title: HSTF: Three Dominican Nationals Plead Guilty to Cocaine Conspiracy Charges After Importation of 1,694 kilograms of Cocaine

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Three Dominican nationals pleaded guilty for their roles in importing approximately 1,694 kilograms of cocaine into South Florida. Erasme Catalino Paulino Rodriguez, 35; Joseito Diaz De Oleo, 48; and Ober Alexander Villavicencio Jimenez, 36 — all of the Dominican Republic — pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import a controlled substance. “This was a large-scale maritime cocaine smuggling operation aimed at bringing nearly 1.7 metric tons of poison into South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “That amount of cocaine fuels addiction, violence, and cartel profits on a massive scale. These guilty pleas disrupted a major trafficking pipeline and reflect the strength of coordinated federal enforcement at sea and on land. If you move narcotics toward our shores, you will be intercepted, prosecuted, and sent to federal prison.” According to court documents, on Dec. 2, 2025, approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Government Cut in Miami-Dade County, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) interdicted the M/V Best Bet , a 65-foot sport-fishing vessel. After escorting the vessel to U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, law enforcement discovered 1,694 kilograms of cocaine concealed in hidden compartments. Rodriguez, De Oleo, and Jimenez admitted they piloted the Best Bet east from Miami to a pre-determined location near the Turks and Caicos, where they met a smaller vessel carrying four Dominican men who transferred duffle bags filled with cocaine. The defendants then concealed the drugs on board and began the return trip to Miami, where they were intercepted. Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, made the announcement. DEA Miami Field Division and HSI Miami are investigating the case, with assistance from the USCG, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO), and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Miami Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Kirkpatrick is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from DEA Miami, HSI Miami, USCG, U.S. Customs and Border Protection AMO, and FBI Miami with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-20541. ###


title: Registered sex offender pleads guilty to possessing child pornography of infants, toddlers

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A repeat sex offender faces 10 to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty today in U.S. District Court to a child pornography crime. Alan Martina, 37, of Columbus, admitted to possessing child sexual abuse material of infants and toddlers. According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cyber tipline report from Kik regarding the uploading of child pornography from Martina’s account. In September 2025, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Martina’s residence and seized six electronic devices. A forensic examination of the devices revealed more than 170 videos and 215 images of child sexual abuse. Martina used the apps Session and Teleguard to discuss and trade child pornography with other users. Some of his messages in response to receiving images and videos of infants and toddlers being sexually abused include: “Mmmmmmm I want to hear her cry and scream…” and “Mmmmmmm yes abuse and rape her and let me watch.” The defendant was charged by criminal complaint in October 2025. Martina was previously convicted in Franklin County of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and is a registered sex offender. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case. 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. # # #


title: Recent Indictments, Convictions through Guilty Pleas, and Sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Prosecutions

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

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following investigative and prosecutorial results for the week of April 27 through May 3, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations. Indictments: On April 30, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Jhon Dennis Guerrero-Trotman, Jaime José Marval-Gutiérrez, José Gregorio Pereira-Orfila, and Héctor Gregorio Jiménez-Herrera with conspiracy and importation of cocaine, and conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, in April 2026, the defendants knowingly and intentionally imported into the United States, from Venezuela and other places, five kilograms or more of cocaine. Specifically, on April 26, 2026, HSTF seized 48 packages that contained approximately 1,350.2 kilograms of cocaine. Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Antonio J. López-Rivera is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 29, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Douglas Antonio Fernández-Rodríguez with conspiracy and importation of cocaine from Venezuela and other places, into Puerto Rico. Fernández-Rodríguez is also charged with knowingly entering or attempting to enter the United States illegally. Specifically, on or about March 11, 2026, HSTF seized approximately 709.1 kilograms of cocaine. United States Coast Guard Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Cody A. McKinney is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 29, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging José Fernando Huggins-Figueroa with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. Specifically, on April 22, 2026, HSTF seized 20 kilograms of cocaine. AUSA Camille García is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 29, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Vilorio Camilo Polo-Padilla and Franklin Reyes with conspiracy to import cocaine, attempt to import cocaine, improper entry by alien, and re-entry of removed alien. Specifically, on April 17, 2026, HSTF seized 124 kilograms of cocaine. AUSA Camille García is in charge of the prosecution of the case. Convictions through Guilty Pleas: On April 29, 2026, Rosemary Santiago-Serrano pleaded guilty to Count One in CR Case 25-392 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in public housing projects and other areas in and around Cayey, Puerto Rico. Defendant was arrested on September 26, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 29, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 28, 2026, Edwin Gabriel Vázquez-Colón, a.k.a. “Cuco”, pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 7 in CR Case 24-170 (RAM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated in and around the Jardines de Selles Public Housing Project in San Juan, Puerto Rico and with being armed with a machinegun while doing so. Defendant was arrested on April 24, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 27, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 28, 2026, Christian Maldonado-López, a.k.a “Ninja,” pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 6 in CR Case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated in and around Manatí, Puerto Rico and with being armed while doing so. Defendant was arrested on February 16, 2024. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 27, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 28, 2026, César Tyron Villegas-Cintrón, pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 6 in CR Case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated in and around Manatí, Puerto Rico and with being armed with a machinegun while doing so. Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 21, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 28, 2026, Roberto Rodríguez-Payano pleaded guilty to Count One for violations to 21 U.S.C. Sections 959(a), 960(a)(3) & (b)(1)(B)(ii) and 963 in CR Case 22-520(RAM). According to the Indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to manufacture and distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance, intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe that such mixture or substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Rodríguez-Payano was extradited from the Dominican Republic on August 21, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for July 28, 2026. AUSA Camille García is in charge of the prosecution of the case. Sentencings: On April 27, 2026, Jey Xander Omar González-Díaz was sentenced by Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón to a two-year term of probation for failing to report that he transported more than $10,000 into the United States. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on September 18, 2025, in CR Case 25-391, and pled guilty to the charge on January 14, 2026. Social Security Administration SAUSA Niranjan Emani is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 28, 2026, Daniel Rivera-Molina was sentenced by Judge Pedro A. Delgado to a term of imprisonment of time served (equal to six months) to be followed by a term of supervised release of one year for reentry of removed alien after an aggravated felony conviction. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on November 6, 2025, in CR Case 25-473 (PAD), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on March 23, 2026. Department of Homeland Security SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 27, 2026, Jayson Camacho-Rodriguez was sentenced by Judge Gina Mendez-Miro to time served for conspiring to distribute between 500 grams and 2 kilograms of cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 22, 2024, in CR Case 24-188 (GMM), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on January 26, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 27, 2026, Luis Laboy-Nadal was sentenced by Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to ten years of imprisonment for conspiring to distribute between 3.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 22, 2024, in CR Case 24-188 (GMM), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on January 27, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 28, 2026, Ilia Martínez-Pagán was sentenced by Judge Gina Méndez-Miró to five years of imprisonment for conspiring to distribute between 500 grams and 2 kilograms cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on May 22, 2024, in CR Case 24-188 (GMM), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on January 27, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case. On April 28, 2026, Miguel Ángel Pastrana-Ríos was sentenced by Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán to 135 months of imprisonment and 5 years on supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distributing 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II Narcotic Drug Controlled Substance. According to court documents, the defendant was charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico on February 27, 2025, in CR Case 25-012 (MAJ), and pled guilty to the charge(s) on September 25, 2025. These prosecutions are 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. ###


title: Two U.S. Nationals Sentenced for Facilitating Fraudulent Remote Information Technology Worker Schemes to Generate Revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

body_text: MIAMI – The Justice Department today announced the sentencings in separate cases of two U.S. nationals, Matthew Issac Knoot, of Nashville, Tennessee, and Erick Ntekereze Prince, of New York, for their roles in facilitating Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) remote information technology (IT) workers. Knoot was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Prince was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Both men received and hosted laptop computers at their residences that victim U.S. companies shipped to IT workers they had hired and who the victim companies believed were located at the defendants’ residences. Knoot and Prince also installed remote desktop applications on laptops that enabled their co-conspirators to work from locations overseas while appearing to the victim companies to be working from the defendants’ residences. In total, the defendants’ separate fraudulent schemes generated more than $1.2 million in revenue for the DPRK and impacted nearly 70 victim companies in the U.S. “These sentences hold accountable U.S nationals who enabled North Korea’s illicit efforts to infiltrate U.S. networks and profit on the back of U.S. companies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These defendants helped North Korean ‘IT workers’ masquerade as legitimate employees, compromising U.S. corporate networks and helping generate revenue for a heavily sanctioned and rogue regime. The National Security Division will continue to pursue those who, through deception and cyber-enabled fraud, threaten our national security.” “This scheme shows how national security threats now enter through ordinary business systems,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants helped North Korean IT workers pose as legitimate employees, gain access to American companies, and generate money for a sanctioned regime. These were not paperwork violations. They were deliberate acts that exposed U.S. businesses, compromised trust, and supported one of the world’s most dangerous adversaries. These sentences send a clear message: if you help foreign actors infiltrate American companies for profit, you will face federal prison and lose the money you made.” “These kind of foreign-based attacks on American businesses will not be tolerated and those involved will be held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “This case demonstrates our coordinated effort with federal law enforcement to protect businesses in Tennessee and across the country.” “The FBI and our partners will continue to disrupt North Korea’s ability to circumvent sanctions and fund its totalitarian regime,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “These cases should leave no doubt that Americans who choose to facilitate these schemes will be identified and held accountable. Hosting laptops for DPRK IT workers is a federal crime which directly impacts our national security, and these sentences should serve as a warning to anyone considering it.” Southern District of Florida: U.S. v. Erick Ntekereze Prince Today, U.S. District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles for the Southern District of Florida sentenced Prince to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Prince was also ordered to forfeit $89,000, which is the amount the DPRK IT workers paid him for his assistance with the scheme. According to court documents, Prince enabled at least three DPRK IT workers to obtain remote employment at U.S. companies from approximately June 2020 through August 2024. In furtherance of the scheme, Prince used his company Taggcar Inc. to fraudulently supply “certified” IT workers to victim U.S. companies, knowing that the IT workers were located outside the U.S. and using false and stolen identities to gain employment. In addition, Prince hosted victim U.S. company-provided laptops at New York residences and installed remote access software on those laptops without authorization so that the DPRK IT workers could create the false appearance that they were remote working from Prince’s residence. On Jan. 21, 2025, Prince, U.S. national Emanuel Ashtor, Mexican national Pedro Ernesto Alonso de los Reyes, and North Korean nationals Jin Sung-il and Pak Jin-Song were charged by indictment alleging their participation in a criminal scheme that obtained work for North Korean IT workers from more than 64 U.S. companies. The victim companies paid the DPRK IT workers associated in this case more than $943,069 in salary payments, the vast majority of which were sent to the IT workers overseas. Prince and his conspirators’ actions also caused the victim companies more than $1 million in costs associated with auditing and remediating their devices, systems, and networks. Ashtor is awaiting trial, de los Reyes is in custody in The Netherlands awaiting extradition, and the Sung-il and Jin-Song are fugitives. The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cronin for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of the National Security Division (NSD)’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the case. Middle District of Tennessee: U.S. v. Matthew Isaac Knoot On May 1, U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson for the Middle District of Tennessee sentenced Knoot to 18 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Knoot was also ordered to pay $15,100 in restitution to the victim companies, and to forfeit an additional $15,100, which is the amount the DPRK IT workers paid him for his assistance with the scheme. According to court documents, Knoot ran a laptop farm from his Nashville residences between approximately July 2022 and August 2023. The victim companies shipped laptops addressed to “Andrew M.” to Knoot’s residences. Following receipt of the laptops, and without authorization, Knoot logged on to the laptops, downloaded and installed unauthorized remote desktop applications, and accessed the victim companies’ networks. The remote desktop applications enabled a North Korean IT worker to work from locations in China, while appearing to the victim companies that “Andrew M.” was working from Knoot’s residences in Nashville. On Aug. 7, 2024, Knoot was charged by indictment alleging his participation in a criminal scheme that obtained work for North Korean IT workers from at least four U.S. companies. The victim companies paid the DPRK IT workers associated with Knoot’s laptop farm more than $250,000 for their work between approximately July 2022 and August 2023. Most, if not all, of this sum was falsely reported to the IRS and Social Security Administration in the name of the actual U.S. person, Andrew M., whose identity the conspirators had stolen. Knoot and his conspirators’ actions also caused the victim companies more than $500,000 in costs associated with auditing and remediating their devices, systems, and networks. Knoot and the DPRK IT workers conspired to receive payments from the victim companies and transfer those funds to Knoot and to accounts outside of the U.S., including accounts associated with North Korean and Chinese individuals. Knoot’s role in this scheme ended when the FBI executed a court-authorized search of his home on Aug. 8, 2023, after which Knoot made multiple false and misleading statements and destroyed evidence to obstruct the investigation. The FBI Nashville Field Office investigated the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of NSD’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the case, with significant assistance from Paralegal Specialist Shelby Duty. Today’s announcement represents the Department’s latest actions to combat North Korean IT worker schemes as part of a joint NSD and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced other actions pursuant to the initiative, including in January 2025 , June 2025 , November 2025 , and April 2026 . As described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024 , January 2025 , and July 2025 , North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere. North Korean IT workers leverage these third parties, which include U.S.-based individuals, to gain fraudulent employment and access to U.S. company networks to generate this revenue. Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators, and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory released by the FBI, Department of the Treasury, and Department of State; a July 2023 advisory from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs. The U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $5 million in support of international efforts to disrupt the DPRK’s illicit financial activities, including for cybercrimes, money laundering, and sanctions evasion. ###


title: Lewiston man charged with enticement for attempting to have sex with a 13-year-old girl

