title: Cranston Man Admits to Large Scale Production of Meth and Fentanyl-Laced Pills

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PROVIDENCE - A Cranston man admitted to a federal judge on Tuesday that he produced, possessed, and/or delivered thousands of methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced fake Adderall pills, and that he was in possession of significant quantities of methamphetamine pills and powder and a quantity of fentanyl powder at the time of his arrest in August 2022, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Sambo Sok, 41, pleaded guilty to charges of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2025. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to information presented to the court, in the summer of 2022, during an investigation into Sok’s drug trafficking activities, DEA agents learned that methamphetamine-laced pills were being manufactured at the defendant’s residence. On August 15, 2025, agents witnessed activity at Sok’s home consistent with narcotics trafficking. A person who had been at the residence manufacturing and packaging pills transferred a large quantity of pills from the residence to the trunk of a motor vehicle. A short time later law enforcement stopped the vehicle and recovered approximately 10,500 methamphetamine-laced fake Adderall pills. Law enforcement also responded to the Sok’s home where another co-conspirator was observed placing a bag, later determined to contain thousands of methamphetamine pills, into the trunk of his vehicle. Sok, who was present at the residence, was apprehended as he attempted to flee the agents. Court-authorized searches of the defendant’s residence, a shed on his property, and a vehicle parked in front of the defendant’s home that followed resulted in the seizure of a total of 12,110.7 grams of methamphetamine, including approximately 21,688 pills and 501.2 grams of a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Also seized were, five pill presses, various items used in the production of drug-laced pills, and nearly 2,000 tablets containing a combination of MDMA, methamphetamine, and caffeine. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey A. Erickson. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force. ###


title: Former JBLM soldier pleads guilty to attempting to share military secrets with China

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A former U.S. Army Sergeant whose last duty post was Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in western Washington pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two federal felonies, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, pleaded guilty to attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. He faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on September 9, 2025. According to records filed in the case, Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020. His primary assignment was at JBLM in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. In his role, Schmidt had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information. After his separation from the military, Schmidt reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later, the Chinese security services via email offering national defense information. In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong and continued his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information he obtained from his military service. He created multiple lengthy documents describing various “high level secrets” he was offering to the Chinese government. He retained a device that allows for access to secure military computer networks and offered the device to Chinese authorities to assist them in efforts to gain access to such networks. Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until October 2023, when he flew to San Francisco. He was arrested at the airport. Attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The FBI investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg is prosecuting the case.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor  on Snapchat

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Jason Hanif Rehman, 40, of Rockville, MD, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison on one count of coercion and enticement after he used the Snapchat application to coerce a minor victim into sending him sexually explicit images of herself over the internet. Rehman previously pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 21, 2024 in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. According to court documents, in October and November of 2018, Rehman communicated with a 15-year-old victim on Snapchat. In Snapchat messages, Rehman directed the victim to produce and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and sent her explicit photographs of himself. This conduct continued over the course of five weeks, during which Rehman coerced the victim into sending him CSAM and, on at least two separate occasions, traveled from Maryland and Washington, D.C. to Virginia to engage in sexual intercourse with her. Law enforcement was notified by a student from the victim’s school about the minor victim’s communication with an adult male whom they subsequently identified as Rehman. During the course of the investigation, other minors disclosed being contacted by Rehman over Snapchat. Rehman was located and admitted to contacting the victim through Snapchat, convincing her to send him explicit photos, and having sexual intercourse with her. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia made the announcement. The Metropolitan Police Department-Federal Bureau of Investigation (MPD-FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Fairfax County Police Department. Trial Attorney Angelica Carrasco of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Kansan sentenced to 30 years in prison for creating child pornography

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas resident was sentenced to 30 years in prison for charges related to child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). According to court documents, Chloe Wade Gullotto, 25, of Leavenworth pled guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. From September 2023 to November 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a series of CyberTips about images and videos connected to a cloud account belonging to Gullotto. During an interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the defendant admitted to using a cellphone to download CSAM and to create CSAM images. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick prosecuted the case. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Former U.S. Marine Sentenced for Submitting False Purple Heart Application

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former United States Marine was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for submitting a false Purple Heart application. Paul John Herbert, 54, of Shelburne Falls, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to two years of supervised release with the first year to be served in home confinement. In March 2025 , Herbert pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements. In September 2023 , Herbert was indicted by a federal grand jury. Beginning on Oct. 13, 2010, Herbert submitted numerous false statements to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) concerning IED-related injuries in support of a claim for disability compensation. Based upon these false claims, between January 1, 2010 and March 1, 2023 the VA overpaid Herbert $344,040. On Oct. 24, 2018, Herbert issued a request to his Congressman to assist with the application for a Purple Heart. The request contained a notarized letter from Herbert, that falsely stated he had been injured by a roadside explosion. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office; and Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Mitchell, South Dakota, Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Rapid City Area

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Mitchell, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on May 30, 2025. Cory Linderman, 43, was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Linderman was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in July 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025. Linderman was part of a group of people who worked together to traffic approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Rapid City area from 2021-2023. Julian Fuentes was a leader of the group and coordinated shipments of methamphetamine by car from California to Rapid City. From there, the methamphetamine was distributed to sub-distributors of the group, including Linderman, Daniel Bradshaw, and Travis Orr. During his involvement in the conspiracy, Linderman was responsible for distributing approximately 40-50 pounds of methamphetamine. Julian Fuentes, 37, was sentenced on April 25, 2024, to 20 years in federal prison; Daniel Bradshaw, 31, was sentenced on August 12, 2024, to 14 years in federal prison; Travis Orr, 36, was sentenced on December 6, 2024, to 19 years and seven months in federal prison; Alisa See, 40, was sentenced on January 6, 2025, to 22 years and six months in federal prison; and Reynaldo Garcia-Gonzalez, 43, was sentenced on March 7, 2025, to 22 years and six months in federal prison This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET). UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Linderman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Grand Island Man Charged with Attempting to Damage Federal Property with Molotov Cocktail

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Eulisis P. Martin, 20, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was charged on June 16, 2025, by criminal complaint with one count of attempting malicious damage to federal property using explosive materials. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and not more than 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a special assessment of $100. Martin was arrested on June 16, 2025. Martin is alleged to have utilized a Molotov cocktail near a federal building housing Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Grand Island on June 9, 2025. Martin is also linked to a spray-painted sign on the federal building stating, “Kill ICE” on June 9. Aware of the vandalism at the HSI building, a Grand Island Police officer, while on patrol, observed an individual wearing dark clothing running along the fence of the HSI building on June 14. Upon further investigation, Grand Island Police officers located government vehicles with slashed tires. Law enforcement identified a vehicle belonging to Martin in the area of the building at the time of vandalisms and Molotov cocktail event. Law enforcement located Martin’s vehicle and observed in plain view inside the vehicle a dark brown coat, several gloves, a protest-style sign, a scarf, and two bags under the scarf resembling a tactical-style bag. Open-source information revealed a phone number assigned to Martin. Law enforcement was able to place Martin’s cellphone in the area of the HSI building on June 9 and June 14. Surveillance of Martin’s vehicle and his residence revealed that Martin was showing signs that he was a target of an investigation and took measures to dispose of his vehicle by relocating it to a rural property. Martin appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline M. DeLuca in Lincoln, Nebraska on June 18, 2025, for his initial appearance. “The FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue, identify, and apprehend anyone who maliciously attempts to damage federal property,” said Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Omaha Field Office. He added, “Many members of our community work in federal buildings and serve the public, and they deserve to do so free from the threat of harm and violence. We respect and protect the right of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment freedoms but will not tolerate individuals inciting violence or engaging in criminal activity and violating federal law. We appreciate the support of the Nebraska State Patrol, Grand Island Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and Federal Protective Service in bringing Martin to justice.” United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods said, “The United States Attorney’s Office vows that violence, intimidation, and threats of violence against federal law enforcement officers, federal investigative agencies, other federal employees who are just doing their jobs and enforcing the laws will not be tolerated in Nebraska. Federal law enforcement officers do not make the laws, but they are tasked with enforcing them, and they must be able to do so safely. Anyone who chooses to target law enforcement officers and agencies will be held accountable.” This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Protective Service, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Grand Island Police Department.


title: Pine Ridge Man and Rapid City Woman Convicted of Drug Trafficking

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man, and a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencings took place on May 29, 2025, and June 6, 2025, respectively. Tyler Eagle Elk, 38, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Larissa Ross, 39, was sentenced to one year and eight months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Eagle Elk and Ross were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April 2024. Eagle Elk pleaded guilty on March 7, 2024. Ross pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025. Ross and Eagle Elk worked together to distribute cocaine in the Rapid City area. Investigators became aware of the two when the postal inspector intercepted a package containing approximately a half pound of cocaine addressed to their home. In the course of the conspiracy, Ross and Eagle Elk were involved in the distribution of more than a kilogram of cocaine. This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Division of Criminal Investigation. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Eagle Elk and Ross were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Chicago Lab Owner Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison in Connection with $14M COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

body_text: The owner of a Chicago laboratory has been sentenced today to seven years in prison for his role in a COVID-19 testing fraud scheme. According to court documents, Zishan Alvi, 46, of Inverness, Ill., owned and operated a laboratory in Chicago that performed testing for COVID-19. In 2021 and 2022, Alvi caused claims to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for COVID-19 tests that were either not performed at all or not performed correctly. As part of the scheme, the laboratory released negative test results to patients, even though the laboratory either had not tested the specimens or the results were inconclusive because Alvi had diluted the tests to save on costs, rendering the tests unreliable. Alvi knew that the laboratory was releasing negative results for tests that were not performed or were inconclusive but still caused the laboratory to bill HRSA for those tests. Alvi also lied to laboratory directors to conceal his fraud. As a result of the fraudulent claims, HRSA paid the laboratory more than $14 million. Alvi pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on September 30, 2024. At sentencing, he was also ordered to pay $14,199,217 in restitution, and forfeit approximately $6.8 million in cash, a 2021 Range Rover HSE, and over $630,000 from an E-Trade account. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois, Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten for the Northern District of Illinois prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.


title: Former Georgia Bookkeeper Sentenced for Embezzling from Columbus  Real Estate Brokerage Firm

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A former employee of Keller Williams Realty River Cities was sentenced to prison after she admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer to pay off her credit card. Lauren Williams Eldridge, 38, of Pine Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $453,876.64 in restitution to Keller Williams Realty River Cities by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on June 18 after she previously pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud on Jan. 29, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system. “The repercussions of employee theft are often felt beyond the prosecution, negatively affecting businesses, their customers and the community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Fraud and theft will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia. Our office will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold those who choose to disregard the law accountable.” “For years, Eldridge used her company’s funds like her personal ATM,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “She will now have more than two years behind bars to consider the impact of her actions.” According to court documents and other statements made in court, Eldridge was an office manager and bookkeeper for nine years with Keller Williams Realty River Cities (KW). KW representatives noticed some discrepancies in a KW account in Oct. 2022 and that Eldridge had moved money out of that account to other accounts. When Eldridge was initially questioned about the transfer, she did not provide a clear explanation. Eldridge resigned from her position soon afterward. Law enforcement was notified in Jan. 2023; a review of the KW accounts revealed that a total of $453,876.68 in monthly electronic payments were made to Eldridge’s personal American Express account from KW accounts between Jan. 2017 and Sept. 2022. Eldridge admitted to KW representatives and their legal counsel in Dec. 2022 that she embezzled the money from KW to pay her personal American Express credit card balance every month. She reported that she intended to pay this money back when she first began taking funds after she had charged $30,000 to her American Express for home repairs. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Hostetler prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Long Island Child Therapist Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Renee Hoberman, also known as “Rina,” a licensed social worker, pleaded guilty to receipt and distribution of child pornography. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert. When sentenced, Hoberman faces a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and up to 20 years in prison. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI); and Patrick Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department, announced the guilty plea. “The defendant, a licensed social worker, admitted to distributing extremely vile and unthinkable videos depicting the horrific sexual abuse of babies. The videos the defendant distributed and sought for her own perverse pleasure showed the most innocent members of our society being restrained and violently raped,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant’s crimes should outrage and offend every decent member of our society. My Office will relentlessly pursue predators like this defendant who victimize those who often cannot speak for themselves. We will work tirelessly to ensure that those who harm children and perpetuate the plague of child sexual abuse and child pornography are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to HSI and the Nassau County Police Department for their work on the case. As set forth in court filings and on the record at today’s plea proceeding, Hoberman admitted to using encrypted social media messaging applications to upload, receive, and trade digital videos and images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including several videos of infants six months to one year of age being physically restrained and raped by an adult male as the infants cried and frantically screamed for the duration of the videos. The defendant also engaged in multiple online “chats” concerning child sexual molestation. In these chats, the defendant, posing as the father of several minor children, claimed to have sex with the children and punish them by getting naked, stripping the children naked, and spanking them while the other children watched. The defendant invited another user to visit “his” family in New York to spank and sexually abuse the children. In addition, the defendant described sexually abusing “his” children and their friends, and then uploaded and sent two videos containing child sexual abuse material, claiming that these videos depicted the defendant’s own children. According to public records and as alleged in court documents, during the same time period that Hoberman was distributing child sexual abuse material online, she was also working as a therapist with an organization based in Melville, New York, which serves children up to the age of 17. This prosecution is 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Anyone with information about sexual exploitation by the defendant is asked to contact HSI’s tip line: 1-877-4-HSI-TIP or website: https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form . The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin McTague is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson. The Defendant : RENEE HOBERMAN (also known as “Rina”) Age: 37 Plainview, Long Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-463 (JS)


title: Jamaican National Extradited to United States for Participating in Lottery and Romance Scheme Targeting Elderly Arizona Resident

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – On June 12, 2025, Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie, a.k.a. “Ice Man,” of Jamaica, was extradited to the United States to face charges related to a romance and sweepstakes scheme that targeted an Arizona resident. A federal grand jury in Tucson indicted Bellinfantie in March 2022 for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Bellinfantie was arrested in Jamaica on an extradition warrant on July 3, 2023. The indictment alleges that from December 2015 through January 2019, Bellinfantie and his co-conspirators participated in a romance and sweepstakes scheme targeting an elderly 85-year-old resident of Vail, Arizona. Using a fictitious name, Bellinfantie and his co-conspirators deceived the victim by leading her to believe she was engaged in a romantic relationship. In furtherance of the scheme, one of the co-conspirators would send flowers with love messages to the victim’s residence. The co-conspirators also falsely represented to the victim that she had won the lottery or another monetary prize to induce her into sending them money to pay “taxes” or other “fees.” As a result of the scheme, the victim lost over $400,000. A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering each carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Bellinfantie to the United States. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-0523-TUC-RCC RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-095_Bellinfantie # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Ellenton Man Sentenced To Over Five Years In Prison For His Role In Fentanyl And Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle today sentenced Alexis Soto Escalante (20, Ellenton) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to and possessing with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of cocaine. Soto Escalante pleaded guilty on April 11, 2025. According to court records, on May 22, 2024, Soto Escalante provided 55.9 grams of fentanyl to his co-defendant, Traveous Anderson, which was recovered by agents upon Anderson’s arrest. Later that same day, Soto Escalante traveled to Anderson’s apartment to collect payment for the fentanyl delivery, where he was also arrested. Agents recovered 641 grams of cocaine and 3.7 grams of fentanyl from the vehicle Soto Escalante was driving. Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at Soto Escalante’s home and found an additional 14.03 grams of cocaine and a handgun inside Soto Escalante’s bedroom closet. Anderson is pending trial for his alleged role in this case. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Millbourne Borough Official and Former Official Sentenced to Prison for Election Fraud Offenses

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that MD Nurul Hasan, 48, and MD Rafikul Islam, 52, both of Millbourne, Pennsylvania, were sentenced at separate hearings today by United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III for election fraud offenses. In February of this year, the defendants, along with co-conspirator MD Munsur Ali, 48, also of Millbourne, were charged in a 33-count indictment with conspiracy to commit voter fraud, giving false information in registering to vote, and fraudulent voter registration, arising from their scheme, ultimately unsuccessful, to steal Millbourne Borough’s 2021 mayoral election for Hasan. Hasan, the vice president of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty in April to all 33 charges against him — one count of conspiracy, 16 counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and 16 counts of fraudulent voter registration. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $3,300 special assessment. Islam, a former member of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty in April to all seven charges against him — one count of conspiracy, three counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and three counts of fraudulent voter registration. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, one year of supervised release, $1,000 fine, and a $700 special assessment. Ali, a member of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty in April to all 25 charges against him — one count of conspiracy, 12 counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and 12 counts of fraudulent voter registration. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26. As set forth in court filings, in 2021, Millbourne held elections for mayor, three seats on its borough council, and tax collector. Defendant Hasan entered the majority party’s primary election for mayor. The primary election was held on May 20, 2021, and Hasan was defeated in the primary by a vote count of approximately 138 to 120. In the same primary, Ali was one of three majority party candidates for borough council to advance to the general election, while Islam lost his bid for reelection to the council. After the primary, Hasan decided that he would run as a write-in candidate for mayor in the general election, which was scheduled for November 2, 2021. Ali and Islam agreed to support Hasan in his write-in campaign. As detailed in court documents and admitted by the defendants, in or about 2021, defendants Hasan, Ali, and Islam conspired and agreed with one another, and other persons known and unknown to the U.S. Attorney, to steal the 2021 general election for Mayor of Millbourne for defendant Hasan through a multi-step process, which included: (a) obtaining personal identification information of non-Millbourne residents, such as their names, addresses, and dates of birth; (b) using the personal identifying information to access the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s online voter registration (PAOVR) website and change the voter registration addresses for those non-Millbourne residents to locations within Millbourne; (c) using the PAOVR website to request that mail-in or absentee ballots for those non-Millbourne residents be sent to addresses accessible by one or more of the defendants; (d) retrieving the ballots from the Millbourne mailboxes; (e) impersonating the voters and fraudulently casting write-in votes for defendant Hasan to be mayor; (f) enclosing the fraudulently completed ballots in envelopes and forging the voters' signatures on the envelopes; and (g) submitting the ballots in their envelopes to the Delaware County Board of Elections. The defendants admitted that, to further this conspiracy, they contacted friends and acquaintances whom Hasan and Ali knew did not live in Millbourne, told these non-Millbourne residents that Hasan was running for mayor in Millbourne, asked if they could register the non-Millbourne residents to vote in Millbourne, and then cast mail-in ballots for Hasan to be mayor. Hasan and Ali persuaded many of their non-Millbourne friends and acquaintances to provide them with personal identification information so that defendants Hasan and Ali could register them to vote in Millbourne. During many of these conversations, Hasan and Ali told their non-Millbourne friends and acquaintances that they would not get in trouble, as long as they did not vote in another election in November 2021. Hasan and Ali also conspired and agreed to use personal identifying information for other non-Millbourne residents, which the two defendants had obtained from other sources, such as Hasan’s business, to register those nonresidents as Millbourne voters without the knowledge of those non-residents. Hasan personally did almost all of the fraudulent voter registrations himself, using a computer at his place of business to access the PAOVR website and change the voting addresses for non-Millbourne residents to locations within Millbourne. Every time that Hasan accessed the PAOVR website to change a voter registration address, he provided an email address for the voter. Many times, Hasan provided one of four email addresses that he used and accessed. To divert suspicion from himself, however, Hasan sometimes provided email addresses belonging to other people, who knowingly and willfully permitted Hasan to use their email addresses to cover up Hasan’s actions. One of those people was Islam, who allowed Hasan to use two of Islam’s email addresses when Hasan fraudulently changed the voter registration addresses for six individuals. Islam also permitted Hasan to use two of Islam’s email addresses when requesting mail-in ballots for five non-Millbourne residents. In total, the defendants conspired to falsely register nearly three dozen non-Millbourne residents as Millbourne voters and cast ballots for those non-Millbourne residents in the 2021 general election for mayor of Millbourne Borough. Hasan went on to lose the election by a vote of approximately 165 to 138. “These defendants sabotaged the democratic will of their fellow citizens in deciding Millbourne’s next mayor,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Public trust in the electoral process is critical, and my office is committed to ensuring that our elections remain free and fair. As this case shows, should we find instances of fraud, we won’t hesitate to prosecute those responsible.” “The electoral process is a pillar of our democracy, so when public officials undermine this system through fraud, they don't only break the law — they compromise the trust built between this process and the American people,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI remains unwavering in our commitment to protecting the integrity of elections and ensuring those who break these laws are held accountable.” “Free and fair elections are the bedrock principle that defines American democracy. I appreciate the partnership between my office, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring these criminals to justice,” said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.


title: New York Man and Chinese National Charged with Running Scams That Took Thousands from Elderly Victims in Ohio

body_text: CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury has returned a 10-count indictment charging two men with defrauding elderly victims in Northeast Ohio out of thousands of dollars. The victims affected reside in Cleveland Heights, Willoughby, Canton, and Warren. According to a recently unsealed indictment, Jinrong Shi, 28, of New York, New York, and Jiyang Zhong, 27, a Chinese national residing in Little Neck, New York, were part of a criminal network that targeted senior citizens in Ohio, and elsewhere, with either a “grandparent” or “tech support” scam in May and June 2024. In tech support scams, victims are led to believe that their electronic devices, or online account, has been compromised. Unsuspecting victims are then persuaded to pay for assistance to resolve the fabricated issues. In grandparent scams, perpetrators impersonate law enforcement, or other authority figures, to convince elderly victims that their grandchildren are in trouble with the law. The victims are told that they must provide immediate financial assistance to help their grandchild out of the legal bind. The indictment further alleges that once the scam victims were persuaded to withdraw cash from their bank accounts, Shi and Zhong collaborated with a network of co-conspirators to collect it. The defendants used “fraud callers” to speak with victims and gather their addresses and other information. These details were then given to “fraud couriers,” who were tasked with meeting victims to pick up cash, or other items of value, at or near their homes. In an effort to further gain victims’ trust, the fraudulent callers would give them a password and told that a courier they would meet would provide this same password to confirm the validity of the transaction. In other instances, victims were instructed to mail cash to locations which the members of the conspiracy controlled. In total, more than $201,000 was taken from victims in Ohio. The ill-gotten proceeds from these fraudulent activities were allegedly laundered across state lines through various methods. In attempts to conceal the origins of the funds, conspirators also routed proceeds through cryptocurrency account holders based in China. Shi has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and concealment of money laundering and faces up to 20 years in prison. Zhong has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy and faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their roles in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough for the Northern District of Ohio. The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio would like to acknowledge and thank the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and the Cleveland Heights Police Department for their cooperation with this matter. The investigation and prosecution of this case is in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The mission of the EAPPA and Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target the nation’s elderly population. To bring awareness to the financial abuse of senior citizens, the USAO recently issued an announcement warning of scams that target the elderly. Click here to read more about Elder Abuse Awareness Month . To submit a report of suspected elder financial abuse, visit tips.fbi.gov/home or justice.gov/elderjustice/financial-exploitation .


title: Hays man sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for death on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Hays man who fatally stabbed a woman on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 51 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,050 in restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Tonylee Andrew Sears, 24, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of voluntary manslaughter. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that in the early hours of January 13, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of a stabbing at Sears’ home. Officers found the victim, Jane Doe, on the floor of the living room, bleeding. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers interviewed both Sears and a witness. The witness said he and Jane Doe had gone over to Sears’ house to drink alcohol and hang out. According to the witness, Sears and Jane Doe got into an argument that escalated. Sears ultimately grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Jane Doe while she was on the ground. The witness pulled Sears off Jane Doe and called 911. Sears threw the knife in the kitchen sink. When Sears was interviewed, he also told officers he and Jane Doe had gotten into an argument during which Jane Doe said something about Sears’ parents—both of whom are deceased—that aggravated him. Jane Doe and Sears then ended up in a scuffle on the floor. Sears admitted he stabbed her while they were rolling around on the floor. During the investigation, officers recovered a knife from the kitchen sink, which still had blood on the blade and on the handle. Additionally, Jane Doe’s body was autopsied. The autopsy report concluded Jane Doe’s cause of death was a stab wound to the trunk: a knife pierced her heart, almost immediately killing her. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services. XXX


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a Child

body_text: WASHINGTON - Jason Hanif Rehman, 40, of Rockville, Md., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 168 months federal in prison in connection with coercing a minor victim to send him sexually explicit images of herself over the internet. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Rehman pleaded guilty on Nov. 21, 2024, to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. In addition to the 14-year prison term, Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Rehman to serve 10 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, in October and November of 2018, Rehman communicated with a 15-year-old girl on Snapchat. Rehman directed her to produce and send him child sexual abuse material. He also sent her explicit photographs of himself. Over the course of five weeks, Rehman continued to coerce the victim into sending him child sexual abuse material and, on at least two separate dates, traveled from Maryland and Washington, D.C. to Virginia where he had sex with her. A fellow student notified school officials of the minor victim’s communication with an adult male. Investigators identified the male as Rehman. Subsequently, other minors at the school disclosed that Rehman had sent them similarly sexually explicit messages and requests over Snapchat. When investigators located Rehman, he admitted that he had used his Snapchat account to contact the victim and knew she was 15 years old. He also admitted to convincing her to send him explicit photos and admitted to having sexual intercourse with her. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in conjunction with the Fairfax County Police Department. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell for the District of Columbia. and Trial Attorney Angelica Carrasco of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . 23cr64


title: Honduran National Sentenced to 6 Months for  Re-Entry of Removed Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ (“AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ”) , age 29, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on June 17, 2025, for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison. According to court documents, AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ reentered the United States after he was previously deported on June 8, 2018. The Pacific Enforcement Response Center issued a detainer on December 22,2024, after AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ , was booked into Orleans Justice Center after being arrested for several state charges and the Pacific Enforcement Response Center issued a detainer on March 5,2025, after the subject was arrested and booked into Jefferson Parish on municipal and traffic attachments. On March 7, 2025, Enforcement and Removal Operations New Orleans picked up AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ after he was released from local custody and turned over to immigration on the active detainer. Department of Homeland Security record checks reflect that AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ was last deported on June 8, 2018, to Honduras. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Brockton Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Cocaine and Firearms Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area. Malcolm Desir, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, with the first year of probation to be served in home detention. In February 2025 , Desir pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting; four counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm; one count of firearms trafficking; and one count of knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Desir was arrested and charged in November 2023 along with co-conspirators Cordell Miller and Alan Robinson. Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. Over a three-month investigation beginning in August 2023, Miller sold several firearms to a cooperating witness during controlled purchases and coordinated multiple sales of distribution-weight cocaine, which were handled by Desir. During one controlled purchase, Desir also sold the cooperating witness a firearm he had purchased from Miller two years prior. More than 1.5 kilograms of powdered and crack cocaine, unknown prescription pills, indicia of distribution and two illegal firearms were recovered during a search at Desir’s residence. In April 2025 , Robinson was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Miller pleaded guilty in February 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: General Manager Pleads Guilty to Practice of Hiring Aliens

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – John Washburn, general manager of San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings in El Cajon, pleaded guilty in federal court today to engaging in a pattern or practice of hiring undocumented immigrants without authorization to work. As part of the plea agreement, Washburn admitted that he knew at least 10 workers were undocumented immigrants at the company, and that three were living in a company warehouse where U.S. Navy submarine components were being stored. These charges stemmed from a search warrant that was served by federal agents at the company’s warehouses in March of this year. Washburn was immediately sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major to one year probation and 50 hours of community service. According to the plea agreement, Washburn admitted he had communicated with other managers at San Diego Powder & Protective Coating about certain employees who had “issues” with their paperwork or “bad paperwork,” meaning some employees lacked valid documents showing they had legal authorization to work in the U.S. In or around 2024, the defendant communicated with company officials regarding assigning employees with “good paperwork” to work at the military base because those employees would be subjected to additional screening prior to entering restricted areas on the base. Homeland Security Investigations San Diego is investigating these cases with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; GSA - Office of Inspector General; United States Border Patrol; Customs and Border Protection, ERO; NCIS; SBA – Office of Inspector General; Drug Enforcement Administration San Diego Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F.B. Beshar and Michael A. Deshong. DEFENDANT Case Number 25mj1458-BLM John Washburn Age: 57 SUMMARY OF CHARGES Engaging in a Pattern or Practice of Employing Aliens, in violation of Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(a)(1)(A) and (f); Maximum Penalty: Six months in prison; $3,000 fine per alien. INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations Naval Criminal Investigative Service U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General Enforcement and Removal Operations Drug Enforcement Administration Bureau Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives U.S. Border Patrol U.S. Customs and Border Protection This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Ozark Timeshare Salesman Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Evade Taxation

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ozark, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of attempting to evade or defeat taxation. Ryan J. McMillin, 52, admitted during his plea that he did not report income he received while employed as a timeshare salesman with four different companies from 2018 to 2023. Because McMillin claimed exempt status on his W-4s his employers did not withhold taxes from McMillin’s paychecks. McMillin also failed to make an income tax return or pay income taxes to the IRS for those six calendar years. McMillin owes the IRS an estimated $581,981 in unpaid taxes. Under federal statutes, McMillin is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigations.


title: Man from Dominican Republic sentenced for transporting illegal aliens

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Silvestre German Andujar, 53, a citizen of the Dominican Republic living in Hamilton, Ontario, who was convicted of alien smuggling for commercial advantage and private financial gain, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maeve E. Huggins and Paul E. Bonanno, who handled the case, stated that on January 3, 2024, Andujar, an alien, and three other individuals who were not citizens or nationals of the United States, traveled on a motorized raft vessel on the Niagara River from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada. Andujar piloted the vessel across the United States-Canada border. U.S. Border Patrol Agents responded to the area as Andujar and the others got off the vessel, prompting them to flee. Simultaneously, law enforcement observed co-defendant Luis Davis German Soriano, who had driven from New Jersey to an agreed upon location in Youngstown, NY, to pick-up Andujar and the others, driving in the area near the vessel’s landing spot on the shoreline. Officers conducted a traffic stop. Soriano provided conflicting information as to the purpose of his travel but was released by officers. He then drove back to the pick-up location and picked up Andujar and the others inside the van. On January 4, 2024, U.S. Border Patrol Agents, parked on the Niagara Scenic Parkway near Blairville Road in Youngstown, observed Soriano operating the van that contained Andujar and the three passengers. Agents stopped the van on Youngstown-Lockport Road in Ransomville, NY. All four occupants in the van were arrested and official immigration records checks conducted. Luis Davis German Soriano was previously convicted and sentenced. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Martin B. Coombs, and the Lewiston Police Department, under the direction of Chief Frank Previte. # # # #


title: Former Rolla Church Volunteer Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison on Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a former church youth ministry volunteer from Rolla, Missouri to 9 years in prison for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material. Bradley Thomas Colvin was also ordered to pay $84,000 to 28 victims that have been identified in the child sexual abuse material (CSAM) he possessed. Colvin searched for, viewed and downloaded CSAM for years. Colvin also distributed child pornography via a peer-to peer file sharing program to an officer with the Missouri State Highway Patrol who was conducting an investigation. After a court-approved search of Colvin’s home, Colvin admitted during a polygraph examination having touched a minor for sexual gratification years earlier at a pool party to celebrate the end of Vacation Bible School. Investigators also found at least 833 videos and 5,566 images containing CSAM on Colvin’s computers and electronic devices, he admitted as part of a guilty plea. Colvin, 52, pleaded guilty in March in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. He will be on supervised release for life after his release from prison. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Marshall County Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Ryan Bobby Schnettler, 34, of Benwood, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, Schnettler was on supervised release for a prior child pornography charge. U.S. Probation conducted home inspections and found three undocumented phones. A search of the phones uncovered hundreds of images of child pornography and evidence of chats with underage females. Schnettler admitted that he portrayed himself as a 17-year-old within teen chat and kid chat room websites. Schnettler has prior convictions of second-degree sexual assault, failure to register as a sex offender, and possession of child pornography Schnettler will serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Probation Office investigated. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Nigerian Citizen Sentenced in Fraud and Money Laundering Case

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 17, 2025, Otaniyen Iduozee, a Nigerian citizen who came to the United States on a student visa, was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment for his role in laundering the proceeds of an extensive fraud scheme. Iduozee previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). According to court records, the case involved a “romance scam,” which is a fraud scheme—typically targeting elderly or vulnerable Americans—in which the fraudster feigns romantic intentions towards a victim. The fraudster, using a fake or stolen identity, typically meets the victim through an online dating website or application. The fraudster spends weeks or months cultivating a romantic relationship with the victim through online messaging, emails, text messaging, or voice calls, to gain his or her affection and trust. Once the fraudster gains the victim’s affection, he begins to tell the victim about urgent financial needs, such as a business opportunity, a tax debt, or a family illness, and pressures the victim to provide financial assistance, often with the promise of repayment. Those “loans” are never repaid, however, and many victims have lost their life savings. Court records demonstrate that after obtaining the victims’ funds in this case, the defendants laundered them through multiple transactions and moved the funds overseas. Iduozee was a money launderer for the conspiracy who established and controlled numerous fraudulent bank accounts through which millions of dollars of victims’ funds were laundered. He engaged in laundering transactions that were designed to, and did, remit the victims’ funds back to Nigeria. At the sentencing hearing, Chief United States District Court Judge Pamela Pepper acknowledged the widespread nature of these types of fraud schemes and the devastating impact they have on victims. Upon completion of his 42-month sentence, Iduozee has agreed to removal from the United States. “Individuals and groups who engage in these types of schemes not only cause financial loss but also shatter the trust of their victims, inflicting multiple layers of trauma and harm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. “I commend the courage of the victims in speaking up and commend the hard work of all involved in seeking to hold the conspirators accountable for their actions.” This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Taibleson and Carter Stewart. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Twice Convicted Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 180 Months’ Imprisonment

body_text: ST. GEORGE, Utah –Twice convicted sex offender, Payden Davis, 30, of Santa Clara, Utah, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release after he intended to meet with an 11-year-old boy to sexually abuse him after communicating via a social media platform. Davis, a registered sex offender, violated his federal supervised release imposed in a prior case in which he was convicted of possession of child pornography in 2018. His sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Davis pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025. According to court documents and statements made at Davis’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, between November 6, 2023 and November 7, 2023, Davis used a portable gaming console to communicate via social media with an undercover agent posing as the father of an 11-year-old boy. During the communications, Davis repeatedly confirmed to the undercover agent he wanted to sexually abuse the 11-year-old child stating “I think it would be fun, if he is into it” among other sexually explicit communications. Davis and the undercover agent agreed to meet at a pre-determined location. Meanwhile the undercover agent discovered that Davis was a registered sex offender, having been convicted of possession of child pornography in 2018, and that he was currently on federal supervised release. On November 7, 2025, Davis arrived at the pre-arranged location and was taken into custody without incident. At the time of his arrest, Davis’s social media account geolocated to the location of the arrest. Additionally, Davis was in possession of a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 cellphone, an AYANEO handheld gaming computer, and other evidence of his intent to sexually abuse an 11-year-old boy. Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Hancock County Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jennifer Ann Miller, 38, of Colliers, West Virginia, was sentenced today for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller, also known as “Jennifer Reagan” and “Jenn,” sold methamphetamine on several occasions in 2022. On July 12, 2022, during a traffic stop, officers found Miller in possession of approximately361 grams of methamphetamine. Miller pled guilty to that offense. While on pretrial release, Miller continued selling methamphetamine. On June 4, 2024, a grand jury returned a second Indictment against Miller, charging her with four counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Miller pled guilty to one count, and the government agreed to dismiss the remaining charges against her. Miller was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and 33 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine. The sentences will run concurrent to each other, for a total sentence of 78 months’ incarceration. Miller will serve 3 years of supervised release following her prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Weirton Police Department investigated. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Missouri Woman Admits Stealing Imprisoned Brother’s Disability Benefits

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A Missouri woman on Wednesday admitted stealing her brother’s Social Security disability payments during the decade he spent in prison. Lora Houck, 57, of Kahoka, in Clark County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of theft of government money. She admitted as part of her plea that she was power of attorney for her brother and had control of his bank accounts. During his time in prison, she was aware that he was not entitled to the benefits but used her status as his power of attorney to access his bank accounts and his disability benefits, her plea says. Her brother was in prison from May 2013 to June 2023, but the benefits stopped in September 2021. During that time, Houck stole a total of $157,323. At Houck’s September 23 sentencing, she faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll is prosecuting the case.


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to 150 Months for Gun and Drug-Related Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Quantrese Brazzell, 48 , of Memphis has been sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Interim U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, on December 31, 2022, officers with the Memphis Police Department responded to a suspicious vehicle report at the intersection of East Georgia Avenue and Walnut Street. When officers arrived, Defendant Brazzell was found to be the driver and sole occupant. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and the Defendant was found to be in possession of approximately 500 pressed pills, which were later confirmed to be fentanyl. Additionally, officers recovered a Springfield Arms Saint 5.56 caliber rifle loaded with approximately 31 live rounds. A federal grand jury for the Western District of Tennessee returned a two-count indictment on December 12, 2023, alleging violations of 21 U.S.C. § 841 (unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute) and 18 U.S.C. §922(g) (a convicted felon in possession of a firearm). After a four-day trial, a jury found the Defendant guilty as to counts 1 and 2 of the indictment. On June 17, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced the Defendant to 150 months' imprisonment and three years supervised release consecutive to 18 months' imprisonment in case number 2:16-cr-20153. The Defendant was on federal supervised release for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 at the time of the offense. This is the Defendant’s fourth federal conviction. 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. This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Kimbril-Parks and Greg Allen prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Possession

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Demarcus R. Brown, 22, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to 100 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Brown was at a residence in Marshall County that was searched by investigators. Officers seized more than 300 grams of methamphetamine and nearly 12 grams of fentanyl. Brown has prior firearms convictions. Brown will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Ocala Mental Health Counselor Arrested For Aggravated Identity Theft And Fourteen Counts Of Wire Fraud

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Michelle Forsythe (61, Ocala) on an indictment charging her with 14 counts of wire fraud and 1 count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Forsythe faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count. For the aggravated identity theft count, she faces a mandatory federal prison sentence of 2 years that must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. The indictment also notifies Forsythe that the United States intends to forfeit $483,511.44, which are alleged to be the proceeds of the offenses. According to court records, Forsythe is a licensed mental health counselor. Between January 2016 and December 2022, Forsythe used the names and insurance policy information of 22 individuals without their knowledge or consent to overbill two health insurance companies. Forsythe falsely claimed that she had provided counseling services to these individuals when she had not. As a result of the false billing, the health insurance companies electronically transferred payments to Forsythe for her services. In one instance, Forsythe used the name and health insurance information for an individual whom she had never seen as a patient to fraudulently bill for her counseling services. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.


title: Five Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Deportation; Another Sentenced for Fraudulent Passport Applications

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that five defendants convicted of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations, and one defendant convicted of making false statements in his passport applications so he could illegally reside in the U.S., were sentenced this week. Ronal Leonardo Suarez , 44, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty this afternoon to illegal reentry and was sentenced to time served, three months, by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney. Having completed his prison sentence, Suarez again will be removed from the country. Suarez had had previously been deported from the U.S. in July 2003, after he was encountered by immigration authorities and ordered removed. In March of this year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) located and arrested Suarez outside the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in Norristown, where he had an appearance on a pending criminal charge. Suarez was charged by federal indictment with illegal reentry in April. Demetrio Pulido Urbina , 39, a Mexican national, was sentenced this morning to time served, just over four months, by United States District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg, for illegal reentry. Having completed his prison sentence, Pulido Urbina again will be removed from the country. Pulido Urbina had previously been removed from the U.S. three times: twice in February 2015, after separate encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas and Arizona, and again in June 2016, after he was convicted in the District of Arizona of illegally reentering the United States and had completed his 30-day sentence. In August 2024, ICE received electronic notification that Pulido Urbina had been arrested by the Caln Township (Pa.) Police Department on a charge of simple assault. ICE located and arrested Pulido Urbina in February of this year. He was charged by indictment the same month and pleaded guilty in April. Gonzalo Hernandez-Roque , 28, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to illegal reentry and was sentenced to time served, almost three months, by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher. Having completed his prison sentence, Hernandez-Roque again will be removed from the country. A May 2016 encounter with the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas led an immigration judge to order his deportation, and he was removed from the country that July. In March of this year, ICE located and administratively arrested Hernandez-Roque and he was charged by indictment in April. Guillermo Lopez-Ramirez , 34, a Guatemalan national, was also sentenced on Tuesday by Judge Gallagher to time served, almost three months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country. Lopez-Ramirez had had previously been removed from the U.S. in May 2015, after he was encountered and arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol for being in the country illegally. In July of 2024, ICE received electronic notification that Lopez-Ramirez had been arrested by the Upper Moreland Township (Pa.) Police Department. After conducting surveillance to verify the defendant’s identity and location, ICE arrested Lopez-Ramirez in March of this year, and he was charged by information in April. Martin Astudillo Estrada , aka Martely Ortiz Perez, 41, a Mexican national, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer to four months in prison for illegal reentry. At the conclusion of his sentence, he again will be removed from the country. Following multiple encounters with U.S. immigration authorities between 2000 and 2013 that had resulted in Astudillo Estrada’s voluntary departures back to Mexico, he was encountered in June of 2015 by the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona and removed from the U.S. that July. In July 2024, ICE received an electronic notification that the Downingtown Borough Police Department had arrested Astudillo Estrada for driving under the influence of a controlled substance/alcohol, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was accepted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program in November 2024. Earlier this year, ICE officers conducted surveillance, confirmed Astudillo Estrada’s location and identity, and took him into custody in February. He was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in March and pleaded guilty in April. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lizmar Bosques, Rosalynda M. Michetti, Robert Schopf, Rebecca J. Kulik, and Robert J. Livermore. Also on Monday, Andres De La Rosa Hernandez , 61, a Dominican native illegally residing in Camden, New Jersey, was sentenced to time served, approximately two months, by United States District Judge John F. Murphy for making a false statement in application of a passport. Having completed his prison sentence, De La Rosa Hernandez will be removed from the country. The defendant was charged by information in April of this year and pleaded guilty in May, at which time he waived prosecution by indictment. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, De La Rosa Hernandez had been living illegally in the United States under the name and identity of a U.S. citizen, filing for and receiving multiple U.S. passport books and cards in that citizen’s name. Specifically, in May 2004 the defendant fraudulently obtained a U.S. passport book in in the name and other identifiers of Victim 1, and in August 2014, used that U.S. passport book to fraudulently obtain a renewed U.S. passport book and U.S. passport card. In September 2024, De La Rosa Hernandez used the fraudulently obtained 2014 U.S. passport book and U.S. passport card to attempt to receive a renewed U.S. passport book and U.S. passport card. Ultimately, they were not issued, after the Philadelphia Passport Agency discovered multiple fraud indicators during the adjudication process and referred the matter to the U.S. Department of State. This case was investigated by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Livermore.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in federal court today for illegal possession of firearms. Jose Montero-Barradas, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of Alien in Possession of Firearms. According to court documents, Montero-Barradas knew he was present in the United States illegally and unlawfully, when he knowingly possessed two firearms on March 23, 2025. Specifically, on the evening of March 23, 2025, members of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were dispatched to a residential area in Kansas City following a report of shots fired. Officers arriving on the scene observed Montero-Barradas walking into a residence with two firearms, which were later recovered. Under federal law it is illegal for an alien to possess a firearm or ammunition. Montero-Barradas faces up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon the advisory sentencing guidelines and other factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Operating  Drone Over Venue Hosting NFL Wild Card Game

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Alexis Perez Suarez, 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to knowingly and willfully violating national defense airspace. After accepting the guilty plea, Magistrate Judge Charles D. Austin sentenced Suarez to one year of supervised probation, 100 hours of community service, and a $500 fine for flying a drone over M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2025, during the National Football League’s Wild Card game in Baltimore. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG), Mid-Atlantic Regional Office; and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (MSP). According to the guilty plea, the Federal Aviation Administration put a temporary flight restriction (TFR) in place for M&T Bank Stadium during the January 11, NFL playoff game, making it a No Drone Zone. The restriction precluded flying any Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), including an UAS under the Exception for Recreational Flyers. A TFR temporarily restricts certain aircraft, including an UAS, from operating within a three nautical mile radius of the stadium. “Public safety is a top priority, so we’re committed to protecting our airways above mass gatherings. Suarez knew that M&T Bank Stadium was under a temporary flight restriction, yet he flew his drone into the airspace anyway, which is unacceptable,” Hayes said. “There is a zero-tolerance policy for operating Unmanned Aircraft Systems in No Drone Zones. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our partners, will hold those accountable who ignore the rules and regulations surrounding restricted airspace.” “It is not just irresponsible and reckless, but illegal to fly a drone over a major sporting event such as a Ravens playoff game. Capturing a photo is not worth the risk of hurting any spectators, players, or employees. As shown by this investigation, the FBI and our partners will hold those caught violating the law fully accountable," Koldjeski said. “Federal laws regulating the use of drones exist for a reason: to protect people and keep our skies safe,” Thompson said. “Flying drones illegally— especially overcrowded sporting events — is reckless and dangerous. Today’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to working with our partners to hold violators accountable and prevent potential disasters.” Instituting a TFR is standard practice for stadiums or sporting venues hosting regular or postseason contests for the NFL, Major League Baseball, NCAA Division I, NASCAR Cup, Indy Car, and Champ Series Race. The TFR goes into effect one hour before the scheduled start time and lasts until one hour after the end of a qualifying event. During the wild-card game, NFL Security temporarily suspended the game due to the serious threat posed by the incursion of an unidentified and unapproved drone. MSP Troopers and FBI Special Agents tracked the movement of the drone over the stadium and deployed to the area where the drone landed. Although Suarez had left the scene, law enforcement identified him and traced him to his residence. Suarez admitted that the drone was not registered, and that he lacked the required training and licensing, including a remote pilot certificate, to operate a UAS. Suarez also admitted in his plea that he flew the drone directly over the stadium despite knowing about the flight restrictions. According to the complaint’s affidavit, Suarez captured approximately seven photos of the Stadium while flying over the game with thousands of people below his flight path. There is a zero-tolerance policy regarding UAS/drone use anywhere within the FAA ’s No Drone Zone. Anyone who attempts to fly a UAS/drone in any prohibited manner is subject to arrest, prosecution, fines, and/or imprisonment. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, DOT OIG, and MSP for their work in the investigation, and the FAA Office of Security & Hazardous Materials Safety and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their substantial assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert I. Goldaris who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former Member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty for Assault Against a Rival Motorcycle Club Member

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in an assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club. Jarrid A. Hammer, also known as “Hammer,” 45, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering. On July 20, 2023, Hammer and two other members of the Pagan’s assaulted a lone rival motorcycle gang member at a bar & grill in North Kansas City, Mo. Hammer told the victim that they were there to shut the victim’s club down, then flipped a table over knocking the victim to the ground. Once on the ground, Hammer and the other two Pagan’s began stomping, kicking and punching the victim. The victim later told law enforcement that those who assaulted them were wearing steel-toed boots. Hammer and the two others fled the bar & grill before any law enforcement arrived. The victim was later transported by ambulance to a local hospital, suffering from a head contusion (bruise on the brain), rib fracture, hemothorax (accumulation of blood in the area between the chest wall and lungs), a left pulmonary contusion (bruising of the lung), pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and a traumatic brain injury. Under federal statutes, Hammer is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Bokeelia Man Sentenced To More Than Six Years In Federal Prison For Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Vincent Jay Yau (43, Bokeelia) to six years and six months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The court also ordered Yau to forfeit his laptop and cellphone, which were used to commit the offense. Yau pleaded guilty on February 19, 2025. According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) served a federal search warrant on Yau’s residence where they located multiple electronic devices attributed to Yau. On those devices agents located thousands of files containing CSAM, some depicting toddlers. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: CARRABELLE BOAT CAPTAIN SENTENCED FOR ASSAULTING DECKHANDS IN THE GULF OF AMERICA

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Terry Carrington, 38, of Carrabelle, Florida was sentenced today to 84 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury that occurred in the Gulf of America. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. According to court records, Carrington and the two victims were fishing for red snapper as part of a multi-day commercial fishing trip in April 2024. During the trip, Carrington, without provocation, struck the first victim, breaking his jaw, rendering him unconscious. Carrington then retrieved a rifle and attempted to shoot the second victim, who after multiple shots were fired wrestled the rifle away from Carrington. Ultimately, the victims subdued Carrington and returned to land where they were able to alert law enforcement. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant has been held responsible for his violent, unprovoked attack on two innocent individuals. My office is committed to the safety of every person in the Northern District of Florida and is dedicated to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure violent criminals are held accountable, no matter where they commit their crimes in this District.” Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agent in Charge, Damon Youmans, stated, “Together with our state and local law enforcement partners, CGIS maintains a zero-tolerance policy for crimes in the maritime domain. Today’s sentencing serves as a clear warning that those who commit such crimes will be investigated fully and punished accordingly.” The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Welch. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: New York Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Bank Fraud Scheme

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Oliver Tejada, 25, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage to 60 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and forfeiture of $780,837.11, in connection with a scheme to steal more than $1 million from the bank accounts of at least 23 victims. In some instances, the financial institutions were able to reverse the fraudulent transactions, resulting in an actual loss to the banks of $780,837.11. Tejada was charged by indictment in May 2024 and pleaded guilty in March of this year to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. To carry out their scheme, Tejada and associates obtained confidential bank account information from their victims, some of whom were elderly or retired. After the account information had been secured, the conspirators made phone calls to the various banks to obtain a current balance on the account and attempted to obtain additional information about the accounts. Once all the necessary banking documentation was secured, Tejada worked with an imposter to steal the cash from the bank. Tejada obtained a fake identification card with the photo of the imposter but the personal identifying information of the victim, and then transported that imposter to a bank branch location, ten out of eleven of which were located within the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. That imposter sometimes secured a bank debit card using the fake identification documents. More often, the imposter made a large withdrawal or placed a large wire transfer to the account of an individual who had been recruited to receive the money. After receiving the wire transfer, the receiving account was quickly depleted. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Livermore.