title: Members of the "Paper Gang Family" and Accomplices Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: ATLANTA – Antonio Pierre Ashmeade, the last of 13 defendants prosecuted for their roles in a drug trafficking operation dismantled by Atlanta’s multi-agency Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”), has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. “This HSTF investigation and federal prosecution disrupted an extensive drug distribution ring run by metro-Atlanta gang members,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The defendants’ lengthy sentences, which must be served without the possibility of parole, demonstrate that the potential financial gains from trafficking dangerous street drugs are not worth the consequences.” “This case is a testament to the strength of our partnerships,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Federal, state, and local law enforcement worked side by side to dismantle this organization piece by piece. Today’s sentencing underscores what we can accomplish when we stand united against drug trafficking.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2019, a DEA investigation revealed that individuals associated with the Paper Gang Family (“PGF”), an ostensible rap music label, were distributing large quantities of narcotics in the Atlanta area. During the investigation, agents observed PGF members openly conduct drug deals on the same streets where school buses dropped off children. In April 2023, agents observed Ashmeade provide a plastic shopping bag with suspected narcotics to a drug customer in a southeast Atlanta parking lot. When a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop his vehicle, the drug customer fled and tossed a plastic bag with methamphetamine onto a sidewalk on Memorial Drive. On that occasion, law enforcement recovered half a kilogram of methamphetamine. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills, 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, 20 kilograms of cocaine, and 30 firearms connected with the PGF organization. Earlier today, Ashmeade, 42 of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Ashmeade was convicted of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine following a jury trial on December 17, 2025. The following defendants were previously sentenced in this case: Demarco Harper , 48, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on June 3, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Cyguifredo Hernandez , 34, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on December 18, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Rodrigus Dartez Williams, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine following a trial by jury on December 17, 2025. Christian Tevaris Wash , 45, of Stockbridge, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on March 27, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Arthur Lee Hempen , 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on May 22, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and wire fraud. Alexavier Negron , 40, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on September 5, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Mario Bernard Peek , 39, of Ellenwood, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Terez Montavious Pippins , 39, of Forest Park, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on June 11, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Dresten Toron Daniels , 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on August 25, 2025, to possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Kory Keon Solomon, 40, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, after he was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine following a trial by jury on January 8, 2026. Philip Michael Ricks , 40, of Leighton, Alabama, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on March 26, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Daronta Arne Lee , 43, of Snow Hill, North Carolina, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty on May 6, 2024, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Georgia State Patrol, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Henry County Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County Police Department, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer, C. Brock Brockington, Teresa M. Stolze, and Elizabeth M. Hathaway prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sekret Sneed substantially assisted with the judicial forfeiture of the seized firearms, drug proceeds, and vehicles. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Illegal Alien Previously Convicted of Drug Trafficking Charged with Healthcare Benefit Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. has been arrested and charged with healthcare benefit fraud and aggravated identity theft. Manuel Antonio Baez, 52, was charged with one count of falsely representing a Social Security number, one count of making false statements relating to health care matters and one count of aggravated identity theft. According to the charging documents, Baez allegedly used the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen, including the citizen’s social security number, to obtain government benefits. Specifically, Baez allegedly represented that he was a U.S. citizen when applying for healthcare benefits in Massachusetts and submitted a sworn affidavit falsely alleging the same. It alleged that Baez ultimately obtained over $80,000 in MassHealth benefits using the stolen identity. Baez also allegedly committed drug offenses in the name of the U.S. citizen, including a 2018 conviction for trafficking heroin and other offenses and a 2007 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance. The charge for falsely representing a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making false statements relating to a health care program provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $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. On March 26, 2026 , United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621). On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within Federal benefit programs. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin T. Missett of the Health Care Fraud 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: Two U.S. Nationals Sentenced for Facilitating Fraudulent Remote Information Technology Worker Schemes to Generate Revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced the sentencings in separate cases of two U.S. nationals, Matthew Issac Knoot, of Nashville, Tennessee, and Erick Ntekereze Prince, of New York, for their roles in facilitating Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) remote information technology (IT) workers. Knoot was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Prince was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Both men received and hosted laptop computers at their residences that victim U.S. companies shipped to IT workers they had hired and who the victim companies believed were located at the defendants’ residences. Knoot and Prince also installed remote desktop applications on laptops that enabled their co-conspirators to work from locations overseas while appearing to the victim companies to be working from the defendants’ residences. In total, the defendants’ separate fraudulent schemes generated more than $1.2 million in revenue for the DPRK and impacted nearly 70 victim companies in the United States. “These sentences hold accountable U.S nationals who enabled North Korea’s illicit efforts to infiltrate U.S. networks and profit on the back of U.S. companies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These defendants helped North Korean ‘IT workers’ masquerade as legitimate employees, compromising U.S. corporate networks and helping generate revenue for a heavily sanctioned and rogue regime. The National Security Division will continue to pursue those who, through deception and cyber-enabled fraud, threaten our national security.” “These kind of foreign-based attacks on American businesses will not be tolerated and those involved will be held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “This case demonstrates our coordinated effort with federal law enforcement to protect businesses in Tennessee and across the country.” “This scheme shows how national security threats now enter through ordinary business systems,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants helped North Korean IT workers pose as legitimate employees, gain access to American companies, and generate money for a sanctioned regime. These were not paperwork violations. They were deliberate acts that exposed U.S. businesses, compromised trust, and supported one of the world’s most dangerous adversaries. These sentences send a clear message: if you help foreign actors infiltrate American companies for profit, you will face federal prison and lose the money you made.” “The FBI and our partners will continue to disrupt North Korea’s ability to circumvent sanctions and fund its totalitarian regime,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “These cases should leave no doubt that Americans who choose to facilitate these schemes will be identified and held accountable. Hosting laptops for DPRK IT workers is a federal crime which directly impacts our national security, and these sentences should serve as a warning to anyone considering it.” Southern District of Florida: U.S. v. Erick Ntekereze Prince Today, U.S. District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles for the Southern District of Florida sentenced Prince to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Prince was also ordered to forfeit $89,000, which is the amount the DPRK IT workers paid him for his assistance with the scheme. According to court documents, Prince enabled at least three DPRK IT workers to obtain remote employment at U.S. companies from approximately June 2020 through August 2024. In furtherance of the scheme, Prince used his company Taggcar Inc. to fraudulently supply “certified” IT workers to victim U.S. companies, knowing that the IT workers were located outside the United States and using false and stolen identities to gain employment. In addition, Prince hosted victim U.S. company-provided laptops at New York residences and installed remote access software on those laptops without authorization so that the DPRK IT workers could create the false appearance that they were remote working from Prince’s residence. On Jan. 21, 2025, Prince, U.S. national Emanuel Ashtor, Mexican national Pedro Ernesto Alonso de los Reyes, and North Korean nationals Jin Sung-il and Pak Jin-Song were charged by indictment alleging their participation in a criminal scheme that obtained work for North Korean IT workers from more than 64 U.S. companies. The victim companies paid the DPRK IT workers associated in this case more than $943,069 in salary payments, the vast majority of which were sent to the IT workers overseas. Prince’s and his conspirators’ actions also caused the victim companies more than $1 million in costs associated with auditing and remediating their devices, systems, and networks. Ashtor is awaiting trial, de los Reyes is in custody in The Netherlands awaiting extradition, and the Sung-il and Jin-Song are fugitives. The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cronin for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of NSD’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the case. Today’s announcement represents the Department’s latest actions to combat North Korean IT worker schemes as part of a joint NSD and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced other actions pursuant to the initiative, including in January 2025 , June 2025 , November 2025 , and April 2026 . As described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024 , January 2025 , and July 2025 , North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere. North Korean IT workers leverage these third parties, which include U.S.-based individuals, to gain fraudulent employment and access to U.S. company networks to generate this revenue. Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators, and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory released by the FBI, Department of the Treasury, and Department of State; a July 2023 advisory from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs. The U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $5 million in support of international efforts to disrupt the DPRK’s illicit financial activities, including for cybercrimes, money laundering, and sanctions evasion. Middle District of Tennessee: U.S. v. Matthew Isaac Knoot On May 1, the U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson for the Middle District of Tennessee sentenced Knoot to 18 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Knoot was also ordered to pay $15,100 in restitution to the victim companies, and to forfeit an additional $15,100, which is the amount the DPRK IT workers paid him for his assistance with the scheme. According to court documents, Knoot ran a laptop farm from his Nashville residences between approximately July 2022 and August 2023. The victim companies shipped laptops addressed to “Andrew M.” to Knoot’s residences. Following receipt of the laptops, and without authorization, Knoot logged on to the laptops, downloaded and installed unauthorized remote desktop applications, and accessed the victim companies’ networks. The remote desktop applications enabled a North Korean IT worker to work from locations in China, while appearing to the victim companies that “Andrew M.” was working from Knoot’s residences in Nashville. On Aug. 7, 2024, Knoot was charged by indictment alleging his participation in a criminal scheme that obtained work for North Korean IT workers from at least four U.S. companies. The victim companies paid the DPRK IT workers associated with Knoot’s laptop farm more than $250,000 for their work between approximately July 2022 and August 2023. Most, if not all, of this sum was falsely reported to the IRS and Social Security Administration in the name of the actual U.S. person, Andrew M., whose identity the conspirators had stolen. Knoot’s and his conspirators’ actions also caused the victim companies more than $500,000 in costs associated with auditing and remediating their devices, systems, and networks. Knoot and the DPRK IT workers conspired to receive payments from the victim companies and transfer those funds to Knoot and to accounts outside of the United States, including accounts associated with North Korean and Chinese individuals. Knoot’s role in this scheme ended when the FBI executed a court-authorized search of his home on Aug. 8, 2023, after which Knoot made multiple false and misleading statements and destroyed evidence to obstruct the investigation. The FBI Nashville Field Office investigated the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of the National Security Division (NSD)’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the case, with significant assistance from Paralegal Specialist Shelby Duty.


title: Burlington Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Loaded Firearm on Church Street

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: RUTLAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 6, 2026, Noor Mohamed, age 26, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 72 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Mohamed previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the time of his offense, Mohamed was on federal supervised release stemming from a 2021 narcotics conviction. Judge Lanthier also sentenced Mohamed to 12 months, to run concurrently, for violating the terms of supervised release by committing this offense. According to court records, Mohamed illegally possessed a loaded handgun on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont in the early morning hours of June 21, 2025. While crowds of people walked around shortly after the area bars had closed, Mohamed was in a fight with another male, pulled out a firearm and chambered a round. Mohamed’s actions caused panic by multiple pedestrians, who ran north on Church Street yelling about a man with a gun. Multiple Burlington Police Department officers quickly identified Mohamed as the suspect in possession of a firearm, and tried to detain him. Mohamed ignored the commands of officers, physically resisted, and repeatedly reached toward the gun in his waistband, resulting in a harrowing and highly dangerous three-minute struggle. During the struggle, an agitated, hostile crowd gathered in close proximity to the officers and shouted at the officers as they attempted to gain control of the firearm and maintain public safety. Officers were eventually able to successfully detain Mohamed and removed the loaded firearm from his pants. First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “Thanks to the careful, responsible, and courageous decision-making of the Burlington Police Officers who responded to the report of Mr. Mohamed’s possession of a firearm in the early morning hours of June 21, 2025, no one was injured or killed that night. Mr. Mohamed’s exceedingly dangerous conduct created a harrowing, volatile, and fraught situation that could have ended tragically but for the skill and bravery of the responding officers. This event is a frightening reminder of the profound demands placed all too often on law enforcement officers, and the uncertainty and risks they face each day when they show up in service and commitment to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont will continue to work closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners across the state to help protect our communities by prosecuting violent offenders who illegally possess firearms.” First Assistant United States Attorney Ophardt also commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Chief of the Burlington Police Department, Shawn Burke, stated: “Noor Mohamed is another example of a violent, armed individual who has subjected our city to unacceptable levels of harm. The actions of our officers were selfless, precise, and disciplined. The Burlington Police Department appreciates our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office and the ATF. The resolution of this case reflects the level of accountability Mohamed deserves.” Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Boston Field Division stated: “Noor Mohamed was armed with a loaded gun, menacing a crowd of people, while on probation from a previous conviction, and struggled with officers. The Burlington Police Department’s response to Mohamed was outstanding, and today’s sentence reflects the severity of the risk Mohamed created to both the public and the police. ATF is proud to stand with our partners at the Burlington Police Department.” The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Nicole P. Cate. Mohamed was represented by Devin McLaughlin, Esq.


title: Takedown Targets Open-Air Drug Market at L.A.’s MacArthur Park, Long an Area Run by Gang Members and Homeless Drug Users

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Eighteen defendants, including two people law enforcement believes are the main sources of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Los Angeles’s gang- and drug-infested MacArthur Park, have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with a federal drug trafficking offense, the Justice Department announced today. The complaint charges 25 defendants with possession with the intent to distribute, and distribution of, a controlled substance. At one defendant’s Calabasas residence, law enforcement seized approximately 18 kilograms (40 pounds) of fentanyl. The defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances tomorrow afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Seven defendants are considered fugitives. “Today, we begin reclaiming MacArthur Park from criminals and drug addicts to return this public space to the citizens of Los Angeles,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Together with our federal and local law enforcement partners, we are executing multiple arrest and search warrants targeting those who are distributing drugs in and around the park.” “For far too long, MacArthur Park has been plagued by drug addiction, crime, and despair,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division. “Today’s operation is only one step, taken by a handful of agencies working hard to alleviate the anguish and sense of hopelessness burdening MacArthur Park, local businesses, and the surrounding neighborhood. While this is a drug enforcement operation, it is also an effort to restore safety and wellness, and to return MacArthur Park back to the community.” “Today’s operation shows the strength of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “We witnessed drug activity return to MacArthur Park, and our teams acted quickly to disrupt both the dealers and the suppliers behind them. Fentanyl remains one of the most dangerous threats to our community, and we are committed to keeping it off our streets. We will remain relentless, alongside our federal partners, in protecting the people of Los Angeles from dangerous drug activity.” MacArthur Park, located west of downtown Los Angeles, is an area of the city characterized by high rates of poverty and homelessness. Many of the homeless in that area are drug users, and the park itself is a known location for drug users to purchase narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. It is surrounded by a densely populated, tightly packed area of apartments, offices, shops and other businesses. The park and the immediate surrounding area are part of heavily contested gang territory. MacArthur Park’s northern area is considered territory of the 18th Street Gang, while the area of the park south of Wilshire Boulevard is considered territory of the Crazy Riders Gang, and territory considered belonging to Mara Salvatrucha, a.k.a. “MS-13,” is immediately west of the park. The complaint’s affidavit alleges that Mallaly Moreno-Lopez, 31, and her boyfriend, Jackson Tarfur, 28, both of the Westmont area of South Los Angeles, “serve as the, if not one of the main sources of supply of fentanyl powder and methamphetamine distributed in the Alvarado Corridor and MacArthur Park, generally on behalf of the 18th Street Gang.” Moreno-Lopez and Tarfur hand-delivered narcotics to the Alvarado Corridor near MacArthur Park for stashing in storefronts and subsequent distribution to street-level drug dealers. Moreno-Lopez and Tarfur use their Westmont residence as a stash location for illegal drugs prior to delivering them to MacArthur Park. Law enforcement also identified Yolanda Iriarte-Avila, 40, of Calabasas, as a source of supply of methamphetamine for Moreno-Lopez, via Iriarte-Avila’s boyfriend, Jesus Morales-Landel, 33, of the Exposition Park area of South Los Angeles, who is a street-level drug dealer in the MacArthur Park area. Iriarte-Avila uses her residence as a stash location for subsequent drug distribution. The complaint affidavit further alleges 27 separate drug deals of fentanyl and methamphetamine from March 9 to April 15 in and around the MacArthur Park area. A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Moreno-Lopez, Tarfur, Iriarte-Avila, and Morales-Landel would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The remaining defendants each would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division’s Southern California Drug Task Force (SCDTF), a DEA-led multi-agency task force within the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program, and the Los Angeles Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren E. Border and Joshua J. Lee of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Lexington Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

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

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Olundi Uhuru Anderson, 52, of Lexington, has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Evidence presented in court showed that on the evening of Jan. 7, 2025, a deputy with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop a vehicle near the intersection of Broad River Road and Bush River Road after the driver ran a red light. Anderson was identified as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Although he initially pulled over, Anderson fled the scene, leading deputies on a brief pursuit that ended when the vehicle struck a curb. After his arrest, a search of the vehicle revealed an open container of alcohol, crack cocaine, and a loaded pistol. Anderson has prior convictions for robbery, grand theft of a motor vehicle, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, burglary, attempted aggravated battery, obstruction of justice, and failure to stop for blue lights. Due to these prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. United States District Judge Joseph Anderson sentenced Anderson to 41 months in prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case. ###


title: Former Lee’s Summit Teacher Sentenced to 12 Years for Distributing  Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Lee’s Summit West High School teacher was sentenced in federal court today for distributing child pornography. Seth Brummond, 39, of Greenwood, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The Court also ordered Brummond to serve supervised release for 10 years following his incarceration. Brummond pleaded guilty to sharing over 60 videos depicting child pornography using the Kik Messaging application between September 2024 and December 2024. In December 2024, Lee’s Summit Police Officers, acting on a Cyber Tip Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, arrested Brummond on his way to work and seized his cell phone. Investigators located hundreds of images and videos containing depictions of child pornography on Brummond’s cell phone. In a subsequent interview, Brummond admitted to investigators that he had shared child pornography on the Kik Messaging application. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Lee’s Summit, Missouri Police Department and the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Man From the Republic of Congo Sentenced To 14 Years in Federal Prison for Selling a Tenth of a Gram of Fentanyl That Caused the Overdose Death of His Customer

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – Boniface Binene, a/k/a “Bones,” 25, a citizen of the Republic of Congo, Brazzaville, and a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl to another person that resulted in death, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. According to court records, Binene pleaded guilty to the offense on November 19, 2025. Binene admitted to selling a tenth of a gram of fentanyl powder to Andrew (Connor) Doyle, on May 3, 2024, in Meridian, Idaho. Mr. Doyle, age 31, of Boise, Idaho, used the fentanyl powder and died in his parked vehicle in front of Binene’s residence. The Ada County Coroner’s Office preformed an autopsy and determined the victim died from acute fentanyl intoxication. The victim’s mother, Kari Bryant, spoke at the sentencing hearing and advised the Court that the victim was participating actively in drug treatment and had 355 days clean, but had recently relapsed. She advised the Court that she is committed to raising awareness about the devastating impact “this weapon of mass destruction called fentanyl” has on families. Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Binene serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Binene was ordered to pay $1,773.08 in restitution for the family’s funeral expenses. Because Binene was convicted of a crime which resulted in the death of the victim, Binene will likely be deported after serving his prison sentence. U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Meridian Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, and the Ada County Coroner’s Office, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian S. Nafzger prosecuted the case. ###


title: Honduran Illegal Alien Found Living in Greenbrier County Sentenced for Immigration Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jorge Elpidio Erazo-Jimenez, 35, a Honduran citizen living illegally in Lewisburg, was sentenced today to time served for reentry of a removed alien. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Erazo-Jimenez for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2025, law enforcement officers filed an ICE detainer for Erazo-Jimenez following his incarceration at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver on state-level criminal charges. Erazo-Jimenez later pleaded guilty to domestic battery in Greenbrier County Circuit Court. ICE agents confirmed that Erazo-Jimenez is a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States twice, on December 19, 2011, after he was found near Sarita, Texas, and on December 9, 2016, after he was found near Roma, Texas. Erazo-Jimenez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Erazo-Jimenez never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means. Erazo-Jimenez has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine and obstructing an officer with threats of harm. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO). Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-180. ###


title: Judge orders civil forfeiture of $1.7M Brownsville mansion tied to drug proceeds

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A home acquired with drug proceeds and used to launder money has been civilly fortified to the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Authorities identified a major cocaine supplier allegedly linked to multiple cartels. The forfeiture action indicated thousands of kilograms of cocaine had been imported from Mexico into the United States for distribution in several states, including California, Nevada, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida. According to the court filings, the mansion was purchased with proceeds from the drug trafficking activities which were also used to make substantial improvements, including construction of a pool, pool house and a full renovation of the residence. The mansion includes six bedrooms, four bathrooms and more than 6,900 square feet and has been appraised at approximately $1.7 million. The property will be sold at government auction. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. approved the final order of forfeiture after concluding the property was acquired with drug proceeds and involved money laundering activities. No unaddressed claims to the property had been filed. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the civil and criminal investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster and Zachary Blackmon handled the civil forfeiture. AUSA Lance Watt is prosecuting the related criminal case.


title: Former Rohnert Park Police Officers Sentenced To 30 Months And 20 Months In Federal Prison After Convictions For Conspiracy To Commit Extortion, Impersonating Federal Officers, Obstruction Of Justice, And Other Charges Related To Marijuana Seizure Scheme

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Former Rohnert Park police officer Joseph Huffaker, 41, of Rohnert Park, California, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, and Brendon Jacy Tatum, 43, of Santa Rosa, California, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, for their roles in a marijuana extortion scheme, impersonation of federal agents, and obstruction of justice. Senior U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney handed down the sentences on May 6, 2026. At the conclusion of a week-long trial in July 2025, a federal jury convicted Huffaker on six counts of extortion under color of official right, falsifying records in a federal investigation, impersonating a federal officer, and conspiracy to commit those offenses. Tatum pled guilty in December 2021 to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, falsifying records in a federal investigation, and tax evasion, and testified as a witness at Huffaker’s trial. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Huffaker and Tatum were both employed between 2012 and 2019 with the City of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (RPDPS) as police officers. The jury found that Huffaker and Tatum conspired to pull over drivers they suspected of possessing significant amounts of marijuana and extorted their marijuana by falsely claiming to be ATF agents and threatening to arrest drivers if they contested seizures of their property. The jury also found that Huffaker and Tatum conspired to obstruct justice by creating a false police report two months after their extortions and sending that report to the FBI. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, RPDPS previously operated an interdiction team between 2014 and early 2017 that conducted traffic stops on vehicles along Highway 101 between Cloverdale and Rohnert Park in an effort to seize illegal drugs. In December of 2017, 11 months after the interdiction team had been disbanded, Huffaker and Tatum extorted significant quantities of marijuana from individuals, declaring to the individuals that they were ATF agents, that their property would be seized, and at times threatening to arrest and charge them. After extorting the marijuana, Huffaker and Tatum sold it for personal profit. These seizures occurred while the officers were not on duty and not wearing their uniforms or body-worn cameras. In February 2018, the FBI received a complaint from a citizen who claimed to have been shaken down by police officers on the highway and an FBI agent asked Tatum for the police report related to the incident. Thereafter, the jury found that Huffaker and Tatum falsified a police Incident/Investigation Report regarding an unlawful December 18 traffic stop and marijuana seizure. Tatum then forwarded both the falsified press release and report to an FBI agent who was investigating the stop. In addition to engaging in the extortion and obstruction of justice conspiracies with Huffaker in 2017 and 2018, Tatum admitted in his plea agreement that he engaged in additional criminal conduct. Specifically, Tatum admitted that in 2015 and 2016, he stole marijuana from the Rohnert Park police station, extorted marijuana from drivers on Highway 101, sold marijuana for personal profit, and committed tax evasion, netting himself over $400,000 in illicit proceeds. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Chesney also sentenced Huffaker and Tatum to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered restitution in the amount of $301,145.70 for Tatum and $20,000 for Huffaker. Huffaker will begin serving his sentence on September 15, 2026, and Tatum will begin serving his sentence on January 11, 2027. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham Fine, Benjamin Kleinman, and Cynthia Frey are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez, Amala James, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the IRS-CI.


title: Thirty Individuals Charged in Global Insider Trading Scheme Netting Tens of Millions in Illicit Profits

body_text: BOSTON – Charges were unsealed today against 30 defendants in connection with a large-scale, decade-long insider trading scheme that netted tens of millions of dollars in illicit profits. The defendants, who include corporate attorneys and other financial professionals, are alleged to have stolen and used confidential information on nearly 30 merger and acquisition deals from several of the nation’s premier law firms, including a firm headquartered in Massachusetts. Nineteen defendants were arrested today and will make appearances in federal court in Los Angeles, Calif., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and New York, among other locations. Two defendants located in Russia and Israel are considered fugitives. The first indictment charges the following 16 defendants with two counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, two counts of securities fraud and one count of money laundering conspiracy: Pedram Fejal, 39, of Brooklyn, New York; Brian Fensterszaub, 45, of Hollywood, Fla.; Mark Fensterszaub, 47, of Hollywood, Fla.; Simon Fensterszaub, 50, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Ilya Gavrilov, 56, of Russia; Baruch Igal Hatanian, 39, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Yisroel Horowitz, 50, of Hollywood, Fla.; God Izraelov, 46, of Israel; David Moradi, 35, of Brooklyn, New York; Nicolo Nourafchan, 43, of Los Angeles, Calif.; David Ostrov, 49, of Clifton, New Jersey; Yechiel Salzberg, 51, of Far Rockaway, New York; Abe Shilian, 35, of Brooklyn, New York; Gavryel Silverstein, 43, of Hollywood, Fla.; Joseph Suskind, 39, of Sunny Isles, Fla.; and Robert Yadgarov, 45, of Long Beach, New York. That indictment also charges Nicolo Nourafchan with two counts of obstruction of justice, and Mark Fensterszaub, Moradi and Suskind with making false statements to law enforcement. A second indictment charges five defendants with two counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, two counts of securities fraud and one count of money laundering conspiracy: Lorenzo Nourafchan, 38, of Los Angeles, Calif.; Nowel Milik, 52, of Brea, Calif.; Nicholas Rudela, 30, of Covina, Calif.; David Makary, 35, of Covina, Calif.; and Stjepan Vinski, 30, of Glendora, Calif. Milik and Vinski are also charged with obstruction of justice. Makary is also charged with making false declarations before a grand jury, and Milik, Rudela and Vinski are charged with making false statements to law enforcement. Charges against nine other defendants for securities fraud conspiracy were also unsealed today. The government’s investigation is ongoing. “Our country’s financial markets and professional firms should be free from the rampant fraud and breaches of duty that these charges allege,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The trading on unannounced financial news alleged here not only violated the securities laws, but it also took advantage of the special access and ethical duties that come with a law license. If the American people believe that trading is only for the connected, they will keep their investment and retirement savings out of the markets, which will hurt our economy. Today’s charges, the result of a years-long investigation with our law enforcement partners, are part of my office’s ongoing efforts to ensure a level playing field for all investors.” “With today's arrests, the FBI has dismantled a large-scale, decade-long, international organized criminal network of corporate attorneys and financial professionals who are accused of stealing and trading on material, non-public information from several of our nation’s leading law firms, including one right here in Massachusetts. Everyone charged today is accused of scoring significant profits from expected market moves and making out like bandits. That’s not merely gaming the system – it’s a federal crime,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Anyone who engages in insider trading fundamentally undermines the trust necessary for our financial markets to function, and the FBI is committed to ensuring that those markets are a level playing field, not just profiting those with friends in the know.” As alleged in the charging documents, Nicolo Nourafchan, who was a licensed corporate attorney at several large law firms, and others, accessed their law firms’ internal computer networks to view confidential documents relating to pending acquisitions, including confidential transactions on which Nourafchan did not work, and then provided the material non-public information (MNPI) to others in exchange for kickbacks. Nicolo Nourafchan and his partner, Robert Yadgarov, another New York attorney, allegedly recruited other attorneys and insiders to serve as sources of inside information. In exchange for the MNPI, Nourafchan and Yadgarov allegedly paid their sources kickbacks consisting of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. Nourafchan and Yadgarov also allegedly provided the MNPI to a network of traders and middlemen whom they also enlisted to join the scheme. The middlemen, including Gavryel Silverstein and Lorenzo Nourafchan, allegedly provided the MNPI to other traders and tippees as a way of attempting to obscure the connections between sources and traders. Meanwhile, the traders allegedly executed trades while in possession of MNPI, either on Nourafchan and Yadgarov’s behalf or on their own behalf, in exchange for their agreement to kickback illicit trading proceeds to Nourafchan, Yadgarov, and others. Many traders allegedly passed the MNPI onto other traders, again in exchange for their agreement to kick back illicit trading proceeds up the chain to the sources of the MNPI, including Nourafchan and Yadgarov. In total, it is alleged that overseas traders (including Gavrilov and Izraelov) and traders located in California, Florida, New Jersey and New York, among other locations, traded while in possession of MNPI ahead of nearly 30 M&A deals involving public companies, including some of the largest M&A deals of the last decade, on national and foreign securities exchanges. As alleged, the defendants and other co-conspirators sought to keep law enforcement from learning about the scheme by, among other means, using burner phones, encrypted applications, coded language, including about “flights,” and in-person meetups where conspirators turned off their electronic devices or put them elsewhere before communicating with each other. For example, on or about June 7, 2022, Nicolo Nourafchan, while on a “leave of absence” from a law firm where he worked, allegedly viewed confidential materials on the law firm’s document management system regarding a potential acquisition of iRobot, which was a deal that he did not work on. Shortly thereafter, on or about June 16, 2022, Simon Fensterszaub allegedly purchased iRobot securities while in possession of MNPI. On or about June 16, 2022, and continuing through on or about July 8, 2022, Silverstein and Simon Fensterszaub allegedly exchanged the following coded messages before lapsing into an express discussion of the deal: S. FENSTERSZAUB: We cannot miss this boat!! S. FENSTERSZAUB: How’s the rabbi?? SILVERSTEIN: He’s stable S. FENSTERSZAUB: Is he still scheduled for surgery? SILVERSTEIN: We are still waiting for the Dr to check if it’s still needed S. FENSTERSZAUB: Now I’m confused and worried at the same time SILVERSTEIN: U shouldn’t be worried S. FENSTERSZAUB: Well have you gotten through to anyone at the hospital | Any chance you can find out today how the Rabbi is feeling | ? SILVESTEIN: Unfortunately nothing S. FENSTERSZAUB: Dude that’s scary SILVERSTEIN: Yeah S. FENSTERSZAUB: Should I tell ppl to pull out? SILVERSTEIN: Stagnant. No movement on the situation S. FENSTERSZAUB: Find out if we should bail . . . S. FENSTERSZAUB: So what should I advise ppl SILVERSTEIN: Are they even S. FENSTERSZAUB: I could find out but based on the current price I would assume so SILVERSTEIN: So pull. But we might go back at it shortly. S. FENSTERSZAUB: I have to remember to tell people tomorrow | Had the deal died? Or can we still be hopeful? Any way to find out SILVERSTEIN: Still be hopeful. I will speak with him today S. FENSTERSZAUB: I can’t tell you how badly I need this Defendants and other co-conspirators also allegedly traded in brokerage accounts in the names of shell companies and other corporate entities, enlisted others to trade on behalf of co-conspirators, traded in others’ brokerage accounts, and traded in foreign brokerage accounts, all to try to evade the detection of U.S. securities regulators and law enforcement. Conspirators allegedly transferred proceeds and kickback payments in cash and through intermediaries and shell companies, in locations like Panama and Switzerland. At times, such payments were allegedly disguised as purported “loans” or business transactions. The charge of conspiracy to commit Title 18 securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to commit Title 15 securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of Title 18 securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of Title 15 securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of money involved in the laundering transactions, whichever is greater. The charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, as well as three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making a false declaration before a grand jury provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, as well as three years 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. U.S. Attorney Foley and FBI SAC Docks made the announcement today. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance in this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Ian J. Stearns of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mason City Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Justin Zobel, 37, from Mason City, Iowa, was sentenced May 5, 2026, to more than 18 years in federal prison, after a December 15, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence in the case revealed that between February 2023, and continuing through February 2024, Zobel was involved in an ongoing methamphetamine distribution conspiracy based in Mason City, Iowa. Law enforcement documented Zobel actively engaged in drug trafficking, including the sale of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Zobel has a lengthy criminal history and began distributing methamphetamine immediately after being released from custody for a prior conviction. Zobel’s prior convictions include numerous thefts, burglaries, eluding, domestic abuse assault, assault, and controlled substance convictions. Zobel was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 225 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Zobel is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-3024. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Somali Illegal Alien Sentenced to 30 Years for Kidnapping Resulting in Death

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Somali National was sentenced in federal court today for a kidnapping resulting in death. Mahamud Tooxoow Mahamed, 44, was sentenced by United States District Judge Megan B. Benton to 30 years for the kidnapping resulting in the death of J.M. According to court documents, J.M.’s body was discovered on July 29, 2019, near Missouri Highway 59, after an individual observed a pink suitcase in a roadside ditch with feet sticking out. Law enforcement located J.M.’s severely decomposed body lying next to the pink suitcase. DNA analysis confirmed that J.M.’s blood was located on multiple items recovered from a vehicle utilized by J.M. and Mahamed. J.M. was last seen alive on July 16, 2019, when law enforcement officers responded to a call at her apartment. J.M. reported to 911 that Mahamed had held her at knife point and tried to force her to have sexual intercourse with him. J.M. repeatedly told the 911 operator that she was worried that Mahamed would harm her three young children who were in the apartment with him. On July 17, 2019, J.M. and her children were reported as missing after attempts to contact J.M. on the phone and in-person failed. The children were eventually located at a residence in Des Moines, Iowa, on Aug. 8, 2019. After abandoning the children in Iowa, Mahamed left the United States and was a fugitive from justice until he was located and expelled from Guatemala on July 27, 2021. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Rochester, Minn., Police Department, and the Des Moines, Iowa, Police Department.


title: DUI Arrest, Reentry Charge Sends Illegal Honduras National to Prison

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – An illegal Honduras National was sentenced for reentering the country illegally, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Edwin Leonel Rivera-Gallardo, 40, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for reentering the United States illegally. Rivera-Gallardo, also known as “William Leonel Gallardo” and “Jose Ortiz Rodriguez Ortiz,” was arrested by the Charles Town Police Department in Jefferson County, West Virginia, for third offense driving under the influence, fleeing, and other related charges. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents determined that Rivera-Gallardo once had lawful permanent residence in the U.S. but that was revoked following a criminal conviction. He had been removed from the U.S. five times prior to the DUI arrest in Charles Town. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Investigative agencies include the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Charles Town Police Department. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Three Charged with Fentanyl Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – Three individuals, two from Lawrence and one from Methuen, were charged in connection with alleged fentanyl distribution. Ales Mena, a/k/a “Shubill,” 29 and Andy Mena 25, both of Lawrence, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Yeriel Torres Rodriguez, 27, of Methuen, was charged in a separate criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. All three defendants made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston and detention hearings have been scheduled for May 8, 2026. According to the charging documents, Ales Mena, known as “Shubill” was identified as a high-level narcotics trafficker tied to the Trinitarios and Gangster Disciples street gangs, among others. On Oct. 27, 2025, Ales Mena allegedly traveled from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to Boston, Mass., on a commercial aircraft with his girlfriend. Upon arrival at Boston Logan Airport, Ales Mena and his girlfriend were sent to a secondary inspection where agents seized cell phones belonging to Ales Mena. Upon later forensic examination of the phones, it is alleged that the phones contained conversations about narcotics trafficking. In addition, multiple photographs of what appeared to be fentanyl sent through text messaging applications were allegedly identified. On Oct. 31, 2025, a kilogram of fentanyl sent via UPS was seized allegedly following text communication between Ales Mena and a contact in Mexico. On three occasions from February to April of 2026, Ales Mena allegedly coordinated the sale of fentanyl through his cousin, co-defendant Andy Mena. It is alleged that Andy Mena completed two fentanyl sales, 25 grams and 100 grams, to a confidential witness. On April 23, 2026, the defendants together, allegedly travelled from Torres-Rodriguez’s residence to a car wash in Methuen for a third sale, where they allegedly sold a kilogram of suspected fentanyl to a confidential witness. Following a search of Torres-Rodriguez’s residence on May 5, 2026, a concealed “hide” was discovered in an end table in the living room. It is alleged that within the compartment, partial kilo quantities of narcotics, including a vacuum sealed package of a powder that field-tested positive for cocaine, and a vacuum sealed half-brick of a grey substance marked with an “LV” stamp that field tested positive for fentanyl, were located. Also seized during the search were scales, kilo press parts and stamps to press into kilogram brings, including an “LV” and a “7” stamp. The charge possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $2,000,000. 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; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection, the Massachusetts State Police, Woburn Police Department, Methuen Police Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Lawrence Police Department, Boston Police Department, Framingham Police Department, Andover Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin Brown and Phillip Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Boston Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America . HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations , 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. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Alleged California Drug Trafficker Indicted in the District of Utah During Homeland Security Task Force Operation

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Southern California man with drug crimes after he allegedly trafficked heroin into Utah. Christian Salinas-Santiago, 30, of Los Angeles, California, was initially charged by complaint on April 23, 2026. According to allegations in court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) opened an investigation in January 2026 with the Salt Lake Police Department into a Mexico based narcotics source of supply. In January 2026, an HSI undercover agent began communicating with a Mexico based drug trafficker to discuss drug shipments coming to Utah. On April 21, 2026, the drug trafficker in Mexico contacted the undercover agent and asked him to pick up a kilogram of heroin in Midvale, Utah, and advised the undercover agent he would be in a black Nissan Altima. The Nissan Altima, driven by Salinas-Santiago, arrived at the location, and Salinas-Santiago gave the heroin to the undercover agent. Shortly after, the Altima was stopped for a traffic violation, and Salinas-Santiago was arrested. The heroin Salinas-Santiago distributed to the undercover agent was later tested and indicated positive for heroin and weighed approximately 1.03 kilograms. Salinas-Santiago is charged with distribution of heroin. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.400 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Salt Lake City Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake. Assistant United States Attorney Vernon Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Salt Lake comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Deputy District Director to United States Congressman Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Covid-Relief Benefits

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO – The Deputy District Director to an Illinois United States congressman has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $31,000 in unemployment insurance benefits during the Covid pandemic. Under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and consistent with the Administration’s priorities to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal fraud in the federal government entitlement and benefit programs, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is taking a fresh look at Covid-19 fraud. GERARD C. MOORER engaged in fraud related to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”) program, one of the sources of relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment alleges that in May 2020, Moorer filed a fraudulent application for PUA benefits in which he claimed to have met Covid-related reasons for being unemployed, partially unemployed, unable to work, or unavailable to work. Moore’s application was approved, and over approximately the next 16 months, he continued to submit fraudulent certifications of his purported unemployment to continue receiving the benefits, the indictment states. In reality, Moorer knew that he was in fact employed by the federal government as an aide to the Illinois Congressman at the time of his application and certifications, the indictment states. As a result of the fraud, Moorer obtained $31,887 in PUA benefits to which he was not entitled, the indictment states. Moorer, 42, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court is scheduled for May 14, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz. U.S. Attorney Boutros announced the indictment along with Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, and Erin Silk, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alec Smith and William Hogan. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. moorer_indictment.pdf


title: Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Columbus Home Depot Robbery

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – An Alabama man has been sentenced to prison for the robbery of a Columbus Home Depot in 2020 and was linked to an alleged ten other similar robberies or thefts at home improvement stores in Georgia before being captured by police following a theft at a metro-Atlanta Lowe’s. Demetrice Q. Suttles, also known as Demetris Suttles, 43, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on May 6, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of interference of commerce by robbery on Jan. 27. There is no parole in the federal system. “Criminals who engage in violent acts in the Middle District of Georgia will be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are committed to working closely with law enforcement partners at every level to safeguard our communities and ensure these defendants face consequences for their actions.” “Suttles carried out a pattern of robberies and thefts across multiple Georgia communities, using the presence of a firearm to create fear and avoid apprehension,” said ATF Special Agent Charles Mulherin. “ATF remains committed to targeting repeat violent offenders who threaten public safety.” “This wasn’t just theft, it was a pattern of criminal behavior that endangered employees across multiple communities, including ours. Our officers worked closely with our partners to stop it and hold him accountable. That’s exactly how this should end,” said Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis. According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a series of robberies or thefts took place at Home Depot and Lowe’s stores in Georgia between March 11, 2020, and July 20, 2020. Although the crimes took place at different times of day, the description of the solo subject was always the same, including his clothing and the fact that he had a firearm on his right hip. Some of the incidents were captured by surveillance cameras. Investigators ultimately determined that at least ten of these incidents were committed by the same person, later identified as Suttles. On April 13, 2020, at approximately 2:55 p.m., a Columbus Home Depot Asset Protection employee was monitoring the sales floor when they noticed Suttles. Suttles was dressed in an all-black outfit with the word “SECURITY” emblazoned across the chest and his ball cap, wearing a face mask, and carrying a black holster with a black handgun on his right hip. Suttles loaded a shopping cart with various power tools, walked past the checkout area and headed toward the exit. Suttles noticed the Asset Protection employee and shouted profanities at him. When he saw another Home Depot employee approaching, Suttles reached for the handgun on his hip, pulled it up several inches, and threatened, “Do not do it motherf***er, I will shoot you.” The employee did not intervene, and Suttles fled toward his vehicle with $2,841 worth of stolen power tools. Three days later, on April 16, 2020, Suttles was shoplifting at the Norcross, Georgia, Lowe’s store, where an employee recognized him from previous robberies and called 911. Suttles was apprehended outside the store by the Norcross Police Department. 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 Columbus Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the Norcross Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in Multi-State Firearm  Trafficking Operation in Connection With HSTF Case

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man is headed to federal prison in connection with a multi-state firearm trafficking operation. U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Rodney Allen Farrar, 36, today, to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD); and Chief Estella Patterson, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). According to the guilty plea, in December of 2023, ATF special agents began investigating Farrar’s co-conspirator, Brian Keith Adams, 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, after law enforcement suspected he was trafficking firearms to the Baltimore area from North and South Carolina. During the investigation, agents learned through physical surveillance and transactions with undercover agents that Farrar conspired with and aided Adams in trafficking firearms. Farrar does not hold a federal firearms license and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Between February and June 2024, the co-conspirators sold more than 100 firearms to an undercover agent. Additionally, the undercover agent advised Farrar and Adams that he was illegally trafficking firearms to ship to New Jersey to sell to individuals who could not lawfully purchase firearms. Farrar admitted that he knew the firearms were getting trafficked and illegally sold to individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm and that at least three of the firearms were stolen. Judge Rubin previously sentenced Adams to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in the firearms trafficking conspiracy and for distributing methamphetamine. 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. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, USPIS, HSI, MSP, DPSCS, BPD, PGPD, and CMPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Hagan who prosecuted this 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 . # # #


title: Prior felon charged again with crack cocaine possession

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Eli Clark, 36, of North Tonawanda, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, which carries maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment, followed by not less than 3 years of supervised release, and a fine up to $1,000,000. In January 2020, Clark was sentenced on a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. In March 2025, Clark violated his federal supervised release and was sentenced to an additional 12 months in prison. He was released in January 2026. In March 2026, the North Tonawanda Police Department conducted a stop of a vehicle Clark was riding in. During the stop, law enforcement recovered 33 grams of suspected crack cocaine from Clark’s waistband. Clark was taken into custody. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at a River Road residence, seizing several drug paraphernalia items. Clark made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced After Re-entering United States Five Times

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mexican national was sentenced on May 5, 2026, to time served in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. According to court documents, Jesus Penaloza-Munoz, 33, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on February 23, 2026, after a traffic stop. Penaloza-Munoz was the driver of the vehicle and presented the Border Patrol agent with a Mexican Consular Identification Card and stated he was a citizen and national of Mexico. When questioned about his presence in the United States, Penaloza-Munoz stated that he was not in possession of any documents allowing him to be in, remain in, or pass through the United States legally. Penaloza-Munoz’s fingerprints were entered into the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, and records revealed he had previously been deported from the United States five times. At sentencing, Chief Judge Beaverstock imposed the time served sentence of incarceration and a one-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Upon his release from prison, Penaloza-Munoz is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Penaloza-Munoz was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Gulf Shores Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Hutchins III prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Rutland Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Drug Trafficking

body_text: BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 5, 2026, William Corey Warner, 37, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 100 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Warner previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine) on January 9, 2026. According to court records, on May 20, 2024, Warner was the passenger in a rental vehicle that entered a parking lot in Rutland, Vermont. Knowing that Warner was wanted, Rutland police officers approached and asked Warner to step out of the vehicle. The driver exited the vehicle, but Warner moved into the driver’s seat, began operating the vehicle, struck an unmarked police vehicle and an occupied civilian vehicle, and fled from police. Eventually, Warner abandoned the vehicle, fleeing further on foot. In the vehicle police found approximately 34 grams of cocaine and 34 grams of cocaine base that Warner had intended to distribute to others. Subsequently, on July 21, 2024, Warner was a passenger in a vehicle traveling on I-91 North to Vermont that was stopped in Greenfield, Massachusetts by Massachusetts State Police. In the vehicle troopers discovered more than 500 grams of cocaine and a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Warner was arrested, and on October 23, 2025, Warner was convicted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for five offenses related to cocaine and firearm possession and sentenced in the aggregate to 7 to 9 years’ imprisonment. Warner’s criminal history includes a 2011 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine (for which he received a 60-month sentence), two State of Vermont convictions for burglary, and numerous violations of federal supervised release and state probation and parole. First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Rutland City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole P. Cate and Craig S. Nolan. Warner was represented by Michael J. Straub, Esq. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Springfield, Illinois, Woman Sentenced for Wire Fraud

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – On May 6, 2026, a Springfield, Ill., woman was sentenced in federal court today for one count of wire fraud and one count of making false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. Tina Louise Yager, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Megan Blair Benton, for one count of wire fraud and one count of making false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims. Yager was sentenced to 38 months incarceration with the Bureau of Prisons, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $14,447 to the Internal Revenue Service, and $2,403 to the Missouri Department of Revenue for a total amount of $16,850 in restitution. In this case, Yager used her tax preparer position with a Jackson-Hewitt Tax Service in Republic, Mo., to abuse the personal financial information of others to prepare and transmit fraudulent income tax returns. As a result of Yager’s fraudulent documents, she embezzled $16,850 collectives from the IRS and Missouri Department of Revenue collectively. Yager would file tax returns for customers of Jackson-Hewitt without their knowledge or approval. Yager would then have any refunds directed to her instead of the proper taxpayer. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Missouri Department of Revenue.


title: Shelby County Man Charged in Multi-Million Dollar COVID-19 Loan Fraud Scheme

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Shelby County man has been charged with defrauding the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), and Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) by unlawfully obtaining funds intended to provide COVID-19 pandemic relief to eligible operating businesses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby A 13-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Stanley Mark Hill, 61, of Helena, Alabama, with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to the indictment, from at least May 2020 to May 2021, Hill applied for seven fraudulent PPP, EIDL, and RRF loans from the SBA, six of which were funded. Hill submitted loan applications containing false information about the revenues and costs of goods sold by his alleged businesses and falsified documentation supporting the loan applications. The loan requests totaled more than $3 million, of which over $2.5 million was funded. Hill also used the social security number of another individual to file six of the loan applications, without the consent or knowledge of that individual. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: A Tax Preparer and Insurance Agent Sentenced to Prison for Financial Fraud

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A tax preparer in Berkeley County, West Virginia, was sentenced for fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Amanda Gorham, 34, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for wire fraud. Gorham was a tax preparer at a business in Martinsburg and was simultaneously working as an insurance agent at another company. Gorham used the identifying information of those who filed their taxes with her company to open insurance policies without their knowledge of permission. The purpose of this scheme was to obtain financial gain by collecting commissions and a bonus on the newly opened policies in the amount of $44,582.52. Gorham was ordered to pay a money judgement in amount of $44,582.52. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The matter was investigated by the WV Office of the Insurance Commissioner Office of Inspector General Special Investigative Division and the United States Postal Service. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.