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that CJ A. Wolf, of Lewiston, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life. According to the criminal complaint, on October 4, 2025, Wolf began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer via text message, after responding to an advertisement, posted online by investigators, of a purported minor female willing to meet in person to have sex. During these communications, Wolf was told to travel to a specific location where he could have sex with the purported 13-year-old girl who was advertised online. Wolf traveled to a retail parking lot and interacted with the undercover officer who was coordinating the sexual interaction between Wolf and the purported 13-year-old girl. Wolf was asked if he had the money, which he confirmed by showing he had $200 and agreeing for “a half hour.” After some further conversation, Wolf was arrested. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Two Orlando Residents Sentenced for $148 Million Construction Payroll Scheme that Defrauded the IRS and Workers’ Compensation Insurers

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Rene Mauricio Escobar (55) and Juana Nelida Escobar (36), residents of Orlando, have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Rene Escobar was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison. Juana Escobar was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. The court also ordered the defendants to pay $37,174,388 in restitution to the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. Juana Escobar pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025, and Rene Escobar pleaded guilty on November 20, 2025. Juana Escobar is a legal permanent resident from Mexico. Her conviction will likely result in her deportation from the United States. Rene Escobar is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Ecuador. According to court documents and information presented in court, over the period of approximately December 2015 through August 2024, the defendants conspired to facilitate the payment of construction workers “off the books” to avoid paying payroll taxes and workers’ compensation insurance premiums. The scheme also facilitated the employment of undocumented workers who were not legally authorized to work in the United States. The defendants, through their company, Escobar Plastering, entered into agreements with hundreds of construction subcontractors to enable the subcontractors to obtain contracts with, and perform work for, construction contractors. In exchange for 7% to 8% of the subcontractors’ payroll, the defendants caused certificates of insurance in the name of the defendants’ company to be sent to construction contractors from which the subcontractors wished to obtain work, representing that the subcontractors worked for their company and were covered by the company’s workers’ compensation insurance. In fact, the company’s insurance policies were based on applications representing that the policies would cover a handful of employees and a minimal payroll. As a result of the defendants’ using their certificate of insurance to represent that the subcontractors worked for their company, the insurers unwittingly covered hundreds of workers. If the insurers had known the amount of payroll they were in fact covering, they would have charged annual premiums totaling approximately $14,878,207. Thousands of payroll checks totaling approximately $148,760,824 were deposited into bank accounts of the defendants’ company, from which they withdrew cash to pay the subcontractors’ workers, after subtracting their 7% to 8% fee, which totaled, at 7%, approximately $10,413,258—all without withholding, or paying over, payroll taxes to the IRS. As a result, the U.S. Treasury lost $37,174,388 in unpaid payroll taxes. The defendants’ scheme allowed the construction contractors and subcontractors to disclaim responsibility for paying payroll taxes to the IRS, for ensuring that adequate workers’ compensation insurance was obtained, and for verifying that the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States. “Complex investigations such as this require the skills and diligence of dedicated investigators and prosecutors,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Because of the interagency cooperation and expertise displayed in this case, an intricate fraud scheme was unraveled, and the defendants were brought to justice.” “Payroll and workers’ comp fraud doesn’t just break the law—it puts honest contractors at a competitive disadvantage,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Don't be fooled into thinking these schemes are victimless crimes. The actions by these defendants alone cost the US taxpayers $37 million. Alongside our law-enforcement partners, IRS Special Agents will keep exposing complex schemes that exploit workers and steal from American taxpayers.” “Multi-million-dollar payroll and worker’s insurance fraud schemes fuel the underground economy, create unfair advantages over honest businesses, and put workers at risk, especially when these schemes exploit illegal alien workers for personal gain,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “HSI is committed to dismantling complex criminal enterprises that exploit our financial and labor systems and exploit workers. By working in close partnership with IRS-CI, we uncovered this fraud, and these criminals will now be held accountable for their actions.” This case was the result of a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), working collaboratively as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). The Florida Department of Financial Services also assisted with this investigation. It is part of a continuing investigation by those agencies of the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Clint Locke.


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Richard Harris , 23, to 32 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $31,400 in restitution. Harris pleaded guilty on December 16, 2025. According to court records, Harris and a coconspirator, Paul Logugune, broke into unattended vehicles to steal purses and wallets containing driver’s licenses and checkbooks. Harris and Logugune forged checks using the stolen checkbooks and made the checks payable to the names on the stolen licenses. They then recruited others to cash the forged checks at branches of a federal credit union throughout southern Maine using the stolen IDs to impersonate the ID theft victims. Logugune also pleaded guilty to his role in the offense. On August 29, 2024, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and ordered to pay over $32,000 in restitution. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Freeport Police Department. ###


title: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS OVER $2 MILLION IN GRANTS TO AREA FOUNDATION AND AGENCIES TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women has awarded $2,130,000 collectively to the Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response Center, Baton Rouge City Office of the Treasurer, and Louisiana Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall. The Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR) Center was awarded $1,200,000 to improve the Criminal Justice Response Program which assists state, local, and tribal governments and courts in improving the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and to seek safety and autonomy for victims. The project will support medical and/or law enforcement accompaniment services for victims of sexual assault and follow-up calls after acute crisis response; advocacy services for victims to ensure they are connected to resources; court accompaniment; and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners clinical trainings, consultation, and peer review. STAR is a nonprofit organization committed to serving youth and adult survivors of sexual trauma and building institutional capacity to prevent and respond responsibly to sexual violence in the community. The Baton Rouge City Office of the Treasurer (BRCOT) was awarded $500,000 and the Louisiana Department of Justice (LA DOJ) was awarded $430,000 to support their continued efforts of the Abby Honold Program which aims to improve law enforcement’s response to allegations of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Grant funds will provide continued training of covered individuals in the use of evidence-based, trauma-informed, and victim-centered approaches and apply knowledge of crime victims’ rights throughout an investigation; and to work to improve the response of covered individuals to domestic and sexual violence and stalking. BRCOT serves as a parent organization for various municipal functions in East Baton Rouge Parish. For more information about this award, contact the Office on Violence Against Women at 202-307-6026 and ask for the Policy, Communication, and Evaluation Division.


title: Pueblo Pintado Man Sentenced for Murder

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Pueblo Pintado man was sentenced to seven years in prison for fatally shooting another man after a night of heavy drinking and a physical altercation. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, on March 17, 2025, Thurman Curley , 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, shot and killed John Doe following a physical altercation after a night of heavy drinking. Curley pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon his release from prison, Curley will be subject to five 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 FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to “Doxxing” Home Address of United States Supreme Court Justice

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Kyle Andrew Edwards, 59, of Alexander, N.C., appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to a “doxxing” charge for posting online the home address of a United States Supreme Court Justice with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite a crime of violence against the Justice, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “Doxxing” is the act of gathering, by licit and illicit means, and posting on the internet personal identifying information (PII), such as a home address, and other sensitive information of an individual without the person’s knowledge and consent. Edwards pleaded guilty to knowingly making public restricted personal information, that being the home address of a Supreme Court Justice, with the intent to threaten, intimidate, and incite violence against the person or a member of the person’s family, and knowing that the restricted personal information would be used to threaten, intimidate, and facilitate the commission of a crime of violence against the Supreme Court Justice or a family member. “Doxxing is dangerous. It exposes officials to all sorts of people that may cause harm, and that harm may be even worse than the doxxer expected or intended,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “That is why we take it seriously. Threatening or harming federal officials is not the way to change policy. If you want to change policy, get involved and go vote.” According to information contained in documents filed as part of Edwards’ plea and the plea hearing, from April through June 2026, Edwards frequently used an online social media account that was publicly accessible to post comments critical of certain United States Supreme Court Justices. Many of the posts were threatening in nature or were responses to threatening comments made by other users. For example, on June 27, 2025, Edwards posted that the Supreme Court “must be destroyed.” Two days later, on June 29, Edwards posted that a certain Supreme Court Justice should “buy Kevlar robes.” According to court documents, on April 8, 2025, Edwards used his social media account to post the correct home address of a United States Supreme Court Justice. On the same day, Edwards posted partial or historical information about the neighborhoods or former home addresses of two other United States Supreme Court Justices. On the day Edwards publicly disclosed the Justice’s home address, he made several threatening posts toward other Justices. For example, Edwards posted that a different Justice’s home address was unavailable online “to prevent people from assassinating him.” Edwards also posted that Justices should “think again” if they thought that “their families are safe.” Edwards also encouraged others to “start dragging the SC out by their robes,” and to turn the Justices “into charcoal.” Court documents show that Edwards posted these comments publicly on his own social media account and within conversations in which some other posters were also making similar threats. Edwards was released on bond following the guilty plea. The statutory maximum penalty for the doxxing charge is five years in prison. Edwards’ sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not been set. This case was investigated by the Supreme Court of the United States Police - Protective Intelligence Unit. * * * In a separate case, on April 23, 2026, Wyatt Austin Salus, 26, of Cullowhee, N.C., was sentenced to three years of probation, after pleading guilty to making interstate threats to kill and injure United States Senator Thom Tillis. According to court records, on March 17, 2025, Salus called Senator Tillis’s office and left a message threatening to injure and kill Senator Tillis. The FBI investigated Salus’s case with assistance from the United States Capitol Police. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is in charge of the prosecutions.


title: Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Iron Pursuit

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: In One Month, Over 200 Child Victims Identified and More than 350 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in Nationwide Crackdown. Two Offenders Charged in the Western District of Michigan. WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced the results of Operation Iron Pursuit, a one-month, nationwide enforcement effort to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest child sex predators. More than 200 child victims were located and over 350 child sexual abuse offenders were arrested. All 56 FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys' offices around the country participated in the coordinated takedown effort. The operation commenced April 1 and ended April 30. The Administration for Children and Families recognize April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month . “This operation puts every child predator on notice: we are coming for you,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The sexual exploitation of minors is an abomination with no place in our society. We will hunt down these offenders, hold them fully accountable under the law, and deliver justice for victims.” “Every single day this FBI is working 24/7 to break networks of child abusers all across this country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Last year we joined our partners delivering a record year, identifying and rescuing over 6,300 missing children, and today’s announcement of Operation Iron Pursuit is just the latest success in that work — with over 200 victims located and over 350 offenders arrested. Let this be a message to criminal actors who seek to target America’s children: you will be pursued, and you will be brought to justice.” Victims recovered include a 10-year-old from Utah who was flown from Cuba to home and the child’s biological mother. The child was supposed to be on a camping trip with a transgender parent, partner, and another child. The group instead flew from Canada to Mexico and then to Cuba; concerns existed that the 10-year-old child was taken to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery. FBI Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted with the recovery of the children, providing crisis support and stabilization. Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, abuse, kidnapping, and possessing, distributing, or receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Some of the alleged offenders include: A Columbus, Ohio, man who pleaded guilty to creating AI-generated obscene material of adults and children and to cyberstalking exes; A District of Columbia man charged with producing child pornography; A New York man charged with sexually exploiting a child; and A Pennsylvania man and former felon charged with sexually exploiting a child and illegally possessing a gun. “You can see from this one-month snapshot that child sexual exploitation remains a major law enforcement concern for all of us, including the Western District of Michigan,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey. “We have adapted our investigative methods as these child predators have moved onto the internet, and we will continue to do whatever it takes to bring these offenders to justice.” In the Western District of Michigan, a grand jury returned an indictment against Matthew David Coad on April 7, 2026. Coad was charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Because of a prior conviction for criminal sexual conduct against a minor, he faces enhanced penalties if convicted: prison for a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years for distribution of child pornography and a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years for possession of child pornography. On the same date, the same grand jury returned an indictment charging Christopher Patrick Owens with seven counts of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a child. If Owens is convicted, each sexual exploitation count requires a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison; attempted coercion and enticement carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison. “Our participation in Operation Iron Pursuit is another example of the work we do every day in Michigan to protect children and hold predators accountable,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of our FBI Bay City, Flint, and Grand Rapids Resident Agencies, alongside the FBI Detroit Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose work continues to safeguard our communities and protect children from those who seek to harm them.” This effort follows three other successful operations last year. Operation Relentless Justice , concluded in December 2025, resulted in the rescue of 205 children and arrests of 293 offenders. Operation Enduring Justice, concluded in August 2025, resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. And Operation Restore Justice , concluded in May 2025, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders. The FBI’s VSD assisted victims during Operation Iron Pursuit and provided services such as forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience. The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org . The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov , or by calling your local FBI field office. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. -###- 26-449


title: New Orleans Woman Guilty of Conspiracy to Make & Pass Counterfeit $100 Bills

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – AMANDA CANGELOSI (“CANGELOSI” ), age 40, a resident of New Orleans, LA pleaded guilty on April 23, 2026, to conspiracy to make, and pass, counterfeit United States currency, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, CANGELOSI conspired with others to manufacture counterfeit bills and used the counterfeit bills to pay for goods and services. CANGELOSI and her co-conspirators used genuine $1 bills to create the counterfeit $100 bills in an effort to deceive merchants into believing the currency was a genuine $100 bill. Investigators seized several items CANGELOSI, and her co-conspirators used to create the counterfeit currency. CANGELOSI faces up to five years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 mandatory special assessment fee. CANGELOSI also may be ordered to pay restitution. This case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiwana Wright of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Former Basketball Coach Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Sending Sexually Explicit Photos to Students

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a former high school basketball coach to 90 months in prison for sending sexually explicit photos to students and engaging in sexually explicit conversations with them. Lee Anthony Bogan Jr., 29, was working at a St. Louis area high school at the time. Bogan, known as “Coach Teejay,” used a social media application to contact high school students beginning in the spring of 2024. Bogan sent photos of his genitals and expressed romantic and sexual interest in the students, seeking to gauge their responses. Bogan was unaware that the minors took screen shots of the explicit photos before they disappeared. In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards said that the students interrupted Bogan’s attempt to groom them by reporting his conduct. Bogan pleaded guilty in February to one count of attempting to receive child pornography. He will be on supervised release for life after his release from prison. The Ladue Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Man Sentenced for Robbing Gainesville Bank

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – Patrick Shane Johnson, 51, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 46 months in prison after previously pleading guilty in federal court to bank robbery and larceny. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the lightning-fast response of the Gainesville Police Department, this violent criminal was quickly caught and now my office has ensured he will be kept off our streets for several years. This is yet another successful prosecution under Operation Take Back America , which launched under the direction of President Donald J. Trump to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward removing violent criminals like this defendant from our communities to deliver the safe streets our citizens deserve.” Court documents reveal that on August 27, 2025, the defendant entered a Wells Fargo bank on Archer Road and passed a note to a teller. The note read, “This is no joke, it is an armed bank robbery. All of the money now I am armed.” The defendant grabbed over $1,000 cash and fled. The Gainesville Police Department responded and immediately apprehended the defendant. “A violent threat inside a bank is every employee’s nightmare, but because of the immediate response by our officers, this dangerous offender was taken back into custody within moments,” said Chief Moya, Gainesville Police Department. The sentencing of this repeat offender reflects the seriousness of recidivism among violent offenders and the danger it poses to the public," said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “We will continue working closely with our partners to pursue repeat offenders and protect our communities.” The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Career Offender Sentenced to Over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – LeSeam Johnson, aka LeSean Wallace, 40 of Memphis, has been sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl and a firearm, the possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to evidence presented in court, in April and May of 2025, Johnson made multiple sales of 1/2 oz. to 2 oz. quantities of fentanyl to an undercover agent. During one of the sales, Johnson also sold an AR-style pistol and on a separate occasion sold fake narcotics to the undercover agent. Johnson is a felon and is prohibited from even possessing a firearm. Johnson was federally indicted in August 2025 and pled guilty to the charges on February 3, 2026. On May 5, 2026, the Honorable Judge Mark S. Norris found that Johnson is a “career offender” under the United States Sentencing Guidelines based on his prior convictions involving the distribution of narcotics and a prior violent offense. Judge Norris sentenced Johnson to 262 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "This defendant’s prior conviction history demonstrates his disrespect for the law and his imminent danger to the public. Johnson presented a triple threat of serious bodily injury and death: a prior violent convicted felon in possession of and dealing a firearm while distributing highly addictive and deadly substances on the streets. Fentanyl itself is a killer, and illegally putting firearms into the hands of strangers on the street adds another level of danger to the community. Career offender+guns+drugs = a federal sentence that will remove him from our community and save lives." "This defendant posed a triple threat to our community – a violent convicted felon in possession of a firearm who also distributed the deadly narcotic Fentanyl and sold additional weapons on our Memphis streets. This sentencing underscores the collective efforts of ATF with our local, state, and federal partners and the unwavering commitment to maintaining public safety," said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Office. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Memphis Police Department’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Adopting the Identity of a U.S. Citizen to Obtain a U.S. Passport and to Vote in an Election

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales (55, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to making false statements in an application for a U.S. passport, aggravated identity theft, falsely claiming that a Social Security number had been assigned to him, and falsely claiming to be a U.S citizen to vote in an election. He faces a minimum term of 2 years, up to 22 years, in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the plea agreement, Jaramillo Grajales is a Colombian citizen who used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a passport. He used those same identifiers and claimed to be a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a Florida driver license and to register to vote. He then voted in several elections. Jaramillo Grajales first obtained a driver license in the U.S. citizen’s name in March 2003 and subsequently renewed it several times, with the last renewal occurring in February 2024. In April 2003, Jaramillo Grajales submitted an application for a U.S. passport. He identified himself as the U.S. citizen and provided a Puerto Rican birth certificate in the U.S. citizen’s name along with the driver license he had obtained. Based on these fraudulent—but authentic—documents, he was issued a passport in May 2003. He submitted passport renewal applications in February 2013 and March 2023 and a renewed passport was issued each time. In December 2010, Jaramillo Grajales submitted a Florida Voter Registration Application, identifying himself as the U.S. citizen and affirming that he was a U.S. citizen who had been born in Puerto Rico. The registration was approved and he subsequently voted in several elections, including the election held in Duval County on November 3, 2020. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.


title: DISH Wireless LLC to Pay More than $17M to Resolve False Claims Act and Administrative Allegations Related to FCC’s Broadband Benefits Programs

component: Civil Division

body_text: DISH Wireless LLC (DISH), located in Englewood, Colorado, has agreed to pay $17,280,240 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA), common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Emergency Broadband Benefits Program (EBBP) and its successor program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). “The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and receive federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure integrity in the FCC’s programs.” “DISH and its employees fraudulently signed up ineligible applicants to receive federal monies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By doing so DISH received payments which they were not entitled. This is a shameful act on the part of a large corporation that is rightfully required to pay $17 million.” “DISH continued seeking FCC program funds for months after its executives learned about its agents’ enrollment fraud and after an FCC OIG advisory warning. FCC OIG is committed to holding accountable bad actors who misuse taxpayers funds,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our FCC colleagues, and our law enforcement partners, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure participating providers serve intended recipients.” The EBBP, created by Congress during the COVID-19 Pandemic pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, provided $3.2 billion in 2021 to assist low-income consumers with discounted broadband services and devices. The follow-on ACP provided an additional $14 billion for the same services between 2022 and 2024. For both programs, consumers could be eligible for discounted broadband services if they met certain income thresholds or participated in one of a number of specified federal, state, or Tribal assistance programs, including but not limited to Medicaid, SNAP (i.e., Food Stamp Program), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the National School Lunch Program. DISH, a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, provides wireless telecommunication services to consumers in the United States through Boost Mobile, a division of DISH. Between May 2021 and February 2022, DISH enrolled more than 130,000 subscribers into EBBP and ACP based on their participation in the free school breakfast and lunch program in which all students who attend a high-poverty school become eligible for these services, known as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. For each of these subscribers, DISH received up to $50 per month during EBBP and $30 per month under ACP. The settlement resolves allegations that DISH received monthly federal payments from EBBP and ACP that it was not entitled to receive because certain CEP subscribers enrolled by DISH agents were ineligible. The United States alleges DISH engaged in the following FCA covered conduct: (1) DISH submitted claims to the EBBP and ACP from May 12, 2021 through Feb. 28, 2022 for discounted broadband services and devices for subscribers who did not qualify for the programs; (2) DISH failed to implement effective policies and procedures to ensure the eligibility of those subscribers; (3) DISH failed to adequately screen, train, or supervise third-party sales agents by failing to ensure each third-party agent was properly registered in the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Representative Accountability Database; (4) DISH internal sales employees in Texas, Florida, New York, and West Virginia trained and directed third-party sales agents to submit inaccurate customer applications with incorrect school information; and (5) these third-party sales agents submitted false or incomplete information to the FCC’s National Verifier which was used to determine participant eligibility for the EBBP and ACP. As a result, DISH enrolled more than 16,000 households on the basis of purported school attendance at a CEP school more than 25 miles from the household address without any verified school attendance, enrolled 130 households on the basis of a purported dependent over the age of 21 attending a CEP school, and for some CEP schools, DISH enrolled more households into EBBP than the actual student enrollment at the CEP school. Moreover, after learning of problems with the company’s CEP enrollments, DISH corporate executives failed to take corrective action from September 2021 through April 2022. The United States further alleges that DISH engaged in the following common law covered conduct: (1) submitting claims for more than 66,000 subscribers who did not identify a school-aged student as part of their applications; and (2) enrolling more than 2,400 subscribers using duplicate beneficiaries as the basis for their eligibility. The Civil Settlement also resolves an administrative order by the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC against DISH for similar allegations. See In the Matter of Request for Review of the Decision of the Universal Service Administrator by DISH Wireless LLC, et al., WC Docket Nos. 21-450, 20-445, Order, DA 25-72 (released Jan. 17, 2025). This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of the Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel. The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney Jennifer Chorpening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Johnson for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hair for the District of Columbia. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.


title: Former soldier sentenced to federal prison for stealing vehicle, ramming Fort Stewart building

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, Georgia: A U.S. Army retiree who crashed a stolen vehicle into a Fort Stewart office building has been sent to federal prison and ordered to pay substantial restitution. Treamon Dominic Lacy , 42, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to 33 months in prison after his conviction at trial in U.S. District Court on charges of Theft of Government Property and Damage to Government Property, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S District Court Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Lacy to pay $579,868 in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “As a former servicemember, Treamon Lacy used his knowledge of operations at Hunter Army Airfield to steal a vehicle and crash through the front doors of an occupied building,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “It’s a miracle no one was injured or killed, and this sentence holds him accountable for his actions.” As described at trial, Lacy was a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant when in July 2023 he gained access to Fort Stewart, entered the motor pool and stole a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle, known as a Humvee, and drove to the headquarters building of the U.S. Army’s Third Infantry Division. Lacy then drove the vehicle into the entrance of the building, causing extensive damage. No one was injured, and military police took Lacy into custody. A federal grand jury indicted Lacy in August 2023, and he was convicted at trial in U.S. District Court in September 2025. After sentencing he was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. “The readiness and safety of our military installations rely on skilled special agents, a robust force protection, and the swift action of law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan O’Connor, Army CID, Southeast Field Office. “I commend the diligent work of our special agents and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office who investigated and prosecuted this alarming incident.” The case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Michael Z. Spitulnik.


title: Treasurer of Labor Union Sentenced for Embezzlement

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Leominster man was sentenced on May 1, 2026 in federal court in Worcester for embezzling from a labor union. Joe Scott, Jr., 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 42 months of probation, with six months of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $49,559. In January 2026 , Scott pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor union. Scott was the Treasurer of the International Union of Electrical Workers, Communication Workers of America, Local 81154 (“IUE-CWA Local 81154”), a labor union chapter based in Gardner, Mass., that represents union members from various employers in Massachusetts. Scott used his position as Treasurer to embezzle approximately $49,559 from IUE-CWA Local 81154, by making debit card expenditures, withdrawing funds and issuing checks, from union bank accounts, all for Scott’s personal benefit. Scott used the money to pay for, among other things, storage costs, home internet and cell phone services, electrical and gas services, home improvement tools, dumpster rental and personal expense while on vacation. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jonathan Russo, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Veterans Affairs Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Multiple Covid-19 Benefits

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton woman, who has been employed full-time as a Medical Technician with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs since August 2021, has been charged in federal court in Boston with wire fraud. Denise Baez, 51, was charged on May 1, 2026 with two counts of wire fraud. As alleged in the charging documents, Baez submitted two applications seeking Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. In those applications, Baez made false claims regarding gross income purportedly earned from a sole proprietorship. To support these false claims, Baez allegedly attached fraudulent tax documents as part of the applications. The PPP loan applications were approved and Baez received $41,666. Baez allegedly used that money on personal expenses. However, in September 2021, Baez allegedly submitted loan forgiveness applications that falsely claimed the entire $41,666 was spent on payroll. Based on the misrepresentation the loans were forgiven. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison after Using Stolen Identity to Fraudulently Obtain Vehicle

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – BRANDON LEE RICHARDS , 36, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for making a false statement to a bank and falsely representing a Social Security number, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, on September 19, 2024, Richards purchased a vehicle from an Oklahoma City dealership. To complete the purchase, Richards—who had a history of financial fraud convictions—claimed to be another person on a credit application and used the victim’s Social Security number. On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury charged Richards with making a false statement to a bank and falsely representing a Social Security number. Richards pleaded guilty on October 30, 2025, admitting he claimed to be another person when purchasing the vehicle and used that person’s Social Security number on a credit application. At a sentencing hearing on April 28, 2026, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Richards to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted Richards’ previous financial fraud convictions and the seriousness of the offense. Public records further reflect that Richards has a previous felony conviction in the Western District of Oklahoma for uttering and possessing counterfeited securities in case number CF-16-188, uttering forged instruments in Cleveland County District Court case number CF-2008-1278, attempting to obtain property under false pretenses in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2010-6286, and second-degree forgery in Oklahoma County District Court case numbers CF-2013-2233 and CF-2013-2122. This case is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Krista Hodges-Eckhoff prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Four Defendants, Including Two Former U.S. Postal Service Employees, Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Steal $84 Million in U.S. Treasury Checks

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that four defendants: Saahir Irby, 28, and Tauheed Tucker, 24, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Cory Scott, 26, of Ardmore, Pa., and Alexander Telewoda, 26, of Clifton Heights, Pa., have entered pleas of guilty before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson on charges of conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government funds, and mail theft. As detailed in court filings and statements, between June 2023 and September 2024, Irby and Tucker, while working as United States Postal Service (“USPS”) mail processing clerks, stole thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines at the USPS Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center. Irby and Tucker removed the checks from the USPS facility and sold them to defendants Scott and Telewoda, who then advertised the stolen checks for resale on the cloud-based instant messaging application Telegram. Upon receiving payment from interested buyers, Scott and Telewoda mailed the stolen Treasury checks to buyers around the country who attempted to cash the stolen checks. Over the course of the scheme, Irby and Tucker sold Scott and Telewoda thousands of stolen Treasury checks whose face value exceeded $84 million. Scott’s and Telewoda’s customers successfully negotiated approximately $11 million worth of these stolen Treasury checks at financial institutions. A grand jury returned a superseding indictment against the four defendants in May 2025; Irby was previously charged with — and has pleaded guilty to — a separate instance of mail theft involving another batch of Treasury checks that he stole and sold to an unnamed individual in August 2024. Irby, Tucker, and Telewoda are scheduled to be sentenced in August, and Scott in September. Irby faces a maximum possible term of 25 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine, while the remaining defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, with substantial assistance from the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, the Lower Merion Township Police Department, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Health Care Fraud Consortium Workshop with Federal Partners

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit on Monday held a Health Care Fraud Consortium Workshop with law enforcement partners to discuss health care fraud trends, emerging schemes, and the tools available to investigate and prosecute these offenses. The workshop brought together representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Fraud Section, along with Assistant United States Attorneys and staff from the District of Nevada. This workshop follows the Justice Department’s announcement establishing the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, a multi-district initiative that includes the District of Nevada, District of Arizona, and Northern District of California. The Strike Force brings together federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners to take a coordinated, data-driven approach to identifying and disrupting health care fraud schemes. Participants shared insights on current fraud trends, coordinated investigative strategies, and opportunities to enhance collaboration across agencies. The discussion emphasized a unified commitment to protecting patients, safeguarding both public and private health care programs, and ensuring that health care dollars are directed toward legitimate care—not fraud. “The strength of our enforcement efforts lies in our partnerships,” said representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “By working together, we can more effectively detect, investigate, and prosecute those who exploit the health care system.” The workshop also highlighted key Justice Department initiatives aimed at strengthening the prevention and detection of corporate misconduct, including health care fraud. The Justice Department’s Criminal Division recently launched a Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program , which provides potential financial incentives to individuals who report original, truthful information that leads to successful forfeiture in cases involving corporate crime, including health care fraud schemes involving private insurance plans. In addition, under the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy, companies that voluntarily self-report misconduct within 120 days of receiving an internal whistleblower report may be eligible for a presumption of declination, provided they meet applicable criteria and report before the Department initiates contact. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners will continue to use every available legal tool to identify, investigate, and prosecute health care fraud offenses. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected wrongdoing in the health care industry. For more information about reporting potential corporate misconduct, individuals may contact the Justice Department at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov . The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit Hold a Health Care Fraud Consortium Workshop With Federal Partners ###


title: Jury Finds Oklahoma City Man Guilty of Lying on Firearm Purchase Form and Possessing Gun while Under Indictment

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted KEVIN KEES , 25, of Oklahoma City, of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and illegally receiving a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On April 21, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment charging Kees with the offenses listed above. On April 29, 2026, a federal jury found Kees guilty on both counts. Evidence presented at trial showed that, on September 20, 2025, Kees attempted to purchase a handgun from a federal firearms licensee in Oklahoma City. As part of the transaction, Kees was required to complete a background check form, on which he falsely claimed he was not under indictment in Oklahoma County. Public records reflect that, at the time, Kees was in fact under indictment for possession of contraband by an inmate in case number CF-2024-3647. Just weeks later, on October 11, 2025, Kees was found in possession of a firearm he had received while under indictment in the same case. At sentencing, Kees faces up to 180 months in federal prison and fines of up to $500,000. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laney Ellis and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew E. Davis and Mary E. Walters are prosecuting the case. SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with the City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime. PSN is a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Tea Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Bags of Fentanyl and Hundreds of Pounds of Methamphetamine in Sioux Falls Area

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Tea, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on May 4, 2026. Matthew Shade, 48, was sentenced to 21 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Shade was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 10, 2026. “This was another skillfully managed takedown of a serial drug dealer and his operation by the dedicated officers on the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, with a strong assist from the Criminal Investigations Unit of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “In all likelihood, the fentanyl and methamphetamine seized from this criminal’s operation would have killed some people who are alive right now in Sioux Falls. This investigation, prosecution, and substantial federal prison sentence has given them another chance at life. I will never stop being grateful for that.” Shade was the local leader of a drug trafficking organization that obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl from Arizona and distributed those drugs throughout South Dakota. The group trafficked the drugs both through the U.S. Mail and via cross-country car trips. Investigators became aware of the group and seized a methamphetamine-laden package that contained over four pounds of methamphetamine in December 2024. Investigators later seized two parcels sent from Sioux Falls to Arizona that contained a combined total of approximately $26,000. Eventually, investigators became aware that Shade’s Arizona-based source of supply was traveling by car to South Dakota and arranged to have the South Dakota Highway Patrol conduct a traffic stop. A trooper thereafter stopped and searched the vehicle, wherein he found approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine and over 2,000 fentanyl pills. Investigators then discovered that Shade had traveled to Arizona and they thereafter intercepted a package bound for Sioux Falls that was found to contain 144 grams of fentanyl powder. Investigators obtained a warrant for Shade’s residence in Tea and found 80 grams of methamphetamine, 22 fentanyl pills, scales, and various other narcotics. The investigation ultimately revealed that Shade was responsible for organizing shipments of methamphetamine and cash between Sioux Falls and Arizona. He also had multiple sub-distributors to whom he provided methamphetamine for redistribution. In total, investigators believe that Shade and his group were responsible for trafficking approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine to the Sioux Falls area from Arizona. This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Shade was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Indictment Charges Cole Tomas Allen with Attempt to Assassinate the President and Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly Weapon

body_text: cole_allen_indictment_signed.pdf WASHINGTON - A four-count Indictment was issued in U.S. District Court today charging Cole Tomas Allen, 31, with Attempt to Assassinate the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, in connection with the April 25 shooting during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The Indictment returned by the federal grand jury also charges Allen, of Torrance, California, with Assaulting an Officer or Employee of the United States with a Deadly Weapon, with Transportation of a Firearm and Ammunition in Interstate Commerce with the Intent to Commit a Felony, and with Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. “Today’s indictment underscores a simple truth: there is evidence this defendant intended to assassinate the president, and that he shot a U.S. Secret Service officer after he traversed the country with a cache of ammunition to accomplish his goals,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “I commend our law enforcement partners for their swift action to neutralize this threat and prevent the death of the President. The use of violence to register dissent is anti-democratic at its core. We will pursue the maximum punishment available under the law against anyone who travels to the District of Columbia to engage in such acts.” “As alleged in today’s indictment, the heavily armed defendant rushed security and shot a Secret Service Officer in an attempt to assassinate President Trump— but was stopped thanks to the courageous and immediate response from law enforcement,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under the leadership of President Trump, violent political actors will never win— we will prosecute anyone who engages in these horrific acts to the fullest extent of the law.” “The facts of this case are clear - Cole Allen traveled to Washington D.C. attempting to assassinate President Trump and senior members of his administration, and attacked federal law enforcement in the process - only stopped by brave security personnel who stood in the way,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We are grateful to our interagency partners for working with us in the investigation to add this additional charge. This FBI has been working 24/7 on this case since the night of the attack, and we will continue to do so until justice is done.” The 2026 Dinner took place on April 25, 2026, at the Washington Hilton. President Trump was present at the Dinner. Shortly after 8:30 p.m., the defendant approached a U.S. Secret Service (USSS) security screening checkpoint located on the Terrace Level of the hotel and sprinted through one of the magnetometers at the checkpoint and ran in the direction of the stairs leading to the ballroom where the President was located. As the defendant did so, he fired a Mossberg Maverick 88 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, hitting a USSS officer once in the chest. The USSS officer drew his service weapon and fired five times at the defendant. The defendant fell to the ground, was restrained by law enforcement, and was placed under arrest. The defendant suffered a minor injury to his knee but was not shot. At the time of his arrest, the defendant was in possession of the Mossberg shotgun with one spent cartridge in the barrel. The defendant also possessed a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol, dozens of rounds of unspent 12-gauge shotgun ammunition and .38 caliber ammunition, two knives, four daggers, multiple sheaths, multiple holsters, needle nose pliers, and wire cutters. This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Ballantine, Charles Jones, and Adam Barry of the National Security Section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 26cr98 26mj80 Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Madison County Man Sentenced for Possessing Gun as a Convicted Felon

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

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County man has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby. U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Jack Deonte Chapman, 30, of Huntsville, to 46 months in prison. In November 2025, Chapman pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the plea agreement, on October 11, 2023, officers with the Huntsville Police Department were working on a Huntsville Housing Authority detail at Butler Terrace. Officers observed Chapman sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in the alley behind a residence on Seminole Drive. Officers ran the tag on the vehicle and discovered that Chapman had been issued a citation for a suspended driver’s license and had six active warrants for his arrest. A short time later, officers conducted a traffic stop on Chapman. Officers approached the vehicle and could smell the odor of marijuana. Chapman was asked to exit the vehicle and was arrested. Officers searched the vehicle and found a Taurus G2C PT-111 9mm pistol under the pad of a child’s car seat in the back seat of the vehicle. Chapman is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions in the Circuit Court of Madison County for receiving stolen property and robbery. The ATF investigated the case along with the Huntsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis A. Barlow prosecuted the case.


title: Judge Sentences Methamphetamine Distributors to Decades in Prison

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three men have been sentenced to a combined 48 years in federal prison for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Patrick Stickley, 38, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison. Charles Lawrence Stevens, 33, of Winchester, Virginia, was sentenced to 106 months in prison. Both men were involved in a drug trafficking operation selling methamphetamine. Stickley had several others accepting mailed packages of drugs on his behalf for Stickley to then sell in Berkeley County. Stevens was the intended recipient of a package containing nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. The package was intercepted by the U.S. Postal Service and the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force. A search warrant was executed at Stickley’s residence and officers seized 10 pounds of marijuana and 15 firearms. Gerard Joseph Fitch, III, 36, of Augusta, West Virginia, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for the distribution of more than 5 grams of methamphetamine. Fitch sold 27 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Hampshire County. He has a history of drug trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States. Investigative agencies include the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; HSI Cherry Hill/Joint Camden Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Seven-Time Felon to Federal Prison for Stealing Guns

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who stole fifteen firearms from a house in Waterloo was sentenced on May 1, 2026, to eight years in federal prison. Justin Michael Barnes, age 29, from Rock Island, Illinois, received the prison term after a November 20, 2025, guilty plea to possession of firearms by a felon and possession of stolen firearms. Information from the plea and sentencing hearings in the case showed that Barnes was previously convicted of six felonies in Iowa state courts, including thefts, forgeries, and a gun offense. In June 2024, Barnes was on parole and there was a warrant for his arrest. That month, he and his then-girlfriend, Jena Wells, stole fifteen firearms from an unoccupied house in Waterloo. Wells acted as a lookout while Barnes stole the guns. They took the stolen guns to Wells’s home. Barnes then tried to sell the guns. During a traffic stop on June 10, 2024, Waterloo police officers located several of the stolen guns in Barnes’s backpack. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement officers, Barnes repeatedly lied about how and where he had acquired the guns. Barnes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Barnes was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Wells was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment on March 9, 2026. 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. Barnes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-2022.