title: Justice Department Finds the Special School District of St. Louis’s Seclusion and Restraint Practices Discriminate Against Students with Disabilities

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department (“the Department”) notified the Special School District of St. Louis, Missouri (“the District”) that it found the District’s seclusion and restraint practices violate Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. After a twenty-one month investigation, the Department concluded that the District discriminates against students with disabilities by routinely subjecting them to ineffective seclusion practices that are highly susceptible to abuse and restraints without justification, rather than providing the interventions and supports they need to receive the education they are guaranteed by federal law. During the two-year period covered by the investigation, the District secluded over 300 students almost 4,000 times and restrained almost 150 students 777 times. One District school that enrolled less than 100 students used seclusion 1,667 times. Every student who attended that school was secluded or restrained at least once during the investigative period. At another school a student spent 101 hours, or the equivalent of 17 school days, in seclusion during a single school year. “The Justice Department will not tolerate the abuse of our most vulnerable students,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Parents should not have to worry that their children could be subjected to solitary confinement and dangerous restraint techniques at school because of their disabilities. This Civil Rights Division will put an end to these unlawful practices everywhere we find them.” These numbers demonstrate that the use of restraint and seclusion is routine, not a crisis response to be used in rare emergencies that pose a safety threat—the only time they are allowed under Missouri law. For example, students were secluded for knocking over a teacher’s coffee, refusing to go into music class, or being “disrespectful.” The Department also found that the District routinely uses seclusion in cases where students engage in self-harm and other concerning behaviors, putting students at serious risk of physical and mental harm. The full findings letter can be found here . The Department is hopeful the District will agree to the reforms needed to remedy these gross violations of federal law. To that end, the Department has proposed a settlement agreement to the District in conjunction with issuing its findings. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt , and additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section’s work to combat disability discrimination including by improper seclusion and restraint is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section . Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/ .


title: Pennsylvania Man Arrested at Castaic Motel Federally Charged After Grooming Minor Victim into Engaging in Acts of Self-Harm

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Pennsylvania man has been arrested and federally charged after grooming a girl who recently turned 13 years old to send him sexually explicit material of herself and images of self-harm over the internet, a pattern of abuse consistent with nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) ideology that culminated in law enforcement rescuing her at a Santa Clarita Valley motel. Matthew Edward Pysher, 18, of Bangor, Pennsylvania, was arrested late Friday in Castaic and is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Pysher is charged in a federal criminal complaint with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, a felony punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison. “The facts charged in this case are chilling,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If your children have access to use the internet, sadistic predators may have access to your kids. Law enforcement will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to harm children. We advise parents to keep their kids offline.” “The subject arrested this weekend is one of a growing number of alleged nihilistic violent extremists who prey on children and talk them into compromising sex acts and self-mutilation,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to finding and holding accountable these sadistic predators and ensuring they face serious consequences for their vile acts.” “Violent online exploitation that targets our children through manipulation, coercion, and fear has absolutely no place in our communities, whether on our streets or behind a computer screen,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “Because of the swift and coordinated efforts of local and federal law enforcement, and the decisive action of a vigilant mother who immediately contacted law enforcement, this young victim was safely recovered, and further harm was prevented. We will continue to work with our local and federal partners, using every investigative tool available, to protect our youth and hold predators accountable in Los Angeles County.” According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, from at least December 2025 until February 20, Pysher groomed and encouraged the victim to send him material of herself engaging in sexually explicit acts. He also encouraged the victim to cut herself and engage in other acts of self-harm. On February 10, the victim’s mother contacted the FBI because she was concerned her daughter was being encouraged to harm herself by a person named “Matthew,” whom the victim met on the Discord online platform. The victim encountered Pysher on a Discord server related to individuals suffering from mental illness. On February 20, Pysher traveled to Los Angeles to engage in sexual activity with the victim. On that day, Pysher met the victim near her home and took her to a motel in Castaic. When law enforcement arrived at the motel room, they encountered Pysher and the victim and found condoms, a knife, lubricant, razor blades, bloody tissues, and a boarding pass for Pysher’s flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. Law enforcement also found a faraday bag, commonly used to block electronic signals, near Pysher’s cellphone. The victim told law enforcement that Pysher and she had engaged in sexual conduct and that he had used a knife to repeatedly cut her. Based on a review of the contents of the victim’s smartphone and Pysher’s online activities, law enforcement believes that Pysher is associated with NVE ideology. The complaint details the nature of NVEs, including 764, a group whose members are known to the FBI to engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, and frequently use social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material or gore material or to groom victims toward committing acts of violence. NVEs and their members frequently extort or blackmail victims into complying with NVE demands, which vary but may include self-mutilation; online and in-person sexual acts; harm to animals; sexual exploitation of siblings and others; acts of violence; and threats of violence, suicide, and murder. A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of various agencies including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, and California Highway Patrol, is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Colin S. Scott of the National Security Division and Brandon E. Martinez-Jones of the Major Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Fresno Woman Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping a Mother and Child, and Transporting Them from Fresno to Mexico Against Their Will

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Claudia Gonzales, 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to kidnapping involving a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, on May 8, 2024, a woman reported her boyfriend after a domestic violence incident, which resulted in his arrest. In retaliation for calling the police, the boyfriend’s sister, Rosa Ventura, 35, of Fresno, persuaded the woman to place her 5-month-old daughter in the care of another sister. Ventura, with Gonzales hiding in the back of the SUV, then drove the woman and her 9-year-old daughter to an unknown field outside Fresno. At the field, Gonzales emerged from the SUV’s rear cargo area and sat in the front seat. Throughout the night, Ventura and Gonzales continued to drive the mother and child against their will toward the Mexican border. At one point, they stopped at a gas station where the mother and child attempted to flee. Gonzales chased the 9‑year-old girl and forced her back into the car. Gonzales and Ventura then caught the mother and used a stun gun to physically force her back into the car. When Gonzales and Ventura arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, they dropped mother and daughter at an unknown bus station in an effort to prevent the mother from testifying in the domestic violence case where she was a victim. The 5-month-old daughter was kept in Fresno out of the victim’s custody from May 8, 2024, until November 2024. Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case. Gonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Gonzales faces a statutory minimum of 20 years to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Ventura is set for trial on April 23, 2026. If convicted, she faces a statutory minimum penalty of 20 years to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; Ventura is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. gonzales_indictment.pdf gonzales_plea_agreement.pdf gonzales_plea_agreement.pdf


title: Office of U.S. Attorney Moore Capito Collects $4,322,154.61 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2025

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito announced today that the Southern District of West Virginia collected $4,322,154.61 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $2,400,940.61 was collected in criminal actions and $1,921,214.00 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the Southern District of West Virginia worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $2,339,409.44 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $3,082.92 was collected in criminal actions and $2,336,326.52 was collected in civil actions. “Public money is not a personal piggy bank, and crime has real victims. Whether it’s fraud, violence, or exploitation, we will use every civil and criminal tool available to hold offenders accountable,” Capito said. “Our mission is clear: protect taxpayer dollars, make victims whole, and ensure justice is done. I am incredibly proud of the tireless work of our attorneys and professional staff who fight every day to deliver those results.” The collections include $451,237.51 in criminal restitution and a $451,237.51 civil penalty paid by Mark William Bailey, 53, of Beckley, after he pleaded guilty to theft of government monies. Bailey admitted to stealing COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The civil collections also include $1,207,600.00 from Horne LLP, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, to resolve civil allegations that it received improper payments from federal disaster recovery grant funds in connection with services it provided in 2017 and 2018 in West Virginia. Another $191,070 was paid by Thompson Construction Group Inc., of Sumter, South Carolina, to resolve civil allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment from federal disaster recovery grant funds and by falsely certifying that homes it had constructed were compliant with contract conditions. Both civil collections involve disaster recovery services provided in response to the severe and deadly flooding that struck parts of the Southern District of West Virginia in June 2016. The collections also include $146,771.37 in criminal restitution and a $5,000 fine paid by Luther A. Hanson, 73, of Charleston, after he pleaded guilty to willful failure to pay over taxes. Hanson admitted that he willfully and intentionally did not withhold or pay employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for two employees of his accounting services businesses. The civil collections in jointly pursued cases include $415,112.00 secured by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Southern District of West Virginia in a lawsuit alleging employment discrimination by Wal-Mart Stores East LP. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of West Virginia, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,264,871 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: Man Sentenced for Receiving and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced today for receiving and distributing thousands of images and videos showing children being sexually abused, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Evan Christopher Lee, 36, for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Judge Hill ordered Lee to serve 87 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and to pay $24,000 in restitution. Upon his release, Lee will be required to register as a sex offender. While FBI agents were conducting an undercover operation online in 2024, agents discovered an IP address sharing files that contained child sexual abuse material. After further investigation, agents executed a search warrant at Lee’s apartment and seized several electronic devices. Agents reviewed the devices and found thousands of images of children being sexually abused, as well as thousands of images of computer-generated child sexual abuse material. Court records show that Lee also possessed images and videos of children under the age of 12 and infants being sexually abused. The child sexual abuse material found by agents was sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Child Victim Identification Program . They identified at least 93 known victims, and victim impact statements were provided to the court. Restitution paid by Lee will go directly to the victims who requested restitution. While awaiting trial, Lee was released on bond. He was taken into custody after pleading guilty and will remain in custody until transferred to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: CarMax to Pay Nearly $500,000 to Remedy Illegal Repossessions of U.S. Servicemembers’ Vehicles

component: Civil Rights - Housing and Civil Enforcement Section

body_text: The Justice Department today announced that it has reached a settlement with CarMax Inc., the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, to resolve allegations that CarMax violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by illegally repossessing motor vehicles owned by members of the military. As part of the settlement, CarMax will pay at least $420,000 in damages to servicemembers and a civil penalty of $79,380 to the United States. “Federal law prohibits businesses from repossessing service members’ vehicles without a court order,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is proud to defend the rights of those who serve in our military and will continue to vigorously enforce the laws that protect them.” The Department alleges that CarMax repossessed servicemember vehicles without obtaining court orders as required by federal law, as well as repossessed some vehicles even after owners told CarMax that they were in military service. CarMax also allegedly failed to extend SCRA protections to reservists who had received orders to report for active duty. In addition to paying a civil penalty and compensation to harmed individuals, CarMax will revise its policies and procedures to ensure that the rights of U.S. servicemembers are protected in the future. The SCRA is a federal law that provides legal and financial protections for servicemembers and their families. The law prevents an auto finance or leasing company from repossessing a servicemember’s vehicle without first obtaining a court order, as long as the servicemember made at least one payment on the vehicle before entering military service. For members of a reserve component, the protections begin on the date the member receives orders to military service. This case was handled by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $484 million in monetary relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil .


title: Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry after Deportation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY – U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Honduran man convicted of Illegal Reentry after Deportation. The sentencing took place on February 23, 2026. Pedro Perez-Murillo, 41, was sentenced to time served. Perez-Murillo was indicted for Illegal Reentry after Deportation by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2025. Perez-Murillo is an alien and Honduran national. Perez-Murillo has been deported from the United States on three previous occasions, with his most recent deportation occurring in 2019. Perez-Murillo was found in the United States in September of 2025. Reentering the United States after deportation is a felony. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.


title: CarMax to pay nearly $500,000 to remedy illegal repossessions of U.S. servicemembers’ vehicles

component: Civil Division

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Justice Department today announced that it has reached a settlement with CarMax, Inc., the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, to resolve allegations that CarMax violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by illegally repossessing motor vehicles owned by members of the military. As part of the settlement, CarMax will pay at least $420,000 in damages to servicemembers and a civil penalty of $79,380 to the United States. The Department alleges that CarMax repossessed servicemember vehicles without obtaining court orders as required by federal law, as well as repossessed some vehicles even after owners told CarMax that they were in military service. CarMax also allegedly failed to extend SCRA protections to reservists who had received orders to report for active duty. In addition to paying a civil penalty and compensation to harmed individuals, CarMax will revise its policies and procedures to ensure that the rights of U.S. servicemembers are protected in the future. The SCRA is a federal law that provides legal and financial protections for servicemembers and their families. The law prevents an auto finance or leasing company from repossessing a servicemember’s vehicle without first obtaining a court order, as long as the servicemember made at least one payment on the vehicle before entering military service. For members of a reserve component, the protections begin on the date the member receives orders to military service. This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $484 million in monetary relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil . A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia . The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.


title: Baltimore Man Indicted for Alleged Child Sex Trafficking Crimes

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a Baltimore man for child sex trafficking crimes. Deion “Poppa Fetti” Philip, 33, is charged with two counts of sex trafficking of a child and one count of transportation of a minor. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office, Scott Shellenberger, State’s Attorney for Baltimore County, and Acting Superintendent Michael A. Jackson, Maryland State Police (MSP). According to the indictment, Philip trafficked two minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts for profit. Phillip trafficked one minor victim for several weeks in 2025, and the other minor victim from October to November 2025. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. If convicted, Philip faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for each count of sexual trafficking of a minor. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office, and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Sacramento Man Sentenced to 25 years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Minors

body_text: Raymond James Cornett, 53, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, Cornett requested and received videos and images of a 6-year-old and a 7-year-old victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct from a woman in Canada. In addition, Cornett admitted to requesting images and videos of sexually explicit conduct from two additional minor victims. Evidence from Cornett’s social media accounts corroborated the admissions. The Sacramento Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Seek Public Comment for Guidance on Business Collaborations

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched a joint public inquiry regarding potential additional guidance on collaborations among competitors. The joint inquiry seeks input on the value and potential content of guidance concerning the range of collaborations utilized to drive innovation and promote competition in the modern economy. This public inquiry will help the Antitrust Division and FTC (together, the Agencies) with their effort to develop up-to-date guidance to the business community, building on the previous 2000 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors (2000 Collaboration Guidelines). The guidelines explain how the Agencies analyze various antitrust issues raised by such collaborations. The 2000 Guidelines were withdrawn in December 2024. “Vigorous and effective enforcement can only exist when the rules of the road are clearly outlined,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Procompetitive collaborations are not only permissible but also encouraged in a complex and dynamic economic environment. The abrupt withdrawal of the prior guidelines left stakeholders without guidance in this important area. Replacing the withdrawn guidelines is key to promoting certainty, allowing American businesses to work together effectively and lawfully, and enabling the private antitrust bar to enhance compliance in this area.” “In an everchanging economy, businesses need transparency and predictability from enforcers more than ever. These times may require the federal government to update its guidelines,” said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. “The previous administration decided, at the 11th hour, however, to withdraw the 2000 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors. This decision, made entirely out of spite and resentment, left millions of businesses in the dark.” Many collaborations and joint ventures among competitors are procompetitive and benefit the economy and consumers by allowing expansion into new markets, enabling investment into innovation, and lowering production and other costs. However, some collaborations carry potential risk to competition. The 2024 withdrawal of the prior guidelines left the industry without guidance in this important area. In recent years, new types of competitor collaborations, joint ventures, and alliances, including those facilitated by new technologies, have led to increased requests for clarity regarding their treatment under the antitrust laws. Some of the specific areas of inquiry on which the Agencies are seeking public input and information include: What topics would benefit from additional guidance — for example, joint licensing arrangements? Conditional dealing with competitors? Other topics? What new technologies and business models would benefit from additional guidance — for example, algorithmic pricing, information and data sharing, or labor collaborations? What significant legal, economic, or technological developments should be considered in any revisions to the prior competitor collaboration guidelines? The public comments will help enforcers to consider reintroducing guidance built on the prior guidelines. Such guidance will provide businesses with the predictability and confidence they need to collaborate and grow while avoiding anticompetitive conduct that risks raising prices or stifling innovation. The guidance will help increase antitrust compliance by guiding the market on antitrust law and policy in this important area. An unfettered free market safeguards competition to the benefit of the American people. Comments, no longer than 18 pages each, can be submitted at www.regulations.gov/docket/ATR-2026-0001/document and must be received no later than April 24, 2026 . The information will be used by the Agencies to consider updated guidance.


title: Orthodontist Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Exploiting Children

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Thomas Shannon, 44, previously of Byron Center, was sentenced to 60 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children. U.S. Attorney VerHey said he was not surprised at the sentence imposed. “Shannon’s selfish and senseless exploitation of these children has exposed them to a lifetime of emotional damage. I sincerely hope they can overcome it. But preying on our children must stop, and we will seek long sentences against people like Shannon until it does stop.” From 2019 through 2024, Thomas Shannon exploited at least eighteen children online, ranging in ages from 12 to 17. Police discovered Shannon’s crimes when a16-year-old minor in North Carolina reported that she had been sexually exploited on Snapchat. Investigators identified the perpetrator as Shannon, then an orthodontist in Grandville. Investigators reviewed Shannon’s Snapchat account and found at least 16 additional minor victims, one of whom was only twelve years old. One additional minor victim came forward. Shannon met and exploited her through a different online application while he was on bond for state child pornography charges. He did this from his yacht in Ottawa County, which was forfeited as part of the criminal prosecution. “Protecting children from exploitation is at the heart of Homeland Security Investigations’ mission,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “This offender preyed on vulnerable children, but through extensive collaboration between HSI and our law enforcement partners, we were able to identify victims and ensure the defendant was held accountable. We hope this sentence delivers some measure of justice to his victims. We relentlessly investigate these crimes and tirelessly pursue those who exploit children.” “This investigation demonstrates how local, state, and federal partners work together to identify offenders, locate victims, and hold those responsible accountable,” said Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young. “Our Human Trafficking Task Force continues to work aggressively to identify both victims and suspects in cases involving the exploitation of children.” This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Fuquay-Varina Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Sinaloa Cartel Leader Charged in Massive Drug Trafficking Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – An alleged leader of the Sinaloa Cartel made his initial appearance in federal court today to face charges for leading a large-scale drug trafficking operation responsible for moving fentanyl and other narcotics into the United States. According to court records, Fidel Felix-Ochoa, 53, of Mexico, was one of the primary leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing the organization’s drug trafficking and money laundering activities. Felix-Ochoa allegedly coordinated the smuggling of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine into the United States using couriers who transported narcotics by vehicle and through the U.S. mail. The Sinaloa Cartel is a transnational criminal group based in Mexico. On Feb. 20, 2025, the Sinaloa Cartel was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. “The charges target an alleged senior leader of the Sinaloa Cartel who is accused of directing the flow of massive quantities of fentanyl and other deadly narcotics into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “While these are allegations that must be proven in court, this case reflects our Office’s unwavering commitment to dismantling transnational criminal organizations and protecting American communities from the devastating consequences of drug trafficking. No cartel leader is beyond the reach of the rule of law.” Once the narcotics entered the United States, Felix-Ochoa allegedly directed co-conspirators to store the drugs at multiple stash houses before distributing them to drug dealers and customers throughout the country, including Florida, Arizona, California, Texas, and Massachusetts. During the investigation into Felix-Ochoa and his co-conspirators, law enforcement seized approximately 73,000 fentanyl pills, 21 kilograms of pure fentanyl, 243 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 24 firearms. Felix-Ochoa was amongst 37 Mexican nationals wanted for serious crimes in the United States transferred into U.S. custody on Jan. 20. The Justice Department Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs coordinated the transfers. Prior to Felix-Ochoa’s arrest, the United States Attorney’s Office successfully apprehended and prosecuted seven members of his organization in a related case, under case number 23-cr-60111. Felix-Ochoa is charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. If convicted, Felix-Ochoa faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement. The ATF Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), ATF Los Angeles Field Division, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay Alexander is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture. 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 agents and officers from ATF, DEA, HSI, BSO, USMS, and USPIS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60150. ###


title: Suspended Los Angeles Lawyer Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving $2.1 Million Bribe Payment from Oil Company

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles-area lawyer was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for receiving a $2.1 million bribe while serving as an officer of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company in connection with negotiating favorable drilling rights for a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned oil company. Paulinus Iheanacho Okoronkwo, 58, a.k.a. “Pollie,” of Rancho Cucamonga, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered him to pay $923,824 in restitution to the IRS and ordered that Okoronkwo forfeit $1,039,997, the net proceeds of the sale of a home involved in the laundering of the bribe money. At the conclusion of a four-day trial, a jury in August 2025 found Okoronkwo guilty of three counts of transactional money laundering, one count of tax evasion, and one count of obstruction of justice. Okoronkwo, who is a dual citizen of the United States and Nigeria and who practiced immigration, family, and personal injury law out of an office in Koreatown, was a foreign official who served as the general manager of the upstream division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC). The NNPC is a state-owned company through which Nigeria’s government developed that nation’s fossil fuel and natural gas reserves, including through partnerships with foreign oil companies. In this role, Okoronkwo owed a fiduciary duty to the Nigerian government and was a public official. In October 2015, Addax Petroleum, a Switzerland-based subsidiary of Sinopec, a Chinese state-owned petroleum, gas, and petrochemical conglomerate, wired a payment of $2,105,263 to an Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA) in the name of Okoronkwo’s Los Angeles law firm, purportedly for his work as a consultant who negotiated and completed a settlement agreement with the NNPC with respect to Addax’s drilling rights in Nigeria. According to the indictment, Addax calculated that it stood to lose billions of dollars if its favorable drilling rights were not secured. The engagement letter that Addax signed that month with Okoronkwo’s law office – with a fake address in Lagos, Nigeria – was a ruse intended to conceal the fact that its payment to Okoronkwo was a bribe in exchange for his influence in securing more favorable financial terms relating to its crude oil drilling in Nigeria. To conceal the illegal bribery scheme, Addax falsely characterized the $2.1 million payment as a payment for legal services, lied to an auditor about the payment, and fired executives who questioned the payment’s propriety. To create the false impression that the bribe payment constituted client funds, Okoronkwo received the payment in his law firm’s IOLTA. After receiving the bribe into his IOLTA, between February 2016 and 2018, Okoronkwo routed funds to a company called IPO Capital LLC. From there, Okoronkwo used the bribery funds to pay for family expenses, a car, and a home. Specifically, in November 2017, Okoronkwo used $983,200 of the illegally obtained funds to make down payments on a house in Valencia. Okoronkwo also omitted the $2.1 million bribe payment from his 2015 federal income tax return. He also obstructed justice in June 2022 when he lied to federal investigators when he told them he did not use any of the $2.1 million to purchase a house and that the money represented client funds rather than income to his law office. In January 2026, the State Bar of California suspended Okoronkwo’s law license. The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander B. Schwab, Acting Chief of the Criminal Division, Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section, and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Carbon County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that David Feliciano-Seize, age 61, of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 20, 2026, to 18 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Feliciano-Seize attempted to purchase a firearm in 2021, but the purchase was denied based upon Feliciano-Seize’s prior conviction for armed robbery. Feliciano-Seize thereafter illegally obtained a firearm, and on October 22, 2023, brandished that firearm and began shooting into the air during a dispute with his girlfriend’s family. He then aimed the firearm at members of his girlfriend’s family. The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd 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. # # #


title: Fort Eustis soldier sentenced for coercion of minors

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A soldier at Fort Eustis was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a child. According to court documents, Brady Beck Fant, 32, used social media platforms to engage in sexually graphic conversations with minor girls. In addition to those conversations, Fant received sexually graphic images and videos of the victims and sent sexually graphic images and videos of himself to at least one victim. After the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) taskforce identified Fant, law enforcement seized his electronic devices on which investigators found child sexual abuse material (CSAM). An Other Than Honorable Discharge from the United States Army is currently pending. This case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Washington Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon E.A. Heath prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-58.


title: Maryland Man Charged with Murder for a September Stabbing After Court Finds Probable Cause

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Shawn Conway, 50, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, was charged today for second degree murder while armed, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Judge Dayna Dayson found probable cause to charge Conway following a preliminary hearing which was held on February 18, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Judge Dayson also ordered the defendant’s continued detention at D.C. Jail. According to court documents, at approximately 3:53 a.m., on September 13, 2025, 9-1-1 calls were placed to the Office of Unified Communications for the report of a stabbing victim in front of 2000 14th Street NW. The first responding patrol officers located a male victim laying on the sidewalk in front of the location, suffering from apparent sharp force injuries to the body. The victim, later identified as Jermaine Foster, was unconscious and unresponsive. Members of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to Howard University Hospital in NW, where despite all lifesaving efforts, he was pronounced dead at 4:41 a.m. Based on several witness interviews coupled with social media postings and surveillance video footage, the defendant was identified as the person seen stabbing the victim several times. Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke. A complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 2025 CF1 015806


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Geon Lavell Henderson, also known as “Money,” 52, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl. Henderson admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 9, 2025, Henderson sold approximately 110 grams of methamphetamine and 1.9 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $800. As part of his guilty plea, Henderson admitted that he conducted the transaction, that he arranged it beforehand, and that it took place at his residence. Henderson further admitted to arranging the sale of approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine for $900 and of approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine for $400 on April 17, 2025. Another individual sold the methamphetamine during both transactions, each time to a confidential informant at a residence in Huntington. Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Henderson is among 10 defendants indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO while it operated from in or about January 2025 to in or about August 2025. Five defendants pleaded guilty, including Henderson. The indictment against the other defendants remains pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-154. ###


title: Bradenton Man Convicted of Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – A federal jury has found Alejandro Marquetti-Blanco (34, Bradenton) guilty of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Marquetti-Blanco faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Marquetti-Blanco distributed one pound of methamphetamine to a co-conspirator. Another co-conspirator later sold the methamphetamine to an undercover DEA Special Agent in Port Charlotte. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Morgan and Benjamin Winter.


title: Members of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Drive-By Shooting on I-95

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – James Toney (20, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger to 16 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. Judge Schlesinger also sentenced Javon Davis (27, Jacksonville) to 7 years in federal prison and Christian Guyton (23, Jacksonville) to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison, both for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. According to court documents, Toney, Davis, and Guyton served as armed distributors for a Jacksonville-based drug trafficking organization (DTO), operated and led by Nathaniel Hatcher, III. Hatcher’s DTO trafficked bulk marijuana from Northern California to Jacksonville by smuggling the drug on commercial airlines, shipping it through the mail, and transporting it by vehicle across state lines. Once the marijuana arrived in Jacksonville, Hatcher and the other DTO members transported the marijuana to various short-term rental homes throughout Jacksonville where they stored, packaged, and distributed the marijuana. Hatcher and other members of the DTO carried and possessed firearms at these residences to protect themselves, their drugs, and their drug proceeds during drug sales. In addition to trafficking, transporting, smuggling, and selling marijuana, Toney was also responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of the DTO. Hatcher had assistance from a former correctional officer, Desmond Maxwell, to unlawfully buy firearms on behalf of Hatcher and members of the DTO. On September 18, 2023, Hatcher, Toney, and other DTO members arranged a bulk marijuana transaction with subjects whom they had met that evening in Jacksonville. The drug transaction, which occurred at a gas station along Old St. Augustine Road, failed. The other subjects never provided the promised marijuana, and instead, stole approximately $45,000 from Hatcher and Toney. After the failed drug transaction, Hatcher contacted a former police officer who illegally accessed law enforcement databases to provide Hatcher with the names and addresses of the subjects who had stolen the money. For nearly a month, Toney, Davis, Guyton, and other DTO members tracked, surveilled, and cyber-stalked the other subjects and their family members. In text messages, they plotted retaliation for the robbery, including committing acts of violence. On October 15, 2023, Briyhon Johnson and Toney traveled to the Jacksonville International Airport to break into a rental car lot. They stole two cars with the intention of using one of the stolen cars in the planned retaliation. Two days later, on October 17, 2023, Toney traveled to the Duval County courthouse for a scheduled court date in an unrelated pending criminal matter. Toney and other DTO members knew that one of the subjects from the September 18 failed drug transaction also had court that day for a separate criminal matter. After court concluded, Hatcher and other DTO members surveilled this subject as he exited the Duval County courthouse, accompanied by a female subject, and entered his vehicle. Toney traveled to meet with Johnson, who provided Toney with a firearm. Johnson, Toney, Hatcher, and Tavarius Blue were operating multiple vehicles, including a stolen sedan and an SUV. They followed the subject’s vehicle from downtown Jacksonville to I-95, traveling southbound toward St. Johns County. Darion Jerido was driving a separate sedan, acting as the lookout for the others and keeping pace with the subject’s car. Johnson was driving the stolen sedan, with Toney traveling in the passenger seat. Blue was driving the SUV, with Hatcher traveling in passenger seat. At approximately 11:20 a.m., during the pursuit along I-95 South, the stolen sedan and the SUV boxed the subject’s sedan into the left lane of traffic. Toney and Hatcher discharged dozens of rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition at the subject’s sedan. According to witness interviews, Johnson and Toney were both wearing masks. Following the shooting, the red sedan and the gray SUV fled the scene. Officers with the St. Johns County Sheriffs’ Office and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene. The male subject from the courthouse sustained one gunshot wound but survived and was air-lifted to a trauma unit. The front passenger of his vehicle, the female subject from the courthouse, suffered injuries from broken glass. The sedan sustained gunshots to the passenger side, the rear, the front and hood, the front windshield, the interior, and the engine block. On scene, deputies recovered approximately 25 spent 7.62 caliber shell casings. According to ballistics analysis, two different firearms were used during the shooting. Status of Hatcher DTO Co-conspirators Name Status Nathaniel Hatcher, III Sentenced to 35 years federal prison Tavarius Blue Sentenced to 12 years federal prison Yaquasia Delcarmen Sentenced to 8 years in federal prison Al’Donta Easterling Sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Darion Jerido Sentenced to 6 years and 6 months federal prison Briyhon Johnson Sentenced to 14 years and 3 months federal prison Desmond Maxwell Pleaded guilty to straw-purchasing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces up to 25 years in federal prison Jahson Hatcher Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Leader of Transnational Criminal Organization Extradited from Jamaica Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Smuggle Firearms to Trinidad and Tobago

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Shem Wayne Alexander (36, Port of Spain, Trinidad) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti to four years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago. The court also ordered Alexander to forfeit firearms seized during the offense. Alexander previously pleaded guilty. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the plea agreement and court records, between April 2019 and April 2022, Alexander and his co-conspirators unlawfully exported firearms, firearms components (including upper/lower receivers and gun parts kits), and related items from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago. Alexander is a national of Trinidad and Tobago. In total, more than 200 firearms were smuggled from the United States into Trinidad and Tobago. On April 21, 2021, members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and Customs and Excise Division at the Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, seized a shipment containing two punching bags. X-ray photo of one of the punching bags showing the firearms and firearm components concealed inside. One of the punching bags cut open. Trinidad and Tobago Police Service revealing the hidden firearms components. Concealed firearms, firearms components, and ammunition retrieved from the punching bags. Alexander and his co-conspirators had sent the shipment from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago describing the contents of said shipment as “household items.” In reality, concealed within the two punching bags were approximately eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber special revolvers, a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, three AR-15 barrel foregrips, 19 lower pistol grip assemblies, 11 forearm bolt assemblies, three AR-15-style barrels with forearm grips, 32 AR-15 magazines, one AR-15 drum magazine, 470 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, 34 9mm magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, 284 9mm rounds, fifteen .38 caliber rounds, 36 shells, six magazine couplers, and two shotgun chokes. Alexander and his co-conspirators arranged this shipment without written notice to the shipper as to the contents of the shipment. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, including HSI’s Attaché, Caribbean, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance provided by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Transnational Organized Crime Unit and Special Investigations Unit), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Jamaica Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force provided critical support in the extradition of Alexander. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.


title: Norwood Man Sentenced For Making Violent Threats Against Law Enforcement

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Bryan Cornwell, 42, formerly of Norwood, Colorado, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after being convicted by a jury of two counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Cornwell was also sentenced to serve a three-year term of supervised release. According to the facts established at trial and at sentencing, from late August through later October 2023, Cornwell knowingly sent over 80 emails containing graphic and threatening messages to a law enforcement official. The messages included threats to kill and seriously injure the official, such as “You will beg me… beg and plead and scream in pain by my hand tick tok m***** f***er,” and repeated statements that “I AM GOING TO KILL YOU.” At the time that Cornwell sent the threatening messages, he was pending sentencing on a prior case where he admitted to threatening to blow up the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office. “Do not make threats against law enforcement officials,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “Doing so will land you in federal prison.” “This FBI will not tolerate threats against any law enforcement professionals. The defendant sent more than 80 emails threatening violent death in a calculated scheme to terrorize his target -- all while on bond in a similar case,” said Amanda Koldjeski, Special Agent In Charge of FBI Denver. “It is not permissible to tell an agent, deputy, or officer ‘I am going to kill you.’ The FBI will identify you, arrest you, and ensure justice is served.” United States District Judge Gordon Gallagher handled the sentencing. This case was investigated by the FBI Denver Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecution. Case Number: 24-cr-047-GPG-JMC


title: Previously deported illegal alien faces federal charges for trafficking fentanyl in Brookhaven

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Abelardo Avila Gomez, an illegal alien who was previously deported from the United States, appeared in federal court to face charges related to his alleged trafficking of 37 pounds of fentanyl from a Brookhaven apartment. “Avila Gomez allegedly trafficked a staggering amount of deadly fentanyl stored in his metro Atlanta apartment,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Diligent efforts by our law enforcement partners stopped this illegal alien and removed his lethal stash from our streets.” “With the seizure of 17.9 kilograms of fentanyl, our agents have removed an extraordinary amount of deadly poison from the streets,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Fentanyl is measured in milligrams, not grams and this quantity had the potential to cause catastrophic harm. Through the Fentanyl Free America campaign, DEA and our law enforcement partners are aggressively targeting every level of the supply chain. Our mission is to save lives and protect our communities from those who profit off addiction and death.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and the criminal complaint filed in federal court: On February 19, 2026, DEA Atlanta agents executed a federal search warrant at a Brookhaven apartment, where they located 15 rectangular-shaped “bricks” of fentanyl, weighing a total of approximately 37 pounds. Agents arrested Avila Gomez in the apartment parking lot, who allegedly confirmed that he lived in the apartment, illegally reentered the United States in March 2023, and was involved in the distribution of fentanyl. The investigation further revealed that Avila Gomez is a citizen and national of Mexico with no legal status in the United States. Immigration records allegedly confirm that Avila Gomez was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in November 2014. Abelardo Avila Gomez, 46, of Acapulco, Mexico, appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge earlier today on a criminal complaint that charged him with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal re-entry by a previously removed alien. Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Atlanta Police Department, Doraville Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Dekalb County Police Department, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Clayton County Police Department, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and Sandy Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Hwang is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Sea Box, Inc. Agrees to Pay $2.6 Million to Settle Claims it Used Foreign-Flagged Vessels to Transport Shipping Containers for Army, Air Force

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – SEA BOX, Inc., a corporation specializing in the design, modification, and manufacturing of shipping containers headquartered in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that it violated the Cargo Preference Act and its contracts with the Department of War by using foreign-flagged vessels to transport shipping containers manufactured for the Department of the Army, Department of the Air Force, and Defense Logistics Agency, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. According to the contentions of the United States contained in the settlement agreement, since approximately 1904, any supplies bought for any Department of War agency may only be transported by sea in a vessel of the United States. This requirement is found both in the Cargo Preference Act and in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations, and it is incorporated into defense contracts. The requirements protect American shipping and ensure that the United States has a merchant marine capable of commercial and military use. Between late 2017 and late 2021, SEA BOX was awarded approximately 35 contracts to provide shipping containers consistent with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards for the Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force, primarily through the Defense Logistics Agency. Notwithstanding the legal prohibitions on doing so, SEA BOX arranged to have these containers delivered on less expensive, foreign-flagged vessels. In so doing, SEA BOX not only deprived U.S.-flagged shipping of revenue, but it also reduced the cost of its own bids, undercutting competition that followed the statutory and contractual requirements. When confronted by military authorities about the issue, SEA BOX presented inaccurate, misleading information about its actions. SEA BOX has agreed to settle claims under the civil False Claims Act for a payment of $2.6 million, plus interest, over a three-year schedule. “Protecting American business is a critical part of the mission of the Department of Justice and of the United States military. We support American shipping through contracting and enforcement, and this Office will prosecute any entity that takes from American business in order to win contracts with the United States government.” - Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello “Ensuring companies follow statutory and contractual requirements is an important part of protecting the Department of Defense procurement process,” said Christopher M. Silvestro, Special Agent in Charge, DCIS Northeast Field Office, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. “DCIS will continue to work with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to pursue those companies that try to corrupt and compromise the integrity of the system.” “This settlement sends a clear message: AFOSI will not tolerate those who prioritize profit over the integrity of the federal procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). “We, alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will work tirelessly to combat fraud threatening the Department of the Air Force.” Senior Counsel Lamparello credits special agents of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division, the Department of the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations, and members of the Defense Contract Audit Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, and U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Kaufman of the Healthcare Fraud and Opioid Enforcement Unit. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ### Counsel for SEA BOX: John Brownlee and John McAdams, Holland & Knight, Washington, D.C. seabox.agreement.pdf


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Franklin Fitzgerald Elly, also known as “Costco,” 36, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 11 years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about May 2025 to in or about July 2025, Elly conspired with co-defendant Eric Jaeshon Ray and with other individuals to distribute fentanyl in the St. Albans area of Kanawha County. On four separate occasions between May and June 2025, Elly assisted Ray in distributing a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in St. Albans as part of the conspiracy. Elly was found responsible for over 500 grams of fentanyl in this case. Elly has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug dealing offenses in Michigan and Indiana and for drug dealing offenses and being a person prohibited from possessing firearms in West Virginia. Elly was on parole at the time of his current offense. Elly and Ray are among 16 individuals indicted as the result of a federal investigation on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Six co-defendants in the main indictment pleaded guilty. Elly and Ray are among four additional defendants who pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. Ray, also known as “Brody,” 32, was sentenced on January 15, 2026, to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. “Franklin Fitzgerald Elly is a career criminal who has sold drugs in West Virginia and two other states. He has committed three of his drug-dealing crimes, including this one, while on parole or probation for a prior drug-related conviction,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “As today’s sentence shows, this office and our law enforcement partners are determined to go after those who seek to harm our communities to the maximum extent the law allows.” Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-128. ###


title: Durham Man Sentenced for Cyberstalking Gay Men in Raleigh-Durham

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced David Ryan Winters, age 40, to 3 years in federal prison for cyberstalking. For almost a decade, Winters stalked, harassed, and threatened gay men online in the Raleigh-Durham area. Winters pleaded guilty to the charges. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Winters became enraged at the gay community in Raleigh-Durham for perceived slights. Starting around 2016, Winters began stalking gay men online and in person, including by showing up at victims’ homes and sending them pictures of their residences. Winters would discover victims’ personal information and send angry messages. He repeatedly threatened to kill specific victims and gay men generally, saying that he wanted to make national headlines and invoking the Pulse homicides from Florida. Winters visited one victim’s workplace, shattered a window, and threw a metal trashcan on the victim’s car. Winters’s obsessive harassment campaign terrified many people, forcing them to move or take other self-protective measures. “We believe in protecting all citizens who deserve to live their lives in peace. This antisocial behavior cannot fester without serious attention and prevention. Thanks to our dedicated law enforcement partners for taking this very seriously and putting this criminal behind bars.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The FBI and Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-343-M-RN.


component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: U.S. Attorney Acknowledges Lee County Law Enforcement Upon Successful Conclusion of Operation Overload TUPELO — On this date, more than a dozen agencies across North Mississippi came together for a press conference hosted by Lee County District Attorney Jason Herring. The conference announced the successful conclusion of “Operation Overload,” which resulted in multiple arrests for illegal drug and firearm related charges. Such operations are only successful because of the powerful partnerships of these local, state and federal agencies. Operation Overload included eight strategically planned saturations, which resulted in 793 citations, 51 illegal drug and firearm related charges, and 23 non-drug firearm related charges. Additionally, sixteen illegal aliens were arrested or retained by ICE because of the operation. DA Jason Herring pointed out in the news conference that these numbers are more than statistics but represent, “accountability, safer streets and disrupted criminal activity.” He points out that drug trafficking is the root of criminal activity in this district. He reminds those that choose to do so will suffer the consequences of their actions through initiatives such as these. U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated in the press conference that beginning in 2020, our borders opened up and drugs spilled into this country. Law enforcement witnessed the price of methamphetamine drop by 80%. Fentanyl pills that used to cost $30 a pill now cost dollars, and our young people paid the price. Cartels moved in, flooded our streets with drugs, took our money and killed our children. Lee County has provided an excellent example of what community policing looks like. Our goal is to assist local law enforcement in such successful endeavors. Leary reiterated: “We cover all northern MS and when I come to Lee County I just smile because this is what it looks like. It is our honor to work with you. We work for the citizens of this state, and they expect us to work together. To the degree it has not happened in the past, we are going to work hard to change that. This is an effective operation that will continue and hopefully we can get this violent crime spree and these cheap drugs addressed and off the street.” Operation Overload was a partnership between several law enforcement agencies including Lee County Sheriff’s Department, North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, Tupelo Police Department, Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control, Shannon Police Department, Verona Police Department, Plantersville Police Department, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office, and federal partners.


title: McKees Rocks Man Charged with Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Kevin Damont Scott, age 26, as the sole defendant. According to Indictment, on July 28, 2025, Scott, who had been previously convicted of several crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed 9 mm ammunition. Additionally, Scott was found in possession of one 9 mm caliber Polymer 80, Inc. handgun bearing no serial number, which law enforcement determined to be an unregistered ghost gun. Scott is prohibited from possessing both firearms and ammunition as a result of his felony convictions for two counts of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and three counts of firearms not to be carried without a license. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the McKees Rocks Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: New Brighton Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm Charges

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to federal drug and firearm charges, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Chad Antoine Lindsay, 35, pleaded guilty to one-count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack; a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine; and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Lindsay also pled guilty to one-count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. According to admissions made during Lindsay’s plea hearing, on June 17, 2025, a resident of New Brighton, Pennsylvania called 911 related to Lindsay damaging her home. The caller reported that Lindsay deals drugs and that he was moving the drugs out of the house into his vehicle. Authorities attempted a traffic stop of Lindsay as he drove his vehicle shortly after it departed the 911 caller’s residence. Lindsay fled in the vehicle before crashing. A search warrant executed upon the vehicle resulted in the seizure of two loaded handguns, over 40-rounds of ammunition, two cellular phones, drug packaging material, over $4,000, about 43 grams of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack, about 343 grams of cocaine, and about 10 grams of fentanyl. Following the search, authorities determined that one of the handguns recovered from Lindsay’s vehicle was reported stolen. At the time Lindsay possessed the loaded handguns, he had previously been convicted of eight (8) felonies. Under federal law, felons are prohibited from the possession of firearms and ammunition. Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2026. The maximum penalty for the drug trafficking crime committed on June 3, 2022, is a term of imprisonment of at least ten (10) years and a maximum of life, as well as a $10,000,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime is a term of imprisonment of at least five (5) years and a maximum of life, which must be served consecutively to the sentence imposed on the drug trafficking crime. There is also a maximum fine of $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, Judge Wiegand ordered Lindsay remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The New Brighton Area Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.


title: Richmond man sentenced to over 10 years in prison for armed robbery committed while on probation for previous firearms convictions

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison for robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence. According to court documents, on Oct. 13, 2022, Jarviontae Tykee McLaurine, 26, and two accomplices robbed a Dollar General store and people inside the store. Each of the robbers entered the store armed with a firearm and wearing a mask. One of the robbers ordered the clerk to open the register and get on the floor. Another robber ordered a customer to lie on the floor, and another customer was ordered to the front of the store at gunpoint. The robbers held the store manager at gunpoint and ordered the manager to open the register. Two of the robbers then forced the manager and the clerk to accompany them to the back office where they attempted to gain access to more money. McLaurine and his accomplices then fled the store. In June 2023, Mclaurine was convicted in Richmond Circuit Court of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In August 2023, Mclaurine was convicted in Hanover Circuit Court of making a false statement on a criminal history consent form and attempting to possess a firearm as a convicted felon. Two months later, Mclaurine was arrested again and on Feb. 1, 2024, was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Mclaurine was on supervised probation for two convictions when he robbed the Dollar General store. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Richmond Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Janet Jin Ah Lee prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:23-cr-164 and 3:25-cr-97.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to  Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison. John Robert Moro, age 34, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 6, 2025, guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Information from the sentencing hearing showed that Moro sold methamphetamine on two separate occasions in March 2024 to an individual who was working with law enforcement. Moro was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Moro was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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 Kansas City is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, covering Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. HSTF Kansas City is composed of agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the State Investigative Agencies for Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. Moro is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. This HSTF case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by HSTF Kansas City, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-45. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Rockford Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: A man who received images and videos of child pornography pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Anthony Paul Harden, age 47, from Rockford, Iowa, was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography. Evidence in a plea agreement and at a prior hearing showed that in August 2025, law enforcement officers searched Harden’s home in Rockford and seized four electronic devices that contained child pornography. Between May 2023 and July 2025, Harden received and possessed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, including of toddlers and sadistic and masochistic conduct. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Harden was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Harden faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, special assessments of $35,100, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-2065. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Former Fort Worth Resident Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Unemployment Benefits Fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A former Fort Worth, Texas resident was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits from the United States Department of Labor, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Mark Alan Valles, 51, previously of Fort Worth, Texas, pled guilty in October 2025 to the federal offense of conspiring to steal government funds. On February 20, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor sentenced Valles to 60 months in federal prison. He also ordered Valles to pay $407,724 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Labor and the Small Business Administration. “This defendant exploited government programs and stole funds intended to aid Americans during a critical economic period in this country,” said U. S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I applaud the diligent work of our law enforcement partners in uncovering the fraud scheme and seeing justice done in this case.” “Mark Valles conspired with others to defraud the Texas Workforce Commission, U.S. Government, and the American taxpayers in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme that enriched himself at a time when millions of Americans desperately needed the money,” stated Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “My office is committed to protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance program by vigorously pursuing those who commit this type of fraud. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.” Court documents indicate that from approximately April 2020 through September 2021, Valles and others conspired to unlawfully use stolen personal identifying information of at least 44 victims to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance funds administered by the Texas Workforce Commission (“TWC”) and funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”). Valles and his coconspirators used the stolen information to fill out false applications claiming a total of $899,719 in benefits to be loaded onto to debit cards. They directed the associated debit cards to be mailed to a physical address accessible by Valles or others, retrieved the debit cards from the particular address, and withdrew cash from multiple ATM machines at banks in Fort Worth and the surrounding areas. Valles caused a loss to the government of more than $407,000. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security–Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McDonald prosecuted the case.


title: Hastings Man Sentenced To 198 Months for Child Exploitation

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Hunter Geidl, age 29, was sentenced in United States District Court to 198 months imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release for multiple counts related to the production and possession of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. According to court documents, on May 19, 2022, Hunter James Geidl, 27, knowingly possessed a video file of a minor victim engaging in sexually explicit activities. From approximately July 29, 2022, until March 22, 2024, Geidl employed and used minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing sexually explicit video images. "Protecting our nation's children is a mission we hold sacred in the FBI,” said Richard Evanchec, the Interim Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. "The sentence imposed on Mr. Geidl should send a strong message about our work to bring to justice those who prey on America's kids. If you have information about additional victims of Hunter James Geidl who have not yet been identified, you are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.” U.S. District Judge Katherine M. Menendez when handing down the sentence said while Mr. Geidl may be a first-time defendant, he is not a first-time offender. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Hastings Police Department. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Assistant U.S. Attorney LeeAnn K. Bell prosecuted the case.