison police responded to a 911 call where the reporting party said that Coates had threatened an individual and followed that individual home. Police responded to the apartment complex and saw Coates getting into a car. Police stopped Coates and searched the surrounding area. Across the street, police found two firearms, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun with nine rounds in the magazine and an SCCY 9mm handgun with an extended magazine holding 28 rounds. The firearms were wrapped in a t-shirt sitting on the rear wheel of a parked pickup truck. Police obtained video surveillance from the apartment complex. The video showed Coates walking down the sidewalk toward his car carrying the t-shirt. As the Madison police squad car approached, Coates stopped near the rear of the pickup before crossing the street to head toward his car. The Wisconsin State Crime Lab later recovered Coates’s DNA on the firearms. Coates is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions including a 2020 federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon. In that case, Coates fired a handgun into the air during a disturbance. He was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was still on supervised release when he committed this offense. At sentencing, Judge Peterson stressed that a goal of sentencing was to protect the community. Judge Peterson said that Coates failed to follow his rules of federal supervision, had a bad temper, was impulsive, and “demonstrated a resolute disrespect for every manifestation of the law.” The charge against Coates was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case. Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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: Chicago Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Minor

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Chicago man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to sexually exploiting a 14-year-old minor victim from Massachusetts. Joshua Rogers, 31, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29, 2026. Roger was arrested in December 2025 in Chicago. According to the charging documents, in July 2025, local law enforcement were notified of an individual purporting to be a 17-year-old boy named ‘John’ –later identified as Rogers – engaging in sexually explicit communications with a 14-year-old female minor victim on Snapchat. A review of cell phone data revealed numerous communications from Rogers in which he coerced the minor to engage in sexually explicit acts – many of which he demanded be documented by photo or video. In his communications, Rogers also discussed kidnapping the minor or the minor running away. The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a sentence of no less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chief Jennifer Paster of the Brookline Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey Named Vice Chair of Washington/Baltimore HIDTA

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey has been named as Vice Chair of the Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Executive Board, helping to lead efforts in the region to combat fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drug trafficking across multiple states. The Washington-Baltimore HIDTA is one of 33 HIDTA programs across the country, and supports 29 counties and 12 cities in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and West Virginia. In 2025, Washington-Baltimore HIDTA’s funded task forces dismantled or disrupted 125 drug trafficking/money laundering organizations, seizing more than $84 million in drugs across the region. HIDTA also supports substance use prevention and treatment initiatives, such as ODMAPS (Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program), a free, web-based tool that provides near real-time suspected overdose surveillance data. “Combatting drug trafficking is at the heart of my work as the U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of West Virginia,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey. “With overdose numbers still high in the Mountain State, there’s more work to do, and this new role will help further that mission.” Harvey joins an executive board that is responsible for assessing drug threats and determining ways to combat the threats, as well as working on initiatives to help prevent further harm to residents in the region. “The Washington/Baltimore HIDTA is proud to welcome U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey as Vice Chair of our Executive Board. As the chief federal law enforcement official for the Northern District of West Virginia—and a former prosecutor in both Berkeley and Kanawha Counties—Mr. Harvey brings deep experience, strong leadership, and a proven commitment to public safety. His insight and dedication will be invaluable as he helps guide the work of the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA and advance our mission in the region,” said Jeff Beeson, Executive Director, Washington/Baltimore HIDTA. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force and The Martinsburg Initiative - an evidence-based prevention program that focuses on aiding children in Berkeley County Schools – are both supported by HIDTA funding.


title: Oahu Man Indicted for Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Fletcher Bailey Kop, 41, of Oahu, Hawaii, was indicted on June 4, 2026 for receiving and possessing child pornography. Kop was previously charged by criminal complaint on April 21, 2026 and has been detained since his arrest. According to court records, Kop was identified as a potential witness to a burglary in December 2025. As part of the investigation, Kop consented to a search of his cellphone, which uncovered over 100 images of child pornography, including of girls aged 10-12 years old engaged in sexual acts with adult men. Federal investigators obtained a warrant to continue searching Kop’s phone and uncovered over 60 videos constituting child pornography. Some of the videos were of girls potentially as young as 5 years old. If convicted, Kop faces up to 20 years in prison, including a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, and fine of up to $250,000, plus a term of supervised release. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Eucker is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Jury Convicts Armed Career Criminal of Multiple Drug and Firearm Offenses

body_text: Orlando, FL – A federal jury has found Anthony Joseph Brulewicz, a/k/a “Tony Montana” (54, Port Orange) guilty of four counts of distribution or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of use, carry or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Brulewicz was charged as an Armed Career Criminal and now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, up to 205 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 31, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. Brulewicz was indicted on December 17, 2025 According to testimony or evidence presented at trial, Brulewicz sold a total of six firearms and approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant over five law enforcement-controlled purchases. The firearms included three pistols, two shotguns and a rifle, all sold from the defendant’s residence. During one of the drug trafficking offenses, the defendant used, carried or possessed a firearm in furtherance of that crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Port Orange Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Alexa McNeff. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Jury Convicts Springfield Man of Receiving Child Pornography and Using AI to Produce Obscene Images

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo. man, who was caught with multiple images of child pornography and used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to produce obscene images of children, was convicted by a federal jury. Jeremy Koppenhaver, 46, was found guilty on June 2, 2026, of one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of production of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. On June 22, 2024, the Springfield, Missouri Police Department responded to a coffee shop in downtown Springfield, after another customer reported that Koppenhaver, who was also at the coffee shop using their internet, was attempting to use AI to produce child pornography. The responding officers seized Koppenhaver’s laptop. Investigators conducted a forensic examination of the laptop and found multiple images of child pornography and multiple obscene images of children created by AI. All the images of child pornography depicted real children. The computer data from the obscene images showed that Koppenhaver was using an AI image generation website to depict female celebrities as minors who were being subjected to sexual abuse. Investigators also located images in which Koppenhaver used photo editing software to edit nude images of Koppenhaver into photographs that depicted nude girls. Data on the computer also demonstrated that Koppenhaver had multiple web searches looking for child pornography. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the United States District Court in Springfield deliberated for approximately 50 minutes before returning guilty verdicts to United States District Court Judge Megan Blair Benton, ending a trial that began on June 1, 2026. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie L. Wan and Randall Eggert. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Springfield, Missouri Police Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”


title: Indiana Man Sentenced for Assaulting Two Minors on an Aircraft

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: An Indiana man was sentenced on June 3 in U.S. District Court in Portland for assaulting two minor females who were passengers on an aircraft while it was in flight. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Aidan J. Carter , 27, to 30 days in jail to be followed by five years of probation involving strict conditions, including completing a sex offender evaluation and any recommended treatment. Carter pleaded guilty on December 10, 2025. According to court records, in December 2024, Carter was a passenger on a crowded aircraft flying to Portland. After take-off, he touched the thigh of a then 17-year-old female passenger seated next to him without her consent. After the 17-year-old victim pushed his hand away, Carter repeatedly reached across the aisle to grab and squeeze the upper thigh of a then 16-year-old female passenger whom he awoke from her sleep. Carter also reached in the direction of the 16-year-old female’s genitals. The FBI and the Portland Police Department investigated the case. 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: Repeat Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offense

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – Robert Anthony Yancy, Jr., 25, of Tampa, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Convicted felons are legally prohibited from possessing firearms because they have demonstrated through their criminality that they pose a danger to the law-abiding citizens of our community. Keeping our citizens safe from the predations of serial felons, like this defendant, remains a top priority for my office, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe streets our citizens deserve.” Court documents reflect that on the evening of January 2, 2026, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the defendant’s vehicle. During the stop, law enforcement detected the odor of marijuana and saw evidence of marijuana inside, which led to a search of the vehicle. In addition to locating marijuana and a scale with residue, law enforcement found a handgun in the vehicle. The defendant cannot possess a handgun because he is a six-time prior convicted felon. Yancy faces a maximum term of fifteen years’ imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting the case. Sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen Winsor. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Fraud Division Announces Federal–State Partnership in Ohio to Prosecute Fraud

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today announced unprecedented federal and state cooperation in Ohio in the fight against fraud, including partnerships and a data sharing agreement to enhance the detection and prosecution of fraud; federal and state charges against 9 defendants for their alleged participation in over $42 million in fraud; orders of detention this week for three defendants, with two additional defendants pending extradition in connection with an additional $15 million in fraud; and the creation of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list. The charges announced today involve numerous types of fraud, including health care fraud, government program fraud, and consumer fraud schemes. “Ohio is leading the charge in the fight against fraud, and some states should take notice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Working closely with Ohio officials, the Department of Justice dismantled a sophisticated Medicaid fraud scheme that exploited taxpayers to fund exotic cars and lavish lifestyles. By holding these fraudsters accountable and partnering with the FBI on a robust Most Wanted fraudster list, we are pursuing fraud more aggressively than ever. No fraud scheme is beyond our reach.” “The Fraud Division is building a replicable model to combat the full range of fraudsters that are preying on Americans across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s Fraud Division. “Whether its health care, emergency relief funds, or consumer frauds, fraudsters go where the money flows, and with our enhanced data analytics tools, dedicated prosecutors, and federal and state partners, the days of oversight lagging and accountability lacking are now over.” “As the cases announced today demonstrate, my Office will aggressively prosecute all forms of fraud by leveraging strong relationships with our federal and state partners,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick S. Gerace II. “In establishing the Southern District of Ohio Fraud Task Force, we have now reinforced those partnerships by formalizing our processes and injecting an even greater sense of urgency into our efforts to hold fraudsters accountable for pilfering taxpayer resources.” “The days of deception are over. As the stewards of your tax dollars, if we find evidence of willful and deliberate abuse of government programs, we will investigate and prosecute those individuals responsible to the full extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer, for the Northern District of Ohio. “We also commit to protecting our elderly who are so often targeted by conniving and scheming fraud rings who use scams that are deliberately designed to drain them of their life savings. With the full resources of this federal and state partnership, we are determined to rein in rampant fraud and bring criminals to justice.” “Today’s takedown of multiple healthcare companies and four individuals who allegedly robbed taxpayer funded Medicaid is the latest victory in the Trump administration’s total war on fraudsters,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Together with our interagency partners we seized 7 bank accounts worth $600,000 and 14 vehicles worth millions - all of which allegedly came as direct proceeds from robbing value community healthcare resources from Americans who needed it - many of which were Medicaid enrolled children. Furthermore, today we are launching the Vice President’s historic initiative of the “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list, representing some of the alleged worst of the worst who stole millions in taxpayer money - allowing federal law enforcement to mobilize the full weight of law enforcement to bring these individuals and more to justice. I want to thank Vice President Vance for his leadership of this task force, our interagency partners for their relentless work, and most importantly thank President Trump for showing America that fraud won’t be tolerated in this country any longer.” “These cases demonstrate that the days of fraudsters hiding behind shell companies, complex billing schemes, and other silos are coming to an end,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “By bringing together federal and state law enforcement, advanced data analytics, and unprecedented information sharing, we are building a national fraud-fighting model that identifies bad actors faster, protects taxpayer dollars, and safeguards the integrity of programs millions of Americans rely upon.” Building a National Model of Federal-State Cooperation In connection with these fraud enforcement actions, the Fraud Division, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Ohio Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and other partners announced the inaugural Fraud Division–State Partnership Roundtable in Ohio and the following innovative steps to enhance federal–state cooperation to detect, investigate, and prosecute fraud: The Fraud Division and the Ohio Secretary of State announced a data sharing agreement that provides the Fraud Division access to corporate registrant data held by the State of Ohio. Among other things, such data will be used in proactive data analysis to quickly identify ownership links between clinics, labs, and billing entities that fraudsters use to obscure control over health care fraud and other fraud schemes. The Ohio Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Ohio Auditor’s Office has served as a model for state and federal partnerships, and has reaffirmed its commitment to continue to (1) cross-designate or detail prosecutors to the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Strike Forces and U.S. Attorney’s Offices, as they did in prosecuting one of the cases announced today, (2) deconflict with federal partners on new Medicaid fraud investigations monthly to ensure state-federal coordination, and/or (3) participate in national initiatives in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are working with Ohio to identify Medicaid fraud and refer any appropriate criminal matters to the Fraud Division through CMS’s participation in the Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center. These steps demonstrate how state and federal partners can work together to strengthen fraud detection, share information, and accelerate enforcement efforts nationwide. The inaugural Fraud Division–State Partnership Roundtable included, alongside the top leadership of the Department of Justice and federal law-enforcement and public health agencies, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, and Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson. The Department encourages every state across the country to partner with the Fraud Division on similar efforts. Behavioral Health Fraud In the Southern District of Ohio, four defendants were charged in connection with an over $30 million behavioral health scheme. Two defendants owned and operated behavioral health services organizations that claimed to provide therapeutic behavioral services and psychotherapy to children and young adults attending summer camps, church groups and recreational programs. As alleged, the defendants conspired to submit false and fraudulent claims for services that were medically unnecessary and not provided as represented. After one company failed to renew its credentialing with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and was no longer able to submit claims for mental health services to Medicaid, the defendants then allegedly conspired with a co-defendant to continue submitting the fraudulent claims through a different entity. In connection with these charges, the Department seized three bank accounts with $469K in funds and 14 vehicles worth $800K, including six Mercedes Benz, a Bentley, a BMW, a Jaguar, a Maserati, two Land Rovers, a GMC, and a McLaren. The case is being investigated by HHS-OIG, the FBI, and Ohio’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Kenneth F. Affeldt and Justin Sheridan and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Walter and Jonathan Metzler from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Office are prosecuting the case. In Butler County Common Pleas Court, Robert Haley, 63, of Cincinnati, was charged by indictment with an over $12 million scheme to fraudulently bill Medicaid for therapeutic behavioral services that were not actually provided to children in Butler County after-school programs. The case is being prosecuted by Ohio’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in Butler County Common Pleas Court. Government Program Fraud In the Southern District of Ohio, four defendants were charged in a conspiracy scheme to defraud the government out of more than $1.4 million in Covid-19 relief funds. The defendants allegedly submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of businesses, including health care providers, and applications for forgiveness to the Small Business Administration (SBA), prompting the SBA and its lenders to approve the loans and ultimately forgive the entire amount of each loan. Defendants allegedly provided false information on their PPP loan applications, claiming their businesses generated more than $100,000 in gross income for the 2019 tax year, submitted a fraudulent 1040 Schedule C with their applications, and misused the proceeds on personal expenses. The case was investigated by SBA-OIG and VA-OIG. Assistant United States Attorney Liz McCormick and Special Assistant United States Attorney Dwight Keller are prosecuting the case. Consumer Fraud In the Northern District of Ohio, Jamal Abubakari, aka Jamal Abubakar, aka Arrangement, 22, of Accra, Ghana; Kamal Abubakari, aka Kamal Abubakar, aka Lancaster, 22, of Accra, Ghana; and Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, aka Amanda Joy Glum, aka Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman, 53 were ordered detained this week in connection with an over $15 million romance scam that defrauded over 130 victims across the United States. Frederick Kumi, aka Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, aka Abu Trica, 31, of Swedru, Ghana; and Daniel Yussif, aka Denteni, aka Slab, 31, of Accra, Ghana, are awaiting extradition. According to allegations in the three indictments, from about July 2024 to April 2026, the defendants targeted older Americans on dating websites and social media platforms to engage in romance fraud schemes. They employed advanced techniques including artificial intelligence-driven video platforms to engage victims under fictitious female personas. After being misled by false stories, the victims sent money via wire transfer to financial accounts controlled by conspiracy members, which were further transferred to co-conspirators in Ghana and elsewhere. The operation involved search and arrest operations in Ghana – assets seized are estimated to amount to over $3 million and include a Lamborghini, Tesla Cybertruck, Mercedes Benz, and BMW. This investigation highlights the successful collaboration between numerous international and national partners, including the Ghana Attorney General’s Office; Economic Organized Crime Office (EOCO); Ghana Police Service (GPS); Ghana Cyber Security Authority; Ghana Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC); Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre; Ghana Immigration Service; Ghana National Intelligence Bureau; DEA’s Sensitive Investigations Unit; Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs; U.S. Department of State; FBI Washington Field Office; and FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra. The Department of Justice remains committed to dismantling complex international cyber fraud networks and protecting U.S. citizens from financial exploitation. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian McDonough and Elliot Morrison of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case. FBI Most Wanted Fraudsters List To enhance the fight against health care fraud, program fraud, and other fraud schemes, the FBI today announced the “Most Wanted Fraudsters” program to publicize fugitive fraudsters. The FBI recognizes the need for public assistance in tracking fugitives. Apprehensions off of the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” have been the result of citizen recognition of “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” publicity. The FBI, Department of Justice, and other law enforcement partners are committed to using every means available to apprehend the Most Wanted Fraudsters. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Jamestown man going to prison on meth charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ruben Medina, 20, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. On September 11, 2024, Medina was pulled over by a Jamestown Police officer because of an outstanding probation warrant. Initially, he refused to exit the vehicle but later complied and was taken into custody. A search of Medina recovered approximately 109 grams of methamphetamine. Previously, on June 25, 2024, a search warrant was executed at a Newland Avenue residence associated with Medina. Investigators seized cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, suboxone strips, $200 cash, a digital scale, and a firearm. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Emergency Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Forster. # # # #


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Stephen D. Nicholas, 31, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 24, 2024, Nicholas sold a substance containing 20.94 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Oak Hill, West Virginia, in exchange for $1,200. As part of his guilty plea, Nicholas admitted to conducting the transaction. Nicholas further admitted to selling a 27.91-gram mixture of fentanyl and heroin in exchange for $1,200 in Oak Hill on April 29, 2024, 10.87 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $600 in Fayetteville on May 2, 2024, and 10.93 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $600 in Fayetteville on May 7, 2024. All three transactions were with a confidential informant. Nicholas also admitted that he intended to distribute 24.544 grams of fentanyl and 97.04 grams of cocaine seized by law enforcement while executing a search warrant on May 9, 2024, at a residence Nicholas was associated with in Oak Hill. Officers also seized four firearms, assorted ammunition including three loaded AR-15 magazines, and $2,484 including $600 in prerecorded buy money from the controlled purchases during the search. Nicholas is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum 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. 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. 2:26-cr-33. ###


title: Teen Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery Spree in the Capitol Hill Neighborhood

body_text: WASHINGTON – Dereon Butler, 18, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to charges related to an armed robbery spree in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, in December 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Ten innocent people on their morning commute were terrorized at gunpoint by these teens who viewed Capitol Hill as their hunting ground,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These were deliberate, targeted robberies that left residents fearing for their lives. Age does not excuse violent crime and anyone who picks up a gun to commit a robbery in this city will face the consequences and be held to account.” Butler pleaded guilty to three counts of armed robbery in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Butler was charged as an adult pursuant to Title 16 at the time of the offenses. His co-defendant, Markell Butler, 17, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and was sentenced on May 1, 2026. The Honorable Judge Errol Arthur scheduled sentencing for August 31, 2026. According to the government’s evidence, in the early-morning hours of December 2, 2024, Butler and his co-conspirators utilized a stolen gray Kia Sorento and a stolen red Lexus sedan to go to the Capitol Hill neighborhood with the intention of locating and targeting commuting pedestrians to rob them at gunpoint. In all, ten different unsuspecting pedestrians were approached, across numerous locations, had a firearm brandished at them, and were robbed of their wallets, purses, cellphones, and other personal belongings. Butler then fled each scene before the police could arrive. Dereon Butler was arrested on July 22, 2025, and has been in custody since. Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy. 2025 CF3 008425


title: Seymour Man Charged with Defrauding Wholesale Food Suppliers

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, Northeastern Region, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a 10-count indictment charging MICHAEL SALVAGGI, 61, of Seymour, with offenses related to his alleged defrauding wholesale food companies of hundreds of thousands dollars. The indictment was returned on May 28, 2026. Salvaggi has been detained since March 7, 2026, when he was arrested in St. John’s County, Florida, pursuant to related state charges in Pennsylvania. He is scheduled to be arraigned in New Haven on June 18. As alleged in court documents, Salvaggi, representing that he owned trucking and wholesale food businesses in various names, including “A.J. Produce LLC,” “Express Transportation,” “Salvaggi Brothers Trucking,” and “Express Fresh Produce & Dairy,” contacted wholesale food suppliers in Connecticut and elsewhere and arranged to purchase quantities of food on credit or payment on delivery or pickup. After the suppliers provided him with food, he paid them with fraudulent checks. Numerous wholesale food companies suffered total losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars are a result of this scheme. The indictment charges Salvaggi with eight counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, one count of mail fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of interstate transport of property taken by fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile. Investigators are seeking to identify victims of this alleged fraud scheme. Victims and individuals with information that may be helpful to the investigation are encouraged to complete and submit the form at this link .


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Justin Antonio Jones, 40, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced today to six years and five 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 September 29, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in Mingo County, West Virginia. During the traffic stop, officers heard what they believed was the sound of a slide moving on a semi-automatic firearm coming from the area of another vehicle parked nearby. Officers investigated the sound and encountered Jones standing by the other vehicle. Jones ignored officers when they directed him to show his hands and began walking away. Officers saw Jones place an object beneath the passenger side front tire of that vehicle and recovered a Keltec model PF-9 9mm pistol from that spot. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Jones knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance on October 27, 2008, and on May 22, 2012, both in Mingo County Circuit Court. Jones has a criminal history that includes four additional felony convictions, also for drug offenses, and was serving a term of probation imposed in Kentucky at the time of his current offense. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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-191. ###


title: Worcester Man Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Pill Operation

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for drug offenses involving methamphetamine and materials used for pressing illicit pills. Tong Tran, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 138 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2026 , Tran pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances after being charged in April 2025 . On or about Sept. 19, 2024, Tran was identified shipping a package at a Worcester Post Office. A search of the package revealed approximately 2.4 kilograms of orange pills containing methamphetamine – concealed in the packaging of a children’s toy. A partial fingerprint on the wrapping materials inside the box belonged to Tran. Tran was also photographed shipping two other packages containing methamphetamine pills. On April 14, 2025, during a search of Tran’s residence, a pill press, binding agent and additional equipment used to manufacture pills, including pill dyes were located. The search also resulted in the seizure of 3.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately $8,000 in cash. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Auburn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.