title: California Man Sentenced To More Than 20 Years In Prison For Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Gyasi Wallace (33, California) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger to 20 years and 10 months in prison for producing of child sexual abuse material. He pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025. Wallace is also required to serve 25 years of supervised release and register as a sexual offender. According to court documents, on November 2, 2023, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to a Greyhound bus station to investigate a missing person, a 12-year-old female. Officers located the child with Wallace, who had purchased a bus ticket to California for himself and the child. Wallace was arrested and the child was reunited with her mother. A search of Wallace’s electronic devices revealed that the child and Wallace began talking on a social media application when the child was 10 years old. Wallace’s cellphone contained videos of the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. There were also numerous videos and images found on Wallace’s devices containing children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. “The exploitation of children leaves scars that last a lifetime—including invisible scars not only for the victims, but for their families and communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “Wallace’s actions were calculated, predatory, and deeply destructive. His calculated attempt to flee across state lines with a minor victim—boarding a bus bound for California—shows the lengths predators will go to evade justice and continue their abuse. Child exploitation is not a crime that ends when the abuse stops; it inflicts lifelong trauma on victims and their families. HSI and our INTERCEPT Task Force partners will remain relentless in our pursuit of justice for victims.” This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. It is another 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: North Carolina Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced To 50 Years In Federal Prison For Attempting To Entice 11-Year-Old Child To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Geoffrey Lee Dudding (40, Concord, NC) was sentenced by United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger to 50 years in federal prison for using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. He was also ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release. Dudding pleaded guilty on October 28, 2025. Dudding is a registered child sex offender who was previously convicted in North Carolina of indecent liberty with a minor in 2007 and solicitation of a child by computer to commit an unlawful sex act in 2024. He was also convicted of criminal solicitation of a minor in South Carolina in 2023. On May 8, 2025, Dudding was arrested in North Carolina and was later transported to Jacksonville for prosecution. According to court documents, on January 13, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation to identify individuals seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, UC posted several short messages in a public chat room on an online social messaging platform (app). An individual using the app name “metalh34d321,” who was subsequently identified as Dudding, contacted UC by private text message on the app and expressed sexual interest in UC’s “daughter.” Dudding told UC, “Let me know if ya ever down to let me do her.” Despite being advised that the “child” was 11 years old and lived in Florida, Dudding stated that he wanted to meet the “child” and “[h]ave a good time and sex.” Dudding described the sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child” and sent UC a video of himself performing a sex act to show to the “child.” Dudding and UC also communicated by cellphone text messaging. They discussed plans for Dudding to travel to Jacksonville so that he could engage in sexual activity with the “child.” Dudding told UC that he intended to book a hotel room in Jacksonville for the sexual encounter with the “child.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cabarrus County (NC) Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Taos Pueblo Man Sentenced for Killing Indigenous Artist DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Taos Pueblo man was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in federal prison for the November 2021 killing of his longtime girlfriend, DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, a Taos Pueblo woman, during a domestic-violence incident. DeAnna’s pictures, paintings, and her book, as displayed in Court. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, in the early morning hours of November 13, 2021, Santiago Martinez , 33, killed Suazo during an argument outside their shared home on the Taos Pueblo. The couple had been listening to music when DeAnna again expressed her long-stated desire to end their romantic relationship, which she had often done before. The argument escalated into a physical altercation during which Martinez ripped DeAnna’s gauge earring from her ear and pushed DeAnna out of her car. Rather than disengage, Martinez entered the driver’s seat of DeAnna’s SUV, put her car in gear, and intentionally ran DeAnna over. Martinez then called his family, rather than alerting police, which diminished any chance that DeAnna could have survived. DeAnna died from mechanical asphyxia and blunt trauma caused by being run over. Martinez later acknowledged that although he had consumed alcohol, he knew what he was doing and knew it was wrong. DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo was a Diné and Taos Pueblo artist whose work celebrated Indigenous identity, strength, and resilience. Her paintings were exhibited nationwide, including at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. In 2022, the Institute of American Indian Arts established the DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo Memorial Fund to support Indigenous women artists, honoring her life, talent, and lasting impact. David Gery Suazo David Gery Suazo On March 28, 2025, Martinez pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary C. Jones and Nora Wilson prosecuted the case.


title: Dulce Man Pleads Guilty to Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an incident in which he discharged a handgun in a vehicle, striking the victim. According to court documents, on July 21, 2025, Leandrew Cody Velarde , 22, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, became intoxicated in a park. The victim and another individual offered to drive him home, and he got into their vehicle. During an argument in the car, Velarde handled a handgun he had with him, and the firearm discharged, striking the victim. The victim required airlift transport to a hospital but survived the injury. After the shooting, Velarde fled the scene and discarded the gun, which was later recovered by law enforcement along with a spent shell casing. He was arrested nearby in possession of marijuana, alcohol, and a cell phone. Velarde pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. At sentencing Velarde faces up to 10 years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Nation Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced for Role in Trafficking Almost 2 Kilograms of Heroin

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An illegal alien has been sentenced on heroin-trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. U.S. District Judge Annemarie C. Axon sentenced Jovani Correa-Gutierrez, 40, to 46 months in federal prison. In May 2025, Correa-Gutierezz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to the plea agreement, on April 13, 2021, Correa-Gutierrez and a co-conspirator worked to distribute almost 2 kilograms of heroin to a confidential source. Upon their arrival business in Bessemer, Alabama, Correa-Guiterrez and his co-defendant were taken into custody, and the heroin was seized by law enforcement. Correa-Guiterrez is a Mexican national and was illegally present in the United States at the time of his arrest. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Garnett prosecuted the case.


title: Convicted felon sentenced to 13 years in prison for illegally possessing firearms

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Jan. 11, 2024, Dwayne Leman Swinson, aka Weezy, 44, was driving a vehicle with 13.98 grams of fentanyl and three firearms. One of the firearms was loaded with 78 rounds of ammunition and another was equipped with a 30-round magazine. Though Swinson attempted to distance himself from the vehicle when encountered by law enforcement, his DNA was found on the drugs, two of the firearms, and the drum magazine of the third firearm. Swinson has eight prior felony convictions, three of which involve narcotics distribution or firearms offenses. As a previously convicted felon, Swinson cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. “Dwayne Swinson’s possession of multiple firearms and deadly fentanyl posed a serious and unacceptable threat to public safety,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our office is committed to holding dangerous offenders accountable and protecting our communities from narcotics trafficking and firearm violence.” “Every day, FBI agents and law enforcement officers around the nation see the detrimental effects gun violence and drugs have on the welfare of our communities and families,” said Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. “With our partners, the FBI stands committed to investigating and holding accountable those who seek to undermine the safety and security of our citizens.” The FBI and the Richmond Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-53.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Sex Abuse Charges

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – Marcus Jerome Hunt, 32, of Temple Hills, Maryland, pled guilty today, to two counts of transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in federal court. Hunt is a previously registered sex offender. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland, and Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Acting Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP). On December 1, 2020, MSP received two CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) from Dropbox, Inc. Dropbox reported that on November 1, 2020, three CSAM video files were uploaded, involving the same Dropbox account, with the username “Marcus Hunt” user ID; email address, which included the name “Marcus Hunt” embedded within the address; and IP address. The Google account associated with the above-referenced Google email address was then deleted on November 6, prior to MSP receiving the CyberTips. Dropbox disabled the account after filing the NCMEC tips. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the Dropbox account, which uncovered 40 videos, including the three videos Dropbox reported to NCMEC. After reviewing the files, law enforcement determined that approximately 20 of the 40 video files depicted CSAM. Additionally, law enforcement traced the IP address associated with the Dropbox account to Hunt’s Temple Hills residence. Then on January 21, 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants at Hunt’s residence. Authorities seized multiple devices from the residence, including a Samsung cell phone, an iPhone, two tablets, two USB drives, two SD cards, and a gaming PC. The gaming PC contained a desktop shortcut to The Onion Router network (Tor) browser, the Samsung cellphone was in factory reset status, and one of the USB drives was reformatted. Law enforcement also conducted keyword searches for “Dropbox” and the email address associated with the Dropbox account, locating artifacts for the keywords on the iPhone and one of the tablet devices. During questioning, Hunt admitted possessing a Dropbox account but denied knowing about the email address associated with the account. Hunt is facing a maximum of five years in federal prison for each count. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, April 29, at 10 a.m. This case is 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 Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse ; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters. Learn more about Know2Protect at dhs.gov/know2protect . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Joel Crespo who are prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison  for Firearm Charge

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 12, 2026. Raymond Winters, 36, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Winters was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 8, 2025. On January 22, 2025, in Rapid City, South Dakota, Winters quickly fled the vehicle he was driving and threw a firearm onto the ground after he noticed law enforcement’s presence. Winters was carrying ammunition and a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. Evidence showed that shortly before his encounter with law enforcement, Winters had pointed the firearm at his domestic partner several times. Winters had been previously convicted of a felony. As a result, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by the ATF and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Winters was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: New York Man Charged With Robbery Spree That Targeted Six Manhattan Banks

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Vanessa Tibbits, announced an Indictment charging CORNELL NEILLY in connection with a pattern of bank robberies and attempted bank robberies of six Manhattan banks between August and October of 2025. NEILLY is currently in federal custody on allegations that he violated the conditions of supervised release imposed in a prior federal case and is expected to be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. "As alleged, Cornell Neilly robbed or attempted to rob six banks in multiple neighborhoods across Manhattan,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Hardworking New Yorkers, including the tellers and customers at these six banks, deserve to go to work without worrying that they will become victim to this type of brazen conduct. And New York families should not have to fear for their safety on New York streets. The women and men of this Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe.” “Cornell Neilly is charged with attempting to rob six banks across Manhattan by demanding cash from their tellers,” said FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Vanessa Tibbits. “This alleged spree is a bank employee’s worst nightmare. Preying on fear to satiate one’s own greed will not be tolerated. Along with our law enforcement partners, the FBI remains steadfast in disrupting any serial criminal targeting our city’s financial institutions.” As alleged in the Indictment and in public statements made in public court proceedings: [1] Between August and October of 2025, NEILLY robbed or attempted to rob six banks across Manhattan, including in Chelsea, the West Village, and just north of Madison Square Park. At each bank, NEILLY handed a teller a note demanding specific amounts of United States currency. NEILLY took thousands of dollars from three banks whose tellers complied with his demands. * * * NEILLY, 34, of New York, New York, is charged with three counts of bank robbery and three counts of attempted bank robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The 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 the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the New York City Police Department. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations & Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon D. Harper is 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. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: South Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Wire Fraud Conspiracy that Defrauded Victim of Nearly $500,000

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A South Boston man pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield to participating in a scheme that defrauded a 75-year-old man from Berkshire County, Mass. of approximately $500,000. Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Feb. 13, 2026. Patel was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 7, 2024 and indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024 . In early 2024, an elderly Berkshire County resident received a pop-up message on his computer claiming that his computer was frozen and directing him to call the number provided on the computer screen, purportedly associated with Microsoft. The victim’s call was routed to an individual who identified himself as a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Treasury Department and referred to himself “Sam Wilson.” Wilson told the victim that he was involved in a money laundering scheme and instructed the victim to take out the cash from his bank accounts and send the money to the Treasury Department for safekeeping. Wilson directed the victim to place the cash in a taped box with the victim’s own name and address written on it. Wilson then sent couriers to the victim’s home to collect the boxes of cash. Prior to each collection, Wilson had the victim describe the clothes he would be wearing and provided the victim with a “PIN” passcode the couriers were to recite upon pickup. On or about Oct. 7, 2024, Patel drove from South Boston to North Adams, Mass., for the purpose of retrieving cash from the victim. On that date, Patel spoke with an individual he believed to be the victim and provided the prearranged passcode, before taking possession of the box of cash and driving away. Patel was immediately apprehended. The investigation remains ongoing. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including elder fraud scams, cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov . To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311) Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm EST. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the North Adams Police Department and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin Brown and Dan Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office are prosecuting the case.


title: Rapid City Woman Who Discharged Firearm at Local Grocery Store Sentenced to Over Six Years in Federal Prison on Firearm Charge

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a woman from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 12, 2026. Talisse Fighting Bear, 34, was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The federal sentence was ordered to run concurrent to a state sentence Fighting Bear is currently serving. Fighting Bear was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May 2025. She pleaded guilty on October 8, 2026. At a grocery store in Rapid City, South Dakota, Fighting Bear pointed a handgun at several people. Before arriving to the grocery store, Fighting Bear had fired one round into the air. While inside, she held a store clerk at gunpoint and directed her to move. Fighting Bear then pointed the gun at two other people. Fighting Bear had been previously convicted of a felony and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by the ATF and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Fighting Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Acquitted on Firearm Charge

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, was acquitted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on January 14, 2026. Christian Kelly, age 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. The charges related to an incident in Rapid City, South Dakota, during which Kelly was alleged to have been seen waving around an illegally modified rifle and hiding it under a vehicle once law enforcement arrived. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Rapid City Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.


title: Oregon Man Indicted for Cyberstalking and Interstate Threats

body_text: BOSTON – An Oregon man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly cyberstalking and making interstate threats against a Massachusetts state prosecutor. According to court records, defendant has history of making death threats. Lewis Floyd, 40, was indicted for cyberstalking and threatening interstate communications. Floyd will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Floyd was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in December 2025. According to court documents, Floyd has been convicted in state court multiple times of making death threats, including most recently in Bristol County Superior Court for allegedly making repeated threats to kill and maim personnel at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Bristol County, Massachusetts. After his release from state prison, it is alleged that Floyd continued to make death threats against a Massachusetts state prosecutor and their family. The charge of cyberstalking as a repeat offender provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Fall River Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Six Sentenced in Sweeping Multi Million Dollar Cargo Heist

body_text: NEW ALBANY- Juan Perez-Gonzalez (“Perez”), 51, a Cuban national living in Florida, has been sentenced to 13.5 years in federal prison following his conviction for participating in a massive, multi-state cargo theft conspiracy. The remaining five defendants pled guilty to their respective charges. A summary of the charges, sentence, and restitution with respect to each defendant is outlined below: DEFENDANT SENTENCE RESTITUTION CHARGE(S) Juan D. Perez-Gonzalez , 51, FL 13.5 years $1,165,193.00 Conspiracy; possession of goods stolen from interstate commerce; interstate transportation of stolen property Carlos Enrique Freire-Pifferrer, 46, Louisville, KY 7 years, 11 months $1,765,193.00 Conspiracy; two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property Jose Antonio Gomez-Pifferrer, 33, Louisville, KY 3 years, 1 month $1,765,193.00 Conspiracy; two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property Richard Alameda , 47, FL 2 years, 10 months $789,284.00 Conspiracy Luis Velazquez , 58, Jacksonville, FL 2 years, 9 months $1,329,674.00 Conspiracy; interstate transportation of stolen property Dalwy De Armas-Rodriguez, 38, Louisville, KY Time served Conspiracy According to court documents, between November 2021 and May 2023, Perez-Gonzalez and his co-conspirators conspired to steal tractor-trailers containing commercially available, high-end electronics and other items, which they later resold at a discount for profit. The co-conspirators traveled from Florida and Kentucky to distribution facilities used by national companies such as Meta, Microsoft, and L Brands located in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. The group then surveilled these facilities and followed semi-tractor trailers as they departed. When a driver stopped to rest, refuel, or park, the conspirators stole the entire tractor-trailer. In many instances, the group abandoned the stolen tractor nearby and reattached the trailer to a different semi-tractor they operated. To evade law enforcement, they painted over logos and identifying numbers and used different license plates on the solen trailers. The group then transported the stolen cargo to Miami, Florida, where it was sold to buyers, including co-defendant Richard Alameda, for a fraction of its retail value. The group carried out at least 14 separate cargo thefts, resulting in the theft of over $2 million in Oculus virtual reality headsets from a Meta facility, $940,000 in Microsoft products, $1 million in Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret merchandise, $669,000 in Harmon-JBL audio products, $180,000 in Logitech products, and $480,000 worth of Bose audio speakers, among other stolen items. “These thefts had real consequences for consumers and businesses, increasing costs and disrupting the flow of goods across the country. What this group attempted was a sweeping attack on the backbone of U.S. commerce, but it was ultimately dismantled through the unified work of federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Federal law enforcement has a far reach and unwavering resolve, and this case makes it clear that anyone who threatens the nation’s supply chain will be tracked down and held accountable.” “This was a coordinated, multi-million-dollar criminal operation - not an opportunistic theft. Cargo theft schemes like this drive-up costs for businesses and consumers alike,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The sentences imposed reflect the seriousness of the crime and demonstrate that those who target supply chains for personal gain will face significant consequences.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation was assisted in this investigation by several state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Kentucky State Police, Indiana State Police, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Rinka and Matthew Barloh, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Individual Extradited to the United States from the Dominican Republic to Face Drug Trafficking Charges

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

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Dominican authorities extradited Esteffani José Vasquez-Amarante, also known as “Ethian” or “Baby” to the United States to face drug trafficking and money laundering charges filed in the District of Puerto Rico, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Vasquez-Amarante was arrested in the Dominican Republic on November 6, 2025, at the request of the United States and extradited to Puerto Rico on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. “This extradition is another important step in our fight against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. This prosecution demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners, and the cooperation of the Dominican Republic, to work together to bring international drug traffickers to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “We will continue to maximize our multi-agency efforts to disrupt and dismantle international drug cartels that smuggle drugs into Puerto Rico and the continental United States.” “This extradition sends a clear message: leveraging political access, financial technology, or international borders, will not shield criminals from accountability,” said Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The FBI, along-side our federal and international partners, will aggressively pursue transnational drug traffickers and money launderers who undermine the rule of law and threaten communities in the United States and abroad.” On September 7, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Esteffani José Vasquez-Amarante with international conspiracy to distribute cocaine, international distribution of cocaine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering derived from specified unlawful activity – drug trafficking. Vasquez-Amarante facilitated drug trafficking and money laundering activity between La Romana, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, through cryptocurrency. According to the superseding indictment, since at least February of 2022, Vasquez-Amarante conspired to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine intending, knowing, and having reasonable cause to believe that it would be imported into the United States. The indictment also charges that Vasquez-Amarante conspired to commit money laundering derived from drug trafficking since no later than March 17, 2021. Specifically, the indictment states that Vasquez-Amarante and another co-conspirator directed the delivery of approximately $400,000 in U.S. currency – the product of drug trafficking -- to an individual in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who converted the drug proceeds to cryptocurrency. On March 24, 2021, Vasquez-Amarante and another co-conspirator directed the delivery of approximately $2,000,000 in U.S. currency / drug proceeds to an individual in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who converted the drug proceeds to cryptocurrency. On or about April 14, 2021, another co-conspirator, at the direction of Vasquez-Amarante, attempted to deliver approximately $2,200,000 in U.S. currency / drug proceeds to an individual in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who had previously converted drug proceeds to cryptocurrency. On January 14, 2026, Vasquez-Amarante was extradited from the Dominican Republic to San Juan, Puerto Rico by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Region 22, located in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI Legal Attaché in Santo Domingo and law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition to the United States of Vasquez Amarante. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio L. Perez-Alonso under the supervision of Chief Myriam Y. Fernández-González and Deputy Chief María L. Montañez-Concepción from the Money Laundering & Transnational Organized Crime Section. If convicted, Vasquez-Amarante faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug trafficking charges and a sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment for the money laundering charge. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Idaho Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking

body_text: BOSTON – A Rigby, Idaho man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to cyberstalking a Massachusetts professor over the course of five months. Edward John Kay, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking before U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick who scheduled sentencing for April 17, 2026. In July 2025, Kay was arrested and charged by criminal complaint. Kay met the victim in January 2025 when he enrolled in the victim’s online course, which the victim taught at a university’s extension school. After one Zoom meeting with the victim and one virtual class session, Kay became fixated on the victim, dropped the course, and proceeded to harass and intimidate the victim over email and LinkedIn for five months. Between January and June of 2025, Kay sent the victim over 80 harassing communications via LinkedIn and email – including at least one anonymous email account. In the communications, Kay expressed his adoration and love for the victim and mentioned the victim’s minor child by name. The communications included: A LinkedIn message, in which Kay stated: “I miss you-truly, deeply- with all of my heart and soul. That day I saw you on Zoom…You were the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Not just appearance. Everything. Your presence. Your mind. Your light. To gain you…and then to lose you like that? It devastated me;” An email sent to several of the university’s offices with the victim copied, in which Kay stated: “Dr. [victim’s last name] has been copied on all communications. She knows what is coming.” He added that this was only the “VERY BEGINNING” because “Every day, starting today, will mark a **new action of serious consequence**, taken by me in accordance with divine alignment and institutional justice;” and An anonymous email sent to the victim from the email address [victim’s name]consience@protonmail.com, in which Kay professed his love for the victim, encouraged the victim to leave the university and stated, “You are still free. But you are not unreachable.” In addition, Kay told another university professor about his obsession with the victim and his desire to separate the victim from her husband. The charge of cyberstalking provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by FBI Salt Lake City and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Former IRS Employee Sentenced to 12 Months and a Day in Prison Following a More than $2M Financial Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Rodney Quinn Rupe, 47, of Syracuse, Utah, was sentenced to 12 months and a day imprisonment for wire fraud after he abused his position as a former IRS employee and attempted to steal more than $2 million in tax credits. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, comes after Rupe pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025, to wire fraud. The court also sentenced Rupe to two years of supervised release. According to court documents and admissions made at Rupe’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on April 15, 2022, Rupe, an employee of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, accessed the IRS systems and moved tax credits in the amount of $2,021,986 from ExxonMobil’s taxpayer account to a taxpayer account for Ex XO Exteriors Ltd., a company Rupe created and controlled. He admitted that he moved the tax credits through three separate transfers, each of which used interstate wires. On September 18, 2023, Rupe transferred the tax credits so they would be applied to the 2019 tax year account for his company, knowing it would result in a refund check to Ex XO Exteriors Ltd. On October 31, 2023, Rupe resigned from the IRS and unsuccessfully attempted to deposit the refund check multiple times in 2024, and was subsequently arrested. See prior press release: Former IRS Employee Accused of Attempting to Steal More than $2M from the Government and ExxonMobil . “As a former IRS employee, Mr. Rupe accessed an IRS database as a trusted government employee to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars for his own personal use,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “This administration is committed to ferreting out programmatic government fraud, particularly by those who abused their positions rather than protecting the Americans they swore to serve.” The case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant United States Attorney Carl D. LeSueur of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Jury Convicts Florida Fuel Supplier of 34 Felonies at Trial in Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Defraud U.S. Department of War and Other Federal Agencies

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A federal jury in West Palm Beach found Jasen Butler, 37, of Jupiter, Florida, guilty of 34 felonies including wire fraud, money laundering, and forgery for orchestrating a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of War and other federal agencies out of over $4.5 million. After the verdict, U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks immediately remanded the defendant into custody at the United States’s request. As charged in the indictment, the defendant submitted altered and fake invoices to U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships through the SEA Card Program, which allows U.S. vessels to purchase critical fuel to conduct military operations around the world. According to the evidence at trial, the defendant, the owner of Independent Marine Oil Services LLC, submitted dozens of falsified documents such as wire transfer memos and invoices to multiple U.S. warships, including the USS Patriot, between August 2022 and January 2024. These ships were attempting to purchase fuel in international ports such as Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Croatia to defend strategic American interests around the globe. Butler received over $4.5 million dollars in payments for phony expenses that Butler had not incurred. After Butler came under scrutiny by Navy officials, he continued his scheme by concealing his identity from government officials. Butler adopted a false name and feigned employment by a fictitious fuel division of a different company. Butler used the millions in fraud proceeds to personally enrich himself and purchase multiple multi-million dollar properties in Florida and Colorado. “This defendant brazenly defrauded the U.S. Military out of millions of dollars and put critical fuel resources at risk, all to fund his cushy and fictitious lifestyle,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will continue to uncover these schemes and bring perpetrators to justice to protect the American people and their tax dollars.” “The defendant — a convicted felon — defrauded his own country in order to unjustly line his own pockets,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “He deprived the United States Armed Forces of the resources they need to help keep our country safe. Despite his fake identity, fake job, and fake invoices, a jury of his peers saw through it and found him guilty of 34 felonies. We salute our wonderful trial team and applaud Judge Middlebrooks’s decision to imprison the defendant for his crimes pending sentencing.” “This defendant didn’t just commit fraud, he betrayed the trust placed in those who support our nation’s warfighters,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “By falsifying invoices and siphoning millions from a program designed to keep U.S. military vessels operational around the world, he put critical missions and taxpayer dollars at risk. Today’s verdict makes clear that schemes targeting our military supply chain will be met with swift accountability and severe consequences.” “The Coast Guard Investigative Service is pleased with the jury’s verdict in this case, which sends a strong message that fraud against our military and the American taxpayer will not be tolerated,” said Acting Assistant Director Josh Packer of the Coast Guard Investigative Service. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for their outstanding collaboration and dedication throughout this investigation. CGIS remains committed to protecting the integrity of federal procurement and ensuring that those who seek to exploit government resources are brought to justice.” “The guilty verdict in this case is a direct result of our commitment to safeguarding the Department of Defense's critical supply chain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “This scheme stole millions from the American taxpayer and threatened to undermine a program essential for our global military operations. DCIS, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who seek to defraud our military and exploit systems designed to support our nation's warfighters.” “Those who profit from illicit schemes that defraud the American people and place our warfighters and national security at risk will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “Mr. Butler exploited the integrity of the SEA Card Program — a vital logistical capability that enables the U.S. Navy to conduct rapid, global refueling operations and sustain mission readiness. NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain committed to rooting out criminal activity that undermines public trust in the integrity of the Department of the Navy’s procurement process.” Sentencing is set for April 8, 2026. Butler faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, up to 10 years for each count of forgery, and up to 10 years for each count of money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as a part of the Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force. Trial Attorneys Jonathan Pomeranz, Ebonie Branch, and Haley Pennington of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, and Deputy Chief Elizabeth Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, tried the case. In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force . Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards .


title: Former Canton Aldermen Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal  Prison for Bribery Scheme

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – Andrew Grant, 41, and Eric Gilkey, 58, of Canton, Mississippi were sentenced yesterday to 46 months in federal prison for their roles in a bribery scheme involving former Madison County engineer Rudolph M. Warnock Jr. In July, a federal jury convicted their co-defendants, Rudolph M. Warnock Jr., and Cleveland Anderson, of multiple felony charges following an eight-day trial. Counts 1 and 2 of the indictment charged Warnock and Anderson with conspiring to commit bribery. Warnock was also charged in Counts 3 and 4 of the indictment with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and the completed offense of honest services wire fraud. Warnock and Anderson were both convicted on all the counts with which they were charged in the indictment. In December, Warnock was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Anderson was sentenced to seven years in prison. Grant and Gilkey, both former members of the Canton Board of Aldermen, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Anderson and Warnock in the bribery scheme in November 2022. The Canton Board of Aldermen had authority to select and appoint members of the Board of Commissioners of the Canton Municipal Utilities agency (CMU). At Warnock’s behest, Grant and Gilkey appointed Anderson to serve on the CMU Board of Commissioners. It was Anderson who facilitated Warnock’s hiring as the CMU engineer in 2016. The evidence at trial revealed that Warnock directed payments and rewards to Anderson, Gilkey, and Grant in exchange for preferential treatment that resulted in lucrative city engineering contracts for Warnock. The bribes supplied by Warnock included thousands of dollars in cash, concert tickets, and football tickets in New Orleans, Louisiana. In exchange for those bribes, Anderson, Grant, and Gilkey ceded control of the CMU purse to Warnock. United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly T. Purdie and David H. Fulcher prosecuted the case.


title: Alleged Latin Kings gang member arrested on federal charges  after stealing rifle from FBI vehicle

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A prior convicted felon was charged in a criminal complaint today with being a felon in possession of a firearm and theft of government property after breaking into an FBI vehicle and stealing a rifle, announced United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Rosen was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Travis S. Riddle, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives St. Paul Field Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarrad Smith of FBI Minneapolis, Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito, Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigation St. Paul, and Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie, Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division. Charged was Raul Gutierrez, 33, of Minneapolis. Gutierrez is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court today. United States Attorney Rosen stated, “Despite the incitement of violence against federal law enforcement by local officials, which resulted here in the theft of a firearm from an FBI vehicle and the destruction of government property, this United States Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice will always put the public safety of Americans first. This alleged gang member, who is a previously convicted felon, is a danger to the community and this case is an indictment of the weak-on-crime policies promoted by the Mayor and Governor.” “This arrest underscores a simple truth. We will not tolerate individuals exploiting circumstances to engage in criminal activity,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. “When criminal conduct results in a prohibited person unlawfully possessing a firearm, the risk to the public increases dramatically, and ATF will act accordingly. Taking advantage of any situation to endanger public safety or undermine the integrity of law enforcement will be met with swift and decisive action.” “There is a clear, bright line between peaceful protest and lawless destruction," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarrad Smith of FBI Minneapolis. "Stealing, damaging, and destroying federal property endangers the community and jeopardizes the safe and peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights. The FBI will never tolerate interference in law enforcement activities. Together with ATF, DEA, and the invaluable partnership of all our federal, state, and local law enforcement allies, FBI Minneapolis will ensure public safety and that those engaging in violent and destructive behavior will be identified and will face justice.” Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito of HSI St. Paul stated, "As alleged, this career criminal demonstrated a brazen and utterly unacceptable contempt for the sanctity of public safety and the American rule of law when he broke into a government vehicle and stole deadly weaponry, including a rifle and accessories. Public wellbeing must be non-negotiable — no political considerations or First Amendment rights should compromise the safety and stability of our communities, which descended into riots and chaos on Jan. 14. Standing side by side with our law enforcement partners, HSI is committed to investigating all criminal opportunists and bad actors seeking to exploit the public right to peacefully protest and, in turn, endanger our neighborhoods.” “Gutierrez is known at DEA as a violent criminal with a history involving fentanyl and methamphetamine drug trafficking and distribution,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “In support of this investigation, DEA identified him as the individual seen breaking into an FBI vehicle on January 14. The combined efforts of federal law enforcement agencies and the Violent Offender Task Force led to the swift arrest and the removal of a Latin King member that instilled fear and pushed poisons into our communities.” According to the criminal complaint, on January 14, 2026, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation were assisting Department of Homeland Security officers as part of an ongoing federal operation in the Twin Cities, Minnesota metropolitan area. That evening, FBI personnel were operating on Minneapolis’s North Side in support of a DHS arrest operation that resulted in the use of force. As a result of the ensuing civil unrest, FBI and DHS personnel were forced to abandon their vehicles and property at the scene. Individuals in the crowd forced entry into an unmarked FBI vehicle and stole its contents. The contents included a Colt M16A1 rifle and a HUXWRX Suppressor, among other items. Investigators with DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) promptly began an investigation to identify the individuals responsible for the theft and viewed numerous open-source social media posts and videos of the destruction and theft of government property. In one such video, investigators observed a male with a distinguishable facial tattoo, later identified as Gutierrez, remove a soft rifle case containing the Colt M16A1and HUXWRX suppressor from the trunk vault of the FBI vehicle that had just been broken into. Additional monitoring of open-source social media posts revealed another video that showed Gutierrez walking down the street carrying the soft rifle case and eventually place the rifle case in the backseat of a black Ford sedan. The following morning, investigators with ATF and the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF) established surveillance on Gutierrez’s residence. While at the residence, investigators observed a tow truck arrive and load a covered vehicle onto the back. A male wearing a face mask who matched Gutierrez’s height and weight entered the passenger side of the tow truck and departed. Investigators followed the tow truck for several minutes and during which the cover began to lift in the wind, revealing a black Ford sedan like the one identified in social media videos the previous night. Shortly thereafter, VOTF investigators attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the tow truck which resulted in the truck fleeing. The driver of the tow truck and Gutierrez both exited the truck and ran in different directions. Both the driver and Gutierrez were apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent. As a felony trial cannot be held on a complaint, a decision to seek an indictment will be made in the near future. The case was investigated by the FBI, DHS, ATF, DEA and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Violent Offender Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner. 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. Click here for a copy of the Criminal Complaint


title: Dauphin County Man Sentenced to 46 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking Offense

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Francisco Baez, age 53, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 15, 2026, to 46 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for drug trafficking. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Baez pleaded guilty on January 29, 2025, to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl. Investigators conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl from Baez during which he sold approximately seven grams of fentanyl to a Confidential Source. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed and law enforcement recovered approximately 137 grams of fentanyl, over $20,000 cash, and 977 grams of a cutting agent from Baez’s residence. The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. # # #


title: Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced To 72 Months In Prison For Child Exploitation Crime

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Roland Bennett Rhodes, III, age 55, a resident of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley, for receipt of child pornography. According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on October 24, 2024, FBI agents served a federal search warrant at Rhodes’ residence in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Pursuant to the warrant, agents seized and later analyzed nineteen electronic devices, which included laptops, hard drives, thumb drives, and a cellular telephone. The forensic analysis uncovered approximately 554 images and 192 videos of child pornography on Rhodes’ devices and showed that he received images of child pornography on multiple occasions in 2024. FBI – Philadelphia Division, Scranton conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case. 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 . # # #


title: Illegal Alien and Convicted Felon Charged with Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – Juan Alvarado-Garcia, 29, of Madison, Tennessee, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and Samuel Hernandez, 32, of Madison, Tennessee, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. “Nothing is more important to this office than the safety of the public. Loaded guns in stolen vehicles are a dangerous mix. This community can always count on this office’s swift action to defend it,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. According to court documents, on January 4, 2026, a license plate reader system alerted the Goodlettsville Police Department (“GPD”) of a stolen vehicle in their jurisdiction. GPD officers responded to the area of 500 Windsor Green Boulevard and found the stolen vehicle parked. When the officers approached the vehicle, they encountered Alvarado in the driver’s seat and Hernandez in the passenger seat. Alvarado and Hernandez were arrested for the theft of the vehicle. During the arrest, Hernandez claimed his name was Saul Lopez. After the arrest, GPD officers inventoried the stolen vehicle and found a backpack on the passenger’s seat that contained approximately 60 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, a drug smoking pipe, and a loaded Beretta 9mm pistol. A further search revealed a loaded Taurus .38 caliber pistol under the driver’s seat, a loaded Colt .357 pistol under the passenger’s seat, a digital scale under the radio area, another drug smoking pipe, and clear plastic baggies inside the cab. Alvarado told officers the items in the vehicle belonged to Hernandez and Hernandez told them that the items belonged to Alvarado. Alvarado is a citizen of El Salvador without lawful status or permission to remain in the United States. Before these events, Hernandez was previously convicted of theft of property between $2,500 and $10,000 in Robertson County, Tennessee. He was on probation for this felony offense when he was arrested on January 4, 2026. If convicted, Alvarado and Hernandez each face up to 15 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Goodlettsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Herbert Bunton is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Maine Man Sentenced to Thirty-Five Years for Child Exploitation Offenses including Production of Child Sexual Abuse Imagery

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Maine man was sentenced on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Portland for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. Chief U.S. District Court Lance E. Walker sentenced Patrick Hamlin , 48, to 35 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Hamlin pled guilty on May 29, 2025. According to court records, in May 2024, federal and state law enforcement officers executed a residential search warrant following a cyber tip report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Hamlin had uploaded child sexual abuse material on a messaging application. During the search warrant execution, investigators seized Hamlin’s digital media devices and observed a child-like sex device that the defendant admitted to acquiring. A forensic examination revealed thousands of child sexual abuse images, including sexually explicit photographs of a child under the age of 12 that the defendant had produced. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information to protect the privacy of the minor victims. The Maine State Police and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. The defendant is also being prosecuted for unlawful sexual contact and unlawful sexual touching offenses committed against a minor by the Androscoggin County District Attorney’s Office. “Hamlin has earned every single year of his 35-year federal prison sentence. He not only sexually abused a young child, he photographed the abuse and shared it with like-minded predators on the internet, immortalizing his victim’s trauma. This sentence keeps him out of our community and away from children for a very, very long time,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “We are grateful for our law enforcement partners in Maine who share our dedication to bringing justice to victims of child sexual abuse.” “This prison sentence sends a strong message that the kind of abhorrent conduct committed by Hamlin will be punished to the full extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Benson. “This office remains committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who sexually exploit our most vulnerable, in coordination with our federal law enforcement partners and the Maine State Police.” To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 88 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 88 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On January 9, Alonso Marquez-Arreola, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, the defendant presented false documents to officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry pedestrian lanes. He was most recently removed from the United States on November 11, 2025 through Atlanta, Georgia. On January 11, Juan Vizcarra, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to a complaint, when Vizcarra applied for entry to the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection officers observed that he exhibited slurred speech and droopy eyes with an open beer bottle and a bottle of Fireball inside the vehicle. He was referred to secondary inspection. Officers then found a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic firearm with a Beretta magazine and three 9mm rounds in the center console of his vehicle. Vizcarra has several felony convictions, including burglary, vehicle theft and first-degree robbery. On January 11, Erick Alexander Becerra-Rocha, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found two undocumented Mexican immigrants in the trunk of the defendant’s car as he attempted to enter the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On January 12, Ernesto Carrillo Jr., a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 60 packages containing 61 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the gas tank of the defendant’s vehicle. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. 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: New Gloucester Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Handgun

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine : A New Gloucester man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records, officers with the Scarborough Police Department responded to a tip that Shawn Small , 29, was attempting to sell a pistol to another individual. Officers then located Small at a business in Scarborough. They approached and attempted to detain him. He physically resisted. During the ensuing struggle, a pack was removed from his person. Inside that pack, officers located a Smith & Wesson pistol with a loaded magazine. Small was a convicted felon at the time and on probation for a state robbery conviction. Small faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, with the assistance of the Scarborough Police Department. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: GULFPORT MAN CONVICTED AT TRIAL OF FENTANYL OFFENSES

body_text: Gulfport, MS – After a three-day trial, on January 14, 2026, a jury in Gulfport, Mississippi convicted, Marcus Agee, 35, of Gulfport, Mississippi of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to the evidence and testimony presented during trial, Agee was serving a prison sentence in the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Beaumont, Texas, while running a drug trafficking conspiracy based in Gulfport, Mississippi. Agee directed other members of the conspiracy to make fentanyl sales, transfer the proceeds of fentanyl sales, and store fentanyl through messaging applications, text messages, and video calls on a contraband cell phone. He also arranged for the shipment of fentanyl to Gulfport, Mississippi for distribution. Ultimately, law enforcement recovered a brick of fentanyl weighing over 900 grams and over 15,000 fake pills, some of which tested positive for fentanyl, which were attributable to Agee’s drug conspiracy. Photos are provided below: Agee’s sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Gulfport Police Department, Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, and Federal Bureau of Prisons, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hunter McCreight and Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.


title: Nebraska man behind “Building Barndominiums” scheme sentenced to prison

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Nebraska contractor was sentenced to 87 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $700,000 in restitution to victims after accepting money from customers for construction projects across multiple states then failing to do the work. According to court documents, Bobby Bates Sr., 43, of Grand Island, Nebraska, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. From February 2023 to October 2023, Bates, as the owner of Built Rite Construction, used a social media group called “Building Barndominiums” to solicit clients for construction projects. Bates required customers to provide initial deposits of up to 50 percent of the estimated overall construction cost. He instructed customers to pay via wire or checks into his bank accounts. After collecting funds, Bates either failed to complete construction or never began construction. As victims contacted him, he gave false excuses and promises or did not respond to messages about uncompleted projects. Bank records show Bates used payments from customers for personal expenditures instead of for the respective construction projects. A federal judge ordered Bates to pay restitution of $703,016 to more than ten victims located in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Alabama, Illinois, and South Dakota. “Anyone who has done a construction project understands that there is a level trust required with a contractor, particularly when there are upfront payments. Fraud like this damages an entire industry because consumers fear being swindled by con artists like Bobby Bates,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Here, the victims handed over their hard-earned money to someone they thought they could trust. We hope victims take solace in that Mr. Bates is not only going to prison but also ordered to pay back every dime he stole from them. The Financial Litigation Program with my office is standing by to do everything possible to make good on this court ordered restitution amount.” The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask prosecuted the case. ###


title: New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Plaistow, New Hampshire, man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records, on March 21, 2025, Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call at a residence in South Thomaston. Deputies encountered Dennis Duquette , 46, outside the home with a 9mm pistol in his hand. Duquette dropped the pistol after being ordered to do so by police and was subsequently taken into custody. Duquette is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of prior felony convictions. Duquette faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: West Yarmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Funds from Labor Union

body_text: BOSTON – A former Barnstable County employee pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to embezzling from a labor union. Kenneth Mattoon, 67, of West Yarmouth, pleaded guilty to embezzlement of labor union assets. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2026. Between May 2020 and May 2025, Mattoon embezzled funds from the Barnstable Massachusetts Department of Public Works Employees Local Number 3003 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO. Mattoon was an officer of the labor union at the time. The charge of embezzlement from a labor union provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chief Jean Challis, Barnstable Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Delhi, India Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Illegally Export Aviation Components from Oregon to Russia

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: Yesterday, in Portland, Oregon, a man from Delhi, India was sentenced to federal prison for conspiring with others to export controlled aviation components and a navigation and flight control system to end users in Russia, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act. Sanjay Kaushik, 58, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and 36 months of supervised release. “Those who scheme to circumvent U.S. export control laws—especially when it involves technologies with military applications—will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The security of the United States demands that perpetrators of deceitful schemes like this one are held accountable for their actions.” “This was no lapse in judgment. It was a calculated, profit-driven scheme involving repeated transactions, substantial gains, and coordination with foreign co-conspirators, including sanctioned Russian entities,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “This defendant sought, on multiple occasions, to undermine safeguards critical to U.S. national security and foreign policy for his own personal gain.” According to court documents and following yesterday's sentencing, beginning in early September 2023, Kaushik conspired with others to unlawfully obtain aerospace goods and technology from the United States for entities in Russia. The goods were purchased under the false pretense that they would be supplied to Kaushik and his Indian company, when in fact they were destined for Russian end users. In one such instance, Kaushik and his co-conspirators purchased an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), which is a device that provides navigation and flight control data for aircraft, from an Oregon-based supplier. Components such as the AHRS require a license from the Department of Commerce to be exported to certain countries, including Russia. To obtain an export license for the AHRS, Kaushik and his co-conspirators falsely claimed that Kaushik’s Indian company was the end purchaser and that the component would be used in a civilian helicopter. Kaushik and his co-conspirators obtained the AHRS – which was ultimately detained before it was exported from the United States – on behalf of and with the intention of shipping it, through India, to a customer in Russia. Kaushik was arrested in Miami, Florida, on October 17, 2024, pursuant to a criminal complaint and arrest warrant and has remained in custody since then. On November 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Kaushik with conspiring and attempting to export products in violation of the Export Control Reform Act and the Export Administration Regulations, specifically attempting to illegally export a navigation and flight control system from Oregon to Russia through India, and false statements in connection with an export. On October 9, 2025, Kaushik pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment, conspiring to sell export-controlled aviation components with dual civilian and military applications to end users in Russia. The sentencing was announced by Scott E. Bradford, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Special Agent in Charge Brent Burmester of the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), San Jose Field Office. BIS Portland investigated the case, with valuable assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Gregory R. Nyhus, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: Kansas City Man Sentenced to 46 Months on Federal Firearm Charge

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction. James Arthur Tatum, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 46 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. His sentence also includes three years of supervised release. According to the plea agreement filed in the case, Tatum was encountered by a Columbia, Mo. Police Department officer on June 8, 2024. Tatum was alone in a vehicle, and while the officer was checking Tatum’s identification, he saw Tatum making what he believed were furtive movements in the front passenger area. During a subsequent search of the car, officers located a Glock 43X firearm under the driver’s seat. Tatum has prior felony convictions, including a prior federal conviction, and is not permitted to possess a firearm. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.


title: Leader of Major Drug-Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Life in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced today to life in prison for leading a vast drug-trafficking organization responsible for distributing hundreds of pounds of cocaine and pure methamphetamine. Several other members of the organization were also sentenced to serve decades in prison. According to court documents, Braxton A. Thomas, 38, led an extensive drug-trafficking organization (“DTO”) from 2021 to 2024. Thomas’s DTO distributed various drugs, including cocaine and pure methamphetamine, in the Mobile area. Federal agents captured Thomas coordinating with his drug suppliers and other DTO members via court-authorized wiretaps of thousands of phone calls, text messages, and WhatsApp communications. On several occasions in 2023 and 2024, agents also seized large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine from Thomas and his coconspirators. For example, in March 2024, agents intercepted numerous calls between Thomas and one of his drug suppliers about coordinating a delivery of bulk cocaine from Houston Texas, to Mobile. On March 10, 2024, agents arrested Thomas’s supplier at a truck stop in Mobile after locating more than seven pounds of cocaine concealed behind the dash of the supplier’s semitruck. Days later, on March 15, 2024, agents intercepted calls indicating that Thomas had traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to ferry a bulk load of methamphetamine back to Mobile. That evening, agents arrested Thomas and several coconspirators who were traveling in a convoy of vehicles on Interstate 65 southbound in Baldwin County, Alabama. During that arrest, agents seized more than 26 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine and a loaded .40 caliber pistol from a vehicle being driven by one of Thomas’s couriers. Thomas admitted to agents that he regularly obtained kilograms of methamphetamine from a source in Atlanta, which Thomas would then bring back to Mobile to sell with the assistance of several mid-level distributors in his DTO. Thomas said he expected to earn $70,000 in profit from the load seized on March 15, 2024. Thomas pleaded guilty to a methamphetamine-trafficking conspiracy in federal court on March 20, 2025, and the court released him on conditions pending his sentencing. Less than three weeks later, on April 7, 2025, narcotics agents again arrested Thomas in possession of more than eight pounds of pure methamphetamine, more than a pound of cocaine, an illegal pill press, bulk cash, and firearms. Thomas told arresting agents, “Y’all got me, let’s get this over with.” At Thomas’s sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer reviewed and considered evidence of Thomas’s continued drug dealing while on release conditions. Judge Moorer also emphasized Thomas’s violent criminal history, including his manslaughter conviction for the shooting death of a female victim in Prichard, Alabama in September 2012. In addition to imposing a lifetime prison term, Judge Moorer ordered Thomas to serve a 10-year term of supervised release if he is ever released from custody. There is no parole in the federal system. “Braxton Thomas and the drug trafficking organization he led are off the streets and in prison for good,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. “Bringing hundreds of pounds of drugs into our community for years, he and his codefendants threatened the safety and security of the Southern District of Alabama. Thanks to the outstanding skill and dedication of our federal, state, and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors, Thomas and his drug trafficking organization have been held justifiably accountable for their numerous crimes. Today, our streets are safer. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue our relentless pursuit of drug dealers in our community.” “This sentencing effectively dismantles a multi-state drug trafficking organization that pumped hundreds of pounds of highly pure methamphetamine and cocaine into our communities. This is an enforcement success of the highest order,” said Steven L. Hofer, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New Orleans Division. “The DEA, working shoulder-to-shoulder with our federal, state, and local partners, utilized sophisticated investigative techniques, including court-authorized wiretaps, to methodically map and cripple Thomas’s entire operation. This outcome sends an unequivocal message: the supply chains of poison flowing into our cities will be identified, severed, and those responsible will be brought to justice.” For their roles in the conspiracy, Judge Moorer also sentenced the following defendants to serve federal prison terms: Lamar Reynolds Nored (180 months); Dennis Carl Hayward, Jr. (240 months); Dawann A. Haseeb (240 months); Claylon Link Fillingim (120 months); William Keith Reed (240 months); and Jose Manuel Lamas, Jr. (57 months). The court ordered each of these defendants to serve supervised release terms upon their release from custody, and forfeited all firearms and a semitruck seized during the investigation to the United States. Other members of Thomas’s DTO, including Larry Jerome Hunter and Tyrone Dansby, will be sentenced at a later date. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This prosecution was 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 Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.