title: Dominican National Previously Convicted of Drug Distribution Indicted for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Worcester has been indicted for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. The defendant was previously convicted and sentenced for illegal reentry in 2020 and subsequently removed from the United States. Jose Luis Urena-Vasquez, 48, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. According to court filings, Urena Vasquez was encountered by immigration officials in 2008 while serving an 11-month sentence for drug distribution in the Essex County House of Corrections. Upon completion of his sentence, Urena Vasquez was placed into removal proceedings and was deported to the Dominican Republic on March 25, 2009. Sometime after his removal, Urena Vasquez illegally reentered the United States. In 2018, he was charged in Lawrence District Court with armed assault to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm. He then fled the state and in July 2018, Urena Vasquez was arrested in Florida on the state charges and returned to Massachusetts to face trial. In October 2018 , he was indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawful reentry of a deported alien and pleaded guilty to the offense in May 2019. He was subsequently sentenced in April 2020 to eight months in prison to be served consecutively with pending charges in Essex Superior Court – and three years of supervised release. According to the indictment filed today, Urena-Vasquez was removed from the United States in February 2024. It is alleged that sometime after his 2024 removal, Urena-Vasquez unlawfully re-entered the United States. This charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien whose removal was subsequent to a conviction for the commission of an aggravated felony provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Dulce Man Pleads Guilty to Assault

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man pleaded guilty to assaulting a man and causing severe injuries. According to court records, on February 2, 2025, James William Julian , 25, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Indian Tribe, assaulted John Doe by repeatedly punching him the face. As a result of the assault, John Doe suffered serious bodily injury. Julian pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Julian will remain in custody pending sentencing. At sentencing, Julian faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Julian will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.


title: Former State Trooper Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Falsify CDL Test Scores

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) trooper was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to falsify records by giving passing scores to certain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants, including individuals who had failed or did not take the CDL skills test as required by federal law. Perry Mendes, 64, of Wareham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one month in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release with the first two months on home confinement. The government recommended a sentence of one year in prison and a fine of $5,500. In July 2025 , Mendes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify records, three counts of falsifying records and two counts of making false statements. In January 2024 , Mendes was charged in a 74-count indictment along with five others in the alleged conspiracy and related schemes. Members of MSP’s CDL Unit were responsible for administering CDL skills tests. Test requirements for CDLs are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The CDL skills test is a demanding, in-person test that consists of three segments: Vehicle Inspection, in which an applicant is tested on their knowledge of the vehicle; Basic Control Skills, in which an applicant is tested on their ability to perform certain maneuvers; and the Road Test, in which an applicant is tested on their ability to drive a commercial vehicle on an open roadway. Only drivers who have passed the test and thereby proved they are capable and qualified to drive a commercial vehicle may be issued a CDL, with the primary goal of public safety. Between January 2019 and April 2022, Mendes conspired with others to give automatic passing scores to at least 17 CDL applicants on their skills tests regardless of whether they actually passed, using the code word “golden handshake” or “golden,” for short, to identify applicants who would receive special treatment. In July 2025, Mendes admitted to his role in the alleged conspiracy, including that he cut skills tests short for “golden” applicants; that he entered false information on CDL score sheets indicating that certain applicants had passed the skills test when they had not; and that he reported passing scores for one applicant he knew had never taken the skills test. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Wichers and Adam W. Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Brazilian National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Milford has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Wadriam Jose Ferreira Do Carmo, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper on Aug. 6, 2025 to time served (approximately 79 days in prison). The defendant is subject to deportation. Ferreira Do Carmo pleaded guilty in July 2025 to unlawful reentry of deported alien. On June 2, 2023, United States Border Patrol arrested Ferreira Do Carmo after determining he illegally entered the United States. He was subsequently deported from the United States on July 20, 2023. Thereafter, on an unknown date and at an unknown location, Ferreira Do Carmo allegedly reentered the United States without being inspected. On May 6, 2024, immigration authorities became aware that Ferreira Do Carmo was unlawfully present in the United States after he was arrested by local law enforcement in Sherborn on an outstanding warrant. On May 19, 2025, Ferreira was arrested by law enforcement at his last known residence in Milford. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston; and Robert Tusino, Chief of the Milford Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Leominster Man Arrested for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: BOSTON – A Leominster man has been arrested and charged for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) following a federal search warrant executed at his home. Brian Cook, 36, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Cook was arrested yesterday and was ordered detained pending a 2:30 p.m. hearing today in federal court in Worcester. According to the charging document, during a search of Cook’s residence yesterday, an on-site review of his computer and hard drives allegedly revealed several videos depicting CSAM. Numerous electronic devices including laptops, hard drives and various other electronic storage media were seized for further forensic review. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance provided the Leominster and Westford Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: ARMED DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED FOR POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Seth Dewayne Talbot, 45, of Laurel Hill, Florida was sentenced by District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II to 180 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 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: “I commend our state and federal law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in investigating and arresting this armed drug trafficker. Methamphetamine is a deadly drug that is plaguing our communities, and my office will continue to support the excellent work of our law enforcement partners by aggressively prosecuting the criminals who flood our streets with these dangerous drugs.” According to court records, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Talbot after receiving information in October of 2024 that he was selling illegal narcotics. In November of 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Talbot’s residence, and investigators located over 180 grams of methamphetamine, two loaded firearms, a box of ammunition, and United States currency in Talbot’s bedroom. Talbot has multiple prior felony convictions. “Methamphetamine is a highly addictive and insidious poison that destroys communities. Mr. Talbot’s drug trafficking activities demonstrated a clear disregard for our north Florida communities by putting countless lives in danger while possessing firearms that he was clearly prohibited from possessing,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “The men and women of the DEA will continue to work tirelessly with our local and state law enforcement partners to ensure those, like Mr. Talbot, who put the safety of our communities at risk are held accountable for their actions.” “We are proud of our ongoing successful partnerships to target drug traffickers and remove them from our county. Whether they’re operating in populated areas or rural communities, our combined efforts and persistence continue to pay off,” said Sheriff Eric Aden, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Two Charged with Possession of Approximately 13 lbs. of Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two women were charged yesterday in federal court for possession with intent to distribute approximately 13 pounds of methamphetamine. Brittney N. Stanley, 32, and Christina L. M. Davis, 32, were charged by complaint with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Stanley was also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On Aug. 6, 2025, following a car stop, Stanley and Davis were found in possession of approximately 13 pounds of suspected methamphetamine. Stanley was also found in possession of a loaded, Ruger 9mm handgun that was inside a backpack that was on Stanley’s lap when she was approached by law enforcement. The backpack also contained Stanley’s driver’s license. Inside the rear cargo-area of the SUV Stanley was driving, officers discovered two more handguns. The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, Stanley and Davis are subject to a sentence of up to up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Operation Take Back America 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: KC Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Three Fentanyl Overdose Deaths

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for distributing fentanyl, which resulted in three overdose deaths in Belton and Raymore, Mo., as part of a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Tiger Dean Draggoo, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 40 years in federal prison without parole. On Oct. 16, 2024, Draggoo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and three counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Draggoo admitted that during his fentanyl distribution conspiracy, on three separate occasions the fentanyl he sold caused the death of the purchaser, one of which was a juvenile. “This case is a sad reminder of the horrific damage and destruction that fentanyl can have in our community. It is also a stern reminder to those who seek to make a profit off dealing fentanyl will be vigorously investigated, prosecuted, and incarcerated,” R. Matthew Price United States Attorney. “I want to express my condolences to the family members of the victims and thank our law enforcement partners and United States Attorney’s Office staff who worked on this case. I know that the sentence does not bring back their loved ones but hope that the lengthy sentence brings some measure of peace that justice was served for the individual responsible for providing the drug that killed their loved one.” "Armed, violent criminals who traffic deadly fentanyl into our communities and prey on the most vulnerable pose an immediate threat to everyone’s safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bernard Hansen. “We are grateful for our partnership with the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the United States Attorney’s Office, whose collaborative work not only delivered justice, but has put an end to this devastating path." “This case further highlights the terrible effect fentanyl continues to have on public safety. The FBI is dedicated to work with all our local, state and federal partners to crush those that supply and sell fentanyl and other drugs within our communities,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus. Draggoo also admitted that the investigation established that he was responsible for distributing or possessing at least 22,364 pills that contained a total of 2,460 grams of fentanyl. As part of the investigation, during a search of Tiger Draggoo’s apartment, law enforcement found 17 firearms, including two machine guns, ammunition of various calibers, $246,769 in cash, a ballistic vest with plates, a money counter, numerous pills that contained fentanyl, eight suspected LSD tabs, and marijuana. The 17 firearms included a Del-Ton 5.56-caliber rifle (converted into a machine gun), a Glock switch (used to convert a Glock pistol into a machine gun), three Marlin .22-caliber rifles, a Norinco 7.62-caliber rifle, a Mosin-Nagant rifle, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 .223-caliber rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, an Armscorp USA .308-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Herbert Schmidt .22-caliber revolver, a New England Firearms .22-caliber revolver, a Kimber 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Metro Arms .45-caliber pistol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Raymore, Mo., Police Department, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison  for Trafficking Drugs and Possessing a Firearm

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – Edwin Reyes-Parra, 22, of Mexico, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl while in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. Between June and October 2024, Reyes-Parra distributed over 4 pounds of methamphetamine and smaller amounts of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl into the community. In December 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and located 75.5 grams of fentanyl, a firearm, and $2,000.00 in cash. Prior to the execution of the warrant, Reyes-Parra attempted to flush drugs down the toilet. Upon completion of his sentence, Reyes-Parra, an alien born in Mexico and without legal authority to be in the United States, is likely to be deported back to Mexico. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the Boise Police Department, the High Desert Drug Task Force, the Oregon State Police, and the Payette County Narcotics Task Force, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kane Venecia prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position. The High Desert Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. They are supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . ###


title: Seattle resident convicted at trial of directing sexual abuse of young child in Vietnam

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 38-year-old Seattle man was convicted late yesterday of producing child sexual abuse imagery for his scheme to obtain images of sexually abused children from a coconspirator in Vietnam, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Richard Stanley Manness Jr. was convicted of two federal felonies following a three-day jury trial. Jurors deliberated about three hours before returning the jury verdict. Manness faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones on November 14, 2025. According to records filed in the case, law enforcement in Vietnam rescued two young children who had been kidnapped off the street in April 2024. The mother of the two sisters was distraught when she could not find them. The young girls were taken to an Airbnb by Maness’ female coconspirator. Records showed Maness rented the apartment. Messages between Manness and the coconspirator documented him directing sexual abuse of a child as young as 6-years-old. The coconspirator sent the images of the child sexual abuse to Maness over the internet. Maness had plans to travel to Vietnam for further child sexual abuse. Maness was arrested in a Seattle apartment after detectives in Vietnam contacted Homeland Security Investigations with information about the child kidnapping and abuse. Maness has remained in federal custody since his arrest on August 28, 2024. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in cooperation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Hampton and Cecelia Gregson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Ghanaian Nationals Extradited For Roles In Criminal Organization That Stole More Than $100 Million Through Romance Scams And Other Fraud

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 (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging four Ghanaian nationals, ISAAC ODURO BOATENG, a/k/a “Kofi Boat,” INUSAH AHMED, a/k/a “Pascal,” DERRICK VAN YEBOAH, a/k/a “Van,” and PATRICK KWAME ASARE, a/k/a “Borgar,” for their roles in an international criminal organization that stole more than $100 million from victims via romance scams and business email compromises. They further announced Ghana’s extradition of BOATENG, AHMED, and VAN YEBOAH, who arrived in the U.S. on August 7, 2025, and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. ASARE remains at large. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. “As alleged, Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, Derrick van Yeboah, and Patrick Kwame Asare led and participated in an international fraud ring that engaged in a massive conspiracy to defraud vulnerable people and steal from businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Offshore scammers should know that we, the FBI, and our law enforcement partners will work around the world to combat online fraud and bring perpetrators to justice.” “The defendants have been brought to the United States to be held accountable for their alleged roles in scamming companies and vulnerable Americans out of over $100 million,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Deceiving businesses using email compromise campaigns and tricking innocent elderly victims through fraudulent companionship in order to exploit their trust and finances is not merely appalling but illegal. The FBI will continue to ensure anyone who preys on companies and vulnerable Americans online is made to face the criminal justice system.” As alleged in the Indictment: [1] BOATENG, AHMED, VAN YEBOAH, and ASARE were high-ranking members of a criminal organization based in Ghana that committed romance scams and business email compromises against individuals and businesses located across the U.S. Many of the conspiracy’s victims were vulnerable older men and women who were tricked into believing that they were in online romantic relationships with people who were, in fact, fake identities assumed by members of the conspiracy. Once members of the conspiracy had gained the trust of their victims, they deceived those victims into sending their money to the enterprise or into helping them launder funds from other victims. The conspirators also committed business email compromises to trick and deceive businesses into wiring funds to the enterprise. In total, the conspiracy stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims. After stealing the money, the fraud proceeds were then laundered to West Africa, where they were largely funneled to individuals called “chairmen,” who directed the activities of other members of the conspiracy. BOATENG and AHMED were considered chairmen of the organization. * * * BOATENG, 36; AHMED, 40; VAN YEBOAH, 40; and ASARE, 39, each of Ghana, are charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of receipt of stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. He also thanked Ghana and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the International Cooperation Unit of the Office of the Attorney-General of Ghana to secure the extraditions to the United States. Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, the Ghana Police Service – INTERPOL, Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority, and Ghana’s National Intelligence Bureau all provided significant assistance to ensure the success of these extraditions. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead and Mitzi Steiner are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. u.s._v._boateng_et_al_indictment.pdf [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitutes only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Maine Property Owner and Property Manager

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: The owner, former property manager, and contractor of an apartment building in Lewiston have agreed to collectively pay $39,500 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that the former property manager and his contractor sexually harassed a female tenant in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine in June 2024, alleges that beginning in 2019 and continuing through 2020, Defendants subjected a female tenant to repeated and unwanted sexual comments and touching without her consent. The case is captioned United States v. Methuselah Tree, LLC., Robert Ross, RLR Enterprises, Brian Bennett, and Henry Irvin Investments, LLC , Case No. 2:24-cv-00204-JAW. The former tenant was represented by Pine Tree Legal Assistance. The lawsuit arose from a complaint that the tenant filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After HUD investigated the complaint, it issued a charge of discrimination, and the matter was referred to the Justice Department. Under the consent decree and settlement agreements, the former property owner will pay $35,000 to the former tenant. The former property manager and his contractor will pay $1,500 and $3,000, respectively, while also completing Fair Housing Act training and refraining from engaging in property management or residential property maintenance for one year. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and the settling defendants did not admit liability in the consent decree or settlement agreements. If you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online . More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative , led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the Department has filed 49 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $16 million for victims of such harassment. ###


title: Moroccan National Living in Medford Indicted for Being an Unlawful Alien in Possession of Ammunition

body_text: BOSTON – A Moroccan man unlawfully residing in Medford has been indicted by a federal grand jury for being an unlawful alien in possession of ammunition. Ayoub Haddad, 24, was indicted on one count of being an unlawful alien in possession of ammunition. Haddad was arrested and charged in March 2025. According to the charging documents, Haddad was admitted into the United States in April 2012 on a temporary B-2 non-immigrant visa, which was obtained by his parent on his behalf as he was a minor at the time. His visa expired six months later in October 2012. Thereafter, Haddad no longer had a lawful basis to remain in the United States. According to court documents, March 2019, Haddad was encountered while being held at the South Bay Correctional Facility on charges in Chelsea District Court for firearm offenses, drug distribution and motor vehicle violations. Those charges were later dismissed after a period of general continuance. It is alleged that, in June 2024, Haddad was identified as the driver of a vehicle involved in a shooting outside of an apartment complex in Lawrence. During a subsequent search of Haddad’s vehicle, an AR-15 style rifle bearing no serial number was allegedly found wrapped inside black t-shirt and stuffed between the radiator and the engine block in the engine compartment under the hood of the car. Twenty pieces of live .223 Remington Bronze full metal jacket rifle rounds were also allegedly located under the hood of the car. The charge of being an unlawful alien in possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston; Lawrence Police Chief Maurice Aguiler; and Medford Police Chief Buckley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Starts August with 231 New Federal Immigration Cases in the Western District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 231 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 1 through 7. Among the new cases, an Ecuadorian national was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. The defendant, Christian Patricio Murillo-Orellana , was previously deported to Ecuador on April 22 through Alexandria, Louisiana. Murillo-Orellana is a convicted felon, sentenced in 2024 to 195 days confinement for unlawful possession of a weapon and simple assault in Plainfield, New Jersey. A Honduran national with a prior felony conviction was also arrested by USBP and charged with illegal re-entry in Eagle Pass. Leo Dan Olivera-Hernandez was previously deported to Honduras on Nov. 8, 2024. He was convicted in March 2022 for first degree burglary in Raleigh, North Carolina and sentenced to 44-65 months in prison. In El Paso, Mexican national Isreal Garcia-Ibarra was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry after he was located nearly five miles east of the Ysleta Port of Entry. Garcia-Ibarra was previously removed to Mexico for the second time on April 5 through Nogales, Arizona, following a March conviction for domestic battery in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jorge Alberto Lopez-Casique , also a Mexican national, was allegedly found trying to hide in the Chihuahuita Park near the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry on Wednesday, Aug. 6, after being deported from the U.S. to Mexico on July 21 through Del Rio. Prior to that removal, on June 20, Lopez-Casique was convicted in Dallas and sentenced to six months confinement for two felonies—theft from person and kidnapping. Multiple illegal aliens were arrested this week for charges related to alleged human smuggling schemes involving storm drains. In one case, Andres Castaneda-Luna was one of seven illegal aliens who El Paso Police officers allegedly observed exiting a storm drain on Aug. 1. According to a criminal complaint, Castaneda-Luna has worked with an alien smuggling organization as a foot guide for approximately two years and, on this occasion, was smuggling a group of illegal aliens through the storm drain tunnel for $100 per person. Immigration records indicate Castaneda-Luna had been granted a voluntary return out of the U.S. on Oct. 30, 2023. On Aug. 4, USBP agents allegedly observed two individuals attempting to pry open a grate connected to a storm drain a mile and a half east of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry in El Paso. A criminal complaint alleges that the individuals were identified as Javier Obregon-Flores and Jorge Solis-Soto , and both were determined to be Mexican nationals. The complaint alleges that Obregon-Flores became combative with the agents and attempted to flee on foot toward Mexico. Both were placed under arrest and charged with human smuggling conspiracy. The complaint alleges that Obregon-Flores and Solis-Soto were working with a smuggler and worked together with the intent of cutting rebar to further facilitate smuggling of illegal aliens. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Floyd County Felon Charged with Threatening to Assassinate President Trump

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ROME, Ga. - Jauan Rashun Porter was arrested and detained today on federal charges of knowingly and willfully making a threat against the President of the United States. “The allegations against Porter are serious and required a swift, decisive, and collaborative response,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We do not tolerate threats against public officials or law enforcement officers, and Porter will now face the consequences of his actions.” “The United States Secret Service takes threats against a protectee very seriously. We will investigate every threat, and if warranted, prosecute those who make threats to the fullest extent of the law,” said Robert Donovan, Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Field Office, United States Secret Service. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On July 26, 2025, Porter allegedly joined a TikTok livestream about President Trump captioned “Alligator Alcatraz,” commenting: “So there’s only one way to make America great and that is putting a bullet in between Trump’s eyes.” Over the next several minutes, Porter allegedly made further comments about killing President Trump, including the following statements: “I’m gonna kill Donald Trump. I’m gonna put a 7.62 bullet inside his forehead.” “I’m gonna watch him bleed out and I’m gonna watch him die . . . I’m gonna do that.” When asked by the livestream host about federal agents coming to his door, Porter allegedly stated, “I’m gonna kill them too.” During their investigation, Secret Service agents, Floyd County police officers, and State of Georgia probation officers conducted searches of Porter’s apartment and found two pipes, pistol ammunition, and Tannerite (an explosive). Porter has prior convictions for terroristic threats, influencing a witness, mutiny in a penal institution, drug possession, battery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and domestic violence. He is currently on probation. Jauan Rashun Porter, 29, of Rome, Georgia, was charged by a criminal complaint on August 7, 2025, with making threats against the President. U.S. Magistrate Judge Walter E. Johnson ordered that Porter be detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for August 12, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service. The Floyd County Police Department, Floyd County District Attorney’s Office, and Georgia Department of Community Supervision provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Michael Pearce is prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Former Mustang Public Schools Payroll Services Director to Serve 18 Months in Federal Prison After Defrauding School District and Filing False Tax Return

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – KIM WEINRICH , 68, of Mustang, has been sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison for committing wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, between 2014 and April 2022, Weinrich was employed by Mustang Public Schools (the “District”) as Payroll Supervisor and was later promoted to Director of Payroll Services in 2021. In her roles with the District, Weinrich administered, processed, and reconciled the bi-monthly payroll for the District’s employees. Beginning in July 2016, Weinrich manipulated the District’s payroll accounting software to increase her net pay each pay period, and deposited the stolen funds into her personal bank account. Weinrich’s scheme resulted in several District employees underreporting their federal and state withholdings, which reduced the amount of their tax refunds. In all, between July 2016 and April 2022, Weinrich defrauded the District out of approximately $470,000. “Simply put, Weinrich stole taxpayer money intended for the benefit of students, families, and employees of Mustang Public Schools,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “I applaud the efforts by the investigators and prosecutors to safeguard public funds, especially those that support Oklahoma’s education, and hold Ms. Weinrich accountable.” Public records further indicate that Weinrich manipulated the District’s payroll accounting software to make it appear as if she paid substantial amounts in federal income taxes, when in reality, Weinrich had no federal income taxes withheld. On April 5, 2022, Weinrich filed a federal tax return where she reported an income that was substantially lower than the actual income received due to the fraud. On December 3, 2024, Weinrich was charged by Information with wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return. On December 12, 2024, Weinrich pleaded guilty and admitted that she adjusted payroll amounts to herself to increase her income, manipulated payroll software to make it appear as if she were paying substantial amounts in federal and state income taxes when in fact she was not, and filed a federal tax return declaring she only made $91,295 while knowing the actual income received was substantially more. At the sentencing hearing on July 30, 2025, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Weinrich to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Wyrick also ordered Weinrich to pay $595,970.21 in total restitution, with payable $470,385.21 to Mustang Public Schools and $125,585.00 payable to the IRS. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the substantial amount of money embezzled by Weinrich and her repeated fraudulent conduct. This case is the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cole McFerren prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Oklahoma City Man to Serve 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sex Trafficking

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – MARLON DEWAYNE MARTIN , 48, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 240 months in federal prison for child sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, on September 15, 2023, a homeless female minor was recruited by another individual to work for Martin. Their plan was to make money using the minor to engage in commercial sex acts. When Martin began sex trafficking the minor he knew she was under the age of 18. From September of 2023 through February of 2024, Martin sex trafficked the minor by setting up commercial sex dates for the minor, providing her transportation to and from the dates, providing her hotel rooms, and collecting the money. Additionally, Martin produced and distributed child pornography involving the minor. “The exploitation of minors is among the most reprehensible crimes we confront, and those who prey on children will face the full weight of the justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “This sentence reflects not only the seriousness of the offense but also our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable.” “The actions of Marlon Dewayne Martin could best be described as pure evil, using a juvenile victim for commercial sex trafficking and distributing child pornography,” said Donnie Anderson, Director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. “I want to thank the US Attorney’s Office Western District for their prosecution and securing this sentence. And I am extremely proud of the exhaustive investigative work by my agency’s Human Trafficking Unit to get this predator off our streets and rescuing the victim so they could get immediate access to recovery assistance.” “HSI works relentlessly with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure those involved in sexually exploitative acts against children are brought to justice, “ said James Carmany, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the HSI Dallas – Oklahoma Division. “With this child predator behind bars, the lengthy healing journey for this unwarranted trauma can now begin.” On September 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Martin with child sex trafficking. Martin pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025, and admitted he rented a hotel for the victim and drove her to the hotel to engage in commercial sex acts. At the sentencing hearing on August 8, 2025, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Martin to serve 240 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life. In announcing his sentence, Judge Russell noted Martin’s long criminal history that included 15 separate criminal convictions for crimes ranging from assault on a police officer to drug distribution to DUIs, the seriousness of the offenses, and the need to protect the public from Martin. This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Prince George’s County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Two Children

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, U.S District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced David Jamal Watson, 40, of Fort Washington, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for sexually exploiting two children and producing child sexual abuse material. Judge Xinis also ordered that, upon release from prison, Watson must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, is an employee, and is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore, and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP). As detailed in the plea agreement, from September 2023 to October 2023, Waston sexually exploited two children — who were 9 and 13 years old at the time — to produce, distribute, and attempt to sell child sex abuse materials (CSAM). Watson used platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, Twitter, and Google to store and distribute the victim’s CSAM and material depicting other children. In July 2023, the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received two CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, indicating that a Google user uploaded 51 files of suspected CSAM to Google’s platform between October 2022 and July 2023. Authorities traced the tips to an IP address associated with Watson’s Fort Washington address. Then in October 2023, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for Watson’s residence. During an MSP interview, Watson admitted to viewing, retaining, and distributing CSAM. On the morning of the search, MSP also seized five devices from a basement bedroom where Watson was sleeping. During a forensic analysis of Watson’s devices, law enforcement identified more than 600 CSAM images, including nude images and videos of Watson’s victims and other children. Law enforcement also found conversations on Telegram between Watson and other users in which he referenced charging money for nude images of his victims. In November 2023, law enforcement arrested Watson at his residence on a federal arrest warrant. During an interview, Watson said that he recorded the nude images of his victims at his residence. Additionally, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the contents of Watson’s Instagram account, which revealed conversations in which he attempted to sell CSAM depicting his victims to at least three other Instagram users. 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI and the MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy 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: Registered sex offender pleads guilty to sex crimes for sexual exploitation of ten girls ages 12-16

body_text: Seattle – A 28-year-old registered sex offender who sexually exploited ten different minor teens after cutting off his electronic monitoring device and absconding from Department of Corrections Community Custody, pleaded guilty to federal charges today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. James “Jake” Harrison Newcomer admits that between February and April 2024 he sexually abused ten different teens he met via various social media platforms. Prosecutors and defense will both recommend that Newcomer be sentenced to 17 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on November 17, 2025. According to records filed in the case, Newcomer was on state supervision following his 30-month prison sentence for two counts of rape of a child. As part of the supervision, Newcomer was on electronic monitoring with an ankle bracelet. On January 19, 2024, the ankle monitor lost connection and when corrections officers went to arrest Newcomer on January 25, 2024, he had left the residence and could not be located. Over the next three months, Newcomer connected with various teen girls via social media and then arranged to meet them in person. In those meetings he gave girls drugs and alcohol and sexually assaulted them. The victims were from King, Kitap, Snohomish, Lewis, Clark, Thurston, and Spokane Counties as well as Woodburn Oregon. The victims ranged in age from 12 to 16. Newcomer pleaded guilty to Travel with intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor and two counts of attempted enticement of a minor. Travel with intent to engage in sexual acts is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Enticement of a minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Woodburn, Oregon Police Department, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office, the Auburn Police Department, the Snoqualmie Police Department, the Black Diamond Police Department, the Des Moines Police Department, the King County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kent Police Department, with the assistance of the Department of Corrections. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Fort Wayne, Indiana Man Charged with Transportation and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on August 7, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Marco Antonio Jimenez Gonzalez, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, with transportation and possession of child pornography. Gonzalez’s arraignment on the indictment will occur on August 14, 2025, at 10:00 AM before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. According to court records, Gonzalez attempted to reenter the United States at the Highgate Springs Port of Entry on July 23, 2025. During the reentry process, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers found child sexual abuse material, also known as child pornography, on Gonzalez’s cell phone and laptop. Law enforcement arrested Gonzalez that same day. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Gonzalez is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Gonzalez faces up to 40 years of imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years if convicted on all counts. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Joshua L. Banker. Gonzalez is represented by Brooks McArthur, Esq. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Hobbs Woman Sentenced for High-Speed Chase that led to Fentanyl and Meth Bust

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Hobbs woman involved in a high-speed chase with law enforcement was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses uncovered during an investigation into a significant fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution operation. According to court records, on October 19, 2023, agents with the Lea County Drug Task Force (LCDTF) received information that a vehicle traveling in Hobbs, New Mexico, contained fentanyl pills and methamphetamine. Agents located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Amber Dawn Rogers Johnson , 39, was identified as the passenger. The vehicle was registered to both Johnson and the driver. During the traffic stop, agents observed a handgun in the front passenger seat near Johnson . A canine unit alerted to the odor of narcotics, and the vehicle was towed pending a search warrant. On October 20, 2023, a search warrant was executed, revealing approximately 425 grams of fentanyl pills, 98 net grams of pure methamphetamine and three firearms. On November 9, 2023, LCDTF agents tracked a vehicle, Johnson ’s was a passenger in, to Tatum, New Mexico and attempted a second traffic stop, however the driver fled from officers over the Texas border. Deputies from the Yoakum County Sheriff's Office located the vehicle and began to pursue from Yoakum County into Gaines County where the Gaines County Sheriff's Office joined the pursuit. During the pursuit, Johnson shot at Yoakum County Sheriff’s Deputies and threw a backpack containing narcotics and firearms from the vehicle before fleeing back over the state border into Hobbs, New Mexico where they were located by LCDTF agents after Johnson and the driver crashed the vehicle and fled on foot. Officers pursued and arrested them a short time later. Yoakum County Sheriff’s Deputies located the backpack Johnson threw out of the vehicle. Inside the back was 1,129 grams of fentanyl pills and 814 grams of methamphetamine. Deputies also located two firearms nearby. When LCDTF agents searched the vehicle, they located another 13 grams of methamphetamine, 616.6 grams of liquid fentanyl, multiple loaded rifles, magazines and ammunition, including hollow point bullets. In total, approximately 827 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, and five firearms were seized on November 9, 2023. On April 7, 2025, Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Upon her release from prison, Johnson will be subject to five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, made the announcement today. The DEA’s El Paso Division investigated this case with the assistance of the Lea County Drug Task Force, Yoakum County Sheriff's Office and the Gaines County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Williams is prosecuting this case.


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced for Possession With Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Khalil Dunaway, 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) – Washington Division, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD). According to the guilty plea, in November 2023, BCPD detectives observed Dunaway conducting multiple hand-to-hand drug transactions in Baltimore County, Maryland. Based on surveillance, detectives observed that Dunaway regularly spent daytime hours at a Pikesville, Maryland residence, but then spent nighttime hours at a Middle River, Maryland residence before returning to the Pikesville residence during the day. On December 18, 2023, investigators conducted search warrants at both residences. During their search of the Pikesville residence, investigators recovered a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol; taurus Ultra-Light .38 caliber pistol; Camouflage AR-15 style ghost gun rifle; Glock switch; and miscellaneous firearm magazines and ammunition. Additionally, law enforcement uncovered approximately 969 grams of fentanyl packaged for distribution; approximately 1273 grams of cocaine, some of it packaged for distribution; sifters, respirators, and goggles used for packaging controlled substances for distribution; digital scales and drug paraphernalia; three backpacks containing kilo presses; and various cutting agents used for packaging controlled substances for distribution. At the Middle River residence, investigators discovered a Glock 33 .357 caliber pistol; Glock 21 .45 caliber pistol, which was reported stolen from Georgia; Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol; Rossi .22 caliber revolver loaded with seven rounds of ammunition; pistol brace; and miscellaneous firearm magazines and ammunition. Law enforcement also found approximately 63 grams of fentanyl; approximately 145 grams of cocaine; a plate and scale with controlled substance residue, used for packaging controlled substances for distribution; assorted jewelry, including silver ingots and watches with a total fair market value of approximately $63,128; approximately $32,042 in U.S. currency; and multiple phones. A search of Dunaway’s vehicle parked at the Middle River address yielded approximately 60 suboxone strips, additional phones, and a digital scale. Investigators also reviewed footage from a security camera that showed the interior of the Pikesville residence between October and December 2023. Via the footage, investigators observed Dunaway regularly mixing, preparing, and packaging narcotics for distribution while wearing a respirator. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III 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: Waterbury Men Charged with Committing Violent Crimes Culminating in Shooting of Waterbury Detective in February

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a seven-count indictment charging ARIAN PEREZ-FELICIANO , also known as “A,” 21, ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ , also known as “NeNe,” 19, and SYDNEY REID , also known as “Syd,” 18, all of Waterbury, with offenses related to their roles in a robbery, a carjacking and attempted carjacking, and the shooting of a Waterbury Police detective earlier this year. The indictment was returned on August 7, 2025, and the three defendants have been detained since their arrests on related state charges on February 13, 2025. As alleged in the indictment, Perez-Feliciano, Rodriguez, and Reid conspired to steal firearms and marijuana, and to commit carjackings using stolen vehicles. On January 13, 2025, Rodriguez and Reid, each of whom pointed a firearm at a victim’s face, stole a 12-gauge shotgun, narcotics, cash, and other items from the victims. On February 13, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Perez-Feliciano, Rodriguez, and Reid attempted to commit an armed carjacking on Waterville Street in Waterbury. A short time later, they committed an armed carjacking on Chase Avenue in Waterbury. As they fled from police, Perez-Feliciano opened fire on a pursuing Waterbury Police detective in an attempt to kill the officer, striking him in the thigh. The indictment charges Perez-Feliciano, Rodriguez, and Reid with conspiracy; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; interference with commerce by robbery; carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; attempted carjacking; carjacking; and carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. If convicted of all of the charged offenses, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 17 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr., who is cross designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in this matter.


title: Armed Robber Who Targeted an Elderly Resident on Metro Gets 60 Months in Prison

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Kevin Freeman, 20, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court to five years in prison for robbing an elderly man on a Metro train while armed with a knife, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Freeman pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025, to one count of robbery while armed. Today, the Honorable Judge Jennifer Di Toro sentenced Freeman to 60 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Di Toro also ordered that Freeman’s sentence run consecutively to his probation revocation sentence in a separate criminal case in which Freeman was convicted of robbery on the Metro in June of 2024. As such, Freeman will serve an aggregate sentence of 90 months’ incarceration. Finally, Judge Di Toro declined to sentence Freeman under the Youth Rehabilitation Act given his recent conviction for similar conduct in June of 2024. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 10:56 p.m. on January 16, 2025, Freeman boarded an orange line train wearing a face mask. He sat across the car from the 72-year-old victim, who was on his way home from work. Freeman waited until the other passengers left the train then moved to the seat directly next to the victim. He demanded the victim’s money and grabbed at the victim’s pockets while holding a large knife. The victim fought back against Freeman – a man 50 years his junior – and almost succeeded in stopping the robbery. However, around two minutes into the struggle, Freeman managed to grab the victim’s iPhone 15, valued at $800, and cash from the victim’s pants pockets before fleeing the train. Joining in the announcement was Chief Michael Anzallo of the Metro Transit Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Anzallo commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police Department, particularly Detective Adrian Rodriguez. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Folsom, who prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal Aliens with Violent Histories, Multiple DWIs Sentenced in Austin

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – Multiple violent offenders in the U.S. illegally were sentenced to federal prison in Austin this week. Nery Flores-Flores , of Mexico, was sentenced to 65 months in prison for illegal re-entry. Flores-Flores was arrested by the Kinney County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 9, 2024, for criminal trespass and evading arrest near Brackettville. He was remanded into federal custody on Feb. 21 and pleaded guilty May 12. Flores-Flores had previously been removed from the U.S. four times and granted two voluntary returns. He has also prior convictions for illegal re-entries, felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence/battery, and grand theft auto. Mexican national Angel Mireles-Maldonado was sentenced to 51 months after he was encountered at the Travis County Jail in October 2024. He had been arrested and convicted for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and sentenced to 10 months. Prior to that, he had been convicted of three DWIs and assault causing bodily injury. Additionally, Mireles-Maldonado has been convicted of illegal re-entry twice before and removed from the U.S. four times. Angel Navarro-Miranda , also a Mexican national, was sentenced to 12 months and one day for illegal re-entry. He was encountered at the Travis County Jail on March 12 after being arrested for DWI, collision involving damage. Prior to his arrest in March, Navarro-Miranda had been convicted of DWI four times between August 2000 and May 2009. He had previously been removed from the U.S. in September 2010. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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: Southern District of Texas charges 288 people in first week of August in relation to border enforcement efforts

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 287 new cases have been filed in the last week related to immigration, border security and related offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The filed cases include 14 involving human smuggling. A total of 142 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 127 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felony convictions for offenses involving narcotics, domestic violence and other violent crime, immigration violations and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to fraud and other immigration crimes. Criminal complaints allege four individuals attempted to unlawfully reenter the country within six months of their most recent removals. Mexican nationals Adolfo Omar Maldonado-Ortiz and Aureliano Baeza-Martinez were previously removed July 9 and July 12, respectively, according to court records. Authorities removed Colombian national Luis Fernando Diaz-Caicedo March 12, while Honduran national Yermin Bardales-Castro was removed April 6. Each allegedly has prior felony convictions, including burglary of habitation, robbery with a deadly weapon, criminal sexual conduct with a minor or possession of a controlled substance. All four were allegedly found in the United States without legal authorization and now face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted. Charges also allege Carlos Guadalupe Salazar-Gonzalez and Walfre Patricio Hernandez-Mazariegos committed illegal reentry after having been previously removed in 2020 and 2024, respectively. Law enforcement allegedly encountered both in Edinburg. In addition to the new cases, a notable sentencing occurred in Laredo when 25-year-old Laredo resident Salma Galilea Veliz was ordered to serve 36 months for attempting to smuggle a three-year-old Mexican child into the United States using her own son’s birth certificate. Authorities encountered Veliz at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge with the child, whom she falsely claimed was her son. She later admitted to picking up the boy in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and planning to pass him off as her biological son in exchange for $2,500. Evidence presented at trial confirmed the child was a Mexican citizen with no legal claim to enter the United States. A federal jury found Veliz guilty following a two-day trial earlier this year. “We may never know who or what awaited that three-year-old boy had he been successfully smuggled across the border. What is certain, however, is that no child’s safety or well-being has a price tag. The Southern District of Texas will not hesitate to prosecute those who illegally bring children into the United States by falsely claiming family ties,” said Ganjei. “Also, a word of warning - if you put a child, even if it’s your own, into the hands of smugglers, you will be prosecuted. Return home to them; don’t endanger your children by placing their lives in the hands of people you don’t know.” Also of note were the sentencings of three known felons who had illegally reentered the country. Ivan Lopez-Sonora and Gregorio Mendoza-Martinez received their respective 57- and 30-month sentences in Brownsville. Lopez-Sonora has a criminal history including convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, deadly conduct discharging a firearm and numerous convictions for immigration violations, while Mendoza-Martinez has a burglary conviction in addition to a previous illegal reentry charge. In Houston, Jose Maldonado-Vasquez was ordered to serve an 84-month sentence. He has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2008 with convictions for possession of a controlled substance, burglary, assault and evading arrest in addition to other immigration violations and three previous removals. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Sequoyah County Resident Of Aggravated Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Justin Floyd Qualls, a/k/a Jay Qualls, age 40, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. The jury trial began with testimony on August 5, 2025, and concluded on August 7, 2025, with the guilty verdict. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that in May 2024, Qualls knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a child who had not attained 12 years of age. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Timothy M. Reif, U.S. Judge for the United States Court of International Trade, sitting by assignment in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial in Muskogee and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Qualls will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals until sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessie K. Pippin and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty To Receiving Child Sexual Exploitation Material

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brandon Leal Castro, age 34, of Mexico, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one count of Receipt of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, punishable by 5 to 20 years in prison. The Information alleged that on November 14, 2024, Castro knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct through the internet. The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Castro will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Maine Property Owner and Property Manager

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: The owner, former property manager, and contractor of an apartment building in Lewiston have agreed to collectively pay $39,500 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that the former property manager and his contractor sexually harassed a female tenant in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine in June 2024, alleges that beginning in 2019 and continuing through 2020, Defendants subjected a female tenant to repeated and unwanted sexual comments and touching without her consent. The case is captioned United States v. Methuselah Tree, LLC., Robert Ross, RLR Enterprises, Brian Bennett, and Henry Irvin Investments, LLC , Case No. 2:24-cv-00204-JAW. The former tenant was represented by Pine Tree Legal Assistance. The lawsuit arose from a complaint that the tenant filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After HUD investigated the complaint, it issued a charge of discrimination, and the matter was referred to the Justice Department. Under the consent decree and settlement agreements, the former property owner will pay $35,000 to the former tenant. The former property manager and his contractor will pay $1,500 and $3,000, respectively, while also completing Fair Housing Act training and refraining from engaging in property management or residential property maintenance for one year. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and the settling defendants did not admit liability in the consent decree or settlement agreements. If you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online . More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative , led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the Department has filed 49 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $16 million for victims of such harassment. ###


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced For Possessing Firearm

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Salvador Diaz-Hermosillo, age 39, a Mexican national unlawfully present in the United States, was sentenced to 6 months in prison for one count of Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm. The charge arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division. On March 12, 2025, Diaz-Hermosillo pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 31, 2025, Diaz-Hermosillo, an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States, who knew of his status, knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Illegal aliens are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5). 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). The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Diaz-Hermosillo was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.


title: Jacksonville Man Arrested For Attempting To Entice A 13-Year-Old Child To Engage In Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Tony Leroy Bartley, Jr. (37, Jacksonville) with using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Bartley faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. On August 5, 2025, Bartley was arrested by FBI agents in Ponte Vedra Beach. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing set for August 11, 2025. According to court documents, between June 17 and July 30, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation on an online social media application (“app”) to identify adults who were seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. On July 25, 26, and 29, 2025, the UC and app user “keven” exchanged several private online messages on the app and via text message. After the UC advised “keven” that “she” was only 13 years old, “keven” suggested that they engage in sexual activity. App user “keven,” who was subsequently identified as Bartley, asked the “child” about her sexual experience, described sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child,” and sent an explicit photo of himself to the “child.” A criminal complaint 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 and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It 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 and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Armed Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER PURVIS, 29, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 7, 2022, New Britain Police attempted to stop a car in which Purvis was an occupant. As officers approached the car, Purvis accelerated at a high rate of speed. The car crashed a short time later and Purvis and others ran from the scene. A search of the car revealed quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, and a loaded Glock 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen. Analysis of the firearm and drug packaging revealed the presence of Purvis’ DNA. At sentencing, which is scheduled for October 31, Purvis faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Purvis is currently serving a 72-month federal sentence for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine in northern Vermont in 2022. This case has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the New Britain Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Christopher Lembo.


title: Husband and Wife Indicted for Starving Child to Death

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: Ft. Stewart Army Base, Liberty County, GA: A federal grand jury, in the Southern District of Georgia, indicted a husband and wife for murdering their child, Vyolet Kelley, by depriving her of adequate nourishment and medical care. On August 8, 2025, a federal court unsealed a federal indictment charging Brandon M. Kelley , 29, and Stacey D. Kelley , 26, of Ft. Stewart, GA, with several charges related to the unlawful death of their child. The federal grand jury indicted them for Felony Murder and two counts of Second Degree Murder, all counts alleging that the child died because she was deprived of adequate nourishment and medical care while living at Fort Stewart Military Reservation. The family lived at Fort Stewart because Brandon Kelley was an enlisted soldier during the time outlined in the indictment. “The allegations in this case are heartbreaking on many levels. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Tara M. Lyons. The case was investigated by the United States Army Criminal Investigative Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy P. Dean and E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. Upon conviction, the Kelleys face potential penalties up to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422. 38-25


title: Florida Men Plead Guilty to Alien Smuggling Conspiracy Involving 69 Aliens

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Two Miami men have pleaded guilty to federal charges for their roles in a conspiracy to smuggle aliens into the United States by sea. According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 2024 and March 2025, Ezequiel Perez Benitez, 37, and Miguel Avoy, 36, participated in at least three alien smuggling ventures. As part of the conspiracy, “go-fast” boats would travel from Miami-Dade County to the territorial waters of the Bahamas. During each return trip to the United States, the boats were intercepted in United States waters by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (CBP-AMO) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Overall, the conspiracy involved 69 aliens of various nationalities, including China and Ecuador. The conspiracy also involved the transportation of aliens within the United States after they had entered the country unlawfully. A third co-defendant, Baisheng An, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty on June 9 to charges related to conspiracy and the transportation of aliens. An was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in during an investigative operation targeting the human smuggling network. All aliens interdicted at sea were either prosecuted for illegal reentry into the United States, returned to their country of departure, in this case the Bahamas, or turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), for further immigration proceedings. Several additional co-conspirators have been charged in separate, related cases. Avoy was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Perez is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30 at 10:30 a.m. in Miami. He faces up to 10 years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of HSI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from CBP-AMO and USCG, Southeast Coast Guard District. Special Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-10027. ###


title: Ohio Men Sentenced For Conspiring To Distribute More Than Five Kilograms Of Cocaine

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Virgil Cooper (42) and Angelo Jordan (49), both residents of Ohio, for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Cooper was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison and Jordan was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison. A federal jury found both guilty on May 1, 2025. According to testimony and evidence presented during the four-day trial, Cooper contacted a former federal prison cellmate who had been deported to his native country of Colombia after serving his sentence, wanting to purchase multiple kilograms of cocaine directly from Colombia at a discount rate. The former cellmate introduced Cooper to a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source who helped arrange for a viewing of 10 kilograms of cocaine with undercover officers in Tampa in February 2023. Since Cooper was still serving his sentence from a prior felony in a halfway house, he sent his co-conspirator, Jordan, on his behalf. Jordan drove 17 hours from Ohio to Tampa to view the cocaine. An image from the video of that meeting is below: Government Trial Exhibit 6 After repeated communications and Cooper’s release from the halfway house, Cooper and Jordan traveled from Cleveland to Tampa on August 3, 2023, to deliver a down payment of $120,000 in cash for an initial 30 kilograms of cocaine. They were subsequently arrested. An image from the video of that meeting is below: Government Trial Exhibit 26 This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney David Rehfuss and Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF