title: Long Island Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl that Killed a Retired Police Officer

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Ryan Mueller was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 22 years in prison for the distribution of fentanyl causing the death of another. The Court also ordered Mueller to forfeit $49,394 and two firearms. Mueller pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl that caused the death of another in December 2024. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Frank A Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division announced the sentence. “Mueller operated a massive and deadly fentanyl scheme. He built vending-machine-sized pill presses, possessed kilos of fentanyl and millions of fake and deadly pharmaceutical pills, and sold the fentanyl that led to the tragic loss of life of a retired police officer,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Although no punishment can make up for a life lost, today’s sentence sends the message that our Office and our law enforcement partners will never stop working to stop unscrupulous drug dealers who distribute poison.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, New York for their work on the case. “Ryan Mueller’s decision to make and distribute fentanyl laced counterpart pills resulted in the death of an unsuspecting user who thought he was taking a legitimate pharmaceutical pill. This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers that counterfeit pills have on our communities,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “In February of 2025, the DEA and law enforcement partners seized approximately 3.4 million counterfeit pills from Mueller, making it one of the largest pill seizures in the New York Division’s history. Many of the pills seized and tested in our laboratory contained lethal doses of fentanyl. This wasn’t just a normal investigation; it was a life-saving operation. The DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to target those poisoning our communities and hold them accountable. While today’s sentencing is a small victory, the harm it has caused this family will be long lasting.” As set forth in the indictment and other court filings, over the last several years, Mueller conspired with others to sell several controlled substances, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and oxycodone. In December 2022, a retired police officer died of a drug-related overdose at his residence on Long Island. The investigation showed that the fentanyl that killed the victim, which was in a pressed pill made to appear to be oxycodone, was supplied by Mueller. Law enforcement officers recovered several kilos of fentanyl from Mueller’s residence. Law enforcement also recovered multiple pill press parts from a storage facility controlled by the defendant, including powder dryers, blenders, and grinders. Images of the pill presses that Mueller possessed are below: In addition, in a February 2025 seizure of additional product distributed by Mueller, the DEA recovered approximately 3.4 million fake pharmaceutical pills, including fake oxycodone that contained fentanyl, fake Xanax pills, over 300,000 Quaalude pills and another approximately 600 grams of fentanyl in brick form. This was the largest seizure of fake pills that the DEA New York Division has ever processed, and exceeded the entire New York Division’s totals from all of last year. Pictures of some of the illegal drugs recovered can be seen below: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Justice, in 2024, approximately 80,391 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. The increase in overdose deaths has been driven in large part by fentanyl, a drug that has been described as 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In 2024, about 48,422 people died from a drug overdose involving synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, a figure that was more than 25,000 fewer than the 76,282 synthetic opioid overdose deaths that occurred in 2023. Between 2023 and 2024, overall drug overdose deaths declined approximately 27%, from around 108,000 such deaths in 2023. Deaths involving opioids fell from around 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Adam R. Toporovsky is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson. The Defendant : RYAN MUELLER Age: 33 Lynbrook, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-134


title: Nigerian National Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Romance Scam and Money Laundering Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Nigerian national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in the theft of more than $2 million from at least six romance scam victims by transferring their money to cryptocurrency accounts that he controlled. Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, 35, of Abuja, Nigeria, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Nwadavid was also ordered to pay $2,724,810.41 in restitution. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In June 2025 , Nwadavid pleaded guilty to mail fraud, aiding and abetting money laundering and money laundering. Nwadavid was arrested in April 2025 after arriving on a flight from the United Kingdom to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. In January 2024, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted Nwadavid on charges of mail fraud and money laundering. “Romance scams” recruit victims through advertisements for online relationships on dating or social media websites. Individuals perpetuating romance scams create fictitious profiles and then use them to gain victims’ trust through a purported romantic relationship. Perpetrators then direct their victims to send money or to conduct financial transactions involving other victims’ money under false pretenses, such as an urgent need for money to secure a multi-million-dollar inheritance or to pay for an unexpected hospitalization. Between in or about 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid participated in romance scams that tricked victims into sending money abroad. A victim from Massachusetts was tricked into receiving funds from victims around the United States and then passed the funds to Nwadavid through a series of cryptocurrency transactions. Nwadavid repeatedly accessed accounts in the victim’s name from overseas, to transfer the victims’ funds to accounts he controlled at LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth B. Kosto and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Mason man pleads guilty to transporting explosive materials to local park

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – James River Phillips, 21, of Mason, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to illegally transporting explosive materials. Phillips was arrested in April 2025 by the FBI Cincinnati Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) after agents executed search warrants in Mason, Oxford and Liberty Township. According to court documents, on Sept. 22, 2024, Phillips transported components of an improvised explosive device (IED) to a large soccer complex in Lebanon, Ohio. Phillips planned to detonate the IED but was stopped when a Lebanon police officer instructed him to leave the complex because it was closed. The officer discovered the live IED and it was seized by the Butler County Bomb Squad. Subsequent testing revealed that the IED contained Nickel Hydrazine Nitrate (NHN) and Erythritol Tetranitrate (ETN). Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati and officials with the Lebanon Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Mason Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Dayton Police Department and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Judge convicts Great Falls man of wire fraud and money laundering for fraudulent use of COVID funds

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man with prior felony convictions who lied about his income and his criminal history to obtain COVID funds was found guilty by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Following a one-day bench trial, Raymond Marcellous Blair, 45, was found guilty of one count of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Blair faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge and up to ten years in prison on each money laundering count, as well as a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Chief Judge Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 28, 2026. Blair was released on conditions pending sentencing. The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Blair applied for COVID relief in the form of an Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA) in August 2020. Blair claimed in the loan application that his business has gross revenues of $249,000, which was false. He also falsely claimed he not been convicted of a felony or placed on probation within the last five years. In truth, Blair was convicted of aggravated assault in 2011 and of failing to register as a violent offender in 2017 and was on probation in 2020 when he applied for the EIDL loan. Relying on Blair’s representations, the SBA approved his EIDL loan application and wired $99,900 into his bank account on September 1, 2020. Blair twice transferred more than $10,000 out of that account and spent the majority of the loan proceeds on personal expenses. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Hargrove prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. XXX


title: KC Area Man Sentenced to Two and a Half Years  for Possessing Machine Guns

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing and transferring three machine gun conversion devices. Demetrius Harris, also known as “Meech,” 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to two and a half years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing and transferring machine guns – an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, multi-caliber firearm containing an AR-type machine gun conversion device, and two AR-type machine gun conversion devices. On Jan. 24, 2024, Harris sold an AR-style firearm containing an auto sear, two additional auto sears, and ammunition to an undercover agent for $1,060. Machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches” or “auto sears,” are used to convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns that fire multiple shots automatically through a single pull of the trigger, enabling more rapid and often less accurate gunfire. Whether or not they are attached to a firearm, these devices constitute machine guns under federal law. It is therefore illegal to possess, sell, or use machine gun conversion devices. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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: Tangipahoa Parish Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – RASHUN HUTCHINSON (“ HUTCHINSON”), age 25 of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, plead guilty on September 11, 2025, to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts before United States District Judge Barry Ashe, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Specifically, HUTCHINSON plead guilty to Counts 1, 16, and 17 of the indictment against him. Count 1 charged HUTCHINSON with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); § 841(b)(1)(A); § 841(b)(1)(B); and 846. Count 16 charged HUTCHINSON with possession with intent to distribute four hundred grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(A). Count 17 charged HUTCHINSON with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). On Counts 1 and 16, HUTCHINSON faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment. On Count 17, HUTCHINSON faces a consecutive mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 5 years of supervised release. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count. According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown, but continuing until at least September 10, 2024, HUTCHINSON, and seven other individuals, conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Wolf Point man sentenced to 4 years in prison for multiple assaults on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man who assaulted two individuals on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Philip Ray Azure, 22, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The first incident occurred on March 16, 2023, when Azure went to John Doe’s residence in Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Azure and John Doe were friends and were drinking alcohol together. Azure became intoxicated and was asked to leave for being too loud. A family member of Doe’s, who also lives in the home, started to walk Azure out. As he was leaving, Azure struck the family member. John Doe confronted Azure about hitting his family member. Azure pulled out a knife and stabbed Doe in the chest and then turned and walked away without saying anything. Doe was rushed to the hospital for treatment of his serious injuries and later airlifted to Billings for surgery. After surgery to repair his lung, Doe spent a week in the hospital. The second incident happened on January 27, 2024. Azure and several friends, including two co-defendants, and the victim, John Doe 2, were in a yard in Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, playing a game of “slap-boxing.” The fighting escalated and eventually the group separated. Azure and his co-defendants returned home, and John Doe 2 arrived a short time later asking for his phone. Azure and his co-defendants exited the home and confronted Doe 2 in the driveway. Several people witnessed the assault. One witness described seeing Azure and his co-defendants hitting John Doe 2 and saw someone using a bat and someone else using a hammer. A second witness saw Azure and his two co-defendants approach Doe 2 while he backed away and said all three “jumped” Doe 2. That witness saw Azure use a bat during the assault. Doe 2 died at the scene before law enforcement arrived. According to an autopsy, he died from blunt and sharp force injuries to the head and chest, including a stab wound to the chest that perforated Doe 2’s sternum, heart, and esophagus. Azure was arrested the day after the second assault. He initially claimed he wasn’t there when Doe 2 was assaulted. He later admitted he was involved but didn’t remember the details because he was intoxicated. He claimed Doe 2 had a big knife and he ultimately hit Doe 2 with a bat to stop him from using the knife. None of the other witnesses reported seeing Doe 2 with a knife. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, and Wolf Point Police Department conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn . XXX


title: Justice Department Seeks to Revoke Citizenship of Immigration and Identity Fraudster

component: Civil Division

body_text: On Sept. 24, the Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization complaint against Gurdev Singh Sohal, also known as Dev Singh, also known as Boota Singh Sundu, who obtained his U.S. citizenship in 2005 despite having been ordered deported in 1994. Instead of leaving the country based on his 1994 deportation and exclusion order under the name Dev Singh, Sohal used a different identity, with a new name, date of birth, and date of entry into the United States, to naturalize. He did not disclose his prior immigration history under the Dev Singh identity in any of his immigration applications or proceedings when he naturalized under the Gurdev Sohal identity. Expert analysis in February 2020 confirmed that the fingerprints submitted under both identities came from the same individual. The analysis was only made possible after DHS digitized the paper fingerprint submission documents from older immigration files. “If you lie to the government or hide your identity so that you can naturalize, this Administration will find you and strip you of your fraudulently acquired U.S. citizenship.” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. The complaint alleges that Sohal illegally procured his U.S. citizenship because he was never lawfully admitted for permanent residence and because the lies he told throughout his naturalization process rendered him unable to show the requisite good moral character to naturalize. A third count charges Sohal with procuring his naturalization by concealment or willful misrepresentation of his prior identity and immigration proceedings. This is the ninth denaturalization action that the Department has filed since Jan. 20. This case was investigated as part of the Historic Fingerprint Enrollment project, an ongoing national initiative between the Justice Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from USCIS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.


title: Justice Department Files Denaturalization Complaint Against Child Sex Offender Who Fraudulently Obtained U.S. Citizenship

body_text: On Sept. 24, the Department of Justice filed a civil complaint to revoke the citizenship of Hector Daneri Regalado, who, after naturalizing in 2010, was convicted of Taking Indecent Liberties with a Child within the timeframe in which he was required to establish good moral character to naturalize. “The allegations in this complaint demonstrate the value the United States places upon both the integrity of its naturalization process and, more importantly, ensuring that criminals – especially child predators – do not game a system designed to prevent such individuals from obtaining the privilege of U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. Pursuant to North Carolina v. Alford , 400 U.S. 25 (1970), Regalado pled guilty in 2012 to two counts of Taking Indecent Liberties with a Child, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14–202.1. According to the prosecution’s proffer, over the course of approximately two years, Regalado regularly sexually abused his victim from the time she was twelve until she was fourteen. The conduct to which he pled occurred in 2007, during the pre-naturalization period during which Defendant was required to demonstrate good moral character. This is the tenth denaturalization action that the Department has filed since Jan. 20. This case was investigated as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing national initiative between the Justice Department and ICE. This case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.


title: Billings man sentenced on drug and gun charges

body_text: BILLINGS – A Billings man who sold meth in Billings and carried a firearm to drug deals for protection was sentenced today to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Jessie Craig Iverson, 37, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that in November and December 2023, law enforcement received information Iverson was distributing methamphetamine in Billings. Investigators learned he typically sold several ounces of methamphetamine at one time and typically carried a firearm with him to drug sales for protection. On December 7, 2023, agents learned Iverson was planning to drive to Washington to pick up meth. They placed a GPS tracker on his truck and observed the vehicle making stops in Thompson Falls, Montana and Spokane and Vancouver, Washington. Iverson returned to Montana on December 12 and officers executed a traffic stop near Butte. The Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) searched Iverson and seized a loaded, North American Arms .22 caliber revolver from his sweatshirt pocket, along with 91 grams of meth. Later, during a search of the truck, law enforcement seized a bag of “M30” fentanyl pills concealed in a Hot Tamales container and various bags containing methamphetamine residue. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, Eastern Montana HIDTA, Montana Highway Patrol, and Billings Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Reno Doctor Arrested And Indicted For Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: RENO – An OB-GYN in Reno made his initial court appearance today for allegedly defrauding health care benefit programs by submitting false claims for unnecessary gynecologic tests and surgical procedures, some resulting in serious medical complications. According to court documents, Dr. Samuel R. Chacon was the owner of Women’s Health Center of Reno and previously held surgical privileges at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center and Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. As alleged in the indictment, from January 1, 2017 to November 22, 2022, Dr. Chacon submitted false claims to Medicaid, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Healthcare Solutions, Health Plan of Nevada, Molina Healthcare of Nevada, Silversummit Healthplan, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nevada, Cigna Healthcare, and other health care benefit programs for procedures and tests that were not medically necessary, including hysterectomies, anterior and/or posterior repairs, enterocele repairs, vaginal vault suspensions, bladder sling procedures, urodynamic studies, physical therapy, and ultrasounds. In furtherance of the alleged scheme, Dr. Chacon routinely falsified patients’ medical records to include symptoms and complaints that patients did not report, and he made false representations to patients about their diagnoses and need for gynecologic procedures and tests. Some of the unnecessary procedures are alleged to have resulted in serious bodily injury to his patients. “FBI Las Vegas is determined to hold bad actors in healthcare accountable for exploiting our healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “Those who commit illegal acts such as false claims and fraudulent services, prioritizing greed over the well-being of others, will face the full force of the law. The overwhelming fraud uncovered in this investigation reveals a blatant disregard for America's critical healthcare program, Medicaid. The FBI is committed to pursuing justice relentlessly on behalf of the victim patients and taxpayers, ensuring that anyone who abuses the healthcare system for personal gain will be held accountable.” A grand jury returned an indictment charging Dr. Chacon with one-count of health care fraud and eight-counts of false statements related to health care matters. He was arrested today. A jury trial has been scheduled for November 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne R. Traum. If convicted, Dr. Chacon faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement. The FBI and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Andolyn Johnson is prosecuting the case. If you believe that you were victimized by Dr. Samuel Chacon or that you have information pertinent to this investigation, please fill out this short form . An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession and Drug Distribution

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Gabriel Erasmo Cabrera, 22, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty Tuesday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, on March 28, 2025, during a parole search of Cabrera’s home, agents discovered a firearm and fentanyl that Cabrera had hidden in another resident’s bedroom. Agents also discovered drug paraphernalia and a drug sales ledger in Cabrera’s room. On Cabrera’s cellphone, officers discovered a video of Cabrera holding the same firearm and many messages between Cabrera and other individuals discussing Cabrera’s fentanyl sales. Cabrera is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for offenses including sale of a controlled substance, infliction of corporal injury on a spouse, and willfully discharging a firearm with gross negligence. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Harman is prosecuting the case. Cabrera is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on March 24, 2026. Cabrera faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Cabrera faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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: Poplar man sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for sexual abuse of a minor

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Poplar man who sexually abused a minor was sentenced today to 54 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Jonathan Robert Walking Eagle, 23, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on January 24 and 25, 2023, Walking Eagle, then 20 years old, sexually abused a 14-year-old girl on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, in both Poplar and Wolf Point. The first incident occurred on January 24, 2023, in Poplar. The victim went with Walking Eagle to his mother’s house, and they unprotected sex. The second incident occurred the next day, in Wolf Point. A friend of Walking Eagle’s picked up Walking Eagle and the victim and drove them to Wolf Point, where the victim used marijuana and vaped. She became lightheaded and Walking Eagle removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her. A SANE exam was completed on the victim and saliva samples were obtained from Walking Eagle. There was very strong support that his DNA was present in the samples obtained from the victim during her exam. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Fort Peck Tribal Police, and Wolf Point Police Department, with assistance from the Williston Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Niagara Falls man arrested, charged with attempting to disable a CSX railroad switch that could cause a derailment

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Charles Wilson, 66, of Niagara Falls, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with attempting to disable a CSX railroad switch in a manner that could cause a derailment or damage railroad equipment. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on June 22, 2025, Amtrak personnel reported to CSX employees that a pad lock was replaced on a railroad switch at the CSX Transportation Niagara Rail Yard on 29th Street in Niagara Falls, NY. CSX trains that use the Niagara Rail Yard carry items including chlorine, sulfuric acid, and bleach. A railroad switch enables trains to be guided from one track to another. The Amtrak switch pad lock was stolen and replaced with an orange Maintenance of Way (MOW) pad lock, a large pad lock with one universal key. Because the pad lock was replaced with an MOW lock, the railway switch could not be changed in a timely manner. As a result, an Amtrak passenger train was delayed. On June 23, 2025, surveillance cameras were installed in the area by CSX personnel. A subsequent review of surveillance footage identified Wilson as an individual entering the CSX Niagara Rail Yard on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and appearing to remove a pad lock and replace it with a MOW pad lock. CSX personnel had to remove the unauthorized MOW pad lock and return the switch back to its original position. Wilson’s actions created an interruption and a safety concern to train operations that could have led to a derailment of train cars that contain hazardous material. On July 1, 2025, Wilson drove an ATV from the direction of his home to the CSX Niagara Rail Yard and is seen on surveillance moving a mechanical hand switch into a new position, which could have caused a train derailment. The derailment of a train carrying chlorine, bleach and sulfuric acid could have potentially catastrophic consequences. In the following days, on July 2 and 6, 2025, Wilson is again seen trespassing on CSX property. According to the complaint, he’s been under investigation by the CSX Police Department for various issues since 2013 and was arrested in 2014 and 2016 for criminal trespass and criminal tampering. The 2016 charges resulted in an order of protection barring Wilson from being on CSX property. Wilson made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was held pending a detention hearing. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the CSX Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean Douris, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Dunkirk men charged with defrauding the United States and theft of government funds

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Lamont Brown, 37, and Jesus Ramos, 41, both of Dunkirk, NY, with conspiracy to defraud the United States and theft of government funds, which carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between July and October 2020, during the Covid pandemic, Brown and Ramos conspired with others to defraud the United States and Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources. Brown and Ramos recruited individuals who had never lived or worked in Puerto Rico to use their personally identifiable information (“PII”), including their names, social security numbers, and dates of birth, to apply for, obtain, and attempt to obtain Unemployment Insurance benefits from the Puerto Rico Department of Labor. They provided the PII to individuals in Puerto Rico to complete applications for unemployment insurance and utilized existing bank accounts or opened new bank accounts to deposit the unemployment checks received. The banking institutions included Lake Shore Savings Bank, Key Bank, and Inner Lakes Federal Credit Union. Brown and Ramos stole, or attempted to steal, a total of $67,000 from the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources. Brown and Ramos were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and were released on conditions. The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone, Northeast Region. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Indian man pleads guilty to, sentenced for document fraud

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Swapnil Ramesh Tejale, 34, a citizen of India, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that Ramesh Tejale is an alien without any legal status in the United States. On July 10, 2025, he was encountered by United States Border Patrol Agents and had in his possession a counterfeit United States Permanent Resident Card, which alleged his legal status in the U.S. The Permanent Resident Card contained Ramesh Tejale’s biographical information and photograph, however, it lacked security measures, had blurry water marks, low quality background imaging, and improper font. Ramesh Tejale admitted to the agents that the document was not legitimate. Immigration record checks determined that he was never granted a lawful Permanent Residence Card. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Border Patrol Niagara Falls Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Brady Waikal. # # # #


title: Mexican woman pleads guilty to, sentenced for illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ancelma Contreras Pano, 40, a citizen and national of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to re-entry of a removed alien. She was sentenced to serve two months in prison and will then be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that Contreras Pano is an alien without any legal status in the United States. In June 2015, she was physically removed from the United States. On July 31, 2025, Contreras Pano was found in Erie County, NY, by Border Patrol Agents and did not have any documents allowing her to be legally present in the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks. # # # #


title: Woman arrested for transporting an illegal alien

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Yuizanet Elias, 46, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transportation within the United States of an illegal alien, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on May 18, 2025, agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) performed surveillance at 317 Schenck Street in North Tonawanda, NY, which is the residence of Elias and her boyfriend, Jose Antonio Arzate-Negron, a known illegal alien. Arzate-Negron was seen by agents but as they approached, he ran back into the residence. Elias then exited the residence and was confronted by agents, who requested that she bring Arzate-Negron to the door, but she refused. Agents explained that Arzate-Negron was illegally present in the United States. However, Elias still refused to go get Arzate-Negron. Agents then left the residence. On multiple days in July 2025, agents surveilled the residence and observed Arzate-Negron exiting the residence and getting into a vehicle registered to and driven by Elias. On these days, it also appeared that Elias was conducting counter-surveillance before Arzate-Negron would leave the residence, attempting to spot law enforcement vehicles. On July 25, 2025, Arzate-Negron exited the residence and got into Elias’s vehicle. Agents attempted to conduct a vehicle stop but Elias fled the area. Agents followed the vehicle which, after a short distance, stopped, and Arzate-Negron got out and fled on foot. After a brief foot pursuit, Arzate-Negron was apprehended and taken into custody. Elias made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions. The complaint is a result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Steven Kurzdorfer. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Guatemalan man pleads guilty to, arrested for illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Edin Julian Hernandez Mejia, 23, a citizen and national of Guatemala, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to re-entry of a removed alien. He was sentenced to serve three months in prison. Hernandez Mejia will then be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that Hernandez Mejia is an alien without any legal status in the United States. In February and March 2024, he was physically removed from the United States. On August 5, 2025, Hernandez Mejia was found in Erie County, NY, by United States Border Patrol and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks. # # # #


title: Honduran man arrested for illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Miguel Angel Vasquez-Amaya, 46, a citizen and national of Honduras, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that according to the complaint, on August 31, 2025, Vasquez-Amaya was a passenger in a vehicle that was encountered by Customs and Border Protection at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. The vehicle was referred for secondary inspection. An immigration records check revealed that Vasquez-Amaya was physically removed from the United States in November 2002. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Mexican man arrested for illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alejandro Vazquez-Landin, 40, a citizen and national of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that according to the complaint, on September 10, 2025, while conducting surveillance of a pickup truck with out-of-state plates parked at a hotel in Amherst, NY, law enforcement observed four male subjects, all wearing construction attire, enter the vehicle. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. Vazquez Landin, a passenger in the vehicle, opened his door and began running towards a nearby parking lot. After a short foot chase, he was apprehended. Vazquez Landin did not possess any valid immigration documents that would allow him to be in the United States. An immigration record check determined that he is a native and citizen of Mexico, who was physically removed from the United States in June 2008 and September of 2012. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Former CEO Of Canadian AI Company Charged With Investment Fraud Scheme Targeting U.S. Investors

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Matthew Derrick Hudson, the former CEO and founder of Invenia Technical Computing Corporation, has been charged with wire fraud in connection with a scheme that raised over $100 million from outside investors. Hudson was arrested last week in the Northern District of California and appeared in federal court in San Francisco today for a detention hearing. According to the criminal complaint filed on Sept. 18, 2025, and unsealed today, Hudson, 42, a Canadian national, is alleged to have lied to Invenia’s investors from 2020 and continuing through 2022. The complaint alleges that some of the investors were located in or had representatives in the Northern District of California, and that other investors were based elsewhere in the United States. During the relevant period, Invenia was a private company based in Canada and the United Kingdom that claimed to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions to the North American energy markets. Hudson allegedly led investors to believe that Invenia had already achieved significant financial success, with growing revenues and cash balances exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars. Hudson did so by distributing and causing the distribution of falsified audited financial statements, invoices, and other financial documents. For example, the complaint alleges that shortly before Invenia closed its Series B fundraising round, Hudson sent an audit report that purported to verify Invenia’s 2019 balance sheet and financial statement that, among other things, claimed Invenia had approximately $218 million CAD in cash and approximately $295 million CAD in revenue. The real audit report for that year produced by Invenia’s Canadian auditor showed Invenia had approximately $6 million CAD in cash and $26 million CAD in revenue. The complaint also describes how Hudson used fake email accounts and invoices to advance the fraud scheme. Invenia partnered with Energy Company 1, a company based in North Dakota, to engage with North American energy markets. On multiple occasions, Hudson introduced fake email accounts for an Energy Company 1 employee to representatives of Invenia investors who were conducting diligence on Invenia. Hudson then told a real person at Energy Company 1 to ignore any outreach from representatives of Invenia’s investors. Fabricated invoices and other documents were also sent to Invenia investors that included a fake phone number for Energy Company 1 that was associated with an account allegedly paid for by Hudson. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo made the announcement. Hudson was released on bond pending trial. He is next scheduled to appear in federal court on Nov. 17, 2025, for a status conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler. A criminal complaint merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Hudson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for the charge of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has also filed a civil enforcement action in the Northern District of California against Hudson alleging violations of securities laws. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick O’Brien is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Maryam Beros and Mimi Lam. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the San Francisco Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance in the investigation.


title: Santa Clara Woman Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison For Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $2.8 Million In Pandemic Relief Funds

body_text: SAN JOSE – Cassie Will-Darnall was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $2.8 million in pandemic relief funds. U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts handed down the sentence. Will-Darnall, 53, of Santa Clara, pleaded guilty on Jan. 15, 2025, to one count of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud arising out of two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans she obtained. The PPP was administered by the SBA as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide billions of dollars in emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other qualified business expenses. PPP funds were disbursed by SBA-approved third-party lenders. In connection with pleading guilty, Will-Darnall admitted that in May 2020, she fraudulently submitted a PPP application to Lender 1 as the sole partner of Alternative Health Services Inc., falsely stating that the company had 10 employees and an average monthly payroll of $387,595.67, when it had no employees and no payroll. Based on the false information, Lender 1 approved and funded the PPP loan in the amount of $968,989. In July 2020, Will-Darnall submitted a PPP application to Lender 2 as the CEO of Rosswood Properties LLC, falsely stating that the company had 35 employees and an average monthly payroll of $816,551, when it had no employees and no payroll. Based on the false information, Lender 2 approved and funded the PPP loan in the amount of $1,864,565. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo, and SBA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Western Region Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Huang made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Judge Pitts also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release. Judge Pitts set a hearing on forfeiture on Oct. 14, 2025, and a hearing on restitution on Dec. 3, 2025. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on Jan. 7, 2026. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny E. James Jr. prosecuted the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez, Lynette Dixon, and Elise Etter. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and SBA-OIG.


title: Lake Oswego Resident Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Trafficking and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— A Lake Oswego, Oregon, man pleaded guilty today to trafficking cocaine and laundering the proceeds through a business bank account to buy cryptocurrency. Michael Wayne Frost, 47, pleaded guilty to distributing more than 50 kilograms of cocaine and laundering the money from selling the cocaine. According to court documents, law enforcement officers engaged in multiple controlled purchases of cocaine from Frost. On July 2, 2024, a federal search warrant was served on Frost’s residence in Lake Oswego. Agents seized a kilogram of cocaine and about $20,000 in cash from the residence. Frost admitted to selling between 10-12 kilograms of cocaine per week. Agents later applied for additional warrants and seized approximately $509,000 in cash and cryptocurrency tied to the cocaine sales. Frost deposited some of the cash into a business bank account he controlled and then transferred funds to Robinhood, a platform he used to invest in cryptocurrency, in an effort to launder the drug proceeds. On August 21, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging Frost with distributing cocaine and money laundering. Frost pleaded guilty today to one count of cocaine distribution and one count of money laundering. He also agreed to forfeit all of the seized cryptocurrency and cash. Frost faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a 10 million dollar fine, and five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on January 7, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Kemp Strickland and Christopher Cardani, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: Owner of Local Restaurant Pleads Guilty to Laundering Covid Funds

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—Bryan Ochoa Diaz, 32, a resident of Tigard, Oregon, pleaded guilty today to money laundering related to proceeds of a government loan issued to his family-owned restaurant. According to court documents, Ochoa Diaz, acting on behalf of Casa Colima Vancouver, Inc., applied for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan of $350,000. The loan was part of a Covid era relief program offered by the federal government. The terms of the loan required that funds be used solely as working capital for the company to alleviate economic injury caused by the disaster and that none of the funds would be used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes. On August 16, 2021, the SBA transferred $350,000 into Casa Colima’s bank account. The next day, Ochoa Diaz misappropriated some of the funds by transferring $100,000 into his parents’ personal bank account. Later that same day, Ochoa Diaz wired the $100,000 to a mortgage company to apply to a mortgage his parents had on their home. Ochoa Diaz is a reserve officer with the U.S. Coast Guard. He was charged by information with one count of money laundering. He made his initial appearance on September 5, 2025, and waived indictment by a grand jury. He pleaded guilty to that charge today and paid $350,000 in full restitution to the SBA. Ochoa Diaz faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced on December 15, 2025, before a U.S. District Court Judge. This case was investigated by the SBA, Office of Inspector General, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Chris Cardani and Meredith Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Texas Man Guilty of Defrauding Georgia Church Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A Texas man acting as an insurance adjuster who cheated an Albany church out of millions of dollars paid out by its insurance company to repair its facilities heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018 was sentenced to serve more than 19 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $4 million in restitution to victims in several states. Andrew Mitchell, formerly Andrew Aga, 46, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to serve 235 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $2,895,903.01 in restitution to the Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. In addition, Mitchell was ordered to pay $1,082,993.41 to other victims after he admitted in open court to similar crimes in Texas and Louisiana. Mitchell’s sentence will run concurrently to a prison sentence imposed in the 29th Judicial District Court of St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, in Case Number 2023-CR-26, at the conclusion of which he will continue to serve the remaining balance of 18 months imprisonment in this case. Mitchell previously pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud on March 27. There is no parole in the federal system. “Andrew Mitchell will spend nearly two decades in prison for concocting a devious scheme to swindle insurance money from a historic downtown Albany church, a crime he’s committed in other communities after natural disasters,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office and law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue and prosecute these types of fraudsters who prey on people at their most vulnerable.” “At a time when victims were still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Michael, Andrew Mitchell took advantage of that vulnerability for his own personal gain,” said Georgia Insurance Commissioner John F. King. “I am proud of our investigators and their work in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect hardworking Georgia families and hold the defendant responsible for his actions.” According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on Pine Avenue in Albany was damaged by Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 hurricane that made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, on Oct. 10, 2018. The storm’s eyewall struck the Albany community as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of up to 115 miles per hour and significant rainfall. Friendship Baptist Church sustained damage; an initial inspection revealed at least $216,000 in damages. The facility was insured by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Brotherhood Mutual issued a check for $183,207.89 on Nov. 15, 2018, to Friendship Baptist to cover partial repairs, which was sent via the United States Postal Service (USPS) and was deposited. In November 2018, a man identifying as Eric Goldberg and who claimed to be associated with Blue Key Construction, met with the church’s pastor, Carl White, to discuss serving as the contractor. A second meeting was held on Nov. 20, 2018, between Goldberg and White, along with Friendship Missionary Baptist Church’s Board of Directors Co-Chairperson Willie Thomas. Goldberg provided a contract authorizing Mitchell, aka “Aga,” to act as a public adjuster. In December 2018, Mitchell began emailing Brotherhood Mutual representing himself as a Georgia public adjuster employed by International Consulting Group. He was reportedly associated with several corporate entities including but not limited to International Consulting Group; Texas Wind Consultants, LLC; and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants. In January 2019, Mitchell emailed Brotherhood Mutual an itemized estimate for repairs at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church totaling roughly $2.1 million on the letterhead of "Georgia Claim Consultants." In February 2019, Mitchell provided Brotherhood Mutual with a second repair estimate for approximately $5 million. On March 4, 2019, Mitchell emailed an adjustor with Syndicate Claims a proof of loss indicating that the damages to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church would cost $7.1 million to repair. On March 13, 2019, Mitchell emailed a follow-up proof of loss indicating the total repair cost was $6.1 million. On July 10, 2019, the insurance company issued a check to the church and Mitchell for $3,376,102.18, mailed to Albany. Mitchell emailed asking the check be reissued and made jointly payable to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC, d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants. On July 19, 2019, Brotherhood Mutual issued the check payable to the church and Mitchell, which was mailed to the church. On July 24, 2019, Mitchell emailed Brotherhood Mutual requesting that the payees be changed to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants. He also asked that the reissued check be mailed to an address in Lake Shores, Texas. On July 24, 2019, Brotherhood Mutual issued the check and mailed it as requested. An endorsement on behalf of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church was forged. On July 30, 2019, C.W. received and negotiated a check for $50,000 from Texas Wind Consultants, LLC, which Mitchell hand-delivered to C.W. in Albany. On July 31, 2019, Blue Key Construction submitted an invoice totaling $2.4 million for works allegedly performed for Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. On Nov. 26, 2019, Mitchell submitted a proof of loss totaling $7.495 million. On Dec. 11, 2019, the insurance company issued a check jointly payable to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of Broad Avenue, Inc. and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants for $2,762,783.93. This check was mailed to Mitchell in Kemah, Texas. An endorsement on behalf of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church was forged. On March 4, 2020, C.W. received and negotiated a check for $50,000 from Texas Wind Consultants, LLC, which Mitchell hand-delivered to C.W. in Albany. On June 19, 2020, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of Broad Avenue, Inc. allegedly signed a contract with Blue Key Construction for $18.6 million. Pastor White denied knowledge of this contract or signing it on behalf of the Church. Representatives of Blue Key Construction denied ever having prepared, signed or entered into this contract. On Nov. 20, 2020, Mitchell submitted an invoice from a heating and air company for $950,000. A heating and air company representative stated that they did not prepare the invoice. An inspection at the church revealed that the work represented in the invoice was not performed. Mitchell also submitted a certification of completion from Blue Key Construction stating that substantial completion would be reached on March 31, 2021, per a Dec. 19, 2019, contract for over $18 million in repairs. On Jan. 6, 2021, Brotherhood Mutual issued a check jointly payable to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and Loss Consultants of Texas, LLC d/b/a Texas Claim Consultants for $544,512.80. This check was mailed to Mitchell in Kemah, Texas. An endorsement on behalf of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church was forged. On Sept. 30, 2021, Mitchell emailed Brotherhood Mutual the fraudulent $18.6 million contract between Blue Key Construction and Friendship Missionary Baptist Church; the church received less than one-third of the proceeds paid out by Brotherhood Mutual for damages. Blue Key Construction did not fully repair the church facilities, and the company halted construction in Feb. 2021 after receiving approximately $150,000 from Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and approximately $2.3 million from Mitchell. Mitchell lied to Blue Key Construction representatives that the insurance company refused payment beyond approximately $2.5 million. In June 2022, Mitchell met with Friendship Missionary Baptist Church representatives to voice their concerns about incomplete repairs; the defendant lied that Brotherhood Mutual was withholding further payments. In total, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance issued $6,866,606.80 in payments intended exclusively for the church’s hurricane repairs. The case was investigated by the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Fire Safety. Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Birmingham Man Pleads Guilty to Murder for Hire

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has pleaded guilty to murder for hire as charged, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. Mohammad Mohammad, 64, of Hoover, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala to seven counts of murder for hire. According to court documents, in September 2024, Mohammad met with an undercover (UC) law enforcement officer who he thought was a hitman. Mohammad discussed with the UC the cost of killing his wife and six adult children. Mohammad faces a statutory maximum sentence of ten years for each count. The FBI investigated the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Cross and William R. McComb.


title: Justice Department Seeks to Revoke Citizenship of Immigration and Identity Fraudster

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: On Sept. 24, the Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization complaint against Gurdev Singh Sohal, also known as Dev Singh, also known as Boota Singh Sundu, who obtained his U.S. citizenship in 2005 despite having been ordered deported in 1994. Instead of leaving the country based on his 1994 deportation and exclusion order under the name Dev Singh, Sohal used a different identity, with a new name, date of birth, and date of entry into the United States, to naturalize. He did not disclose his prior immigration history under the Dev Singh identity in any of his immigration applications or proceedings when he naturalized under the Gurdev Sohal identity. Expert analysis in February 2020 confirmed that the fingerprints submitted under both identities came from the same individual. The analysis was only made possible after DHS digitized the paper fingerprint submission documents from older immigration files. “If you lie to the government or hide your identity so that you can naturalize, this Administration will find you and strip you of your fraudulently acquired U.S. citizenship.” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. The complaint alleges that Sohal illegally procured his U.S. citizenship because he was never lawfully admitted for permanent residence and because the lies he told throughout his naturalization process rendered him unable to show the requisite good moral character to naturalize. A third count charges Sohal with procuring his naturalization by concealment or willful misrepresentation of his prior identity and immigration proceedings. This is the ninth denaturalization action that the Department has filed since Jan. 20. This case was investigated as part of the Historic Fingerprint Enrollment project, an ongoing national initiative between the Justice Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from USCIS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Transportation of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Micah J. Cornell, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for one count of transportation of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Cornell to 97 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cornell’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Cornell was additionally ordered to pay $6,000 which will contribute to funds established for victims of these types of cases. The investigation of this case began with a CyberTip received in November 2023. The CyberTip included one child pornography file which was uploaded to an online platform. A search warrant was executed on that account which revealed approximately 150 child pornography videos, including videos of prepubescent children with ages varying from infant to twelve years of age. After further investigation, a search warrant was executed at Cornell’s residence on June 5, 2024. During the execution of the search warrant, investigators seized Cornell’s devices and Cornell was interviewed. Cornell admitted he was the owner of the subject email address and account. Upon a review of Cornell’s cellphone, 77 image files and 33 videos containing child pornography were located by law enforcement on that device. 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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.


title: Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned nine unsealed Indictments charging 10 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Dylan Piche , age 24, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Piche with receipt and distribution of child pornography beginning on or between November 10, 2023, and June 10, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Piche with possession of child pornography on or between July 29, 2024, and July 30, 2024. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Thomas Leone Henry , age 37, of Williams, Arizona, is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl on or about May 30, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Jennifer Suing , age 48, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or between February 10, 2025, and March 2, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 25 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, not less than a 10-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Lloyd A. Nelson Jr. , age 70, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with theft of government funds between on or about March 15, 2022, and September 16, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Mallory M. Chartraw , age 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Maria K. Siemsen , age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, are charged in a five-count Indictment. Count I charges Chartraw and Siemsen with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl beginning on or about February 1, 2022, and continuing to on or about April 8, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Chartraw and Siemsen with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl between or about April 7, 2025, and continuing to on or about April 8, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Siemsen with distribution of fentanyl on or about March 14, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Siemsen with distribution of fentanyl on or about March 27, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count V charges Siemsen with distribution of fentanyl on or about April 1, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Charles Aldrich , age 18, of Macy, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Aldrich with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm on or about August 25, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Aldrich with use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence on or about August 25, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Travis M. Knipp , age 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with escape from custody on or about August 16, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment Salih M. Samin Totakhil , age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with international parental kidnapping between on or about March 19, 2022, to June 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 3 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment Carlos Hernandez Moreno , age 21, of Kearney, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Hernandez Moreno with bank burglary from on or about August 16, 2025, continuing through on or about August 17, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Hernandez Moreno with damage of protected computer from on or about August 16, 2025, continuing through on or about August 17, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.


title: Former Olin Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Children

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who sexually exploited children was sentenced September 23, 2025, to 40 years in federal prison Christopher West, age 38, formerly from Olin, Iowa, received the sentence after an April 14, 2025, guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography. At the plea hearing, West admitted that he sexually exploited four children and distributed child pornography. The record at the sentencing hearing showed that West sexually exploited four girls aged 6, 11, 15, and 17. West was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. West was sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term, and he must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cortland, Illinois, Police Department, the Waterloo Police Department, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, the Anamosa Police Department, the Jefferson City, Tennessee, Police Department, and the Iowa State Patrol. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is CR 24-76. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to  Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: Jonathan Reed Snow, age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids to one count of distribution of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Snow admitted that between September 2023 and August 2024, he used the Internet to distribute visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Evidence at a prior hearing showed that Snow also received and possessed child pornography, including depictions of prepubescent children, between June 2024 and August 2024. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Snow remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Snow faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine, $40,100 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-1018. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Sioux City Man Tied to Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to More Than 28 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: A Sioux City man was sentenced today to more than 28 years in federal prison. Freddie Summerville, age 56, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a March 11, 2025, guilty plea to two counts of a six-count Indictment. Count 1 charged conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and Count 6 charged possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of drug trafficking. One of Summerville’s known co-conspirators, Ramon Serrano, 31, of San Bernardino, California, was sentenced on December 12, 2024, to 151 months’ imprisonment. Another co-conspirator, Adrian Ibarra-Manzo, 29, of San Diego, California was sentenced on November 14, 2024, to 132 months’ imprisonment. Evidence in the case revealed Summerville was part of a conspiracy based in Mexico and California that was responsible for distributing approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine and at least a pound of fentanyl in the Sioux City area. On January 3, 2024, Summerville was the subject of a traffic stop, where officers located methamphetamine, approximately 70 pills containing fentanyl, as well as drug paraphernalia, drug ledgers, cash and a loaded firearm. Summerville admitted to law enforcement that he had received 100 pounds of methamphetamine and an unknown quantity of fentanyl from his source of supply in Mexico. Summerville was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 340 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Summerville is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. These cases were investigated by the DEA Tri-State Drug Task Force and the Sioux City Police Department and were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file numbers are 24-4028 and 24-4022. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Waterloo Woman Going to Federal Prison for Defrauding Social Security Administration for More Than Twenty Years

body_text: A woman who concealed her ineligibility for Social Security benefits for twenty-two years was sentenced on September 23, 2025, to more than one year in federal prison. Penny Linn Teel, age 60, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 23, 2025 guilty plea to one count of theft of government property. In a plea agreement, Teel admitted that she began receiving insurance benefits from the Social Security Administration in 1992 after her husband passed away. In 2002, Teel married again. She did not report or disclose her marriage to the Social Security Administration. In 2022 and 2023, Teel filled out applications for Social Security benefits for her husband. She falsely indicated in those applications that he was not married. Information from sentencing showed that, when Teel was subsequently confronted by law enforcement agents, she made additional false statements about her marriage and whether she told the Social Security Administration that she was married. Teel was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Teel was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $297,281 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Teel was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-2042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cedar Rapids Woman Pleads Guilty to  Drug-Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Rose Lee Beranek, age 43, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. In a plea agreement, Beranek admitted that in February 2024, she obtained nearly two pounds of methamphetamine in Arizona. She was driving to Cedar Rapids to distribute the methamphetamine, when law enforcement officers pulled over her car in Oklahoma. Law enforcement officers searched her car and found the methamphetamine in vacuum-sealed bags. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Oklahoma District One Narcotics Task Force. 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 . This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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). Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Beranek remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Beranek faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-13. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Mexican man pleads guilty for the third time to illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Oscar Figueroa Rosario, 41, a citizen and national of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to re-entry of removed alien subsequent to a felony conviction, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that Figueroa Rosario was physically removed from the United States in August 2007. He was found in the United States again in September 2007 and was physically removed on September 20, 2007. Figueroa Rosario was subsequently found in the United States again and physically removed in November 2007, two times in January 2009, and in June 2011. On August 1, 2025, Figueroa Rosario was encountered at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry when the vehicle he was in made a wrong turn towards Canada. He was not in possession of any legal documents allowing him to be present in the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The plea is the result of an investigation by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. Sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo. # # # #


title: Georgia Inmate Sentenced to 80 Years in Federal Prison for Creating, Mailing Bombs

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: STATESBORO, Ga. — David Dwayne Cassady, 57, an inmate incarcerated in the Georgia Department of Corrections, has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of attempted malicious use of explosive materials. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that, while incarcerated in Georgia state prison, the defendant constructed two destructive devices. He mailed the destructive devices to the United States Courthouse in Anchorage, Alaska and to the Department of Justice in Washington DC. “This defendant’s devices were not only a threat to the recipients, but to every individual that unknowingly transported and delivered them,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will continue to take action against those who seek to harm the public.” “Cassady has been sentenced to a significant amount of time in prison as he intended to incite fear to his targets and amongst the general public,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “The sentencing represents the hard work of Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners to keep the sanctity of the mail system safe.” United States District Judge J. Randal Hall sentenced Cassady to 480 months imprisonment on both counts to run consecutively, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI Anchorage Office, Homeland Security Investigations Federal Protective Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Corrections Office of Professional Standards. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin N. Garner and Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case in the Southern District of Georgia. ###


title: Nacogdoches County man sentenced to federal prison for machinegun violation

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

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Nacogdoches man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Adolfo Cruz, 27, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machinegun and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 22, 2025. According to information presented in court, on April 10, 2024, local law enforcement in Lufkin conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Cruz. The officer noticed a gun case in the back seat of Cruz’s vehicle and asked Cruz what was inside of the case. Cruz reached for the case and a firearm fell out. The officer removed Cruz from the vehicle and conducted a pat-down search of Cruz. During the pat-down search, the officer found a machinegun conversion device (MCD). MCDs are small mechanisms that can be attached to the rear of the slide of a firearm, converting a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Federal law defines a machinegun as a weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. ATF agents later obtained a search warrant for Cruz’s cell phone. The cell phone contained messages to and from Cruz discussing the buying and selling of firearms, including MCDs. 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). This case was investigated by the Lufkin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. ##


title: MADISON MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Willie Frank Hicks, Jr., 42, of Madison, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I deeply appreciate the outstanding work by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, to remove this offender and the deadly drugs he was peddling from our streets. This successful prosecution is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the drug dealers flooding our communities with poison.” Court documents reflect that on May 29, 2025, Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputies on patrol conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle occupied by the defendant. During the traffic stop, the defendant attempted to flee the scene on foot and was subsequently apprehended by deputies. After being detained, the defendant was found in possession of approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine. Hicks faces up to life imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Eric K. Mountin. Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .