title: Ecuadorian Man Charged with Transporting Aliens

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Manuel Rolando Meza-Cambo, 34, of Los Rios Province, Ecuador, has been charged by criminal complaint with transporting illegal aliens. On April 21, 2025, Meza-Cambo appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Meza-Cambo be detained during the pendency of this matter. According to court records, Meza-Cambo attempted to pick-up four illegal aliens along Richford Road in Richford, Vermont, in the early morning hours of April 19, 2025. A member of the United States Border Patrol spotted Meza-Cambo’s minivan before he could pick up the aliens and followed the minivan. After the minivan stopped in the middle of road, investigating Border Patrol Agents then found two Mexican citizens and two Venezuelan citizens near the side of the road. These four individuals are being prosecuted separately for illegal entry to the United States. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Meza-Cambo is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Meza-Cambo faces up to 5 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Joshua L. Banker. Meza-Cambo is represented by the Federal Public Defenders Office. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Sex Offender from Uxbridge Charged with Possessing Child Pornography While on Federal Supervised Release

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An Uxbridge man has been charged in federal court in Worcester for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while on federal supervised release for a prior CSAM conviction. Scott Morrill, 52, was charged with possession of child pornography. Morrill was arrested on April 7, 2025 and remains detained in federal custody following a detention hearing that was held on April 17, 2025. According to the charging documents, during a search of his residence, Miller’s laptop was allegedly found to contain images and videos depicting CSAM. At the time of the alleged offense, Morrill was on federal supervised release for a 2013 conviction of distribution of child pornography, for which he was sentenced to five years in federal prison. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of not less than 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and the Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Uxbridge Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Massachusetts Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Ammunition and Explosives

body_text: BOSTON –A Hadley, Mass. man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield for allegedly possessing ammunition and explosives after being convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Jacob D. Miller, 43, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of being a felon in possession of explosive materials. Miller was arrested on April 9, 2025 on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition. He remains in federal custody as the Court has taken the matter of pretrial detention under advisement. On April 8, 2025, following the execution of a search warrant at Miller’s Hadley residence, a box of approximately 50 rounds of Federal brand, American Eagle .45 auto, 230 grain ammunition were found in a bedside table, in addition to six firearms found in a hallway safe. Additionally, explosive materials, hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials, including plutonium, were found in Miller’s home. According to evidence presented at a subsequent detention hearing , Miller has exhibited a long-standing and unlawful obsession with explosives, dangerous chemicals and radioactive substances dating back to at least 2002. That year, during a search of Miller’s prior residence, blasting caps, bomb-making instructions, military equipment including an apparent rocket launcher, a homemade pipe bomb and a video depicting the Miller igniting several improvised explosive devices, including one that he referred to as a “hand grenade,” were recovered. Miller was later convicted in state court of possessing those devices. According to court records, while still on probation in 2014, the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program issued a cease-and-desist letter to Miller after discovering he was selling depleted uranium on eBay. Despite Miller’s claims that he had ceased such activity, he allegedly launched his own online business called “Collect the Periodic Table” in 2017, through which he marketed and sold radioactive materials, including Plutonium-239 allegedly derived from Cold War-era Soviet smoke detectors. It is further alleged that between June and October 2023, Miller conducted at least five PayPal transactions for the sale of plutonium. Additional records of plutonium sales were allegedly recovered from his residence during the 2025 search. In 2023, Miller allegedly directed an associate to purchase five pounds of hazardous black powder and have it shipped to his residence in Hadley. Witnesses allegedly reported that Miller used the powder to ignite a fireball and detonate a dishwasher in his backyard during gatherings at his residence. During the April 2025 search, remnants of the shipment, including multiple bottles of explosive powder, one of which had been opened, were found. According to court records, authorities cataloged and secured numerous other potentially hazardous substances found at Miller’s residence – including fuels, alkali metals, oxidizers, acids and toxic elements such as arsenic. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) warned that these substances posed a serious risk to occupants, first responders and the public in the event of a fire, accident, or natural disaster. The Court has since ordered that MassDEP conduct a comprehensive safety evaluation and oversee the removal of hazardous materials from the residence. According to the charging documents, on Feb. 9, 2004, Miller was convicted in two of in Hampshire Superior Court of one count of possession of child pornography and sentenced to seven years of probation. Miller was also convicted in a separate case in Hampshire Superior Court of two counts of possession of an explosive device and sentenced to two and one-half years in jail and 10 years of probation. As a result of those convictions, Miller is prohibited under federal law from possessing ammunition, firearms and explosives. The charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition and explosives each provide for a sentence of 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hadley Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two Foreign Nationals With Prior Convictions Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Mexican and Salvadorian nationals unlawfully residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances Monday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country. Heraldo Neftali Gomez-Jacobo, 54, and Ismael Perez-Reyes, 38, are both charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for both defendants are scheduled for May 5, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe. According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Gomez-Jacobo, a citizen and national of El Salvador, and Perez-Reyes, a citizen and national of Mexico, were both previously deported and removed from the United States and reentered the United States illegally. On April 5, 2025, Gomez-Jacobo was remanded to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), from the Clark County Detention Center, based on an ICE detainer after he had been arrested on a bench warrant. Gomez-Jacobo had previously been deported on or about October 15, 2003, after being convicted of four counts of Attempt Lewdness with A Child Under the Age of 14. On March 31, 2025, Perez-Reyes was remanded to the custody of ICE, from the Clark County Detention Center, based on an ICE detainer after he been arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Allow Child Abuse/Neglect, by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. Perez-Reyes had previously been deported to Mexico on December 7, 2022, and November 8, 2023. Perez-Reyes has two prior felony convictions: one for Possession or Use of a Controlled Substance in a Correctional Facility, and another for Illegal Reentry After Deportation. Perez-Reyes also has an active warrant out of Utah for violating the terms his probation by returning to the U.S illegally. If convicted, Gomez-Jacobo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. If convicted, Perez-Reyes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form . A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: 18-Year-Old Man Who Led Law Enforcement on Dangerous High-Speed Chase Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Angel Omar Zuniga-Soriano, age 18, to 144 months in prison on one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Judge Dimke also imposed 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on June 29, 2024, Zuniga-Soriano, who is involved with the Sureno street gang, was driving a vehicle matching the description of a vehicle used in a robbery earlier that same day in Wapato, Washington. When a police officer in Toppenish, Washington, spotted the vehicle, he activated his overhead lights and attempted to stop the vehicle. Instead, Zuniga-Soriano sped-off and led police on a high-speed chase. Zuniga-Soriano drove on the busy interstate between Toppenish, Sunnyside, and Zillah at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. During the pursuit, Zuniga-Soriano fired one bullet out of the driver’s side window. Ultimately, Zuniga-Soriano pulled into a convenience store parking lot in Zillah, attempting to drive thru the lot. In an effort to reduce risk to the public, a law enforcement officer then rammed his police vehicle into the vehicle Zuniga-Soriano was driving. As a result, the sergeant driving the police vehicle was injured. Even still, Zuniga-Soriano was undeterred. He took off running, throwing a Glock pistol into a nearby yard. After a lengthy foot pursuit, law enforcement tackled Zuniga-Soriano in a nearby field. When the Glock pistol was recovered, law enforcement observed that the gun had a “Glock switch,” which is a modification that attaches to the rear of a Glock handgun and is designed to convert it from semi-automatic firearm into an automatic machine gun. Zuniga-Soriano subsequently provided a recorded statement to law enforcement. Zuniga-Soriano stated that he used to be a “demonic demon” and explained that he used to try to drown puppies in his toilet. He further advised that he tries to stay away from certain people; otherwise, he ends up falling back to his old ways and “my demonic self comes into me.” Zuniga-Soriano explained that he was not actual a gang member, but was a gang associate. When asked about the instant case, Zuniga-Soriano stated he had ingested marijuana, blacked out, and could only recall part of what had happened. In that same interview, Zuniga-Soriano attempted to claim that he was not actually firing at law enforcement. Rather, according to Zuniga-Soriano, he was going to commit suicide during the pursuit. He claimed that he put the gun to his head, but dropped it, which caused the gun to discharge. When the detective advised Zuniga-Soriano that a Glock firearm does not discharge when you drop it, Zuniga-Soriano recanted and then claimed that he tried to take the gun apart during the pursuit, which caused it to discharge. Ultimately, an extended firearm magazine was recovered from inside the vehicle Zuniga-Soriano was driving. Law enforcement subsequently test-fired the Glock firearm and discovered that it was capable of firing multiple rounds by a single trigger press. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Dimke pointed out that despite Zuniga-Soriano only being 18 years of age this was his third firearm conviction. Judge Dimke also explained that she took into account the dangerousness of the instant offense in pronouncing the twelve-year sentence. “The seriousness and nature of this offense cannot be understated,” Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker said. “I am grateful for the courage of the brave law enforcement officers, who ensured Mr. Zuniga-Soriano would not escape apprehension that day. Obviously firing a gun from a vehicle is extremely dangerous. However, attempting to elude police officers at such high rates of speed on public roadways presents an equally dangerous risk to our citizens. Had it not been for a sergeant with the Toppenish Police Department, who put his own life at risk to immediately stop the pursuit, innocent lives of motorists and their families could have been tragically lost. I also am grateful for Assistant United States Attorney Tom Hanlon’s excellent work on this case. For decades, AUSA Hanlon has dedicated his career to seeking justice and handling many of the most challenging and significant cases within our Yakima office.” “It is amazing that more people were not injured, or worse, by Mr. Zuniga-Soriano’s reckless actions.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “It is clear from his blatant disregard for the welfare of innocent people that the community will be safer with him behind bars. I commend the brave actions of our partners who were able to bring him into custody despite his irresponsible and dangerous attempts to evade accountability.” Based on severity of the Zuniga-Soriano’s actions, and due to the nature of the type of firearm utilized in the offense, the Southeast Washington Safe Streets Task Force was contacted. The Southeast Washington Safe Streets Task Force consists of law enforcement officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Toppenish Police Department. Along with the Safe Streets Task Force, the case was investigated by the Toppenish Police Department, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, the Yakama Nation Police Department, the Granger Police Department, the Wapato Police Department, the Washington State Patrol, the Zillah Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney and Yakima Branch Manager Thomas J. Hanlon. Case 1:24-cr-02069-MKD


title: Manchester Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Operating a Counterfeit Pill Press Scheme

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty today in federal court in connection with manufacturing and trafficking counterfeit pharmaceutical pills, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Jerry Summers, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of manufacturing controlled substances, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, two counts of distributing controlled substances, and two counts of trafficking in a drug and knowingly using a counterfeit mark on or in connection with such drug. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled sentencing for July 30, 2025. According to the charging documents, on July 1, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Summer’s Manchester office, rented under the name of “Summertime Drywall and Maintenance LLC.” During the search, law enforcement located a pill press that was covered in powdered residue and wrapped in soundproofing material, and large amounts of colored tablets. Drug testing revealed the presence of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the various pills as well as in the residue found on and around the pill press. On two prior occasions, Summers sold pills to a confidential informant. On March 21, 2024, Summers sold a quantity of blue pills that were marked as being OxyContin but later tested positive for fentanyl. On April 10, 2024, Summer sold a quantity of blue pills that were marked as being OxyContin but later tested positive for fentanyl as well as a quantity of orange pills that were marked as being Adderall but later tested positive for methamphetamine. On the manufacturing and possession with intent to distribute charges the charging statutes provide a sentence of up to life in prison, a term of supervised release of at least five years, and a fine of up to $10,000,000. On the distribution charges the charging statute provides a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a term of supervised release of at least four years, and a fine of up to $5,000,000. On the charge of trafficking in a drug and knowingly using a counterfeit mark on or in connection with such drug, the charging statute provides a sentence of up to 20 years, a term of supervised release of not more than three years and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Louisiana Bounty Hunter Sentenced for Missouri Kidnapping

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a bounty hunter from Louisiana to the three years he’s spent behind bars for removing a woman from a St. Peters, Missouri home and taking her across state lines against her will. Wayne D. Lozier Jr., 46, of the New Orleans area, has been in custody since March 31, 2022. Lozier was originally convicted by a jury in 2023 of one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Lozier’s conviction was overturned by the 8th U.S. Court of Appeals because of an issue with a jury instruction. Lozier then pleaded guilty in March, prior to a re-trial, to the same charges. He admitted entering a private residence without first notifying local law enforcement, transporting the victim without her consent and refusing the instructions of a St. Peters Police Department officer to either return the victim or transport her to the nearest law enforcement agency. He also admitted that neither he nor his partner, Jody L. Sullivan, were licensed by the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance to operate as surety recovery agents within Missouri. Lozier and Sullivan had driven from Louisiana to where the victim was staying at the home of a friend in St. Peters, Missouri. They were attempting to return with the victim to St. Tammany Parish, where she had an arrest warrant for four misdemeanor offenses. On May 9, 2019, Lozier handcuffed the victim and he and Sullivan took her away in their SUV. The homeowner contacted police. St. Peters Police Officer Jeffrey Atkins told Lozier on the phone that he was breaking the law and needed to return the victim, but Lozier refused to do so. When the victim sought help from clerks at a gas station in Sullivan, Missouri, Lozier shocked the victim multiple times with a Taser and pulled her hair. He and Sullivan then dragged the victim out of the store by the chain that connected her handcuffs and leg. Lozier continued to refuse Officer Atkins’ instructions to return the victim to Missouri. But he did not bring her to Louisiana, instead dropping her off at a detention facility in Mississippi. Sullivan, 57, of the New Orleans area, pleaded guilty Sept. 18, 2023, to the conspiracy and kidnapping charges and admitted unlawfully seizing the woman and transporting her across state lines. She was sentenced to five years of probation. The FBI and the St. Peters Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Martin and Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican National Admits to Reentry Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Apolinar Armando Lopez-Gutierrez, age 38, of Mexico, has admitted to reentry of a removed alien. According to court documents and statements made in court, a stabbing investigation in Tennessee led officials to Lopez-Gutierrez, who was believed to be friends with the stabbing suspect. Lopez-Gutierrez was found living and working in Sutton, West Virginia. He was previously removed from the United States in April of 2024. Lopez-Gutierrez is facing up to two years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Marshals Service investigated. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Court Sentences Mobile County Man to 15 years  Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – On April 22, 2025, United States District Court Judge William H. Steele sentenced John Rodney Weeks III to 180 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Traffic Methamphetamine. Documents filed with the Court established that between February 2024 and March 2024, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) used a confidential informant to make five controlled buys of methamphetamine from Weeks. On March 27, 2024, the MCSO executed a search warrant at Weeks’ residence in Mobile County and seized approximately 62 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales for weighing drugs, approximately $720.00 in US currency that were drug proceeds and ledger notes used to keep records of monies owed for drugs. Because Weeks had a prior federal methamphetamine trafficking conviction in 2005 the United States filed a Sentencing Enhancement which required the 15 year mandatory minimum sentence under Title 21 USC §841 (b)(1)(A). The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Mobile County Sherriff’s Office, Narcotics Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.


title: Jacksonville Man Indicted For Wire Fraud, Identity Theft, And Lying To Obtain U.S. Citizenship

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Oladapo Olalekan Fadugba (40, Jacksonville) with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and making a false statement related to naturalization. If convicted on all counts, Fadugba faces a maximum penalty of 27 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Fadugba that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $400,000, which represents the approximate proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. According to the indictment, beginning on October 30, 2020, and ending no later than July 11, 2023, Fadugba had more than $690,000 of Department of Veterans Affairs funds, intended for reimbursement to a large local healthcare provider, transferred to his own personal bank accounts. Fadugba then wrote himself, or businesses associated with him, checks that were then transferred to other bank accounts owned by him. It is alleged that to procure the transfers, Fadugba used the identification of another individual. The indictment further alleges that Fadugba, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Nigeria, made a false statement under oath during his naturalization proceeding. Fadugba allegedly falsely stated he had not committed any crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. An indictment is merely a formal charge that the defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Treasury Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.


title: Lawton-Area Trio Sentenced to Serve More Than 12 Years Collectively in Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: Defendants Ordered to Pay Nearly $2.7 Million in Restitution Collectively OKLAHOMA CITY – JIMMIE MATHEWS , 41, NATHAN MATHEWS , 42, and AMBER DELGER , 55, all of the Lawton area, have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. The defendants were each charged in May 2024, with Delger being charged by Information with conspiring to commit health care fraud, and both Jimmie and Nathan charged by a 16-count federal grand jury Indictment with conspiring to commit health care fraud and fifteen counts of health care fraud. Beginning in 2016, Nathan owned Emerald Lane Therapy Services (Emerald Lane) in Lawton, a massage therapy provider. Delger was a subsequent co-owner of the company. Nathan and Jimmie also owned a separate massage therapy provider, Stars & Stripes Therapy (Stars & Stripes), which opened its doors in Lawton in January 2020. Both businesses purportedly treated TRICARE beneficiaries, submitted claims to the Defense Health Agency (DHA), and received payments from DHA for those services. According to public record, beginning in January 2018, the defendants conspired together to submit false and fraudulent claims to TRICARE for services that were never rendered. Court documents allege that after TRICARE beneficiaries visited either of the businesses, the defendants would schedule multiple appointments for the beneficiaries many months in advance. If the beneficiary couldn’t make the appointments, or stopped coming altogether, the defendants would nonetheless continue to bill TRICARE as if the beneficiaries had received care. Additionally, Emerald Lane billed TRICARE using the National Provider Identity (NPI) number of an occupational therapist long after the therapist had stopped working for the business. In total, Emerald Lane and Stars & Stripes billed more than $7 million to TRICARE and received nearly $3 million in reimbursement. In October 2024, Jimmie and Nathan pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud. Previously, on June 17, 2024, Delger pleaded guilty to the same. “Through their fraudulent conduct, these defendants exploited programs intended to provide critical benefits to our nation’s military, veterans, and their families” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Through vigorous investigation and prosecution, we will continue to protect taxpayer funded institutions and ensure that TRICARE dollars are protected and properly allocated to help those who serve.” “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to ensuring TRICARE, the U.S. Military healthcare program, is not subjected to fraudulent schemes that expose beneficiaries to harm and waste valuable tax dollars,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Gosch of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “These sentencings demonstrate our tireless pursuit to investigate individuals that seek to enrich themselves at the expense of this valuable program.” Last week, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced both Nathan and Jimmie. Nathan was sentenced to serve 87 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,410,255.66 in restitution. Jimmie was sentenced to serve 42 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $632,026.43 in restitution. Delger was previously sentenced on January 31, 2025, to serve 26 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $653,269.00. In announcing the sentences, Judge Dishman described the fraud scheme as egregious and far reaching in its scope, duration, and impact. Judge Dishman further noted that the public needs to know that health care fraud is not acceptable, will not be tolerated, and will result in prosecution and punishment. This case is the result of an investigation by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the United States Department of Defense. Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Missouri Man Sentenced 21 Years in Prison for Recording Minor Victim in Bathroom

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Audrey G. Fleissig on Tuesday sentenced a man whose trial for recording a girl in the bathroom revealed allegations that he had sexually abused at least three other children to 21 years in prison. Rayford Evans, 52, of Doniphan, in Ripley County, was convicted of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor after a one-day bench trial in January. Evidence and testimony showed that Evans used his cell phone to record a 15-year-old girl while she was bathing and using the bathroom by holding it up to a window above the bathroom door. The victim saw the phone and told a friend, the friend’s father and then her own father, who contacted the Doniphan City Police Department. An officer found three videos of the girl that Evans tried to delete. During Evans trial, another victim testified about her sexual abuse at the hands of Evans, and there was testimony that Evans had recorded videos of a different girl. Three others testified at Evans’ sentencing hearing Tuesday about his sexual abuse of them. “Evans has sexually exploited children for decades,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter wrote in a sentencing memo, and “used bribery in the form of electronics, toys, and candy to violate the trust of innocent children to sexually abuse them.” One victim described Evans in a letter as a predator who has “hunted children, for his depraved sexual appetite, for at least 26 years.” Evans has disputed the allegations involving other victims. The FBI and the Doniphan City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Three Carjackings in Chicago

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has pleaded guilty in federal court to carjacking three vehicles at gunpoint in Chicago and shooting one of the victims. JAMARI EDWARDS admitted in a plea agreement that he carjacked the vehicles in August 2022 in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. The first carjacking occurred in the drive-thru area of a coffee shop, while the other two occurred outside of a convenience store at a gas station. In each of the carjackings, Edwards pointed a gun at the driver and demanded the keys to the car. In the coffee shop carjacking, Edwards shot the driver in the leg after the driver had already given Edwards the key and exited the vehicle. Before shooting the driver, Edwards asked him words to the effect of, “Why are you not scared?” Edwards, 22, of Chicago, pleaded guilty on Thursday to federal carjacking and firearm charges. The convictions are punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins set sentencing for Aug. 12, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Steindorf. edwards_plea_agreement.pdf


title: Pittsburgh Man Admits to Drug Charge

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Queshawn Keand Williams, age 20, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has admitted to the distribution of p-Fluorofentanyl and fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams, also known as “TJ,” was selling fentanyl in Harrison County. Williams is facing up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Florida Inmate Sentenced To Federal Prison For Mailing Threats To Prosecutor And Judge

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Taylor Ryan Hill (27, Jacksonville) to 30 months in federal prison for mailing threatening communications. The court also ordered Hill to serve the sentence consecutive to a state prison sentence imposed in 2021 for first degree murder (two counts), attempted murder, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hill pleaded guilty in this latest case on December 3, 2024. According to court documents, Hill was an inmate serving his state sentence at Hardee Correctional Institution in Bowling Green. On February 12, 2024, Hill mailed a threatening letter to the Assistant State Attorney in Clay County who had prosecuted Hill for his underlying murder convictions. The letter threatened to have that prosecutor, as well as the judge who sentenced him, killed. The letter was signed “Taylor Ryan Hill” and was mailed in an envelope with a return address of Taylor Hill, his inmate number, and an address at Hardee Correctional. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Office of the State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lasry and Michael J. Coolican.


title: Del Rio Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced in federal court to 288 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Leonardo Estrada, 41, approached a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Highway 277 near Eagle Pass, Feb. 15, 2023. During inspection, a K-9 alerted agents to the driver’s side of Estrada’s vehicle near the pedals. A further search revealed two plastic bundles wrapped in clear plastic tape concealed underneath the carpet behind the gas and brake pedals. The contents of one of the bundles tested positive for 790 grams of methamphetamine, while the other tested positive for marijuana. Estrada admitted to being involved in drug trafficking since 2021. Estrada was arrested at the checkpoint on Feb. 15, 2023. He pleaded guilty May 22, 2023. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. HSI and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh prosecuted the case. ###


title: Longmeadow Man Pleads Guilty to $19 Million Loan Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Longmeadow man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield, Mass., to a scheme to defraud commercial lenders by providing false and fraudulent rent rolls and forged lease agreements for properties located in Springfield, Mass.; East Longmeadow, Mass.; and Enfield, Conn. Louis R. Masaschi, 59 pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to committed wire fraud; two counts of wire fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2025. In April 2023 , Masaschi was indicted by a federal grand jury along with his wife and alleged co-conspirator Jeanette Norman. According to court documents, Masaschi and Norman were partners in dozens of limited liability companies, including LL Realty Developers, LLC, through which they owned primarily commercial and some residential property in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut and elsewhere. Masaschi, and allegedly Norman, conspired with each other and others to fraudulently obtain loans for their companies from financial institutions and commercial lenders by providing materially false, fictitious and fraudulent financial information – including false rent rolls and forged lease agreements. After receiving the loans Masaschi, and allegedly Norman, made some or no payments and ultimately defaulted on the loans, causing substantial losses to the financial institutions and commercial lenders. According to Masaschi’s plea agreement, between May 2016 and November 2018, Masaschi fraudulently obtained or sought to obtain approximately $60,123,000 in loans and caused a total loss of $19,305,473. Jeanette Norman has pleaded not guilty and is pending trial in October 2025. The charge of conspiracy to committed wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Bradford County Man Sentenced To 292 Months In Prison For Production Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Benjamin Wheeler, age 29, of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on April 15, 2025, to 292 months’ imprisonment to be followed by ten years of supervised release by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann on one count of production of child pornography. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Wheeler coerced two minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography on four separate occasions in June and July of 2022, in Bradford County. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin read a statement from one of the victim’s mothers expressing the devastating impact this crime has had on the victim and the victim’s family. The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 11 Years’ Imprisonment After Traveling  to Utah to Sexually Abuse a 12-Year-Old

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Carl William Wyckoff, 25, of New Boston, Texas, was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he traveled to Utah and sexually abused a 12-year-old victim. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after Wyckoff pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. According to court documents and statements made at Wyckoff’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Wyckoff began exchanging messages with a 12-year-old girl he met playing an online game. The messages between Wyckoff and the victim became sexual, and images were exchanged. Initially, Wyckoff believed the child was an adult, but after she disclosed her true age, Wyckoff continued exchanging sexual messages and images. Wyckoff admitted that between April 13, 2024, and April 15, 2024, he then traveled from Texas to Arizona and then transported the 12-year-old victim to Utah to engage in sexual activity with her. Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Florence Tax Preparer Indicted for Tax Fraud

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: FLORENCE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a 43-count indictment against Talisha Cooper, 44, of Coward, for preparing false tax returns. The indictment alleges that Cooper was a tax return preparer and manager of Tax Fusions, located in Florence. Beginning in 2019 and through 2023, Cooper knowingly filed numerous returns that were fraudulent. The returns reported false fuel tax credits, family and sick leave credits, employee business expenses and Schedule C business profits or losses. The investigation revealed at least 43 instances of false returns with a total loss of $374,349. Cooper was arrested today and arraigned in federal court this afternoon. Cooper faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison and a fine. The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case. All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: White Supremacist Receives Life Sentence in Federal Court for Kidnapping and Murder

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – A California man was sentenced yesterday to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for Aiding and Abetting the Kidnapping and Murder of a Northwest Arkansas man. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, in November of 2021, the defendant, Daniel Paul Blanks , age 46, and his co-defendant, Reginald Baker , age 37, drove to the Springdale apartment of a Northwest Arkansas resident. Per witnesses, the men, armed with a shotgun, forcefully entered the apartment, assaulted and beat the resident, and then dragged his unconscious body down the exterior staircase of the apartment complex and placed him in the back of Blanks’ truck bed. Blanks and Baker then transported the victim from Arkansas to the Mark Twain National Park, located in Barry County Missouri, where Blanks shot the victim numerous times. The victim’s body lay undiscovered for several days until a hunter located him in a heavily wooded logging road. On November 29, 2021, both Blanks and Baker were charged in the Circuit Court of Washington County, with Capital Murder, Kidnapping, and Residential Burglary. On April 5, 2024, Baker pleaded guilty in Washington County Arkansas Circuit Court to Accomplice to Murder in the 1st Degree, Accomplice to Kidnapping, and Accomplice to Residential Burglary. He was sentenced to a total of 60 years imprisonment. On October 25, 2024, Blanks entered a guilty plea to Aiding and Abetting Kidnapping Resulting in Death, in federal court. During the sentencing hearing, the Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks cited Blanks’ affiliation with white supremacist groups as an aggravating factor supporting the imposition of a life sentence. This case involving Daniel Blanks was prosecuted in cooperation with the 4th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Springdale Police Department, Barry County Missouri Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Bentonville Police Department, and the Arkansas Office of Probation and Parole all investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov .


title: Federal Jury Finds Two Men Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Bank Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Texas men Stanley Anyanwu, 41 , and Vitalis Anyanwu, 42, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Interim United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. announced the verdict today. According to information presented in court, in February 2022, the City of Memphis was victim to a business email compromise (BEC) scam causing a legitimate payment of $773,695.45 to go not to the intended contractor recipient but to a bank account controlled by a sophisticated fraud conspiracy. The City realized what had happened within days but was unable to recover the funds because the conspiracy had already swept the funds away into a large money laundering network. The FBI investigated and identified Stanley and Vitalis Anyanwu as two members of the conspiracy. During the investigation, the FBI also identified victims of romance scams who had been taken advantage of by the same conspiracy. The defendants’ primary role in the conspiracy was to act as knowing “money mules” for internet-based fraud scams. A BEC is a type of computer intrusion that occurs when an employee of a business or similar entity is fooled into interacting with an email message that appears to be, but is not, legitimate. The email message usually contains either malware or fraudulent misrepresentations. The purpose of the intrusion is usually to access sensitive information or to defraud the victim entity. A romance scam is a type of advance fee scam in which the operator of the scam uses the internet and social media platforms to target potential victims who are seeking friends or romantic companionship. The scammer hides his or her true identity by posing as a potential friend or romantic partner and entering into an online relationship with the victim. Eventually, the scammer begins to ask for emergency financial assistance of some kind. If the victim sends money, the scammer will present an escalating series of events and false claims necessitating increasingly larger amounts of money. A money mule is someone who knowingly or unknowingly transfers or moves fraudulently acquired money on behalf of someone else. Money mules are important parts of fraud conspiracies because, among other reasons, they provide the conspiracy with a way to disguise the criminal origins of fraud proceeds. “These defendants defrauded multiple individuals and entities resulting in a significant loss to the City of Memphis,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI and our partners are committed to holding accountable those who seek to line their own pockets through business email compromise, romance, and money laundering schemes, and will continue to work tirelessly to investigate those who engage in criminal activity resulting in financial harm to members of our community.” Sentencing is set to be held on July 18, 2025 before Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Smith and Reid Manning prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Maryland Man Admits to Firearms Trafficking

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Donaven Eugene Simms, age 22, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has admitted to his role in a firearms trafficking operation in Berkeley County, West Virginia. Simms pled guilty to aiding and abetting a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. According to court documents, Simms worked with other defendants to purchase firearms in Martinsburg to provide to individuals in states outside of West Virginia. Simms is facing up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided. Find a related release here: www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/maryland-men-admit-roles-firearms-trafficking-operation


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office charges 11 new immigration cases, obtains 1 guilty plea

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced today charges pending against 11 new defendants for allegedly violating federal immigration laws and one new conviction. The defendants include a previously convicted sex offender, a man who allegedly opened fire near a local taco restaurant and a man who is alleged to be part of a transnational gang. A criminal complaint was filed in Columbus on April 18 charging Abel Velasquez-Avecedo , 29, of Mexico, with illegally possessing a firearm as an illegal alien. On April 11, Velasquez-Avecedo and another individual allegedly had an argument at Taco Nice restaurant in Columbus. It is alleged that the defendant fired multiple shots from a vehicle while driving near the restaurant. Local law enforcement authorities found Velasquez-Avecedo to be in possession of a pistol and 30 to 40 small baggies of suspected cocaine. The defendant has prior convictions including operating a vehicle while intoxicated and assault. A federal grand jury indicted Adiel Hernandez-Orellana , 39, of El Salvador, with illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony. Hernandez-Orellana was previously convicted of sexual assault in Arkansas. Milton Guevara-Cruz , 31, of El Salvador, was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly reentering the United States illegally after deportation. Charging documents filed against Guevara-Cruz detail that he is a member of the violent 18 th Street transnational gang from El Salvador. It is alleged that he is a member of the gang’s Tyni Locos Surenos clique and has been arrested in El Salvador three times for related criminal activity. A federal grand jury also indicted Sergio Diego-Sevilla , 35, of Mexico, for illegally reentering the United States. Diego-Sevilla was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by Adalberto Calixto-Tolentino , 21, who pleaded guilty in federal court in Columbus last week to two counts of transporting illegal aliens. Calixto-Tolentino admitted to being paid cash to pick up illegal aliens near the Mexico border in Arizona and transport them throughout the United States. Juan Jacobo Ortega-Guevara , 36, also allegedly transported illegal aliens. He was charged yesterday by criminal complaint. Ortega-Guevara was stopped by law enforcement while in a vehicle in Guernsey County with six other individuals. The defendant had $3,000 in cash on him and is alleged to have transported illegal aliens from the southwest toward the midatlantic for pay. Six other defendants were charged by criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after deportation. They include Carlos Garcia Carillo , 47, of Mexico; Saul Lopez-Rojas , 39, of Mexico; Gelacio Macias-Olivares , 42, of Mexico; Anselmo Munguia Martinez , 36, of Mexico; Zenaido Neri Perez , 31, of Mexico and Jose Gonzalez-Rodriguez , 28, of Mexico. Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has a prior felony conviction (or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types), the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Transporting illegal aliens is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Possessing a firearm as an illegal alien is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the charges. Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler J. Aagard, Elizabeth Geraghty, Peter K. Glenn Applegate, Ryan A. Keefe, Noah R. Litton, Ebunoluwa Taiwo and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in these cases. Charging documents merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. These cases were investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America . HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). # # #


title: High-Ranking Sinaloa Cartel Member Arrested After Being Charged in Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: Greensboro, NC – A Mexican national and high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel was arrested today in Nogales, Arizona after being indicted for allegedly helping lead a large drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. Emmanuel Martimiano Leon-Soto, age 42, of Naco, Mexico, is the last person arrested of 38 total individuals charged in November 2024 by a federal grand jury seated in the Middle District of North Carolina with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine hydrochloride. Leon-Soto is also known as Manny, Jose Manuel Lopez-Castro, Jesus Lopez Castro, Pedro Beltran Zazueta, Pedro Zazueta Beltran, Emmanuel Gomez, Emanuel Leon, Emanuel Leon-Soto, Manuel Leon Soto, Jose Manuel Lopez Castro, and Emanuel Pena Gomez. He is one of 10 of the defendants also charged with conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the drug trafficking scheme. Prior to his indictment, Leon-Soto was designated as a Regional Priority Target (RPOT) by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. He is a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel (also known as Cartel de Sinaloa, Mexican Federation, and Guadalajara Cartel), which has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Cártel de Sinaloa is one of the world’s most powerful drug cartels and one of the largest producers involved in the smuggling, importation, and distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into the United States. “The arrest of Leon-Soto is a significant development in our case against this organization, which is responsible for trafficking large quantities of narcotics to our district and throughout the United States,” said Randall S. Galyon, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. “This prosecution is a testament to the power of collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement through the OCDETF program, and we thank all the investigating agencies for their tireless commitment to dismantling criminal organizations that threaten the safety and security of our community.” “Today’s arrest should send a strong message to anyone who thinks they can further their criminal drug enterprise through the U.S. Mail and remain anonymous—that will never happen,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Postal inspectors will vigorously pursue you and bring you to justice, keeping the communities we serve and the mailstream safe for USPS employees and customers.” “Today’s arrest is the direct result of the hard work and collaboration between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and our law enforcement partners,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Charlotte, which oversees North and South Carolina. “Leon-Sotos’ criminal activity, combined with his leadership role in the Sinaloa Cartel makes him a significant threat to the safety of the American people. This extensive investigation highlights HSI’s unwavering commitment to protect our country and communities from the dangers of illegal narcotics. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure dangerous drug trafficking organizations are disrupted and held accountable for their crimes.” “These drug traffickers endangered countless lives by distributing large quantities of deadly fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine,” Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division commented on the case. “Driven by greed, these defendants had total disregard for their actions that far too often have tragic consequences.” “IRS Criminal Investigation continues to aggressively pursue complicit operators and facilitators to break up fentanyl networks,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “Our special agents will use their authorities and financial expertise to work alongside our partner agencies while following the money to stop those who profit from deadly fentanyl sales in the United States.” If convicted, Leon-Soto faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for the drug conspiracy, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As of today, 32 of the 38 defendants charged in this case have pled guilty to each of the counts against them and are awaiting sentencing. This prosecution is part of an OCDETF investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Investigating agencies include the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, Fayetteville Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office, Candor Police Department, Mesa (Arizona) Police Department, Davie County Sheriff’s Office, Forsyth County Drug Task Force, Mooresville Police Department, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, and Surry County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Pryor is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Defense Contractor’s Longtime Associate Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

component: Tax Division

body_text: Note: View Information here. A longtime associate of a former defense contractor pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from 2009 until approximately 2022, Thomas G. Ehr worked for or on behalf of a co-conspirator, a defense contractor who owned 50% of a business that supplied jet fuel to U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Middle East. Ehr was hired to manage several music television and entertainment projects funded with proceeds from this business. Over time Ehr played a role in several of his co-conspirator’s other investments, including a $60 million real estate investment in Tulum, Mexico, and a $50 million fuel infrastructure project. Ehr understood that the defense contractor was the business’s 50% owner since it was created, and that the contractor controlled hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from it. Nevertheless, Ehr agreed to conceal the contractor’s ownership and control of the company, primarily by falsely asserting that the contractor’s wife had founded the company, so that the contractor could obstruct the IRS’ ability to assess and collect the contractor’s taxes — including taxes on profits he made from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Ehr acknowledged that because of the conspiracy, the contractor evaded taxes on more than $350 million of income and caused a tax loss to the United States of approximately $128 million. Additionally, despite making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in income, Ehr did not file tax returns for years 2010 to 2015, nor make payments on taxes he owed for 2010 to 2023. By doing so, Ehr caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $700,000. Ehr is the sixth defendant associated with the defense contracting company to plead guilty. Charles Squires pleaded guilty to tax evasion in February 2022, James Robar pleaded guilty to tax evasion in March 2022, Ronald “Ron” Thomas pleaded guilty to tax evasion in April 2022, Zachary “Zack” Friedman pleaded guilty to tax evasion in August 2022, and Robert Dooner pleaded guilty to tax evasion in November 2023. Sentencing will be set at a later date. Ehr faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the tax count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Interim U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case, with assistance from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom. Assistance was also provided by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis, Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney, and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Life in Prison for Savage Murder of Cellmate at Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex

body_text: TERRE HAUTE— Joshua T. Mebane, 29, of Silver Spring, Maryland, has been sentenced to life in federal prison for first degree murder. Mebane previously pled guilty in open court on October 23, 2024. According to court documents, in January of 2016, Joshua Mebane was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, serving a 45-year sentence for first degree murder in the District of Columbia. Mebane was also later convicted of murder and attempted murder in Maryland, committed in 2012, for which he received multiple life sentences. On January 26, 2016, inmate Michael Tucker moved into Mebane’s cell. Just two days later, correctional officers went to retrieve Mebane for a medical appointment and called for both inmates to be present at the cell door. According to policy, all inmates in the cell must be handcuffed before opening. As the officers again called for Tucker to be handcuffed, Mebane admitted “My cellie (cell mate) is dead… I killed my cellie on Wednesday.” Officers entered the cell to investigate and found Michael Tucker lying face-up in the bottom bunk bed, covered by a blanket. His body was cold to the touch and without a pulse. Life saving measures were initiated by medics but were unsuccessful. The medical examiner ruled the official cause of death to be asphyxiation and determined the manner of death as homicide. “This life sentence reflects our office’s commitment to justice for all victims, including those who are incarcerated in federal correctional facilities. The horrific murder deserves one of the harshest penalties allowed under the law, and I sincerely hope that the completion of this prosecution brings some measure of closure and peace to Mr. Tucker’s family,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The FBI is committed to ensuring the rights and dignity of every victim – no matter where the crimes occur. This kind of violence is inexcusable, and the sentence should serve as a powerful reminder there is no place in our society for such hate,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and send a clear message that the protection of all individuals from hate-driven violence remains a top priority.” "Today's sentencing sends a clear message - those who threaten or harm others will be held accountable. The safety and security of our facilities will always be the FBOP’s top priority in our mission to ensure public safety,” said a BOP Spokesperson. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Prisons investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle M. Sawa and Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: St. Louis Man Admits Bank Robbery and Attempted Bank Robbery

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man admitted robbing a St. Louis bank in 2024 and trying to rob the same bank three months later. Isaac Perry, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. He admitted entering a bank on Loughborough Avenue in south St. Louis on June 25, 2024, and handing a note to a bank employee. The note read, “I nee[d] you to hand over 10,000 in cash if not it aint gone end good please.” Perry drew a red heart around the word “please.” He left the bank with about $340. On Oct. 3, 2024, Perry returned, and again handed a note to a bank employee. The note said, “This is a stick up I need you to give me 6,000 dollars in all hundreds in make it quick.” The note had another heart. The bank employee told Perry that she had activated an alarm and police were on the way. Perry fled the bank but was identified in photos of the robbery that were released to the public. Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. Each charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole Frankenberg is prosecuting the 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.


title: Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer And Two Conspirators Sentenced To Federal Prison For Trafficking Firearms

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced three individuals for their roles in a gun trafficking conspiracy. Matthew L. Stephen Easton (35, Melrose) was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for firearms trafficking. Ernesto Vazquez (23, Kissimmee) and Derick Yamir Perez Diaz (22, Orlando) were each sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for conspiracy to traffic firearms. All three previously pleaded guilty. According to the plea agreements, Easton, a federally licensed firearms dealer, supplied Perez Diaz with large quantities of firearms, despite knowing that Perez Diaz was dealing in firearms without a license. Perez Diaz, in turn, trafficked those firearms to Vazquez who resold them to an individual who smuggled them out of the country. Between October and December 2023, more than 100 Glock pistols and AK-47 rifles were trafficked, including those pictured below: Additionally, Vazquez and Perez Diaz admitted to trafficking machinegun conversion devices: On April 18, 2024, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Vazquez’s residence. Inside, they found multiple firearms, stockpiles of ammunition, and grenades: This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Noah P. Dorman and Dana E. Hill. 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.


body_text: WASHINGTON – Thomas G. Ehr, 63, a longtime associate of a former defense contractor, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to an Information charging him with conspiring to defraud the United States. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. According to court documents, from 2009 until approximately 2022, Ehr worked for or on behalf of a co-conspirator, who was a defense contractor who owned 50% of a business that supplied jet fuel to U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Middle East. Ehr, of the United Kingdom, was hired to manage several music television and entertainment projects funded with proceeds from this business. Over time Ehr played a role in several of his co-conspirator’s other investments, including a $60 million real estate investment in Tulum, Mexico, and a $50 million fuel infrastructure project. Ehr understood that the defense contractor was the 50% owner of the business from the time it was created, and that the defense contractor controlled hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from it. Nevertheless, Ehr agreed to conceal the contractor’s ownership and control of the company, primarily by falsely asserting that the contractor’s wife had founded the company, so that the contractor could obstruct the IRS’ ability to assess and collect the contractor’s taxes — including taxes on profits he made from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Ehr acknowledged that because of the conspiracy, the contractor evaded taxes on more than $350 million of income and caused a tax loss to the United States of approximately $128 million. Additionally, despite making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in income, Ehr did not file tax returns for years 2010 to 2015, nor make payments on taxes he owed for 2010 to 2023. By doing so, Ehr caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $700,000. Ehr is the sixth defendant associated with the defense contracting company to plead guilty. Charles Squires pleaded guilty to tax evasion in February 2022, James Robar pleaded guilty to tax evasion in March 2022, Ronald Thomas pleaded guilty to tax evasion in April 2022, Zachary Friedman pleaded guilty to tax evasion in August 2022, and Robert Dooner pleaded guilty to tax evasion in November 2023. Ehr faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the tax count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case, with assistance from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom. Assistance was also provided by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold of the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney, Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro, and Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis of the Tax Division. 25cr92


title: Michigan Woman Sentenced to 30 years for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Detroit, Michigan, woman, Chanel Lashae Logan, 25, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves to 360 months in prison, for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to her court records, between March 1, 2024 and June 6, 2024, Logan conspired with co-defendant Saruba Asante Smith to distribute substantial quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Lexington, Kentucky area. In her plea agreement, Logan admitted to selling methamphetamine and fentanyl to an undercover operative on April 23, 2024, followed by an additional larger quantity of methamphetamine to the same undercover operative on May 30, 2024. Both transactions occurred in Lexington. Shortly thereafter, Logan agreed with the undercover operative to sell 10 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 ounces of fentanyl, which she intended to obtain in Detroit. On June 6, 2024, in Shelby County, Kentucky, law enforcement stopped Logan and Smith in Logan’s vehicle as it traveled back from Detroit. Law enforcement located 6.8 kilograms of methamphetamine in the car, along with 76 grams of fentanyl. A search warrant executed at Logan’s and Smith’s Lexington apartment that same day led to the seizure of an additional 4.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and 892 grams of fentanyl. Logan’s co-defendant, Saruba Smith, was previously sentenced to 92 months in prison. Under federal law, Logan must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Sheriff David Charles, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, Lexington Police Department, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. – END –


title: BROUSSARD MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN MULTI-STATE VEHICLE THEFT, FIREARM TRAFFICKING, AND IDENTITY THEFT CONSPIRACY IN MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL OPERATION

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that Christopher Don Byerley, age 45, of Broussard, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to conspiracy to transport a stolen motor vehicle; altering, removing and obliterating a vehicle identification number; possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices; conspiracy to trafficking a firearm and receipt of a trafficked firearm; receipt of a trafficked firearm; and possession of an unregistered silencer. According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, between October 2021 and March 2022, Byerley and his co-conspirators, Robert Gregory Brazell, Adrienne Marie King, and Dennis Loyd Sizemore, carried out a coordinated and complex operation extending across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas, in which the group stole, and subsequently used or sold the stolen and altered vehicles, including tractors, excavators, forklifts, and a pickup truck, with a total value of over $250,000. The scheme involved fraudulent documentation, a “chop shop” for equipment disassembly and tampering, a false business front such as “Hevyquip L.L.C.” to sell stolen equipment, altering Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs), and the use of surveillance evasion tools, such as GPS signal blockers, vehicle plate flippers, and fake driver’s licenses. To further conceal their activities, the conspirators utilized over 400 identities and access devices to evade detection. During the investigation, it was determined that Byerley, a convicted felon, used a third party to illegally purchase a firearm, which was later fitted with the unregistered silencer. In February 2022, an investigation of a shoplifting incident in the Juban Crossing Shopping Center led Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives to uncover items from a stolen pickup truck being operated by Byerley: A functional, unregistered firearm silencer; A FN Model 509 9mm pistol and ammunition; Documentation detailing parts orders for silencers all in Byerley’s handwriting; Multiple text messages and photographs pointing to intent to traffic firearms and circumvent federal regulations; and Numerous documents, records, emails, text messages and photos that led law enforcement to uncover the conspiracy and far-reaching criminal enterprise. Acting U.S. Attorney Leon stated, “These guilty pleas reflect the commitment of our office and federal law enforcement in partnership with our state and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle sophisticated criminal organizations and hold accountable those who pose a significant threat to public safety. We commend the prosecutors and investigators for their hard work and relentless pursuit of the members of this criminal enterprise and are appreciative of their efforts in solving these crimes—even with many attempts at evasion—and returned the stolen equipment to their rightful owners.” “The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office is committed to conducting thorough investigations and to working with our local and federal agencies. This investigation is a great example of detectives working a shoplifting incident and that turning into a major investigation across this state and others,” said Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard. “Homeland Security Investigations congratulates our law enforcement partners on this important outcome, which was supported by HSI Baton Rouge’s Louisiana Organized Retail Crime Task Force and its partner agencies. The investigations of these sophisticated crimes are most effectively accomplished through the coordination of multiple law enforcement agencies and across several jurisdictional boundaries, such as what occurred in this investigation. HSI remains committed to protecting the American consumer and safeguarding public safety by disrupting criminal networks that drive up prices and endanger our communities,” said Adam Parks, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Louisiana Division, Homeland Security Investigations. “The ATF is working closely with local and state police agencies to address firearm trafficking by getting guns out of the hands of criminals, such as this individual,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “This guilty plea sends a message to the community that illegal possession of firearms will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe as a top priority to ensure public safety for ATF.” This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (Baton Rouge and Lafayette Field Divisions), Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Louisiana State Police (Latent Print Section and the Bureau of Identification and Information), Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Saint Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, Saint Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberia Sheriff’s Department, and Lafayette Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. To address the firearm trafficking charges, AUSA Thornton was appointed as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Louisiana, where he worked in conjunction with Assistant United States Attorney John Nickel.


title: Statement Of United States Attorney Jay Clayton

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: I am honored to serve as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, alongside the women and men of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, an institution synonymous with excellence and integrity. I would like to thank President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for this remarkable opportunity. Along with the talented prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, I look forward to protecting public safety, combatting fraud, particularly on the elderly and most vulnerable, ensuring the integrity of our financial system, and defending our national security. Finally, I want to thank Acting United States Attorney Matthew Podolsky for his leadership and service.


title: St. Louis Rapper Admits Possessing Fentanyl, Gun

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis, Missouri rapper on Tuesday pleaded guilty to drug and gun charges. Antonio Harris, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession a firearm as a convicted felon. Harris, who performs as “LA4ss,” admitted being caught by police with fentanyl and a firearm. On Feb. 16, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers tried to make a traffic stop on North Broadway in the Baden neighborhood, but Harris sped off in a Toyota Corolla. Officers used spike strips, but Harris continued at a high rate of speed north on Riverview Drive. He passed vehicles on the shoulder and swerved into oncoming traffic before colliding with a retaining wall while attempting to turn into Spring Garden Drive. Harris got out and ran, leaving a loaded Glock 9mm pistol in the car, he admitted as part of his plea agreement. While running, he dropped a bag containing 394 capsules of fentanyl and plastic baggies containing more fentanyl, for a total weight of nearly 40 grams of the drug. Harris is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm. Harris is scheduled to be sentenced in August. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by at least five years in prison. The felon in possession charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin is prosecuting the 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.


title: Former School Bus Driver Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Recording Sexual Abuse of Minors

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a former school bus driver who recorded his sexual abuse of two young children to 30 years in prison. Robert W. Stillwell, 67, of St. Peters, Missouri, sexually abused one girl, born in 2016, and another, born in 2022, when they were both asleep and awake. He abused the older victim for at least two years, coercing her into complying with his demands by promising toys and money as well as by threatening her. She said Stillwell would become angry and scream when she did not cooperate. He also modified his voice to resemble that of two elementary school-aged girls and recorded messages to the older victim in which the “girls” encourage her to comply with his demands. The parents of the older victim contacted the St. Peters Police Department in December 2023 after their daughter said Stillwell was drinking her urine, claiming it was medicinal. Investigators then found recordings of his abuse of the victims. During the hearing, Judge Autrey called the case one of the “most vile and most despicable” that he has ever seen. Stillwell pleaded guilty in January to two counts of production of child pornography. The FBI, the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force and the St. Peters Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Multiple Defendants with Immigration Violations

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments for the following individuals on charges of immigration-related law violations. These are separate cases and are not related. Hector Linares, 47, a citizen of El Salvador, has been indicted on three counts. He has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, and for being an alien in possession of a firearm, for possessing a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol and ammunition. In 2010, he was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine. Linares was also charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Nov. 24, 2023. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Marshals Service. Edil A. Martinez-Padilla, 38, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States twice with the last being April 24, 2013. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Carlos Daniel Romero-Esborar, 39, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being April 27, 2012. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the USAO’s criminal division are prosecuting the cases above. Additionally, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a citizen of Guatemala unlawfully residing in Cleveland, has been indicted for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Tiul Xi encouraged and induced a 14-year-old female unaccompanied minor from Guatemala to illegally enter the United States. It is alleged that he used his sister’s identity for the girl to provide as an alias which he included on paperwork in an effort to obtain custody of her. This indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland Division are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s attaché team in Guatemala. Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing a Credit Union in Manchester while on Federal Supervised Release

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man and former resident of New York pleaded guilty in federal court to bank robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Jesse Hippolite, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro scheduled sentencing for August 4, 2025. According to the charging documents, Hippolite was previously convicted of several counts of bank robbery in federal court in the Eastern District of New York. After his release from federal prison, he was placed on supervised release and moved to New Hampshire. On February 4, 2025, he robbed a credit union in Manchester. He was wearing a gray beanie cap, scarf, sunglasses, and gloves to conceal his identity. He passed a note to three tellers reading: $100,000 ALL $100 Bills *No Dye Packs Give Back Note Hippolite stole $3,139 from the bank. A few minutes after leaving the bank, Hippolite took off the scarf that covered his face and was caught on surveillance footage. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. The U.S. Probation Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. ###