title: Manhattan Man Charged With Dealing Fentanyl Resulting In The Deaths Of Two Victims

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Pete Gizas, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JERMAINE BROWN with drug-trafficking crimes that led to two fatal overdoses. BROWN was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang and ordered detained. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. “As alleged, for years, Jermaine Brown dealt dangerous drugs, including heroin laced with fentanyl, to New Yorkers,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s unsealed indictment against Brown reiterates our Office’s clear message: if you deal in fentanyl, you deal in death, and our office will hold you accountable.” “As alleged, Jermaine Brown callously pumped heroin laced with fentanyl into our communities, and in turn contributed to the horrific overdose deaths of two victims,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas. “His arrest removes an accused ruthless drug trafficker from our streets and provides a measure of long-overdue relief to the victims’ families and the neighborhoods he preyed upon. Every day, HSI New York is relentlessly committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the NYPD, and our invaluable law enforcement partners to investigate these heinous crimes and protect our communities from the lethal threat of fentanyl and other narcotics.” “As alleged, this defendant distributed lethal drugs, including fentanyl-laced heroin, which ultimately led to the overdose deaths of two victims,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “We will not allow drug peddlers to flood our communities with dangerous poisons and put lives at risk without facing consequences. Thanks to the efforts of our NYPD investigators, alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, we are holding this criminal accountable.” As alleged in the Indictment and documents submitted to the Court: From at least in or around 2022 through at least in or around December 2025, BROWN, a Manhattan-based dealer, sold a variety of controlled substances, including heroin, to numerous customers. BROWN provided drugs to some customers over extended periods of time. Some of BROWN’s customers, however, were unaware that heroin sold by BROWN also at times contained fentanyl. Multiple victims who bought fentanyl-laced heroin from BROWN were poisoned by BROWN’s fentanyl and died. Specifically, BROWN’s drugs caused a least two overdose deaths: (i) the death of a 33-year-old man on or about March 19, 2024, in New York, New York and (ii) the death of a 35-year-old woman on or about December 10, 2025, in Frankin Square, New York. BROWN relied on multiple coconspirators to facilitate his drug trafficking. Multiple individuals sourced narcotics for BROWN, including in response to explicit requests from BROWN for fentanyl. BROWN also relied on multiple individuals to assist in the distribution of narcotics by delivering or reselling BROWN’s narcotics, including fentanyl, to others. On June 25, 2026, law enforcement searched Brown’s room in a Manhattan hotel pursuant to a judicially authorized warrant. The search revealed a multitude of narcotics in pill and powder form, along with a duffel bag full of cash. Photographs of some of the seized items are shown below: * * * BROWN, 55, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and two counts of distribution of narcotics resulting in death, all of which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Nassau County Police Department. The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger and Lauren Phillips are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 81 Months for Aggravated Identity Theft, Bank Fraud and Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced David Watkins, 31 , to 81 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, bank fraud, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, Bartlett Police Department investigators responded to a burglary at Keytrader, an automotive locksmith business, on June 28, 2022, where suspects stole various equipment and key fobs. While fleeing the scene, one suspect dropped a cell phone. Examination of the cell phone assisted investigators in identifying Watkins as one of the suspects of the burglary. While executing search warrants at addresses associated with Watkins, Bartlett Police detectives located the equipment and key fobs stolen from Keytrader, along with notebooks and documentation evidencing vehicle theft, bank fraud, and identity theft. Further investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Social Security Administration revealed that Watkins had committed aggravated identity theft and bank fraud by using personal identifying information of various individuals to create fraudulent bank accounts and causing unauthorized withdrawals of funds from victims’ bank accounts to be deposited into accounts controlled by Watkins. Additionally, Watkins fraudulently possessed numerous counterfeit and unauthorized social security numbers with the intent to commit fraud. On July 27, 2022, Bartlett Police investigators located Watkins at a residence in Memphis entering a 1999 GMC Sierra which had previously been reported stolen. When officers approached Watkins, he fled on foot, dropping bags containing a FN America 9mm caliber pistol, key programmers, key fobs, and a face covering. On the evening of February 23, 2023, Memphis Police officers observed a silver Mercedes G500 being driven with no license plate and with its headlights off. When officers approached, the driver, who was identified as Watkins, fled on foot and tossed a Springfield Armory 9mm caliber pistol while running. The Mercedes G500 had also previously been reported stolen. On January 9, 2026, Watkins pled guilty to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. On June 24, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Watkins to 81 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Watkins’ diversified portfolio of criminality finally caught up with him. He is clearly an opportunist who was willing to repeatedly victimize and endanger citizens by any means available, and this federal prison sentence is well deserved.” This case was investigated by the Bartlett Police Department, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Social Security Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. 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. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: 450 New Immigration Cases Filed in Western District of Texas in 2 Weeks

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 450 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 12 through June 25, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes including assault and homicide, sex crimes against children, thefts, and multiple prior removals. Among the new cases, convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico, Jose Gilberto Padilla-Yepez , was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Padilla-Yepez has been deported four times, the last one being in August 2022. His lengthy criminal record includes a 1991 homicide conviction and three previous burglary convictions in Dallas, a conviction in Nebraska for theft over $1,500, and a conviction in Arizona for robbery, assault, sexual assault, burglary and kidnapping. Also an illegal alien from Mexico, Juan Antonio Gonzalez Escamilla was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. In January, Gonzalez Escamilla was convicted of illegal re-entry for the second time and deported for the sixth time immediately after. In addition to the two immigration convictions, Gonzalez Escamilla’s criminal record includes three DWI convictions. Martin Flores-Romero was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry near Eagle Pass on June 19. Flores-Romero is an illegal alien from Mexico who was deported for the second time in December 2025. He was convicted three times in 2023: once for tampering with government records, once for assault causing bodily injury, and once for terroristic threat causing imminent fear. Pedro Euceda-Aguero , an illegal alien from Honduras, is charged with illegal re-entry after he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Eagle Pass on June 19. Euceda-Aguero was removed from the U.S. for the fourth time in December 2022. He has been previously convicted of four DWIs as well as escape from custody. Illegal alien from Mexico, Francisco Javier Perez-Solis , was charged with illegal re-entry in San Antonio. Perez-Solis was encountered at the Atascosa County Jail in Jourdanton after he was arrested for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. He was transferred to ICE custody on June 24. In addition to the recent assault conviction, Perez-Solis’s criminal history includes three DWI convictions. He has been removed from the U.S. twice, the last being in June 2024. Jose Humberto Gonzalez Calderon , an illegal alien from Mexico, was found in the Hays County Jail, where he was being held after receiving a deferred adjudication probation for a child grooming charge. He was transferred into ICE custody on June 16. Gonzalez Calderon’s criminal record includes convictions for a DWI and possession of a controlled substance in 2020, and a criminal trespass conviction in 2021. He was removed from the U.S. to Mexico in December 2021. Carlos Emmanuel Gonzalez-Chavez, also an illegal alien from Mexico found in the Hays County Jail, was serving a sentence for assault causing bodily injury prior to being transferred to ICE custody. In 2025, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance. Gonzalez-Chavez, who was previously removed from the U.S. in 2019, now faces a federal charge for illegal re-entry. U.S. citizen Tony Nefi Deanda was charged with alien smuggling in El Paso. U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station apprehended eight undocumented minors near Socorro after the aliens crossed the Rio Grande River and used a ladder to climb over the international boundary fence. An investigation led the agents to identify Deanda as the alleged smuggler in contact with the apprehended aliens. Deanda was later detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry, arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station for further investigation. In 2021, Deanda was convicted of importation of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 37 months in prison. Michelle Aimee Rivera , also a U.S. citizen and a convicted alien smuggler, was arrested after attempting to enter the U.S. through the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry on June 12. At the POE, her prior history of alien smuggling, including smuggling of minors, activated an alert and investigatory hold for her entry into the U.S. The investigation revealed that Rivera had allegedly smuggled a female child into the U.S. through the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry on June 5 using her daughter’s U.S. birth certificate. Rivera also stated, according to a criminal complaint, that she was paid $1,000 to smuggle the child and that she recorded a video of the video to send to a co-conspirator via cell phone, as she had been instructed to do. In 2017, Rivera was convicted of bringing in and harboring aliens and was sentenced to 24 months of probation. Guadalupe Guerrero is charged with alien smuggling following her arrest on June 18. U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station tracked a van from Fabens to El Paso. The van was allegedly identified as being involved in a previous alien smuggling attempt in April. According to a criminal complaint, the agents observed multiple subjects, appearing wet and muddy, exit the van and enter an apartment. Later that morning, agents allegedly observed Guerrero arrive at the apartment in a large SUV. The agents investigated the apartment, which was noted in the complaint as being dirty and unkempt with scattered trash and a foul smell. Inside, the agents allegedly encountered Guerrero with her seven children. Further investigation revealed that Guerrero was allegedly housing illegal aliens and coordinating with a smuggler. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to Over 78 Years in Federal Prison for Three Business Robberies

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Maurice Harris , 32 , to 946 months and a day in federal prison for committing a series of business robberies by discharging a firearm and violating the conditions of his supervised release from a previous case. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, Harris conducted a series of armed robberies of businesses within the Western District of Tennessee: October 4, 2024 - Metro by T-Mobile - 4673 Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, TN October 7, 2024 - Cricket Wireless - 1129 S. Dupress Street, Brownsville, TN October 10, 2024 - AT&T- 5287 Airline Road, Memphis, TN In each robbery, he pretended to be a customer, then produced a handgun and demanded the store’s phones and tablets. During the robbery of the Brownsville Cricket Wireless store, a 5-year-old child was present. Investigators found the driver’s license identification of Harris that he left behind at the store when he fled. He was arrested at his place of employment in possession of the same handgun used in each of the robberies, in the same car he drove to each of the robberies, along with items stolen from two of the robberies. All three incidents were recorded on store surveillance videos, and Harris was identified in a photo line-up and later in court by each of the victims. Harris had a prior federal conviction for a business robbery and had just been placed on supervised release in June 2024 when he committed the new robberies. After a three-day trial, Harris was convicted as charged of three counts of robbery, three counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 23, 2026, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Harris to 900 months and a day of federal imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release for the robberies and an additional 46 months’ imprisonment for violating his supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “There is a heavy price to pay for a lifestyle of lawlessness. Within the short span of 7 days, this recidivist violent offender’s selfish and impulsive greed terrorized multiple victims across West Tennessee – and has rightly earned him an effective life sentence in federal prison." "Maurice Harris engaged in an armed spree of violence and intimidation," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "This sentence should serve as a reminder that the FBI will not waver when it comes to protecting Tennesseans and taking dangerous criminals off the streets. The FBI will continue to combat these issues through strong partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement via task forces and other relationships to ensure the safety of our communities." This case was investigated by officers from the Memphis Police Department assigned to the FBI Nashville Field Office-Memphis Resident Agency’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Brownsville Police Department, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates


title: Former U.S. National Security Advisor John R. Bolton, II Pleads Guilty to Violating the Espionage Act

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: John R. Bolton, II, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in federal court to willfully retaining national defense information. Bolton used personal accounts to send classified information to family members who were unauthorized to access such information, including a personal email account that was later hacked by a cyber actor allegedly linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran. “John Bolton held a position of extraordinary public trust as the country’s top National Security Advisor, and he betrayed that trust, jeopardizing our nation’s security,” said Hayden O’Byrne, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division. “Today’s resolution ought to send a message to other public officials whom the public has entrusted with classified, national defense information. If you willfully mishandle these state secrets, the Department of Justice, led by the National Security Division, will investigate and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” “Mr. Bolton knew the damage mishandling confidential material could cause to national security, and yet he still committed this misconduct and put American lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O’Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Keeping Americans safe has always been, and will always be, the top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. No one is above the law, and so anyone who endangers our national security will be brought to justice.” “By his own admission — and with full knowledge it was a violation of his oath as a former security clearance holder — John Bolton willfully copied top secret information into his personal notes and then transmitted those secrets to unauthorized family members,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “As a former national security advisor, Bolton knew such careless disregard for the law could open the door for foreign adversaries to get their hands on incredibly sensitive and classified information, and that’s exactly what happened in this case. His plea stands as a critical reminder: The FBI will remain steadfast in our pursuit of all who place the security of America’s secrets and its citizens at risk.” “Americans’ safety and security were needlessly put at risk by Bolton's reckless and illegal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “In this case, the worst happened — our most sensitive government secrets were stolen by an adversary. Today's guilty plea is a testament to the diligent work by investigators and prosecutors to ensure anyone jeopardizing our national security is held accountable.” Bolton served as the National Security Advisor to the President of the United States between April 2018 and September 2019. According to court documents, during this time, Bolton incorporated highly sensitive classified information that he had learned in the course of his official duties into documents that he wrote about his daily activities, which he referred to as “diary” entries. The documents contained information classified up to the TOP SECRET level, as well as Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), including foreign adversaries’ military operation plans, covert U.S. government actions in foreign countries, and intelligence about adversary foreign leaders obtained from clandestine human sources and intercepted communications. Bolton sent these documents to two family members who were not authorized to access, receive, or possess classified information. He sent the documents via non-governmental email accounts and a non-governmental messaging application which were not approved for processing classified information, and he retained copies at his home in Bethesda where they were not permitted to be stored. According to court documents, Bolton’s personal email account was hacked by a cyber actor believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran after Bolton left office in September 2019. Bolton reported that hack to law enforcement but did not tell the agents or anyone else in the U.S. government that the account contained national defense information. In October 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Maryland indicted Bolton on 18 counts of willfully transmitting and retaining national defense information. The plea agreement filed today resolves all 18 counts. According to the plea agreement, Bolton will face a maximum penalty of 60 months in prison. The defendant also agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine. Further, under federal law as noted in the plea agreement, Bolton’s conviction prohibits Bolton or his survivors from collecting an annuity or federal retirement pay. The Hon. Theodore D. Chuang, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Maryland, set Bolton’s sentencing date for Oct. 28. The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case with key support from FBI’s Counterintelligence & Espionage Division, FBI New York Office, and FBI’s Operational Technology Division. Acting Deputy Chief Tanner Kroeger and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. Multiple former prosecutors in both offices made significant contributions to the yearslong investigation. This release includes an updated quote from the FBI.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to Nearly Eight Years in Prison for Fraudulently Arranging Utility Services in Exchange for Fees

body_text: CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison for fraudulently arranging utility services to be provided to 2,000 properties in exchange for fees. DAVID W. BROWN offered to arrange electricity and natural gas services for residential and commercial properties in the Chicago area in return for fees. After finding property owners and tenants willing to pay him, Brown opened new accounts for utility services at their addresses, knowing that neither he nor the purported customer intended to pay for it. Brown knew it would typically take from 90 days to several months for the utility companies to disconnect service for lack of payment, allowing the addresses to receive free services for significant periods of time. Brown opened the accounts using false customer names and identifying information to deceive the service providers. Once a utility company initiated the process to terminate service, Brown often continued the service by fraudulently opening new accounts in the names of different false customers at the same address. Brown typically received payments ranging from $50 to $150 every few months from the property owners and tenants who received the services. From 2017 to 2024, Brown caused Commonwealth Edison, Nicor Gas, and People’s Gas to fraudulently provide at least $8.5 million in services to more than two thousand residential and commercial properties in the Chicago area. Brown, 56, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to a federal wire fraud charge. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt sentenced Brown to 92 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay approximately $8.5 million in restitution to Commonwealth Edison, Nicor Gas, and People’s Gas. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. “Defendant’s scheme caused significant losses to local utility service providers,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick D. Young argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The fees collected by defendant demonstrate that his primary motivation was to benefit himself.”


title: Dominican National Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Fernando Rivas, age 46, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was indicted on June 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Rivas illegally reentered the United States and was found in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on June 11, 2026. Rivas was removed from the United States through Alexandria, Louisiana, on April 7, 2015, after a conviction for an aggravated felony. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evelyn M. Stoner is prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF York comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.


title: West Warwick Man Pleads Guilty to Steroid Distribution Charge

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: Providence - A West Warwick man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to possession with intent to distribute a Schedule III controlled substance. Edmond Paolucci, 67, pleaded guilty on June 23, 2026, to possession with intent to distribute Mesterolone, a Schedule III controlled substance. Under the terms of his plea agreement, additional charges pending against him will be dismissed at sentencing. Paolucci is scheduled to be sentenced on September 21, 2026. According to court documents, investigators executed a search warrant at Paolucci’s residence and seized more than 128,000 pills and more than 1,000 liquid-filled glass vials containing at least seven different steroids and other pharmaceuticals. Additional controlled substances were recovered from a post office box linked to the investigation. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, at least four years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1 million, and a mandatory special assessment. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. The matter was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Mansfield, Massachusetts Police Department


title: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Federal Prison  for Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Jesus Aranda-Martinez, age 25, from Mexico and living in Rock Valley, Iowa, was sentenced today to six years’ imprisonment in federal court in Sioux City. Aranda-Martinez pled guilty on February 6, 2026, to one count of possession of child pornography. Aranda-Martinez is a citizen of Mexico and is currently pending removal from the United States following his prison sentence. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from April 2024 through July 2025, Aranda-Martinez received, distributed, and possessed child pornography. Aranda-Martinez admitted he used several chat apps and that he likes females in middle school or younger. Aranda-Martinez admitted he had received child sexual abuse material over the internet, including depictions of children having sex with adults. A forensic review of Aranda-Martinez’s phone showed he distributed child pornography in “send to receive” groups. He possessed at least 62 images and 42 videos of child pornography. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct with prepubescent minors. 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.” 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 United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Aranda-Martinez to 108 months’ imprisonment along with a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Aranda-Martinez was also ordered to pay $3,100 in fees and assessments. Aranda-Martinez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Valley Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-4053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Vehicle with Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Firearms Lands Woman in Prison

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg, West Virginia woman was sentenced to 140 months in prison for selling hundreds of grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Taylor Danielle Jenkins, 32, distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in Harrison County. During two traffic stops, investigators seized more than 800 grams of methamphetamine, 203 grams of fentanyl, three firearms, and $6,006 in cash from her vehicle. Jenkins was ordered to forfeit the three firearms, associated ammunition, and cash. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Philippi Police Department investigated. Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Former school board president gets 40 years after sexually exploiting minor relative

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 61-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Jerry James Svatek Jr. pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now sentenced Svatek to 480 months for the production and possession of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 480-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard Svatek previously served as president of the Boling Independent School District Board of Trustees and had joined an underground online community where he continued distributing images of a close family relative. The court also considered information from the impact statements from the parents of the minor which detailed the harm Svatek caused to the family. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the particularly egregious nature of the offense by exploited his position within the family. Svatek was further ordered to pay $78,500 in restitution to the victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Authorities identified Svatek in 2025 when conducting undercover investigations into an online forum known as FetLife – a social networking platform designed for people interested in alternative sexual lifestyles. It revealed Svatek was sharing child sexual abuse material online. During undercover conversations with Svatek, he exchanged multiple images taken from videos of himself with the victim. In some messages, he discussed the desire to have sex with prepubescent minors and admitted to sexual contact with at least one three-year-old victim and sought others that engaged in similar conduct. On June 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle where they seized a cellular phone. Forensic examination of the device revealed more than approximately 150 videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The images depicted prepubescent victims as young as six months of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Svatek admitted to creating videos and distributing still images over the messaging platform. Svatek admitted to creating videos of the minor relative in the bathtub and distributing the still images over the messaging platform. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Boone County, North Carolina, Police Department; Texas Rangers; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; and Wharton County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer K. Teper prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Defendant Previously Convicted of Murder Sentenced to Decade in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking Following Joint Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement Operation

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that James Andre Banks, 39, was sentenced to a decade in prison for his role trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in South Minneapolis while also illegally possessing several firearms. According to court documents, local, state, and federal law enforcement surged resources to a known problem area in Minneapolis to conduct a Focused Enforcement Detail. During the Detail, a law enforcement surveillance officer detected Banks conducting suspected narcotics transactions in South Minneapolis near Park Ave and East Lake Street. Officers from multiple agencies, including the Minneapolis and Metro Transit Police Departments, surrounded Banks and carried out a search of his person and vehicle. When approached by officers, Banks fled on foot and tossed a firearm. The firearm Banks dropped was recovered by officers and identified as a Taurus G2C semi-automatic pistol equipped with an extended magazine with 18 rounds of ammunition and another round loaded in the chamber. On Mr. Banks’ person, officers found a second firearm, a Glock Model 17, also equipped with an extended magazine with 24 rounds of ammunition. At the time of his arrest, Banks was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time, due to prior convictions under Minnesota law for Second-Degree Intentional Murder and Second-Degree Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Banks was on state parole for his previous murder and assault convictions when he was arrested. On Banks’ person and in his vehicle, officers found distribution quantities of crystal methamphetamine and cocaine. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prosecute the most serious violent felons who illegally possess firearms and traffic dangerous drugs,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. According to Chief Bill Peterson of the Minneapolis Police Department, “Taking dangerous offenders involved in drug trafficking and illegal firearm offenses off our streets makes our communities safer. We appreciate the work of everyone involved in bringing this case to the sentencing stage, and we remain committed to continuing our work to hold violent offenders accountable.” “James Banks had already served roughly 15 years for murder and a violent assault. Within months of his release, and while still under court supervision, he chose to return to the streets armed with two loaded pistols and a stash of drugs,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Spence Burnett of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “Banks had every opportunity to walk away from that life and made the opposite choice at every turn. ATF and our partners will keep holding repeat violent offenders accountable, because that is how we protect our community.” Banks pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026, to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and cocaine. This case was the result of collaboration and investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department, with forensic science laboratory support from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Sentencing took place today before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim in Minneapolis. Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Green and Mary S. Riverso are prosecuting the case.


title: Fallbrook Man Admits Dosing His Children with Hallucinogenic Mushrooms

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Randal Vance pleaded guilty in federal court today to multiple drug charges, admitting he dosed his children with hallucinogenic drugs and led a conspiracy that employed the children to help cultivate, produce and distribute the psilocybin mushrooms at locations in Fallbrook and Bonsall. Vance, the ringleader of the conspiracy, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to use a minor to produce and distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distributing a controlled substance to minors, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Two co-defendants - his wife Rebecca Vance and friend Keir Ceballos-Rivera - previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. In his plea agreement, Randal Vance admitted his boys were 9 and 11 when the conspiracy to produce psilocybin began at locations on Ash Street in Fallbrook and Lilac Road in Bonsall. Psilocybin mushrooms are a controlled substance that act as hallucinogenic drugs, inducing altered states of consciousness and vivid sensory experiences. The defendant admitted in his plea agreement that he maintained two websites, psillyrabbit.com and psillyrabbitmushrooms.com, as well as the Instagram page psillyrabbitca, to market and sell psilocybin. He sold whole dried and freeze-dried psilocybin mushrooms over the internet as well as chocolates containing psilocybin and capsules containing pure psilocybin. Randal Vance admitted providing psilocybin capsules for his oldest son, age 12 at that time, to sell to his friends. He also admitted providing the drug to his wife, Rebecca Vance, to distribute to others. According to his plea agreement, beginning around October 2023, Randal Vance began dosing the 9- and 11-year-old victims with psilocybin capsules every other day, increasing to every day by 2024. According to the plea agreement, on October 4, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants on the Fallbrook and Bonsall locations. At the Ash Street location, law enforcement recovered approximately 204 pounds of fresh psilocybin mushrooms, 53 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms, 18 pounds of inoculated substrate to grow psilocybin mushrooms, and equipment used to grow, harvest, and process psilocybin mushrooms. At the Lilac Road location, law enforcement recovered approximately 25 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms and five pounds of psilocybin capsules. Law enforcement officials also seized six firearms from the Lilac Road location: a Glock 34 pistol, a Walther P22 pistol, a Henry Survival AR7 rifle, a Smith and Wesson revolver, an H&R Model 900 revolver, and a Browning 30-06 rifle. None of the firearms were locked up, and loaded magazines were found next to the Glock 34 and Walther P22. Randal Vance was arrested that day. Prior to his federal arrest, he was out on bond pending state charges. After Randal Vance’s arrest by local law enforcement, he and his co-defendants conspired together to destroy evidence by deleting phone messages and taking down the websites Randal Vance had used to distribute psilocybin, the plea agreement said Randal Vance is scheduled to be sentenced September 18 at 9 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie . Rebecca Vance is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17; Keir Ceballos-Rivera on August 28. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Benjamin. If you are concerned that your child may have been exposed to illegal drugs as a result of the activities alleged in this case, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip . DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-cr-00817 Randal Vance Age: 43 Fallbrook, CA Rebecca Vance Age: 42 Oceanside, CA Keir Ceballos-Rivera Age: 34 Oceanside, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Employ or Use Minors to Violate the Controlled Substances Act – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841, 846, and 861(a) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance- – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841 and 846 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison Distribution of a Controlled Substance to Minors– Title 21, U.S.C., Section 859(a) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice- – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1503(a), (b)(3), and 371 Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration San Diego Sheriff’s Department


title: Man Taken into Custody in Somalia for Role in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota—one of the orchestrators of the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme—was taken into custody on June 25, 2026, in Mogadishu, Somalia. Eidleh was among the defendants originally charged by indictment in the Feeding Our Future scheme on September 13, 2022. The indictment alleges 31 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. According to court documents, Eidleh was an employee of Feeding Our Future who was responsible for recruiting and supporting Federal Child Nutrition Program sites under Feeding Our Future’s sponsorship. He and other Feeding Our Future employees solicited and received bribes and kickbacks from individuals and companies seeking approval to operate fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program sites. The indictment describes Feeding Our Future as operating a pay‑to‑play scheme in which operators of fraudulent meal sites kicked back a portion of their illicit proceeds to employees, including Eidleh, often disguised as “consulting fees” through shell companies. The indictment alleges that Eidleh created his own Federal Child Nutrition Program sites in the name of nominee owners and fraudulently claimed that the sites were serving meals to thousands of children per day. He also created shell companies purporting to be meal vendors for those sites and created and submitted fraudulent invoices to obtain, misappropriate, and defraud federal nutrition program funds. Eidleh deposited more than $5 million in kickbacks, bribes, and other fraud proceeds into accounts associated with his shell companies, using them to conceal the true nature and source of the illegally obtained funds. “This defendant was a central figure in one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesota history,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “He not only stole taxpayer dollars, but he also robbed vulnerable children of critical resources they desperately needed. Rather than answer for his crimes in the United States, he fled to Somalia in a futile attempt to evade justice. That attempt ended thanks to the exceptional work of our FBI partners. The Department of Justice will continue to track down and prosecute fraudsters wherever they run and wherever they hide.” “Eidleh’s capture shows that, if you commit fraud against the American taxpayer, and try hiding across the globe, the long arm of justice will find you,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “We salute the FBI’s work in finding Eidleh, and are grateful to all our federal and international partners that help us hold accountable those who defraud our government.” “With the apprehension of Abdikerm Eidleh, the FBI's partnerships with law enforcement worldwide again send a message – the FBI’s reach is far and wide, we will track down and bring to justice any fugitive, from anywhere,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “According to the indictment, Eidleh's alleged fraud took millions of dollars from programs designed for children and families in need. When the alleged fraud was uncovered, he unwisely tried to hide from justice on the other side of the world. The FBI and our partners will shine a light on fraudsters wherever they may try to hide. The FBI extends its sincere appreciation to the National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia for their outstanding partnership in locating and apprehending Eidleh so he may be brought to justice.” “Every dollar stolen from the pockets of hardworking Americans emphasizes the Postal Inspection Service’s commitment to protecting our communities,” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge, Denver Division. “This arrest shows that criminals who abuse the financial system and exploit innocent people for their own gain will not escape their day in court. They are not above the law. Postal inspectors continue to be relentless in their pursuit of justice.” This case is a result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline, Matthew C. Murphy, and Austin Bowyer are prosecuting these cases. 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. Note: Previous press release on federal charges against Eidleh and other defendants here .


title: Homeland Security Task Force investigation leads to seven-year sentence for Lakewood, Washington, drug trafficker

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 21-year-old Lakewood, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 84 months in prison for leading a drug trafficking organization distributing pound quantities of methamphetamine, announced Fist Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Antonio Velazquez Encinas first came to the attention of law enforcement in 2022 when he was just 17 years old. The teen was stopped with his aunt (codefendant Martha Velazquez Sanchez) as the two were driving up from California with a load of 14 pounds of methamphetamine. Neither was charged at that time, but two years later Antonio Velazquez Encinas was leading a drug trafficking organization. At today’s sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “The impact that controlled substances have in our communities are immeasurable,” and noted that Velazquez Encinas “had been involved in this conduct for some time,” and had “role models . . . guiding you on how to engage in this conduct.” According to records filed in the case, the Velazquez Encinas drug trafficking organization (DTO) was indicted on March 12, 2025. Antonio Velazquez Encinas was the lead defendant. He arranged for multi-pound drug deliveries that were distributed by his brother Keven Velazquez Encinas or his aunt, Martha Velazquez Sanchez. In all, eight members of the DTO were indicted and linked to some 20 pounds of methamphetamine deliveries. In asking for an eight-year prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court that “Velazquez Encinas distributed large quantities of methamphetamine to numerous local redistributors in the South Sound region. He acted as the leader of the drug trafficking network, taking orders for methamphetamine, setting prices, and directing others to distribute the drugs on his behalf. . . . The drug epidemic that has been raging for years has shown that this is by no means a victimless crime. Controlled substances have led to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths a year. It is as if we are living in an unending pandemic. But this epidemic only persists because of drug traffickers such as the defendant.” Chief Judge Estudillo sentenced Velazquez Encinas to be on four years of supervised release following his prison term. This investigation 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 Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. This investigation was specifically led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force (TNT). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.


title: Los Angeles Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in the Central District of California convicted a Los Angeles man today of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. “Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.” “Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.” “This case highlights Homeland Security Investigations’ determination to rescue victims from exploitation and ensure that those who commit such cruel and violent acts are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendant manipulated and terrorized the victim for his own gain, using violence, intimidation, and control. We commend the victim’s bravery for sharing her story. HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue justice for victims and relentlessly work to prevent these crimes from occurring in our communities.” According to court documents, witness testimony, and evidence presented at trial, Elias Shabazz, 33, of Los Angeles, led his victim to believe that they were engaged in a romantic relationship, but he soon turned physically and sexually violent demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts. Shabazz carried a handgun with him and used it on occasion to pistol whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet when threatening to kill her. At trial, the victim explained how he introduced her to commercial sex, demanded she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds, and how he terrified her of the consequences of not meeting that quota. She also testified to how Shabazz compelled her to work on Figueroa Street in Los Angeles and how dangerous it was to do so. Shabazz confiscated the victim’s identification, social security card, and birth certificate. He looked through her phone constantly to keep her from communicating with family and friends. He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life including when she ate, slept, and showered. The jury convicted Shabazz of one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. The jury found Shabazz not guilty of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. A sentencing date has not been set. Shabazz faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HSI is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Kate A. Alexander of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen I. Meyer for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Omaha Woman Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Omaha woman was sentenced on June 26, 2026, to 48 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Summer Louisa Chrans, 43, distributed one-pound quantities of methamphetamine on separate occasions in Council Bluffs. Chrans admitted to purchasing one-half pound and one-pound quantities of methamphetamine from a Council Bluffs source of supply. After completing her term of imprisonment, Chrans will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.


title: Minnesota Tax Preparer Convicted of Preparing $1M+ in False Tax Returns for Clients

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Minnesota man yesterday for filing false tax returns for clients of his tax preparation business. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Cortez Hollis owned and operated Hollis Tax Time, a Minnesota tax preparation business that he used to prepare false tax returns for clients. Hollis told his clients he was able to provide them tax credits that other tax preparers did not know about. In reality, he reported fictitious businesses that claimed thousands of dollars of business losses the clients did not actually incur. Hollis filed these tax returns with the IRS and generated large refunds the clients were not entitled to receive. He often paid himself tax preparation fees of $2,000 or more out of the resulting refunds, sometimes without his clients’ knowledge. “No matter the scheme, the agency, or the program involved, those who cheat on their taxes for personal enrichment undermine the very foundation of public trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division is working across all fronts to detect, investigate, and prosecute criminal tax violations. We will protect the integrity of our tax system and ensure that those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of honest citizens face the full weight of federal prosecution.” At trial, the government established that Hollis added more than $1 million in fraudulent losses to client tax returns and sought approximately $387,000 in refunds they were not entitled to receive. Hollis was found guilty of 20 counts of aiding or assisting the preparation of false tax returns. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Hollis faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen for the District of Minnesota made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant Chief Eric B. Powers and Trial Attorney Megan E. Wessel of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Leonard Bernard Gregory, 40, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal drug trafficking offense involving methamphetamine and fentanyl. Evidence presented in court showed that on Oct. 29, 2024, investigators conducting surveillance in Charleston County stopped a vehicle Gregory was riding in. During the stop, officers found Gregory carrying bagged quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and cocaine, along with more than $2,000 in cash. Gregory repeatedly attempted to destroy the drugs as officers took him into custody. That same day, investigators searched a residence Gregory used on Bonaparte Street in North Charleston. Inside, they found additional methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine on top of the kitchen cabinets, a mechanical pill press and molds used to manufacture drugs, digital scales, and additional cash. Officers also recovered three firearms concealed in a duffel bag in the residence. 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. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Gregory to 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by four years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Charleston Police Department, the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, and the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case. ###


title: Arizona Woman Pleads Guilty to $7.7 Million Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

body_text: An Arizona woman pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to steal more than $7.7 million in government funds by filing false tax returns with the IRS. According to court documents, Regina Durkin, of New River, Arizona, and others, conspired to defraud the United States by submitting false quarterly employment tax returns to the IRS. “No matter the scheme, the agency, or the program involved, those who cheat on their taxes for personal enrichment undermine the very foundation of public trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division is working across all fronts to detect, investigate, and prosecute criminal tax violations. We will protect the integrity of our tax system and ensure that those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of honest citizens face the full weight of federal prosecution.” “Our work continues as we find and prosecute individuals like Ms. Durkin who took a benefit meant to help the public during a crisis, and used it instead to line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “We are grateful to our partners at IRS-CI for their tireless efforts to seek accountability on behalf of federal taxpayers.” Durkin conspired with others to file tax returns seeking fraudulent refunds based on the employee retention credit and paid sick and family leave credit, credits passed by Congress to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Instead, these companies were not in operation at the time, had no employees, and paid no wages. In total, Durkin, and others, submitted fourteen fraudulent claims to the IRS that requested over $7.7 million in tax refunds. Durkin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false claims. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11 and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine of the District of Arizona made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. “Regina Durkin chose to steal $7.7 million from the American public through deliberate fraud—and now faces the full weight of a felony conviction,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “Let this case be a clear warning: IRS‑CI will relentlessly pursue anyone who abuses emergency relief programs for personal gain. IRS-CI agents specialize in dismantling complex financial schemes. We will follow the money, expose the fraud, and ensure those who steal from taxpayers are held fully accountable.” Trial Attorney Robert Kemins and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoffman of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona, are prosecuting the case. On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: 2 Billings men plead guilty to meth trafficking charges

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

body_text: BILLINGS – Two men from Billings who trafficked methamphetamine around town have admitted to charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Rafael Gonzales Montanez, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine earlier this month. Montanez faces 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release. Aaron Wade Montoya, 60, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Montoya faces 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for the first count. He faces five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release for the second count. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for a later date. Montanez and Montoya remained detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that Montanez and Montoya were dealing methamphetamine at various bars and casinos around Billings. An agent with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation received a tip in August 2024 that Montanez was selling methamphetamine in Billings and was often at the Reno Club. The agent, working undercover, was put in touch with Montanez, who called the agent offering to sell him an ounce of methamphetamine. The two men eventually met and over the next month the agent continued to buy increasing amounts of methamphetamine from Montanez. After a buy in September 2024, law enforcement followed Montanez to a trailer in the Cherry Creek mobile home park in the Billings Heights, which they learned belonged to Montoya, who was on probation from an earlier drug conviction. At his probation-mandated urine test in November 2024, Montoya tested positive for methamphetamine and law enforcement received a warrant to search his home at Cherry Creek. Officers found a bag of bulk methamphetamine, three firearms, ammunition, and cash. Agents arrested him and in a subsequent interview Montoya admitted to dealing methamphetamine and that he got two of his firearms in a drug trade. Meanwhile, Montanez reached out to the undercover DCI agent and wanted to introduce him to his new supplier because his old one had been arrested. On May 29, 2025, ATF agents arrested Montanez, who admitted he had sold methamphetamine that had been supplied to him by Montoya. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.


title: FBI Arrests Puerto Rico Resident for Threats of Violence and Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: San Juan, Puerto Rico – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Juan Field Office announced today the arrest of Robinson De La Cruz Hilario (DE LA CRUZ), following an investigation that uncovered repeated online threats of mass violence targeting the LGBTQ community, as well as the receipt and possession of illegal child exploitation material. According to the criminal complaint and supporting affidavit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, DE LA CRUZ engaged in a pattern of alarming online activity between 2024 and 2026. Investigators identified multiple public social media posts in which DE LA CRUZ expressed admiration for past mass shooters, made violent anti LGBTQ statements, and referenced carrying out a future attack. In February 2026, the FBI received a referral indicating that DE LA CRUZ had shared a “tactical” map suggesting preparations for a potential mass casualty event. Agents later executed federal search warrants on DE LA CRUZ’s online accounts and residence. Evidence recovered included communications transmitted through interstate networks in which DE LA CRUZ explicitly threatened acts of violence. During the execution of a federal search warrant on June 24, 2026, agents also recovered electronic media containing illegal images and videos involving minors alleged to constitute child sexual abuse material and obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The affidavit states that investigators identified both real and AI generated visual depictions prohibited under federal law. DE LA CRUZ admitted during an interview to operating the accounts involved and acknowledged that some of his posts could be interpreted as threats. DE LA CRUZ is charged with violations of: 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) — Interstate communication of threats 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2) — Receiving child pornography, or attempting to do so 18 U.S.C. § 1466A — Receipt and possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. DE LA CRUZ was taken into federal custody on June 24, 2026. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and is being investigated by the FBI San Juan Counterterrorism Squad. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. For further information, please contact the FBI San Juan Public Affairs Office. #### criminal_complaint.pdf-_signed.pdf affidavit.pdf-_signed.pdf


title: Reading And Philadelphia Men Charged With Robbery And Firearms Offenses

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Alfredo Cardona Padilla, age 48, Ceferino Charles Hernandez, age 49, both of Reading, Pennsylvania, and Paul Gerald Simmons, age 51, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged by indictment with robbery and firearm offenses. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on or about March 18, 2024, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Padilla, Hernandez, and Simmons conspired to and did unlawfully take and obtain United States currency that belonged to a company operating in Pennsylvania as a skill-game operator. The indictment further alleges that the company’s property was taken from two employees against their will by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury. The indictment also alleges that, during and in relation to the robbery, the defendants brandished firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Chambersburg Police Department, Reading Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalties under federal law are life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and special assessment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons indicted are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: First official week of summer brings 265 more individuals charged as part of newest border security actions

body_text: HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has filed another 263 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from June 19-25, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. A total of 223 illegal aliens are charged with unlawfully being in the United States - 56 and 167 for illegal entry and reentry, respectively. Most have previous convictions related to narcotics, immigration offenses, violent crimes and more. The cases also include 29 people allegedly involved in human smuggling, while the remaining matters involve other immigration crimes. One illegal alien facing charges this week is Mexican national Rosendo Castelan-Reyes. Court documents allege he has a prior conviction for aggravated assault and was previously removed Oct. 30, 2018. However, law enforcement allegedly discovered him near La Grulla with no authorization to be in the country. Similarly, authorities found another illegal alien near Cuevitas, according to the criminal complaint. Cuban national Angel Javier Cabrera-Rivero allegedly had a prior conviction for drug trafficking before his removal in December 2025. If convicted of felony reentry after removal, both men face up to 20 years in federal prison. The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: New Orleans Woman Sentenced for  Distributing Fentanyl

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – LOREALL GORDEN (“GORDEN”) , age 38, of New Orleans, was sentenced by the U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance on June 17, 2026, to 87 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and the payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The defendant plead guilty to Counts 2 and 3 of the indictment. In Count 2, the defendant was charged with distribution of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 84l(a)(l) and 841(b)(1)(c). In Count 3, the defendant was charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(l) and 841(b)(1)(c)). According to court documents, an individual GORDEN believed to be a legitimate buyer revealed that GORDEN worked with other individuals to distribute fentanyl and heroin from a house in New Orleans. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: United States Seizes Hundreds of Internet Domains Used to Illegally Stream World Cup Matches

body_text: The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of nearly 400 sites that were engaged in the unauthorized streaming of matches in the FIFA World Cup Finals in violation of U.S. copyright law. “We have seized hundreds of domains, used to illegally stream World Cup matches for profit, to disrupt the international networks that profit from the global popularity of the World Cup,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the Department’s respect for intellectual property rights and the responsibility of the United States as a host nation to protect the FIFA World Cup from criminals. The Criminal Division will continue to disrupt and, where appropriate, seek to prosecute these sites and the subjects responsible for this criminal activity.” “The unauthorized broadcast of World Cup matches violates intellectual property rights and fuels criminal organizations,” said Director Ivan J. Arvelo of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. “Through Operation Offsides and strong partnerships with law enforcement and the private sector, we identified and seized hundreds of domains, disrupting those who steal and distribute copyrighted content. Our ongoing efforts ensure that the excitement of the World Cup reaches fans through legitimate, secure channels.” “When you open your network to illegal streaming sites, you’re taking a significant risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington Field Office. “These streamers not only violate copyright laws but also expose viewers to potential threats — including malware attacks and unsecure connections that can compromise personal and financial data. These website takedowns are a critical part of HSI’s strategy to uphold intellectual property laws, ensuring fans have a safe and authentic experience supporting their teams during the World Cup.” According to an affidavit in support of a seizure warrant which was filed today in the Eastern District of Virginia, the seized domains were used to illegally offer users copyright-protected content in the form of real-time streams of 2026 World Cup matches as they are being played and first broadcast. In support of the application for seizure authority, HSI special agents confirmed that the seized domains were actively broadcasting World Cup matches without authorization. The seized domains were identified with assistance of FIFA, with further supporting information provided by beIN Media Group, NBC Universal, Motion Picture Association’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Brothers. FIFA is the international governing body of association football (soccer) and holds the exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is being hosted in multiple cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Banner posted on seized sites Law enforcement actions targeting the illegal broadcast of FIFA World Cup matches was coordinated with international partners through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) Network of U.S. prosecutors. ICHIP-trained officials took part in actions across multiple countries and involved the following: Servers and domains linked to illegal streaming of World Cup games were targeted in Peru and Bulgaria, two known centers of online piracy activity. Additional ICHIP-supported disruptions took place in Croatia, Romania, Poland and Colombia. U.S. authorities provided leads to assist in identifying domains associated with illegal streaming of the World Cup. The U.S. action is part of Operation Offsides, led by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, targeting digital piracy domains associated with the World Cup. This operation is being conducted in coordination with HSI Washington, D.C., HSI Attaché offices, as well as private sector and law enforcement partners globally. This initiative focuses on disrupting illegal World Cup streaming and protecting intellectual property rights by identifying and seizing websites facilitating unauthorized broadcasts. Senior Counsel Brian Mund, Assistant Deputy Chief Adrienne Rose, and Acting Deputy Chief Christopher Merriam of the of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer for the Eastern District of Virgina are assisting. The Justice Department’s ICHIP prosecutors based in Sao Paul, Brazil and Bucharest, Romania, and the ICHIP for Internet-Based Fraud and Public Health in Washington, D.C. also provided crucial support to this operation. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. The Justice Department is providing intellectual property and cybercrime technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners in other countries through the ICHIP program. The Criminal Division’s ICHIP Program is jointly administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section through partnership between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.


title: Four charged for violating national defense airspace during FIFA fan festival

body_text: HOUSTON – Federal criminal complaints have been filed against four Houston area residents since the beginning of the World Cup for flying drones into sensitive national defense airspace without authorization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. John Alexander Meza, 26, La Porte; Jordan Lee Zale, 38, Richmond; and Huu An Nguyen Dinh, 30, Pearland, are all expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett at 2 p.m. July 7. Patrick Phillip Heer, 34, Katy, is scheduled for July 8 at 10 a.m. According to one complaint, on or about June 13, law enforcement observed Heer operating a drone in restricted airspace in the vicinity of Polk and Chartres Streets in Houston. The charges allege it was specifically within the boundaries of the Temporary Flight Restriction zone established near the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone just east of downtown Houston. Heer was operating the drone, according to the complaint. In a separate, but similar case, on or about June 11, law enforcement allegedly observed a small drone flying in the TFR zone near 612 Live Oak Street in Houston. The charges allege Meza was the pilot of that drone. On that same date, another complaint indicates that a small drone was flying near 633 Middle Street in Houston, also within the TFR zone. Law enforcement determined Zale was operating the drone, according to the allegations. In the 4 th matter, Dinh was charged with also violating national defense airspace by flying a small drone June 18 in the vicinity of 3305 Jefferson Street in Houston. This area is also within the TFR zone, according to the charges. To ensure a safe environment for all players, attendees and staff, Federal Aviation Administration and law enforcement have officially designated all FIFA World Cup stadiums and surrounding event spaces, to include Houston’s Fan Zone, as strict "No Drone Zones." This means that unauthorized drone flights are strictly prohibited in the designated airspace and surrounding grounds. During such major sporting events FAA implements temporary flight restrictions to limit air travel and secure the airspace. Taking off, landing or flying a drone within these restricted areas is a serious violation of federal and local regulations. FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Federal Air Marshal Service, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety are conducting the joint investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Roldolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law. See a drone breaking the rules? Blow the whistle! Report it to 911, on-site law enforcement, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.


title: Former Inland Empire Resident Found Guilty of Sex Trafficking Victim on L.A.’s Figueroa Street, a Prostitution Hub

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Riverside County resident was found guilty by a jury today of forcing and coercing a victim into engaging in commercial sex acts on the notorious Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. Elias Abdul Shabazz, 34, formerly of Perris and whose last known residence was in Washington, D.C., was found guilty of one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. He has been in federal custody since May 2025. “Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.” “Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.” “This case highlights Homeland Security Investigations’ determination to rescue victims from exploitation and ensure that those who commit such cruel and violent acts are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. “The defendant manipulated and terrorized the victim for his own gain, using violence, intimidation, and control. We commend the victim’s bravery for sharing her story. HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue justice for victims and relentlessly work to prevent these crimes from occurring in our communities.” According to evidence presented at a five-day trial, Shabazz led his victim to believe that they were engaged in a romantic relationship, but he soon turned physically and sexually violent demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts. The criminal conduct occurred from May 2021 to October 2021. Shabazz carried a handgun with him and used it on occasion to pistol whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet when threatening to kill her. At trial, the victim explained how he introduced her to commercial sex, demanded she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds, and how he terrified her of the consequences of not meeting that quota. She also testified to how Shabazz compelled her to work on Figueroa Street in Los Angeles and how dangerous it was to do so. Shabazz confiscated the victim’s identification, social security card, and birth certificate. He looked through her phone constantly to keep her from communicating with family and friends. He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life including when she ate, slept, and showered. The jury found Shabazz not guilty on one count of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr., scheduled an October 6 sentencing hearing, at which time Shabazz will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kim Meyer of the Major Crimes Section and Trial Attorney Kate A. Alexander of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting this case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at (888) 373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Cleveland Resident Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa - A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Money Laundering Conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, 35, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Bary Fischer. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that an organized crime group based in the Dominican Republic, operated what is commonly referred to as a Grandparent Fraud Scheme. The organized crime group, for a number of years, ran a scam in which they called elderly individuals impersonating a loved one (often a grandchild) and falsely claimed that the grandchild is in a crisis and needed cash quickly, typically to pay bond related to criminal charges. The victims then accessed cash, typically from their financial institutions, and provided the cash to unknowing ride share drivers from companies like Lyft and Uber. The drivers then drove the cash, often across state lines, and delivered the cash to a member of the conspiracy. Bisono Rodriguez participated in the conspiracy by receiving the fraudulently obtained money from the Lyft or Uber drivers, and then laundering the money by depositing it into financial institution or wiring the proceeds to the Dominican Republic knowing that the money was obtained fraudulently. Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with the Parma Police Department (Ohio), and six police departments in Western Pennsylvania conducted the investigation leading to prosecution of Bisono Rodriguez. The six police departments are Millcreek Township Police Department, the Grove City Police Department, the Scott Township Police Department, the Fox Chapel Police Department, the Finley Township Police Department, and the Hermitage Police Department.


title: Clinton County Woman Charged With Federal Tax Crimes

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dawn Herlocher, age 48, of Loganton, Pennsylvania was charged by a federal grand jury with 40 counts of violating federal tax laws. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Herlocher was the sole owner, operator, and member of two employee leasing and staffing companies. For each company, dating back to the tax quarter ending on June 30, 2020, and through the tax quarter ending on March 31, 2025, Herlocher failed to account for and pay over the trust fund taxes due and owing to the Internal Revenue Service, on behalf of the companies’ employees. The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case. Upon conviction on all counts in the Indictment, the maximum combined penalties are 200 years imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments only contain allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #