title: West Des Moines Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Minors on Snapchat and Instagram and Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A West Des Moines man was sentenced on December 16, 2025, to 35 years in federal prison for exploiting numerous minors on social media and possessing child pornography. According to public court records, Nicklas Ray Stanley, 28, exploited multiple minors on Snapchat and Instagram over several years. Stanley falsely told the minors that he was a similar age to them. Stanley later requested and received sexually explicit images or videos from many minor victims. Stanley’s conduct included threatening to disseminate the minors’ imagery if they did not continue to send images to him. Stanley also encouraged some minor victims to sexually exploit their younger siblings and to engage in bestiality with their dogs and send him videos of the abuse. Stanley’s minor victims were located across the United States and in several foreign countries. After completing his term of imprisonment, Stanley will be required to serve a 10‑year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Stanley was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution, $35,300 in special assessments, and a fine of $12,000. In response to the conviction and sentence, United States Attorney David C. Waterman said, “Real and serious dangers exist online. Predators—like Stanley—intentionally manipulate and exploit young people while attempting to hide behind screens and false identities. While the Internet may create the illusion of anonymity, it does not provide immunity. Those who target children online will be identified, thoroughly investigated, and held fully accountable through the coordinated efforts of our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office.” This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, with assistance from the Urbandale Police Department and Michigan State Police. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources .


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Romantic Partner

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Michael Manley, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to shooting his girlfriend in April, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Manley pleaded guilty on December 16, to one count each of assault with intent to kill while armed, unlawful discharge of a firearm and destruction of property. The guilty plea is contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing and calls for a range of 90-120 months in prison. Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe accepted the factual basis for the plea and scheduled sentencing for February 27, 2026. According to the government’s evidence, Manley and the 32-year-old victim were in a romantic relationship for several months. On April 22, 2025, the victim was sitting in her car in front of her residence when the defendant approached her vehicle and shot at her through the driver’s side window. This was not the only time that Manley was violent towards her. On other occasions, he destroyed her property, shot at her apartment building, and repeatedly returned to her residence in violation of a court-issued stay away. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Lieberman and Olivia Hinerfeld.


title: Newton, Alabama Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Ala. – On December 11, 2025, a federal judge sentenced 41-year-old Shawn Patrick Douglas, who was residing in Newton, Alabama at the time of his arrest, to 300 months in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. There is no parole in the federal system. Court records show that Douglas was previously convicted in 2013 for possession of child sexual abuse material and received a 78-month federal prison sentence. After completing that sentence, Douglas was placed on supervised release for the remainder of his life as well as being required to register as a sex offender. Despite those conditions, Douglas admits in his plea agreement that, in June of 2023, he engaged in an online chat requesting access to a child sexual abuse material production group. Douglas also admitted that during the online conversation, he sent a link to an account that contained an image of child sexual abuse material and that the image depicted a child under the age of 12 years. Law enforcement quickly located Douglas after the June 2023 activity, and he was arrested. The United States Probation Office for the Middle District of Alabama filed a petition to revoke his supervised release. A federal grand jury also returned an indictment charging him with distribution of child sexual abuse material. Douglas pleaded guilty to the new charge on September 3, 2025. The 25-year prison sentence includes 23 years for the new offense and an additional two years for the supervised release revocation. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, New Jersey Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Tara S. Ratz and J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR ARMED TRAFFICKING IN FENTANYL, METHAMPHETAMINE, COCAINE, AND HEROIN

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jermaine Z. Lewis, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to federal prison for 10 years for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office will continue to use the full force of the law to aggressively prosecute anyone who floods our streets with deadly drugs, as this defendant has come to find out. The Homeland Security Task Force initiative launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi is committed to eliminating drug trafficking operations anywhere they are found in the U.S., and the tenacious prosecutors in my office will see to it that the residents of the Northern District of Florida will have the safe, drug-free communities they deserve where they can live, work, and raise a family.” Court documents reveal that in January and February 2025, the defendant distributed fentanyl on the streets of Pensacola. Law enforcement intercepted a mailed parcel bound for the defendant that contained approximately four pounds of fentanyl pills. With this information, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s residence in March 2025. Two loaded firearms, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl were seized. Wire transfers receipts of money sent to Mexico were also recovered. The defendant is a previously convicted state court felon. “This defendant wasn't just selling drugs—he was trafficking lethal fentanyl, stockpiling guns, and sending cartel money south. That ends today,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter. “When you threaten the safety of Florida families, DEA and our law enforcement partners will meet you at your doorstep and bring your operation to a hard stop." The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida. 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 .


title: REPEAT OFFENDER SENTENCED TO SECOND STINT IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR UNLAWFULLY POSSESSING FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Luis Alberto Correa, 34, of Milton, Florida, was sentenced to a total of 42 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon and to supervised release violations. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our communities safe means keeping firearms out of the hands of violent felons, like this defendant. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of our state and federal law enforcement partners, my office was able to deliver another successful prosecution of an offender who has amply demonstrated that he belongs behind bars rather than free on our streets to threaten our community.” Court documents reflect that in 2016, the defendant was sentenced to 170 months in federal prison following convictions for drug conspiracy and causing the death of a person through use of a firearm. Following that prison sentence, and while on supervised release under the supervision of the United States Probation Office, in approximately December 2024, the defendant was caught with three firearms and matching bulk ammunition that he had illegally obtained and possessed. He admitted to law enforcement that he knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his prior felony conviction. The defendant was also charged with, and later admitted to, violating the terms and conditions of his federal supervised release for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, as well as marijuana. “The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is grateful for the opportunity to assist in the investigation that led to the conviction and sentencing of Luis Alberto Correa as part of Operation Take Back America ,” said Sheriff Bob Johnson. “This outcome reflects the strong cooperation among our local, state, and federal partners, all committed to removing felony offenders from our streets and keeping our community safe. We thank our agencies and citizens for their continued support as we work together to protect Santa Rosa County.” Correa was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for the new possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon charge and an additional 18 months to run consecutively for the supervise release violations. The sentence was the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Harrisburg Man Convicted of Trafficking Fentanyl and Being A Felon In  Possession Of A Firearm

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Shawkon Sharif Jamison, age 30, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted following a four day jury trial of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, nine counts of distribution of fentanyl, including two counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, before United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, law enforcement made controlled purchases of ecstasy pills from Jamison on multiple occasions between August and September 2023. During the course of the investigation, which continued into December 2023, law enforcement also made a total of seven purchases of fentanyl. During the final purchase Jamison also sold a firearm. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation and the PA Office of Attorney General. Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert Smulktis and Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe prosecuted the case. 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). # # #


title: Justice Department Reaffirms Veterinary Accreditation Standards and Procedures Are Subject to Antitrust Scrutiny

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in a private lawsuit challenging accreditation standards and procedures employed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The statement of interest explains that professional accreditation societies, like the AVMA, cannot erect anticompetitive hurdles that reduce competition by restricting the number of veterinary providers entering the profession. “Pets and animals give us so much in life and form the backbone of American food security, but their healthcare needs can add up over time,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Dina Kallay of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Justice Department is committed to supporting pet owners, livestock farmers, and aspiring veterinarians by ensuring that accreditation standards and procedures do not unnecessarily restrict competition in veterinary education and services. Free markets succeed when there is robust competition unhindered by unnecessary restrictions. Veterinarian services are no exception to this rule.” The rising cost of veterinary services threatens livestock farmers and pet owners’ ability to afford healthcare for their animals. Yet, despite growing population, for decades the United States has had only about 34 accredited veterinary colleges, all solely accredited by the AVMA. In this lawsuit, an accredited veterinary school alleges that the AVMA has effectively reinterpreted its research accreditation standard to require schools to adopt a high-cost research model with an on-site teaching hospital. That policy, the plaintiff alleges, not only jeopardizes its accreditation, but also prevents new veterinary colleges from opening and unreasonably raises the cost of veterinary education. While taking no position on the plaintiff’s claims, the Justice Department’s statement of interest explains that, when establishing accreditation standards and assessing conformance with them, professional associations must comply with the antitrust laws. Accreditors, which typically consist of interested market participants who develop standards in closed doors, face an inherent conflict of interest when regulating admission into a profession. Their professional and occupational restrictions can unnecessarily impede market entry, increase costs, stymie innovation, and otherwise harm Americans. To safeguard against these anticompetitive practices, the antitrust laws have long scrutinized self-regulation by professional and trade associations and emphasized the importance of procedural safeguards in standards development. As the statement of interest explains, accreditation practices are not exempt from the antitrust laws merely because states require veterinarians to graduate from accredited schools and the AVMA has been recognized as an accreditor under federal law. The Antitrust Division routinely files statements of interest and amicus briefs in federal court where doing so helps protect competition and consumers, including by encouraging the sound development of the antitrust laws. These statements are publicly available on the Division’s website.


title: State College Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison  For Production Of Child Pornography

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William S. Welsh, age 30, of State College, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 11, 2025, to 360 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for production of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, throughout 2023, Welsh held himself out as a “babysitter” in order to gain access to several nonverbal and/or autistic toddlers. He later admitted to a friend that he possessed child pornography and that he had sexually exploited at least one of the toddlers he babysat. Following an investigation by law enforcement, a series of search warrants executed on Welsh’s cell phones and computer revealed at least 40 videos of child pornography, including violent rape videos of children under the age of five. The search further revealed 11 sexually explicit photographs of a toddler, taken by Welsh when he was babysitting the toddler on January 15, 2023. This case was investigated by the State College Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. # # #


title: Morris County Company Settles Matter Alleging it Received Improper Paycheck Protection Program Loan

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County tour company entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by applying for and receiving two loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) for which the company was not eligible, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today. According to the allegations in the complaint and the contentions of the United States contained in the settlement agreement: Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses. CIE Tours International Inc. (“CIE Tours”) applied for and received two PPP loans totaling $3,410,300 even though it was ineligible for the loans as an entity owned by the government of Ireland, and because it exceeded the employee size eligibility requirements. CIE Tours then sought and received forgiveness of the total amount of the loans. CIE Tours fully cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter. In accordance with the terms of the settlement CIE Tours agrees to pay the United States $4,428,985.04. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. In this matter, Relator is receiving $428,985 as his share in the recovery. Senior Counsel Lamparello credits the SBA’s Office of General Counsel for their assistance in this matter. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Dauenheimer of the Healthcare Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The qui tam case is captioned US ex rel. TZAC, Inc., v. CIE TOURS INTERNATIONAL, 24-cv-009637 (D.N.J.). ### Counsel for CIE Tours: Reetuparna Dutta, Hodgson Russ, LLP, Buffalo, New York. Relator’s counsel: David Abrams, Esq., New York, New York. cie_tours.agreement.pdf


title: Medical Biller Charged with Diverting Opioids and Federal Health Care Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – Benjamin L. Wallace, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a federal grand jury in Wilmington, Delaware, returned an indictment charging Ty Mauldin, 34, of South Dakota, with ordering thousands of opioid pills by stealing the identity of medical professionals with whom he worked. The grand jury also charged Mauldin with health care fraud for causing fraudulent submissions to Medicaid and a private health insurer. According to court documents, Mauldin worked as a medical biller and credentialer, that is, he helped medical professionals and organizations contract with health insurers, including Medicaid, and helped medical providers bill those insurers for services. Through that business, Mauldin gained access to the professional licensure information for medical professionals. He used that access—and the name and licensure information of medical professionals—to order himself thousands of opioid pills through wholesale pharmaceutical suppliers and prescribe himself opioids. He did that without the approval—or the knowledge—of the medical professionals whose name and licensure information he used. Mauldin also used his access to his own electronic medical records to falsify his own personal health records. He used those falsified health records, and additional forged medical documents, to present as a cancer patient requiring pain management services. Based on those false representations, he was treated by a pain management doctor and caused his private health insurer to pay for those services. Those services included the installation of an intrathecal pain pump and the prescription of opioids, all done based on Mauldin’s forged medical records. Mauldin also represented himself as a certified health professional to those with whom he worked. At different times, he falsely represented himself as a licensed nurse. He also obtained a medical assistant certification by fraud. Based on those false representations, Mauldin convinced a Nurse Practitioner to allow him to perform Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation therapy on patients. Mauldin also represented to patients that he was a nurse. Mauldin then submitted false claims to Medicaid for reimbursement for performing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation therapy. U.S. Attorney Wallace commented, “Ty Mauldin’s actions resulted in the illegal diversion of thousands of doses of opioid medication. And his actions falsely portraying himself as a medical professional undermine the public’s confidence in our health system. My office and our partners will continue to do everything in our power to prevent the illegal diversion of opioids and will pursue to the fullest extent of the law those who pose a public health threat to our communities.” “Ty Mauldin is a con artist and charlatan who abused privileged information obtained through his job to fuel his drug addiction. But his crimes didn’t end there. Mauldin recklessly masqueraded as a medical professional. His schemes and lies endangered innocent patients. The FBI will rigorously investigate allegations of healthcare fraud and root out criminals seeking to take advantage of our systems and put others in harm’s way,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “We cannot, must not, and will not tolerate healthcare fraud. The crimes and lies that rob the healthcare system prey on taxpayers and pick the pockets of everyone who relies on quality medical care. We will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who defraud our healthcare system. I’m grateful for our federal partners’ leadership on this indictment,” said Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings. Mauldin is charged with thirteen counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, two counts of Health Care Fraud, and seven counts of obtaining drugs by fraud. If Mauldin is ultimately convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Delaware Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesse S. Wenger and William E. LaRosa. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information can be located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-CR-147-JLH.


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Lamar County, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Lamar County, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Fernando Castaneda-Hernandez, 48, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on October 28, 2025, Castaneda-Hernandez was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported on June 4, 2019. If convicted, Castaneda-Hernandez faces up to two years in federal prison and deportation. 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. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Collin County, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Collin County, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Juan Carlos Peralta-Aguinaga, 37, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on October 19, 2025, Peralta-Aguinaga was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported on May 1, 2013. If convicted, Peralta-Aguinaga faces up to two years in federal prison and deportation. 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. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and McKinney Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Ocean County Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Minors

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey man was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to 168 months in prison for receiving videos and images depicting child pornography, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Daniel Nilla, 37, of Brick, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with three counts of receipt of child pornography. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Between December 2021 and April 2023, Nilla communicated with at least five minor victims on a multimedia instant messaging application. He knew the victims were minors when he communicated with them. During the communications, Nilla directed the victims to send him images and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which Nilla used for his sexual gratification. In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Nilla to ten years of supervised release. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation. Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello also thanked special agents of the FBI Kansas City, Kansas Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus, and the City of Edwardsville, Kansas Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Rance Quinn. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine of the Criminal Division in Trenton. ### Defense counsel: Steven Cappetta, Esq.


title: Port Charlotte Man Indicted For Enticing A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity And Transferring Obscene Matter To A Minor

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging James Gregory Ford (34, Port Charlotte) with coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and transferring obscene matter to a minor. If convicted on all counts, Ford faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. According to the indictment and court records, in October 2025, Ford communicated with a 10-year-old child using a social media application and engaged in sexually explicit conversations. Ford asked the child for sexual images and videos. He also sent a nude image of himself to the child. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, along with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Denton County, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Denton County, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Ulises Rayo-Flores, 34, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on August 3, 2025, Rayo-Flores was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported on August 14, 2018. If convicted, Rayo-Flores faces up to two years in federal prison and deportation. 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. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Lewisville Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Westmoor Country Club Agrees to Pay $1.25 Million to Resolve Claim It Wrongfully Obtained Paycheck Protection Program Loan

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin has announced a settlement agreement with Westmoor Country Club, whereby the club will pay $1,250,000.00 to settle claims that it improperly obtained a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) administered by the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The PPP loan program, enacted in March 2020, provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allowed eligible small businesses and non-profits to receive loans guaranteed by the federal government and, if the borrower spent the funds on qualified expenses, the federal government would repay the loan on the borrower’s behalf. Congress directed the SBA to guarantee PPP loans “under the same terms, conditions, and processes” as ordinary small business loans administered by the agency. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(B). With respect to loan eligibility, Congress expressly endorsed the SBA’s regulation explaining what entities would be ineligible for loans. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(37)(A)(iv)(III)(aa). For decades, this regulation has explained that “[p]rivate clubs and businesses which limit the number of memberships for reasons other than capacity” are not eligible for loans through the SBA. 13 C.F.R. § 120.110(i). Westmoor Country Club operates a private country club, which is open only to its members. According to the government, at the time Westmoor Country Club applied for a PPP loan and for loan forgiveness, the club limited its membership for reasons other than capacity and, therefore, was ineligible to participate in the PPP. “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other federal law enforcement agencies to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis. Assistant United States Attorney Aaron R. Wegrzyn represented the government in connection with this matter, in coordination with Kandace Zelaya in the SBA’s Office of Litigation and Office of General Counsel. While the settlement resolves the government’s allegations against Westmoor Country Club with respect to its PPP loan, the club does not admit liability and no court has made any determination as to liability. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Kenner Woman Sentenced For Fentanyl Distribution

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SHAWNA MARTIN (“MARTIN”), age 56, a resident of Kenner, Louisiana, was sentenced on December 8, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. MARTIN was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment, four years of supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, in the later part of 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information regarding drug distribution activity related to MARTIN . Through an investigation, it was determined that MARTIN distributed over 40 grams of fentanyl pills within the Eastern District of Louisiana. On August 24 and September 6, 2023, MARTIN sold 30.7 grams and 67 grams of fentanyl, respectively, to an individual she believed to be a legitimate buyer. On September 20, 2023, MARTIN possessed with intent to distribute 114.86 grams of fentanyl. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


title: Woodbridge Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Federal Prison for $2.3 Million Pandemic Relief Program Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YASIR G. HAMED, 60, of Woodbridge, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 32 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for defrauding a COVID-19 pandemic relief program of more than $2.3 million. According to court documents and statements made in court, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The PPP was overseen by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and individual PPP loans were issued by private lenders, which received and processed PPP applications and supporting documentation, and then made loans using the lenders’ own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA. According to court documents and statements made in court, Hamed, an accountant, had an ownership interest or representative relationship with several New Haven-based businesses, including Access Consulting and Professional Services Inc.; Connecticut Medical Transportation Inc.; Arabic Language Learning Program Inc.; Institute for Global Educational Exchange Inc.; Access Medical Transport Inc.; Ikea Car & Limo Inc.; Center of the World Tours, North America LLC.; and Sudanese American Friendship Association Inc. Between June 2020 and September 2021, Hamed submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of these companies, overstating employee numbers and average monthly payroll, and making other fraudulent representations. As part of the applications, he submitted false tax filings that had never been filed with the IRS. Hamed also submitted PPP loan applications on behalf of companies owned by his clients. In at least one instance, Hamed convinced the owner of a business, which he knew was not active and had no employees, to seek PPP funding. Hamed prepared the paperwork for the PPP application and then took a significant portion of the loan proceeds. Through this scheme, Hamed obtained than $2.3 million in PPP loans for his businesses and for his clients, receiving more than $1 million in loan proceeds for himself and his family, and significant kickbacks from his clients. Hamed used the funds for personal expenses, including education expenses for a family member, and for a down payment on a $880,000 house in Woodbridge that he purchased in October 2020. Judge Underhill ordered Hamed to pay $2,384,772 in restitution. Hamed was arrested on November 13, 2024. On May 9, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions Hamed, who is released on a $500,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 28. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Three Business Robberies and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – On December 11, 2025, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict in the case of Maurice Harris, 32 , of Memphis, who was charged with committing a series of armed robberies of businesses in October 2024. Harris faces a mandatory statutory minimum sentence of 75 years in federal prison based on his prior convictions, and additional time for violating the conditions of his supervised release. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today. According to information presented in court, Harris conducted a series of armed robberies of the following businesses within the Western District of Tennessee: October 4, 2024: Metro by T-Mobile - 4673 Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, TN October 7, 2024: Cricket Wireless - 1129 S. Dupress Street, Brownsville, TN October 10, 2024: AT&T - 5287 Airline Road, Memphis, TN In each robbery, Harris pretended to be a customer, then produced a handgun and demanded the store’s phones and tablets. During the robbery of the Brownsville Cricket Wireless store, a 5-year-old child was present. Investigators found the driver’s license identification of Harris that he left behind at the store when he fled. He was arrested at his place of employment in possession of the same handgun used in each of the robberies, in the same car he drove to each of the robberies, along with items stolen from two of the robberies. All three incidents were recorded on store surveillance videos, and he was identified in a photo line-up and later in court by each of the victims. After a three-day trial, Harris was convicted as charged of three counts of robbery, three counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing is set on March 18, 2026, before United States District Judge Mark S. Norris. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Business owners and employees have a fundamental right to be safe from armed robbers who terrorize our communities with their lawlessness. The senselessness of gun violence has a long-lasting effect on victims of armed robbery, and we will no longer allow gun crime to rule our streets. This verdict sends a clear message that there will always be a reckoning, a real and significant consequence, for the commission of violent crimes." This case was investigated by officers from the Memphis Police Department assigned to the FBI Nashville Field Office-Memphis Resident Agency’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Brownsville Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Musselwhite and Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Former Correctional Officer Found Guilty of Obstruction of Justice and False Statements After Trial

component: Civil Rights - Criminal Section

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – After a five-day trial, a federal jury convicted Jermaine Sturgis, 41, of Laurel, Delaware, for conspiring to obstruct justice and making false statements to a federal officer. Sturgis previously served as a lieutenant correctional officer at the Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI), located in Westover, Maryland. Sturgis was found guilty for his role in covering up evidence that a fellow ECI officer unlawfully assaulted an inmate. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdict with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. According to the trial testimony, on July 12, 2021, after one of the Sturgis’s junior officers used excessive force against an inmate, Sturgis and multiple officers conspired to delete a video recording that showed the inmate’s injuries. The video also contained other evidence of the officer’s use of force against the inmate. During the investigation, Sturgis also made false statements to state and federal investigators. Sturgis faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy to obstruct justice count and a maximum of five years for making false statements. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox scheduled sentencing for Thursday, April 9, 2026. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for its assistance. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Aubin, and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati, Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Criminal Section, who prosecuted the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Device-Making Equipment

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – An Ohio man pleaded guilty last week to illegally possessing credit card encoding devices. According to court documents and statements made in court, on the morning of April 28, 2024, Sean Matthew Langston, Jr., 33, of Columbus, Ohio, was arrested in Rankin County following a traffic stop wherein he and his co-defendant, John Carleton Johnson, Jr., were found to be in possession of approximately 322 gift cards, seventeen reencoded instruments containing stolen bank card data, and two magstripe encoding devices. Langston and Johnson could be seen on CCTV footage at various retail stores throughout the Jackson metropolitan area purchasing gift cads with known cloned instruments. Langston pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession, production, or trafficking in device-making equipment with intent to defraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, 2026, and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Langston and Johnson on February 20, 2025. Johnson pleaded guilty on June 30, 2025, and was sentenced to serve two years in federal prison and ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 on November 3, 2025. United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement. The United States Secret Service, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force with assistance from the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Flowood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.


title: Bergen County Man Convicted of Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A federal jury has convicted a Bergen County, New Jersey man for running a fentanyl trafficking ring involving kilograms of fentanyl, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Plinio Junior Pineda Lopez, 35, of Oakland, New Jersey was convicted following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of cocaine. “This verdict sends a clear message to those who seek to profit by flooding our communities with fentanyl: law enforcement will find you, our Office will charge you, and you will be held fully accountable. Our responsibility is to our community. No one should fear the loss of a loved one because a dealer seeks to make a quick buck. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our federal, state and local partners, the jury has delivered swift justice. Our Office will aggressively pursue anyone who seeks to distribute this poison, no matter where they hide or how sophisticated they believe their operation to be.” - Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello “This guilty verdict on all counts is a decisive victory in our ongoing efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis,” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. “It reflects the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners to protect the public and uphold the rule of law. Through coordinated action and relentless pursuit of justice, we have disrupted a major interstate fentanyl trafficking operation and prevented lethal substances from endangering communities across New Jersey.” According to documents filed in this case and evidence at trial: Lopez directed and conspired with others to distribute large quantities of fentanyl between Florida and New Jersey. Following an extensive investigation of Lopez’s drug activity in Jacksonville, Miami and Bergen County, law enforcement arrested Lopez on July 11, 2023, in Wallington, New Jersey when he attempted to conduct a narcotics transaction involving over one kilogram of fentanyl. Following his arrest, and pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, law enforcement searched Lopez’s home and recovered an extensive quantity of fentanyl and cocaine that was hidden in air vents and appliances throughout his home. Through this investigation, law enforcement recovered a total of approximately nine kilograms of fentanyl and approximately one kilogram of cocaine. The narcotics trafficking charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of $10 million. Sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy in Newark; HSI Miami, HSI Jacksonville, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) and CBP Office of Field Operations (OFO), the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the Oakland Police Department, and the Westwood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Pontillo, with the investigation that led to the charges and conviction. This investigation 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. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Goldberg, Chief of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the Organized Crime/Gang Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez, Esq. and Michael A. Thomas, Esq. pineda_lopez.indictment.pdf


title: Meg E. Heap sworn in as Judicial Appointee to continue serving as U.S. Attorney for Southern District

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Margaret E. Heap will continue to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia after her appointment by the U.S. District Court judges of the Southern District. U.S. Attorney Heap took the oath of office Monday, December 15 th , in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker. The appointment is effective immediately. The excellent staff in the Southern District of Georgia and our outstanding law enforcement partners continue to work together to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “I am honored to serve alongside these dedicated professionals on behalf of our citizens as we work together to uphold the law and defend access to justice throughout this district.” Margaret “Meg” Heap was sworn in as the U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, by U.S. District Judge J. Randal Hall, on August 18, 2025. Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mrs. Heap as the interim U.S. Attorney effective August 18. Mrs. Heap served as the Chairman and Vice Chair of Georgia’s State Board of Pardons and Paroles. She was appointed to the Board on January 19, 2021, by Governor Brian Kemp. In 1986, Mrs. Heap began her legal career as a Volunteer Coordinator and Victim Advocate with the Chatham County District Attorney’s Victim-Witness Assistance Program. After attending Mercer University Law School, she received her Juris Doctorate in 1992 and went on to serve as an Assistant District Attorney in the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit, where she prosecuted felonies in the Superior and Juvenile Court. From 1995-2010, Mrs. Heap served the citizens in the Eastern Judicial Circuit as an Assistant District Attorney and later served two terms as the District Attorney. In 2019, she was named the “District Attorney of the Year” by the District Attorneys’ Association of Georgia. As U.S. Attorney, Mrs. Heap is the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Georgia, which covers 43 of Georgia’s 159 counties and a population of more than 1.6 million people. The district includes the cities of Savannah, Augusta, Brunswick, Statesboro, Dublin, and Waycross. She leads a team of approximately 70 attorneys and staff prosecuting federal crimes in the district and defending the United States in civil cases in the U.S. District Court.


title: Member Of Asheville Drug Distribution Ring Is Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Charmaine Vapreece Fair, 32, of Asheville, was sentenced on Thursday, December 11, 2025, to 66 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term, Fair was sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to records filed in the case, from 2021 to 2023, Fair was part of a drug conspiracy that trafficked methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in Buncombe, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties. Zachery Micah Rice, Fair’s boyfriend and the major supplier, would obtain the drugs from a supplier in Atlanta and then transport them back to Western North Carolina for further distribution through a local network. During one of Rice’s trip, law enforcement stopped and searched Rice’s vehicle, seizing over 11.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, a .40 caliber pistol modified to fully automatic, and more than $32,683 in cash. Investigators later executed search warrants at two stashes house, to include Fair’s apartment, and a storage unit used by Rice, recovering kilogram quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine, multiple firearms, including high-capacity magazines, ammunition, digital scales, drug paraphernalia used for drug distribution, and more than $27,470. When interviewed, Fair admitted to picking up money for Rice, admitted that she took drugs to certain people, and she would distribute drugs for Rice. Fair confirmed that she distributed prepackaged and weighed drugs to drug customers who would give Fair cash, which Fair would then deposit the money. Fair pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. She will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Rice was sentenced last May to more than 28 years in prison. Rice’s drug supplier was Les Corey Peak, a Georgia inmate sentenced in November to 20 years in prison. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, the Asheville Police Department, the Waynesville Police Department, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, the Swain County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Convicted Drug Trafficker Armed With Machinegun Is Sentenced To 21 Years In Prison

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Grey Alan Hester, 50, of Candler, N.C. was sentenced on Thursday, December 11, 2025, to 21 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Sheriff Quentin Miller of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Carla Neadeau of the Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement. According to records filed in the case, from 2021 to 2023, Hester trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Buncombe and Jackson Counties. Court documents show that on July 11, 2023, Cherokee Indian Police Department officers encountered Hester who was attempting to use a fake identification card at Harrah’s Casino. During the encounter, officers seized from Hester more than $11,380, fentanyl, and a loaded pistol from a holster on Hester’s hip. The officers later searched Hester’s backpacks that contained quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine, a pistol with an affixed machinegun conversion kit, known as a “Glock Switch,” a 30-round extended magazine loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia. According to court records, on July 14, 2023, law enforcement conducted a search of Hester’s Buncombe Country home, where they found fentanyl, methamphetamine, a stolen pistol, a semi-automatic shotgun, a rifle, an AR-style 5.56 rifle (privately made firearm), and multiple rounds of ammunition. Hester has a prior felony conviction, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On June 20, 2025, Hester pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a machine gun. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the DEA, ATF, Cherokee Indian Police Department, and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Former Texas DPS 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A former Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender was sentenced last Thursday to 18 months in federal prison for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Raymond Lee Trejo, 36, of Abilene, Texas, pled guilty to failure to register as a sex offender in August 2025. He was sentenced last Thursday, December 11, to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix. According to court documents, in 2009, Trejo was convicted of sexual assault of a child against a 14-year-old girl in Taylor County, Texas, and sentenced to 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. As a result of Trejo’s offense and conviction, he was required to register as a “sex offender” pursuant to the laws of any state where he resided and the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Among those requirements, Trejo had to register his address and other information, with local law enforcement in any county where he resided or was employed. Trejo was informed of his registration requirements when he was released from prison in 2019 and again in 2022 when he was arrested for failure to comply with those requirements for not notifying of a change in employment. Court records show that, in approximately November 2023, Trejo absconded from Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, where he was living, without notifying appropriate authorities of any change or intended change in his residential or employment status. Law enforcement in Taylor County made efforts to locate Trejo but were unsuccessful. In May 2024, Taylor County issued an arrest warrant for Trejo for failure to register as a sex offender. In December 2024, Trejo was placed on the Texas Department of Public Safety 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders list, to aid in locating Trejo. Law enforcement received information that Trejo was living and working in Stilwell, Adair County, Oklahoma. Further investigation revealed that Trejo lived and worked in Stilwell, Oklahoma, since at least September 2024. He did not notify anyone in Taylor County of his change in residence or employment and he made no efforts to properly register as a sex offender in Adair County, Oklahoma. In March 2025, Trejo was arrested at his place of employment in Stilwell, Oklahoma, and promptly extradited back to Taylor County, Texas. Trejo’s conduct involved his crossing state lines from the State of Texas to the State of Oklahoma, without complying with the sex offender registration requirements of either state. As a result, Trejo’s actions violated the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The United States Marshals Service for the Northern District of Texas (Abilene Division) and the Eastern District of Oklahoma (Muskogee Division) conducted the investigation along with the Abilene Police Department, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Stilwell (Oklahoma) Police Department, Adair County (Oklahoma) Sheriff’s Office, and Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case with the assistance of the Taylor County District Attorney’s Office. The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation and brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.


title: Manager Of Investment Firm Charged With Defrauding Investors In “Pre-IPO” Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher G. Raia, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging GIOVANNI PENNETTA, the manager of Sestante Capital LLC (“Sestante”), a Manhattan-based investment adviser and private equity firm, with securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by PENNETTA to fraudulently induce multiple investment clients to part with millions of dollars in exchange for economic exposure to shares of non-public companies. PENNETTA was arrested on Sunday afternoon at John F. Kennedy International Airport and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff. “As alleged, Giovanni Pennetta took advantage of investors by promising access to private, pre-IPO companies he did not control and never had access to,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “American investors deserve honesty in all markets, including the private investment markets. When someone lies to investors and pockets their money instead, this Office and our law enforcement partners will step in to protect investors and the integrity of our markets.” “Giovanni Pennetta allegedly stole millions of dollars from clients attempting to expand their own businesses with lies about his economic access and influence,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Pennetta allegedly abused his managerial position to attract potential victims before moving their intended investment funds from their wallets to his own. The FBI maintains its unwavering stance against any business managers deceiving others to selfishly enrich themselves.” As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: PENNETTA is the managing member of Sestante, which is based in Manhattan. Sestante, in turn, is the managing member of, and an investment adviser to, NextGenTech Investments LLC (“NextGenTech”), a private fund that purports to offer investors economic exposure to equity securities through membership interests in series controlled by the fund. From 2019 through the present, PENNETTA repeatedly misrepresented to victims that he had access to shares of private companies and could offer investment interests in those shares through NextGenTech. When investors transferred money to PENNETTA, however, he accepted the victims’ funds but did not provide them with the investment interests he had promised because, in fact, PENNETTA did not have access to the shares and had intentionally misled investors when he had told them otherwise. Many of PENNETTA’s misrepresentations centered around his access to shares of Anduril Industries, Inc. (“Anduril”), a private defense technology company. Invoking supposed connections with individuals associated with Anduril, PENNETTA represented to victims that he had access to Anduril shares and offered to sell his victims economic exposure to those shares by having them purchase membership interests in particular series of NextGenTech. In furtherance of this scheme, PENNETTA provided his victims with falsified documents purporting to show his access to Anduril shares and that particular series of NextGenTech offered exposure to Anduril shares. PENNETTA’s representations were false. In fact, PENNETTA did not have access to Anduril shares, and NextGenTech did not have exposure to Anduril shares. The victims who paid NextGenTech millions of dollars based on PENNETTA’s promises received no economic exposure to Anduril shares whatsoever. Instead, PENNETTA transferred much of the victims’ funds to his personal bank account. * * * PENNETTA, 50, of New York, New York and Italy, is charged with securities fraud and wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison. The maximum and minimum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra N. Rothman and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Essex County Man Pleaded Guilty to Online Enticement of Minors and Child Pornography Crimes

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man pled guilty to a three-count Information based on his online enticement and exploitation of minors, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Nabeen Leigh Singha, 39, of West Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Renée M. Bumb on December 11, 2025, in Camden federal court to a three-count Information charging him with: (1) production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2551(a) and (e); (2) receipt of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A) and (b)(1); and (3) possession of prepubescent child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2). According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From July 2021 through March 2022, Singha exchanged sexually explicit messages with two minor victims and paid them to create sexually explicit videos and images of themselves to send to Singha over the internet. During that time-period, Singha also communicated with an intermediary and paid that intermediary to send sexually explicit videos and images of four additional minor victims. Law enforcement searched and seized Singha’s phone and found nearly 5,000 images and 620 videos depicting child pornography. These materials included depictions prepubescent minors under 12 years old. The production charge carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, and a statutory maximum fine equal to the greatest of (a) $250,000; (b) twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense; or (c) twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense. The receipt charge carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, and a statutory maximum fine equal to the greatest of (a) $250,000; (b) twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense; or (c) twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense. The possession charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, and a statutory maximum fine equal to the greatest of (a) $250,000; (b) twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense; or (c) twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents and members of the Child Exploitation Group of Homeland Security Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Health Care Fraud and Opioid Enforcement Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Jonathan F. Marshall, Esq., Freehold, NJ singha.information.pdf


title: Washington Township Man Sentenced to 49 Months’ Imprisonment for Tax Fraud Scheme and Theft from Elderly Victim

body_text: NEWARK N.J. – A Washington Township man was sentenced to 49 months’ imprisonment for fraudulently seeking more than $1.4 million from the IRS by filing false tax returns claiming COVID-19-related employment tax credits, for laundering the proceeds from that scheme, and for stealing more than $180,000 from an elderly customer at the car dealership where he worked, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. James J. Mastrogiovanni, 45, of Washington Township, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court on May 20, 2025, to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of mail fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of access device fraud. U.S. District Judge William J. Martini imposed the sentence on December 4, 2025, in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: During the pandemic, Mastrogiovanni engaged in a scheme with Leon Haynes, a tax preparer, to exploit COVID-19 relief programs to line his own pockets. From in or around March 2021 through in or around December 2022, Mastrogiovanni and Haynes prepared and filed with the IRS false and fraudulent Forms 941 on behalf of Mastrogiovanni, his family members, and others, claiming tax refunds intended to help struggling small businesses. All of the Forms 941 prepared in furtherance of the scheme were false and fraudulent because they listed employees and wages that, in fact, did not actually exist. Neither Mastrogiovanni nor any of his family members owned or operated a business, let alone had paid employees. Mastrogiovanni claimed at least $1,443,409 in tax credits, and as a result of the scheme, the U.S. Treasury disbursed at least $545,692 to Mastrogiovanni and his family members. Haynes was found guilty by a jury on November 10, 2025 of 15 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false tax returns, one count of mail fraud, and two counts of tax evasion for his scheme seeking more than $170 million in fraudulent tax refunds from the IRS by causing more than 1,900 false tax returns to be filed on behalf of himself and his clients. Haynes’s sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2026. In addition to the tax fraud scheme, from on or about June 19, 2023 through on or about December 7, 2023, Mastrogiovanni engaged in a separate scheme to steal more than $180,000 from an 85-year old victim. The victim presented a check to Mastrogiovanni to purchase a vehicle at the car dealership where Mastrogiovanni worked. Mastrogiovanni later used the routing and checking account numbers on the check to make unauthorized personal transactions from the account until the account was empty. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Mastrogiovanni to three years of supervised release following Mastrogiovanni’s term of imprisonment and ordered restitution in the amount of $726,862. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents the IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly; postal inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; and officers of the Mahwah Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy O’Hara, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Stark and Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ### Defense Counsel for Mastrogiovanni: Frank Agostino, Esq.


title: Former Commander and Adjutant of Nonprofit Veteran’s Organization Indicted for Wire Fraud and Tax Fraud

component: USAO - Idaho

body_text: BOISE – A federal grand jury in Boise returned an indictment charging Charles Thomas Abrahamson, 56, of Venice, Florida, with charges of wire fraud and tax fraud, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. According to the Indictment, between approximately 2017 and 2024, Abrahamson was employed by a nonprofit veteran’s organization with a department in Idaho, and he served in various capacities, including adjutant and commander. In those capacities, Abrahamson had access to and control of the nonprofit’s financial accounts. The Indictment alleges that beginning in approximately 2018 until approximately April 2024, Abrahamson knowingly devised a scheme to defraud the nonprofit and another individual. As alleged in the Indictment, Abrahamson made transfers to his personal financial accounts, payments to his personal credit cards, unauthorized expenses, and ATM withdrawals, from the nonprofit’s financial accounts, all for his own personal use and gain. As also alleged in the Indictment, Abrahamson filed false tax returns for the years 2020, 2022, and 2023, which falsely stated his total income. The Indictment contains a forfeiture allegation, which alleges that Abrahamson obtained and controlled at least $1,454,025 in unrecovered forfeitable property from the wire fraud charges. If convicted, Abrahamson faces up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud, and up to three years in prison for tax fraud. He also faces restitution for the losses incurred by the victims of the scheme. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the excellent work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, which led to the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Sean Mazorol is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law . ###


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Fentanyl Distribution

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RICKEY SMITH (“SMITH”), age 46, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on December 9, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of forty grams of more of fentanyl. SMITH was sentenced to 71 months imprisonment, four years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, in the later part of 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information from the New Orleans Police Department regarding drug distribution activity related to SMITH . Through investigation, it was determined that SMITH distributed over 40 grams of fentanyl from his apartment located within the Eastern District of Louisiana. On November 4, December 3, and December 17, 2024, SMITH sold 3.493 grams, 13.97 grams and 56.6 grams of fentanyl, respectfully, to in individual he believed to be a legitimate buyer. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


title: Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s Visit to Rome, Italy, Vatican City, and Lyon, France

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON – Last week, Attorney General Pamela Bondi visited Rome, Italy to deliver the keynote address at the 25th Anniversary of the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons and met with Italian government officials. Attorney General Bondi held meetings with U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch. At the Vatican, Attorney General Bondi met with Pope Leo XIV and participated in a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State. In Lyon, France, Attorney General Bondi visited the headquarters of INTERPOL and participated in a series of meetings with Secretary General Valdecy Uriquiza and U.S. Ambassador to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco Charles Kushner. Readout of Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s Meeting with Italian Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio On Wednesday, December 10th in Rome, Attorney General Bondi participated in a productive meeting with Italy’s Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio. The Attorney General is grateful for Italy’s continued strong cooperation with the United States, particularly in the areas of extradition and mutual legal assistance. Italy’s Justice Ministry has been critical to the success of criminal cases, especially in the area of cybercrime and in the apprehension of cyber fugitives. The Attorney General appreciates the invitation to participate in marking the 25th Anniversary of the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons. Under President Trump, this Department of Justice is eradicating transnational criminal organizations that threaten our border security and bring violence, drugs, and crime into our country. Meeting participants included Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Ambassador Tilman Fertitta, and Acting Assistant Attorney General Matt Galeotti. Readout of Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s Meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni On Thursday, December 11th in Rome, Attorney General Bondi met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss a range of law enforcement priorities. The Attorney General expressed her appreciation for the invitation to participate in marking the 25th Anniversary of the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons. The Attorney General and the Prime Minister discussed the continued law enforcement cooperation between both the U.S. and Italy, specifically in the areas of extradition and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Importantly, the Attorney General noted that the FBI under Director Kash Patel’s leadership also reports outstanding collaboration with the Polizia Postale, Polizia di Stato, and others on several ransomware and malware investigations. The Attorney General expressed her thanks to the Prime Minister for focusing the G7 under Italy’s presidency towards the grave dangers of synthetic drugs, including fentanyl. Meeting participants included Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Ambassador Tilman Fertitta, and Acting Assistant Attorney General Matt Galeotti. Readout of Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s Meetings with INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza and U.S. Ambassador to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco Charles Kushner On Friday, December 12th in Lyon, the Attorney General held a series of meetings with INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza. The Attorney General continued important conversations underscoring the importance of effective and reliable information-sharing with our international partners to fight transnational criminal organizations that endanger our communities, prey on our children, and traffic lethal drugs, like fentanyl, into the United States. The Attorney General led a discussion on how INTERPOL could better align with U.S. priorities on border security and help victims of child sexual abuse. The Attorney General made clear that it is important ATF, DEA, FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service can rely on INTERPOL for accurate and actionable data. The Attorney General also highlighted INTERPOL’s critical role with people with foreign warrants who live in the U.S., which has resulted in a total of 365 fugitives with active Red Notices arrested in the United States this calendar year. Thanks to our close collaboration with INTERPOL, these dangerous international fugitives are being removed from our communities and our country. Meeting participants included Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner, and Acting Assistant Attorney General Matt Galeotti.


title: Minnesota Residents Charged After Allegedly Trafficking 150 Pounds of Methamphetamine through the District of Utah

body_text: ST. GEORGE, Utah – A federal judge remanded two Minnesota residents into federal custody today during their arraignment hearings for alleged drug crimes after law enforcement allegedly seized 150 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in October 2025. Guy Francis Bloomquist, 66, of Fridley, Minnesota, and Leslie Elisabeth Gordon, 45, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, were indicted by a federal grand jury on December 9, 2025. According to court documents, on October 19, 2025, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Caravan for a window tint violation on I-15 in Millard County, Utah. After interacting with the occupants of the vehicle, identified as Bloomquist and Gordon, the trooper deployed a narcotic detection K-9, which indicated to the odor of illegal narcotics in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted and troopers located and seized 53 packages in plastic wrapping totaling approximately 150 pounds of methamphetamine. Bloomquist and Gordon were placed in custody and taken to the Millard County Jail. Bloomquist and Gordon are charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for February 24, 2026, in courtroom 2B 206 in St. George. United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Utah Department of Public Safety, State Bureau of Investigation (DPS-SBI) and the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP). Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: Mexican National Sentenced to 60 Months For Transporting Child Sexual Abuse Material from Canada into the United States CONCORD – A Mexican national who illegally crossed into New Hampshire while transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Jose Rodriguez-Garcia, 27, previously pleaded guilty to one count of transporting CSAM. Rodriguez-Garcia has been in custody since his arrest in the early morning hours on June 6, 2024. According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Rodriguez-Garcia and another man were observed by U.S. Border Patrol after having apparently just crossed from Canada into New Hampshire over Hall Stream. The men were detained and brought to the Beecher Falls Border Station for processing. At that point, a search of Rodriguez-Garcia’s person and effects yielded several electronic media, including a thumb drive on which depictions of apparent CSAM were found. U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty imposed the sentence. The Court also ordered $6,000 in restitution. “The defendant illegally entered the United States by crossing from Canada while travelling with a substantial cache of CSAM that documented the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable children,” said United States Attorney Creegan. “Mr. Rodriguez-Garcia’s CSAM collection was among the few possessions he carried with him into New Hampshire and serves as a reminder of the international market for CSAM.” “Rodriguez-Garcia held no regard for our laws. He not only crossed into New Hampshire illegally, he carried with him deeply disturbing images of the sexual abuse of children. Today’s sentence is the result of the vigilance of our partners in the Border Patrol and the work of our special agents to ensure that those who bring child exploitation materials into our country are identified, apprehended, and held fully accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations within the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United States Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .