title: Columbia Men Charged with Arson After Destroying Caldwell Parish’s Only Catholic Church the Friday Before Holy Week

body_text: SHREVEPORT– On April 1, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana charged Anthony Dillon, Jr., 19, and James Dale Smith IV, 21, both of Columbia, with arson after the two burned down the only Catholic church in Caldwell Parish the Friday before Holy Week was set to begin. If convicted, the two men face a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of federal supervision, and a fine of $250,000. “Worshiping where we choose is a fundamental liberty woven into the founding fabric of this Nation, and these two men are alleged to have destroyed the sole church in Caldwell Parish where its Catholic residents could meet and worship right before the holiest week in the church calendar,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office looks forward to seeking and securing justice for the residents of Caldwell Parish here and hope that this case shows our rural communities that we remain present and vigilant in serving and protecting them.” As alleged in court documents, Dillon and Smith were residing in a home that was stealing electricity from the church and sold a broken television set to another Columbia resident in the days leading up to the arson. After the church disrupted the electricity theft and the men’s customer contacted them about the broken television, Dillon and Smith showed up to the church in the early hours of March 27, 2026, breaking a window with a baseball bat to gain entry to the church. After ransacking the church’s electronic equipment, including the theft of at least three televisions and a sound system, the men set the church ablaze. When law enforcement arrived after a 911 call reported the church to be on fire, they found the church burning down: By the time the fire was extinguished, the church’s interior was largely destroyed: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating this case with assistance from the Louisiana State Fire Marshal, the Caldwell Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Joanne Henry-Mills. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer , under Case Number 26-mj-00089. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Twitter @USAO_WDLA


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to drug charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Antonio Rivera-Perez, 23, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Fitzsimmons and Katerina Powers, who are handling the case, stated that on January 22 and January 28, 2025, the DEA conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl from Rivera-Perez. On April 22, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Rivera-Perez’s Langfield Drive residence, seizing approximately 1,072 grams of powder cocaine, 198 grams of crack cocaine, 190 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 19 handgun, several firearm magazines, ammunition, approximately $3,500 in U.S. currency, and drug paraphernalia. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division. Sentencing is scheduled for August 11, 2026, before Judge Vilardo. # # # #


title: 8 Arrested in Health Care Fraud Takedown, Including Owners of Hospices that Billed Taxpayers Millions of Dollars to Serve the ‘Dying’

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – In coordination with the Vice President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, eight defendants, including three nurses, a chiropractor, and a purported psychologist, have been arrested on federal charges that they schemed to defraud the nation’s health care system out of more than $50 million – including by running sham hospice care facilities that bilked Medicare by using people without terminal illnesses as beneficiaries, the Justice Department announced today. Six of the defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. One defendant is expected to make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Idaho. “We are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for criminals who defraud American taxpayers,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The defendants arrested this morning who are charged with stealing millions of dollars of health care benefits got caught and now face years in federal prison.” “The Southern California region is a high-risk environment for hospice-related and many other forms of health care fraud,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The United States loses hundreds of billions of dollars annually to healthcare fraud at the expense of all American taxpayers, whose benefits decrease as premiums, co-payments and taxes grow. Our aim is to reverse that trend with ‘Operation Never Say Die’ and others like it.” “The defendants charged today allegedly turned hospice care into a cash producing operation, resulting in more than $50 million in losses to taxpayers. The magnitude of the losses underscores a deliberate abuse of the authority and trust afforded to health care providers,” said Inspector General T. March Bell of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s takedown reflects HHS-OIG’s commitment to deploy every tool at our disposal, and collaborate with our law enforcement partners, to dismantle hospice operations built on deception. Anyone who seeks to weaponize hospice care to bilk Medicare should expect to be held accountable.” “Today’s arrests are another decisive strike in our war on fraud,” said U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito. “My office is relentlessly pursuing those who target union benefit plans and exploit employee healthcare programs for personal gain. Working side-by-side with the FBI, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, and our law-enforcement partners, we are aggressively dismantling fraud schemes and taking down those who exploit American workers. Let this be a warning: If you steal from workers or taxpayers, your time is up. We will find you, investigate you, and hold you accountable.” “When employee benefit plans become targets for fraud, it’s not just the plans that are hurt – everyday working Americans who earned those benefits honestly, their families, and the communities they live in are hurt,” said Robert Prunty, Acting Regional Director U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Los Angeles Regional Office. “In the Trump Administration, we will relentlessly seek out fraud and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.” “Health care fraud undermines federal programs, threatens public trust, diverts resources away from legitimate patient care, and is a calculated attack on programs meant to protect the vulnerable,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, IRS‑CI Los Angeles Field Office. “The enforcement actions taken today demonstrate IRS‑CI’s commitment to uncovering the financial lies behind these schemes and holding accountable those who profit at the expense of taxpayers and patients. Our agents will continue to work alongside our law‑enforcement partners to protect the integrity of our healthcare system and ensure that those who abuse it are brought to justice.” MEDICARE HOSPICE CARE FRAUD USA v. Minerd Lolita Beronilla Minerd, 65, a.k.a. “Lolita Beronilla Rice,” of Anaheim, a licensed vocational nurse, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging her with health care fraud. According to court documents, Minerd owned and operated the Artesia-based Topanga Hospice Care Inc. From July 2020 to April 2025, Minerd used this company to submit more than $9,174,117 in fraudulent hospice claims to Medicare, which paid more than $8,510,448 on these claims. Through Topanga, Minerd billed Medicare for hospice services for beneficiaries who were not terminally ill. Numerous beneficiaries had common addresses and lived far from the facility, which is consistent with being recruited by marketers. The investigation further revealed that Minerd paid kickbacks to beneficiaries and marketers for the referral of purported hospice patients to her company. One beneficiary couple was approached at a market about signing up and then were visited at home by Minerd and three other Topanga employees, who promised them if they signed up everything would be free, and they each would receive $300 per month. The money was delivered in an envelope in cash: $600 per month for six months. Neither beneficiary stated they had a terminal illness, which their physician confirmed. The couple also reported receiving unneeded items such as nutritional shakes, non-prescription vitamins, and wheelchairs. Topanga had a non-death discharge rate of approximately 85%, nearly five times the national average of 17.2% from 2021. The FBI is investigating this matter along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra M. Michael of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case. USA v. Gill, et al. Gladwin Gill, a 66-year-old purported psychologist, and his wife, Amelou Gill, a 70-year-old registered nurse, both of Covina, were arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging them with health care fraud. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the Gills owned and operated the Glendale-based 626 Hospice Inc., which did business as St. Francis Palliative Care. The Gills allegedly schemed to defraud Medicare by paying illegal kickbacks for the referral of patients who were not dying. The Gills also submitted more than $5.2 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services that either were not medically necessary or were not provided. Medicare paid the Gills more than $4 million on these fraudulent claims. They then laundered the scheme’s proceeds and spent their ill-gotten gains on personal expenses such as mortgage payments, car payments, international flights, restaurants, and personal bills. The Gills are expected to make their initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. HHS-OIG, the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating this matter with assistance from United States Trustee, Region 16, Los Angeles Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney David Y. Pi of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case. USA v. Palma, et al. Nita Almuete Paddit Palma, 76, a thrice-convicted health care fraudster now incarcerated at a federal prison in Seattle, and her husband, Adolfo Cezar Catbagan, 68, of Glendale, are charged in an 11-count indictment with operating at least three fraudulent hospice care facilities – including while Palma was free on bond awaiting a hospice fraud trial. Law enforcement arrested Catbagan this morning. Palma, who is a lawful permanent resident from the Philippines, and Catbagan are charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud and 10 counts of health care fraud. According to the indictment, from June 2022 to April 2024, Palma and Catbagan opened three Glendale-based hospice care facilities despite Palma being legally barred from doing so: One Up Hospice Care Inc., Rosewood Hospice and Palliative Care Inc., and Advance Hospice and Palliative Care Inc. Catbagan was named as the nominal owner and CEO of the three hospices when Palma in fact owned and exercised operating control of them – despite her exclusion – so Medicare would not deny the companies’ claims. The defendants submitted false claims to Medicare for beneficiaries who were not terminally ill and the physicians supposedly providing hospice services did not treat the patients. Palma and Catbagan submitted at least $4.8 million in fraudulent claims through these companies, resulting in Medicare payments of at least $4.2 million. HHS-OIG and the FBI are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roach and Roger A. Hsieh of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters for this case. USA v. Tindimubona Evelyn Tindimubona, 51, a licensed vocational nurse from Chatsworth, is charged in a federal criminal complaint with health care fraud. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, from January 2022 to September 2025, Tindimubona used the Tarzana-based Comfort Choice Hospice Inc. to submit to Medicare hundreds of fraudulent claims for purported hospice services to dozens of beneficiaries. For those claims, Comfort Choice sought more than $3.8 million, of which Medicare paid approximately $3.4 million. For example, in November 2022, Comfort Choice submitted a claim to Medicare in the amount of $7,021, for reimbursement of hospice services for a beneficiary. Law enforcement later interviewed this beneficiary and other Comfort Choice patients who said they were not terminally ill, a requirement to qualify for hospice care. Tindimubona allegedly also paid kickbacks to marketers for their referral of hospice patients to Comfort Choice in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. HHS-OIG is investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Yervant P. Hagopian of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case. USA v. Lauritzen Ivan Verne Lauritzen, 50, of Simi Valley, was arrested Tuesday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with health care fraud. According to court documents, Lauritzen was the CEO and CFO of the Simi Valley-based Valley Pacific Hospice Inc., whose Medicare enrollment was revoked in August 2024. In 2022, the live discharge rate of Valley Pacific patients was more than 75%, vastly higher than the national average that year of approximately 17%. Based on an audit examining 18 Valley Pacific Medicare claims from August 2023 to March 2024, CMS determined the company had a pattern and practice of submitting claims that failed to meet Medicare’s hospice standards and requirements. To facilitate this fraud, Lauritzen forged the signature of at least one physician on the Medicare enrollment forms. During the alleged scheme, Valley Pacific billed Medicare more than $580,000 and was paid more than $526,000. Lauritzen made his initial appearance Tuesday and was ordered released on $10,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for April 27. HHS-OIG is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Neil P. Thakor of the Major Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. PRIVATE HEALTH CARE PLAN FRAUD USA v. Aulava-Moala, et al. Four defendants with South Bay ties – one of them a licensed chiropractor – have been charged in a two-count information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud in connection with a $19 million scheme to defraud a labor union’s health plan via false claims for chiropractic services and physical therapy that weren’t needed or never provided. The defendants charged are: Tolu Aulava-Moala, 51, of Carson, who was the director of the facilities; John Nicola, 77, of El Segundo, a licensed chiropractor; Crysta Richter, 40, of Torrance, who owned a medical billing company; and John Keohuloa, 49, of Long Beach. These defendants will be summonsed into Los Angeles federal court and are expected to make their initial appearances in the coming weeks. According to court documents, from January 2010 to September 2023, they fraudulently submitted at least $19,005,463 in claims to International Longshore and Warehouse Union Pacific Maritime Association and other private health insurers on behalf of several chiropractic and physical therapy service companies: Ohana Wellness Center, Ohana Management Corp., and R3New Wellness – all based in Carson – and the Huntington Beach-based One Life Acupuncture APC. Aulava-Moala and Keohuloa induced beneficiaries to visit clinics to receive medically unnecessary services, such as massages or endoscopies, in exchange for kickback payments. Nicola knowingly created fake client notes for beneficiaries, and Aulava-Moala, Nicola, and Richter submitted false and fraudulent claims to health insurers for reimbursement for medical services. In August 2022, the former owner of the Ohana companies testified under oath at a civil trial that the companies falsified patient chart notes and billed claims under chiropractors’ names and insurance numbers without their knowledge. A state court later that month found the Ohana companies liable for the fraud scheme. In addition, from March 2016 to June 2023, Aulava-Moala and Keohuloa conspired to submit approximately $700,000 in fraudulent receipts for a charity donation program operated by a Los Angeles-based oil refinery for which the company paid at least $500,000. The FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration are investigating this matter with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jason C. Pang of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case. USA v. Cartmell; USA v. Surace Gregory Cartmell, 62, of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, a licensed chiropractor, was arrested today on a four-count indictment charging him with two counts of health care fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. He is expected to make his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. He will be arraigned in Los Angeles in the coming weeks. According to the indictment, from December 2018 to November 2022, Cartmell submitted approximately $9.14 million in fraudulent claims to the ILWU-PMA health plan for chiropractic services – including for services not rendered – and received approximately $6.43 million in payment from the union’s health plan, which had terminated him from the plan in December 2020. To circumvent his termination, Cartmell arranged with a co-conspirator – Vincent Surace, 87, of McKinney, Texas – to bill ILWU-PMA’s health plan under the co-conspirator’s name and identification number. In exchange for allowing his name and ID number to be used in the scheme, Cartmell paid Surace a portion of the proceeds the union’s plan paid for the fraudulent claims. Surace is charged via information with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He will be summonsed to Los Angeles federal court in the coming weeks. The FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA) are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason C. Pang of the Transnational Organized Crime Section and William M. Larsen of the Criminal Appeals Section are prosecuting this case with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Kendall of the Transnational Organized Crime Section. USA v. Griffen Sonia Griffen, 51, of Lakewood, was arrested today on a five-count indictment charging her with health care fraud. From April 2019 to May 2024, Griffen allegedly submitted nearly $5 million in fraudulent claims to ILWU-PMA’s health care plan through her wellness company, Bee Well Holistic Wellness Center, for purported chiropractic services given to union members, even though the plan had previously terminated Bee Well and barred it from submitting claims. According to the indictment, to circumvent Bee Well’s termination from the ILWU-PMA plan and obtain payments, Griffen concealed Bee Well’s identity and involvement by arranging with two chiropractors to bill the plan under their names and at fictitious addresses. She also submitted false claims billing the plan for chiropractic services that were never rendered. In total, Griffen submitted approximately $4.9 million in fraudulent claims to the ILWU-PMA plan, resulting in payments of approximately $2.5 million. The FBI, the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA) are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jing Yan of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. IMMIGRATION HEALTH CARE FRAUD USA v. Ko Young Joo Ko, 59, of East Hollywood and a lawful permanent resident from South Korea, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging her with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Ko engaged in a medical fraud scheme exploiting the green card application process by creating fraudulent immigration documents. Civil surgeons designated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and operating in the Los Angeles area did not examine green card applicants as required by law. Instead, Ko – for a fee – fraudulently prepared the required forms by presenting herself as a nurse or doctor and indicating false compliance with medical examination requirements necessary for immigration applicants to register permanent residence or adjust their immigration status. If convicted, Ko would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and USCIS are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brenda N. Galván of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. Health care fraud-related charges in these cases carry a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence. Complaints and indictments contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.


title: Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida-Based Return Preparer

component: Civil Division

body_text: Note: View complaint here . The United States filed a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida seeking to enjoin a Florida-based return preparer, Glicerio D. Mirambel, from preparing federal income tax returns for others. The complaint alleges that Mirambel prepares federal income tax returns that underreport the tax his customers owe and claim inflated refunds. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Mirambel attaches Schedules C for fictitious businesses to his customers’ return and claims fabricated business expenses to reduce his customers’ taxable income and claim credits to which they are not entitled. The complaint also alleges that the IRS has assessed tax return preparer penalties against Mirambel, but the penalties have not deterred his abusive conduct. According to the complaint, the IRS estimates a tax loss of more than $16 million since 2023 from returns prepared by Mirambel. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Wu of the Civil Division’s Tax Litigation Branch made the announcement. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information. In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details. Mirambel Complaint.pdf


title: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced in Firearm Case After Flight from Police

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Rarkease Charles Bishop, 23, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 28 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a Glock pistol while on supervised release for another gun offense, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Bishop pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2025, in U.S. District Court to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 28-month prison sentence, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Bishop to serve three years of supervised release. Prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s Office had requested a sentence of 37 months. “Rarkease Bishop had multiple opportunities to turn his life around and instead chose, repeatedly and deliberately, to arm himself in defiance of the law and the courts,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He fled from officers, fought his arrest, and tried to hide the loaded gun he was carrying even after he was in handcuffs. That is not the behavior of someone who poses a manageable risk. It is the behavior of someone the community needs to be protected from." According to court papers, on July 16, 2025, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Sixth District Crime Suppression Team were on patrol in a marked police cruiser on the 100 block of 42nd Street NE. One of the officers recognized Bishop driving a white Nissan Maxima. Officers attempted to stop the Nissan, a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Laurel, Maryland. Bishop fled. With the car’s trunk open, Bishop drove the car over a curb and accelerated away at high speed. Officers located the Maxima abandoned in the 200 block of 51st Street SE. After spotting Bishop, police pursued him on foot. Officers observed Bishop clutching the right side of his waistband. After a brief chase, police took Bishop into custody and handcuffed him near the 5000 block of C Street SE. Bishop resisted arrest. He crossed his legs in an attempt to conceal a firearm in his pant leg and made an additional attempt to break free from custody. Officers subdued Bishop and recovered a loaded Glock Model 23, .40 caliber pistol from Bishop's right pant leg. The pistol was loaded with one round in the chamber and 13 rounds in a 17-round capacity magazine. Bishop committed this offense while on supervised release for a prior gun conviction, namely, carrying a pistol without a license. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter. This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 25cr220 After he was placed in handcuffs by police, Bishop tried to hide the pistol he was carrying. Officers discovered the pistol in Bishop’s pant leg. 25cr220 Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Ohio Man Admits Sex Acts with Missouri Teen

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Toledo, Ohio on Thursday admitted engaging in sex acts with a Missouri minor. Andrew Raymond Crum, 33, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of coercion or enticement of a minor. Crum admitted meeting the girl via social media in 2021, when she was 14. Crum began driving to Missouri to have sex with the girl in February of 2024, when she was 16. He also exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with the victim via Snapchat, where he used the name “Sassy Man.” The FBI was alerted in October of 2024 about Crum’s plans to return to Missouri and then located and contacted the victim and her mother. Crum is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29. The charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards 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: Alice man gets over 22 years for shipping meth from Mexico in clay bricks

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old Alice resident has been ordered to federal prison for his role in receiving meth using a commercial carrier service, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Scott Garza pleaded guilty Dec. 30, 2025, to knowingly and intentionally possessing meth with the intent to distribute it. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Garza to serve 265 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence about the abandoned, boarded-up house where the box of drugs was delivered and the firearm Garza had in his possession at the time. In handing down the sentence, Judge Morales noted that although Garza may have been a low-level dealer before this offense, he graduated to the next by participating in this crime. On Aug. 7, 2025, law enforcement identified an international package shipped from Mexico and destined for an address in Alice. An X-ray examination and K-9 alert resulted in the discovery of 10 clay bricks. Each brick contained meth mixed within the clay material. The investigation led to Garza, who had travelled to the abandoned house to pick up the package which he later opened at his home. The drugs had a total weight of nearly eight kilograms with an estimated street value of $160,000. Authorities conducted a search at his residence where they also found additional narcotics including distributable quantities of cocaine, meth, Xanax tablets, marijuana and synthetic marijuana as well as three firearms. Previously on bond, Garza was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety and Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Pruitt prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal Alien from Mexico Indicted for Drug and Immigration Crimes in the District of Utah

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment against a previously removed Mexican national for alleged drug trafficking after detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force seized approximately 11,000 individual fentanyl pills. Brajhan Luna-Vazquez, 24, residing unlawfully in Millcreek, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 23, 2026. According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in November 2025, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force initiated a criminal investigation into a group believed to be distributing fentanyl in the District of Utah. A controlled purchase of fentanyl was conducted and during the controlled purchase a male, later identified as Luna-Vazquez, arrived in a white sedan and sold fentanyl. A search warrant was obtained for an apartment in which Luna-Vazquez was residing at in Millcreek, and a white sedan. On March 18, 2026, detectives stopped the white sedan pursuant to the search warrant. Luna-Vazquez was the driver and sole-occupant of the vehicle. A search warrant was also executed on the apartment in Millcreek. In total, detectives found approximately 1,111 grams of fentanyl pills, which field tested positive for fentanyl. Luna-Vazquez was previously removed from the United States on September 5, 2025. Luna-Vazquez is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 9, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC). Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Previously Deported Alien Residing in Sacramento Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms and to Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luis Eduardo Torres-Hernandez, 40, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to one count of being an unlawful alien in possession of firearms and one count of illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in September 2024, undercover law enforcement agents found Torres-Hernandez in the Sacramento area when he sold them multiple sets of false identification documents, including Permanent Resident green cards and Social Security cards. On a subsequent date, agents recovered several firearms from his possession, including a Windham Weaponry 5.56 caliber rifle, a Ruger 9 mm caliber pistol and a Sig Sauer 9 mm caliber pistol. Torres-Hernandez is in the United States illegally and has been removed from the United States on multiple occasions and is accordingly prohibited from possessing firearms. According to the indictment, on Aug. 29, 2014, Torres-Hernandez was deported from the United States after a conviction for selling false documents in the Eastern District of California. Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case. Torres-Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on July 9, 2026. Torres-Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the firearms count, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the illegal reentry count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Repeat smuggler sent to federal prison after illegal aliens found concealed inside tractor

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 53-year-old San Juan resident has been sentenced for transporting six illegal aliens, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Mario Trevino pleaded guilty Dec. 29, 2025. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Trevino to serve 33 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing how the illegal aliens were transported in a confined space and that at least one expressed concern for their safety. The court also heard about Trevino’s prior attempts to evade law enforcement. In handing down the sentence, the court noted his criminal history, which included possession with intent to distribute meth, evading arrest and a prior conviction for smuggling illegal aliens. On Oct. 28, 2025, Trevino drove a tractor trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita. He claimed the trailer was empty, and he was heading to pick up a load. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle where they observed six illegal aliens concealed in the sleeper area. Some were hidden underneath a blanket, while others hid in a cabinet. The illegal aliens reported they had illegally entered the United States and were transported through multiple locations in the Rio Grande Valley before being directed to enter the tractor-trailer. They further stated Trevino instructed them to remain hidden and not move. Trevino has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Chicago Man Charged in D.C. for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Materials

body_text: wolf_indictment.pdf WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging Michael Wolf, 64, of Chicago, Illinois, with Distribution of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. According to court documents, Wolf communicated with another user on the Telegram messaging application about his sexual interest in children. During those communications, Wolf distributed ten videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Wolf then told the other Telegram user that he was communicating with minor children on an online dating application and forwarded sexually explicit images he stated depicted those minors. Wolf subsequently sent the Telegram user photos of himself that law enforcement used to identify Wolf. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Washington, D.C., with assistance from the FBI Chicago Field Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen. The case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 26mj45 Follow us on Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc


title: Previously Removed Illegal Alien from Honduras Indicted for Allegedly Attempting to Distribute Fentanyl in the District of Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment against a previously removed Honduran national for alleged drug trafficking after agents seized approximately 2,500 individual fentanyl pills from the defendant, his vehicle, and residence. Lester Levi Carias Zuniga, 29, residing unlawfully in West Jordan, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 24, 2026. According to the allegations in court documents, during the month of March 2026, detectives with the Utah Couty Major Crimes Task Force received information that a man, later identified as Carias Zuniga, was distributing fentanyl throughout the Salt Lake area. A controlled purchase of fentanyl was conducted, and Carias Zuniga arrived in a Toyota Camry. Through surveillance, detectives learned that Carias Zuniga lived at a residence in West Jordan. A search warrant was obtained for Carias Zuniga’s residence and the Toyota Camry. On March 18, 2026, pursuant to the search warrant, detectives stopped Carias Zuniga in the Toyota Camry after leaving his residence. Carias Zuniga was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 40 grams of fentanyl pills packaged in multiple baggies. Detectives also located and seized 4.7 grams of fentanyl powder on Carias Zuniga. Both substances field-tested positive for fentanyl. During a search of Carias Zuniga’s residence, detectives located and seized approximately 206 grams of fentanyl pills and an additional 16 grams of fentanyl powder. In total, agents seized approximately 266 grams of fentanyl pills (approximately 2,500 individual pills). Carias Zuniga was previously removed from the United States in 2018. Despite his removal, he was found in the United States during this incident and there is no evidence that he obtained permission to be in the United States. Carias Zuniga is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for June 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 7.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC). Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Special United States Attorney Pete Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Olean man pleads guilty to drug charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Isaiah Josiah Dre Riley, 23, of Olean, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2024, law enforcement observed Riley make sales of crack cocaine utilizing a 3rd Avenue residence in Olean as his base of operation. On January 14, 2025, investigators executed search warrants at the residence, seizing quantities of suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and $2,579.00 in cash. Riley was taken into custody at the scene. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson. Sentencing is scheduled for September 28, 2026, before Judge Vilardo. # # # #


title: Dominican National Charged with Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Boston has been charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Angel Daniel Cruz-Sanchez, 40, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Cruz-Sanchez was arrested on April 1, 2026 and made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston. A detention hearing is scheduled for April 7, 2026. According to the charging documents, Cruz-Sanchez is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was deported in 2019 and 2023. In 2003, 2008 and 2018, Cruz-Sanchez was convicted in separate drug trafficking cases. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Orleans Businessman Charged With Covid-19 Relief Fraud

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – WELLINGTON BROWN (“BROWN”) age 53, of New Orleans, was charged by bill of information on March 31, 2026 with providing a materially false statement to the Small Business Administration in an application to obtain a government sponsored loan designed to assist small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The maximum penalty for false statements to a federal agency is five years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney, Richard R. Pickens, II, of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. * * *


title: Nine Men - Including Well Known Musical Artists - Federally Charged for Kidnapping at Music Studio in Dallas

body_text: This week, nine individuals – including well known musical artists—were federally charged for kidnapping and robbing at gunpoint numerous victims at a music studio in Dallas, Texas, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. 8 of the 9 were arrested yesterday in Dallas, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. The charged defendants include: Lontrell Williams. Jr. a/k/a “Pooh Shiesty” Lontrell Williams, Sr. Rodney Wright, Jr. a/k/a “Big30” Kedarius Waters Terrance Rodgers Damarian Gipson Demarcus Glover Kordae Johnson Darrion McDaniel “As alleged, nine defendants travelled to Dallas, Texas, to kidnap and rob victims who thought they were coming into town for a business meeting. Instead of discussing business in a civil matter, the defendants resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their purported business objectives,” said Ryan Raybould, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “For anyone contemplating using violence and intimidation as a business practice, I’m here to tell you that it will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted in the Northern District of Texas. This case also highlights the outstanding contributions of my colleagues across the United States, including in the Western District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, and the Eastern District of Texas, as well as the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and our state and local partners.” “The Western District of Tennessee employs a whole team concept with federal, state, and local partners to aggressively pursue all violent criminals who dare to commit crime or seek safe haven within our jurisdiction. Here, agents from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, strongly supported by Task Force Officers from the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Desoto County Sheriff’s Office, and aviation assets from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, brought these violent criminals to justice and put them behind bars. These defendants will be transported to the Northern District of Texas to face their crimes,” said D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. “Strong partnerships with local law enforcement are key to reducing violent crime. The collaboration of multiple agencies ensured the successful arrest of several individuals in both Texas and Tennessee. The FBI remains dedicated to investigating violent offenders and holding them accountable,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. The complaint alleges that on January 10 of this year, three music industry professionals traveled to Dallas for a scheduled business meeting. Lontrell Williams, Jr. arranged this meeting, purportedly to discuss the terms of his recording contract with one of the victims. As alleged, once these three men were inside the studio, Williams Jr. and eight co-conspirators, several of whom traveled from Memphis, executed a coordinated armed takeover. The complaint alleges that Williams Jr. produced an AK-style pistol and forced one of the victims to sign a release from the recording contract at gunpoint. The remaining conspirators displayed firearms and robbed the other victims of Rolex watches, jewelry, cash, and other high-value items. One victim was choked to the point of near unconsciousness. Photos of some of his injuries were included in the complaint: Photos of injuries sustained to the wrist and neck of one victim Defendant Wright barricaded the studio door with his body to prevent the victims from escaping. Court records reflect that Lontrell Williams, Jr., or Pooh Shiesty, was on home confinement for a prior firearms conspiracy conviction out of the Southern District of Florida. Part of the terms of his home detention were that he could not commit other criminal offenses or possess firearms. His father, Lontrell Williams Sr., is alleged to have helped plan and execute the federal kidnapping. As described in the complaint, within hours of leaving the Dallas studio, the defendants added posts on social media, displaying what appeared to be some of the stolen jewelry, depicted in the photographs from the complaint: Screenshot of video posted from Rodgers’ social media account depicted a Rolex believed to be stolen in the robbery Screenshots from Glover’s social media account depicting him wearing purportedly stolen jewelry As outlined in the complaint, some of the evidence establishing the defendants’ roles in the federal offense includes: • Electronic monitoring data placing Williams Jr. at the offense location in violation of his home detention conditions; • Cell phone records and license plate reader data corroborating the coordinated travel of multiple defendants from Memphis to Dallas; • Rental car records confirming Williams Sr. rented a vehicle used by the group; • Surveillance footage from the offense location, a nearby office supply store, and a hotel where several defendants stayed following the offense; • Latent fingerprints recovered from the crime scene matching two defendants; • Social media posts by defendants displaying what appears to be stolen property in the days following the offense; and • Greyhound Bus records confirming the travel of multiple defendants from Dallas to Memphis the day after the offense. If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of up to life imprisonment. The FBI Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI’s Memphis Resident Agency and Nashville Field Office, the Memphis Safe Task Force, the Dallas Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Claire Demers and Robert Withers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. complaint_filed.pdf A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Guatemalan National Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG-The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Miguel Mejia Tum, age 27, a citizen of Guatemala, illegally residing in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on April 1, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Mejia Tum illegally reentered the United States and was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on March 15, 2026. Mejia Tum was removed from the United States through Alexandria, Louisiana, on October 28, 2020, and reentered without having obtained permission to do so. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kelley K. McGraw is prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF York comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. ###


title: Former International Trucker Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Guns Purchased in Florida and Found at Canadian Crime Scenes

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Erhan John Er (35, Sarasota) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to four years and three months in federal prison for his role in an international firearms trafficking conspiracy. Er pleaded guilty on December 19, 2024. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, from February to September 2022, Er worked as a cross-border truck driver, based in Sarasota. Er agreed to purchase firearms for a Canadian co-conspirator and smuggle those firearms into Canada. In July and September 2022, Er bought a total of 28 guns from firearms dealers in Sarasota and Naples, Florida. He took the firearms across the Canadian border and sold them to his conspirator in exchange for his expenses and $1,000 (CAD) per gun. Canadian investigators have since recovered 10 of those firearms from crime scenes in Ontario and Quebec. All of the firearms recovered thus far have had obliterated serial numbers. Investigators have restored the serial numbers and traced them back to Er’s purchases in Florida. “Er falsely claimed to gun dealers that he was buying guns for himself, only to smuggle the guns into Canada, where they were used in multiple crimes,” stated U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “Working together with our local, federal, and international partners, this scheme was uncovered and Er has been brought to justice.” “This investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of cross border partnerships in protecting our communities. The OPP remains committed to working closely with our Canadian and U.S. law enforcement partners to disrupt organized criminal networks, enhance public safety and prevent illegal firearms from crossing our shared border.” – OPP Chief Superintendent Mike Stoddart, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, including ATF’s Attachés in Ontario and Quebec and ATF’s Buffalo and Rochester, New York Field Offices; Homeland Security Investigations, including HSI’s Toronto Attaché; with the assistance of the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Canada Border Services Agency; the Durham Regional Police Service; the Halton Regional Police Service; the Hamilton Police Service; Ontario Provincial Police; the Sûreté du Québec; the Thunder Bay Police Service; the Toronto Police Service; the York Regional Police; the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office; and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.


title: Farmington Man Admits Supplying Fentanyl to Man Who Died of Overdose

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Farmington, Missouri on Thursday admitted supplying fentanyl to a man shortly before the victim's overdose death. James B. Link, 31, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of distribution of fentanyl. He admitted that in messages with the victim on June 14, 2025, he discussed bringing fentanyl pills to the victim. Link’s vehicle was spotted leaving the victim’s home shortly before the death. The next day, investigators interviewed Link, who admitted delivering blue and yellow pills containing fentanyl to the victim shortly before he died. Investigators found those same blue and yellow pills in Link’s house. Link is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and fine. The Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral Area Drug Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Shelton is prosecuting the case.


title: Eastern District of Virginia prosecutes 19 child exploitation cases under Project Safe Childhood in the previous month

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Project Safe Childhood is 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia brought seven new Project Safe Childhood cases during March while achieving seven convictions and eight substantial sentences, including a life sentence for a repeat offender. Indictments On March 3, a federal grand jury indicted David Brent Timberlake, 65, of Henrico, on charges of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and possession of CSAM. Case no. 3: 26-CR-26 On March 11, a federal grand jury indicted Joseph Downing Barnes Jr., 35, of Virginia Beach, on charges of production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. In 2016, Barnes was convicted of receiving CSAM. Case no. 2:26-CR-29 On March 11, a federal grand jury indicted Tucker Lee Martin, 31, of Norfolk, on charges of production of CSAM, attempted production of CSAM, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Case no. 2: 26-CR-32 Charges Nicolas Antonio Lainez, 19, of Hawaii, was charged on March 12 by criminal complaint with production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. Lainez was living with a family on Fort Eustis when he allegedly recorded himself sexually exploiting a six-year-old victim. Case no. 4:26-MJ-15 Pleas Bahamian national and illegal alien Rian Wayne Johnson, 38, possessed on his cellphone CSAM depicting his sexual exploitation of an 11-year-old child. Johnson pled guilty on March 3 to sexual exploitation of a child. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-59 Stephen Chadwick Howell, 26, of Arlington, sexually exploited a 15-year-old victim and produced multiple sexually explicit videos and images of the abuse, which he later distributed. On May 7, 2025, as law enforcement executed a search warrant at Howell’s residence, Howell urinated on his laptop in an attempt to prevent the FBI from accessing its contents. On March 4, Howell pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and destruction of property to prevent seizure. Howell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Case no. 1:25-CR-235 On several occasions from February 2025 to March 2025, Mexican national and illegal alien Samuel Flores De Dios sexually abused a 12-year-old victim and recorded the abuse in his apartment in Fredericksburg. On March 6, Flores De Dios pled guilty to production of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 3:25-CR-158 In June 2024, John Joseph Chanel, 37, of Sterling, uploaded and then requested and received CSAM via an Internet platform. Chanel possessed 38 videos and 12 images of CSAM. On March 13, Chanel pled guilty to receipt of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case no. 1:26-CR-44 Kemp Jermaine Nelson, 33, of Newport News, filmed himself having sex with a 15-year-old victim who was a runaway and posted a video of the encounter on social media. On March 17, Nelson pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce CSAM. Nelson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-68 Alex Tyler Buenaga , 32, of Suffolk, a former Newport News firefighter, recorded himself sexually abusing a three-month-old infant over 90 times and, on at least one occasion, recorded himself blowing methamphetamine smoke in the infant’s face. Buenaga pled guilty on March 25 to production of CSAM and coercion of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life plus 60 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 22. Case No. 2:25-CR-31 On Oct. 1, 2025, law enforcement searched the Arlington residence of Patrick Wanamaker, 35. Investigators found CSAM on Wanamaker’s cellphone and laptop. Wanamaker also emailed to himself several Mega links that contained 279 images and 777 videos of CSAM, including images and videos of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. On March 25, Wanamaker pled guilty to receipt of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case no. 1:26-CR-53 Sentencing On June 11, 2024, FBI agents searched the Norfolk residence of Douglas Edward Steele, Jr., 41. On his electronic devices, investigators found thousands of videos and images of CSAM. Steele estimated that he probably had approximately 5,000 stored CSAM files. On Nov. 24, 2025, Steele pled guilty to receipt and possession of CSAM. On March 5, Steele was sentenced to six years in prison. Case no. 2:25-CR-111 On March 31, 2015, David Christopher Schaefer , 38, was convicted of possession of CSAM and was sentenced to over eight years in prison and a life term of supervised release. In 2025, a probation officer searched Schaefer’s residence and located nine unauthorized or unreported devices that Schaefer used to access, view, download, and exchange CSAM. Schaefer was attributed with over 25,000 CSAM images. On March 5, Schaefer was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-51 Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Cory Richard Hambley , 43, worked as a program analyst for the Missile Defense Agency and held a Top Secret security clearance. In November 2022, Hambley contacted his former girlfriend and encouraged her to provide CSAM depicting her abusing two minor children, ages five and nine, which she did. On March 11, Hambley was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The former girlfriend, Grace Elizabeth Paradis, 43, of Virginia Beach, pled guilty on Oct. 23, 2025, to conspiring to produce CSAM. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 2:25-CR-44 On Nov. 5, 2013, Nicholas Wayne Hanlon , 40, was convicted in the District of Columbia for receipt of CSAM and attempting to meet with a purported 12-year-old girl for sex. Following his release from prison, from November 2020 through July 2024, Hanlon used SnapChat and Instagram to contact and request CSAM from at least seven minors across multiple states. Investigators found approximately 150 child pornography images and 20 child pornography videos depicting Hanlon’s victims on his cellphone and numerous additional videos and images in his SnapChat and Instagram accounts. On March 11, in the Eastern District of Virginia, Hanlon was sentenced to life in prison. Case no. 1:25-CR-151 Skylar James Duvall , 24, made arrangements with the guardian of a minor, including a determined amount of time and payment to the guardian, for certain sex acts to be committed against the victim. On Jan. 15, 2023, Duvall recorded a live stream of the abuse. On Duvall’s electronic devices, investigators found additional CSAM, including over 500 images and 700 videos, as well as thousands of files of potential CSAM and CGI/animated child exploitive videos and images. On March 12, Duvall was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-25 William Michael Webb, 41, of Chesapeake, used the BitTorrent application to download CSAM to his electronic devices, on which he possessed over 8,000 images and 800 videos of CSAM, as well as over 3,300 images of child erotica. Webb pled guilty on Sept. 25, 2025, to receipt of CSAM. He was sentenced on March 13 to five years in prison. Case no. 2:24-CR-102 Devin Sinclair Buries , 49, shared his vast CSAM collection with other users on BitTorrent. Buries possessed over 200 videos and over 19,000 images of CSAM. After his arrest, Buries fled to Ukraine. He was returned to the United States and arrested on Sept. 22, 2025, and pled guilty on Dec. 18, 2025. Buries was sentenced on March 18 to 10 years in prison. Case no. 1:24-CR-252 Michael J. Machonis , 30, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and Asia Tamara Billups , 20, of Gloucester, Virginia, met online and discussed minors and the exchange of CSAM. On May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, Billups used a cellphone to produce four sexually explicit videos of a three-year-old toddler and a four-month-old infant. Billups transmitted the videos to Machonis. Billups pled guilty on April 14, 2025, and was sentenced on Sept. 19, 2025, to 15 years in prison. Machonis pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2025, and was sentenced on March 19 to 17 years in prison. Case no. 4:24-CR-70 For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Indictments and criminal complaints are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Puerto Rican Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in a Drug Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Jefte Monell Diaz, 28, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, was sentenced on Tuesday by Chief U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Diaz previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. On July 1, 2024, Diaz and his co-conspirators traveled from Tucson to Phoenix with approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine, which they intended to deliver to another individual that evening. Diaz was indicted for his role in the conspiracy on Aug. 21, 2024. This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This HSTF Tucson led investigation comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS). Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-5415 RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-056_Auz-Vasquez, et al. # # # 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: Dominican National Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass. was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Jose Alberto Tejeda Turbi, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 18 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In March 2026 , Tejeda Turbi pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In January 2026 , Tejeda Turbi was indicted by a federal grand jury. In July 2015, Tejeda Turbi was convicted in federal court in Boston of heroin distribution and conspiracy, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. Tejeda Turbi was deported from the United States in March 2020 upon his completion of the sentence imposed. Sometime after his March 2020 removal, Tejeda Turbi illegally reentered the United States without permission. In June 2024, Tejeda Turbi was sentenced in Lawrence District Court to two years in prison for assault and battery resulting in serious bodily injury and three years of probation for remaining charges. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad A. Rocheville of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Huntington Beach Woman Sentenced to 2½ Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling Nearly $3 Million from Noodle Company

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County woman was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison embezzling nearly $3 million from her employer, a Southern California-based noodle company for whom she worked as an account manager. Tae Miyaji Jones, 50, of Huntington Beach, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter, who also ordered her to pay $2,894,441 in restitution. Jones pleaded guilty in October 2025 to seven counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud. According to her plea agreement, from December 2017 to July 2023, Jones was an account manager for her employer in Garden Grove. In this role, her responsibilities included administering the company’s accounting and financial operations. She had access to and control of the company’s financial systems, corporate accounts, and records and had check-signing authorities on the company’s bank accounts. Without her employer’s knowledge or consent, Jones transferred company funds from her employer’s corporate accounts to her personal bank accounts to finance personal expenses. These expenses included home mortgages, jewelry, car loans, and personal credit card charges. To conceal her scheme, Jones falsified her employer’s account records to hide her unauthorized takings of company money. She used the mail to send and deposit company check into her various accounts. For example, in July 2023, Jones mailed a $42,600 check from her employer’s bank account to American Express, to be applied to her own credit card balance. To deceive her employer, Jones falsely represented this payment in her employer’s records as a payment to a company vendor for material costs. In total, Jones defrauded her employer out of approximately $2,894,441 in funds she used for her personal benefit, including buying luxury items and real estate in Alabama and Hawaii. Jones forfeited to the government the luxury items and the Alabama and Hawaii properties she purchased as part of the scheme. “[Jones’s] crimes were not the result of a momentary lapse of judgment,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Her conduct lasted for a period of years and was carefully planned in order to mask her conduct. And [Jones] was able to successfully mask her conduct for years without consequence.” The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Clifford D. Mpare of the Major Crimes Section and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section prosecuted this case.


title: Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Machine Gun Used In November Bronx Shooting

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that DAVID MALDONADO pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff to possessing a machine gun in connection with a November 14, 2025, daytime shooting during which MALDONADO fired 12 rounds from a machinegun on a public street in the Bronx, New York. “The illegal possession of a machine gun is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The families of New York City deserve to live free of fear from the type of gun violence these weapons can unleash. The women and men of this Office will never tire in their efforts to root out and hold accountable those who would bring this type of violence to our communities.” As alleged in the Indictment, and in public statements made in court proceedings: [1] On or about November 14, 2025, at around 4:00 p.m., MALDONADO, who has been previously convicted of multiple felony offenses, discharged a machine gun in the vicinity of East 170 th Street and Third Avenue in the Bronx, including two shots that struck a nearby vehicle. Detectives of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), who were in the vicinity of the gunshots, spotted and promptly apprehended MALDONADO, who was in possession of an un-serialized Polymer 80, model PF940C, 9x19mm caliber firearm, also known as a “ghost gun.” During the shooting, MALDONADO used a semi-automatic handgun with an illegal machine gun conversion device installed, which converted his firearm into a fully automatic machine gun capable of shooting more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger. Photographs of the firearm and magazine seized from MALDONADO and the conversion device that was installed on the pistol slide are below: * * * MALDONADO, 53, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of possession of a machine gun, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations & Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon D. Harper is in charge of the prosecution. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Haverhill Man Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining $350,000 in investor funds. Luciano Schipelliti, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2026. Schipelliti was charged in March 2026 . In the fall of 2018, Schipelliti established the Superstars Fund and raised roughly $275,000 to invest in cryptocurrency. By 2019, through a series of bad investments, Schipelliti lost all the money in the Superstars Fund. He did not, however, tell any of the investors that he had lost the money. Instead, beginning in approximately November 2020, Schipelliti began sending monthly newsletters to investors that falsely reported that the Superstars Fund continued to grow in value. Based on the misrepresented performance of the Superstars Fund, in approximately February 2021, Schipelliti launched a new fund, the TTM Fund, through which he raised approximately $350,000 to invest in cryptocurrency. Schipelliti lost all the money in the TTM fund by September 2021. According to the charging documents, Schipelliti lost most of the money in the TTM Fund investing in cryptocurrency and also used some of the money in a manner inconsistent with the terms of the TTM Fund’s operating agreement. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Prior felon arrested, charged following incident involving shooting of police officer and standoff

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Christopher Marcinkowski, 39, of Dunkirk, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with maintaining a drug involved premises and being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Garrett Fitzsimmons, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in February 2026, the DEA began assisting the Chautauqua County Narcotics Unit with an investigation of Marcinkowski’s drug trafficking activities. In February and March 2026, investigators conducted two separate garbage pulls at a residence on Franklin Avenue in Dunkirk associated with Marcinowski. Numerous plastic baggies were located with residue that tested positive for the presence of cocaine. On March 24, 2026, investigators executed a search warrant at the Franklin Avenue residence. As the execution of the warrant began, an individual, later identified as Marcinowski, fired two rounds from a firearm, one of which struck an officer. A standoff then took place for several hours, during which Marcinowski told the police negotiator that he shot the officer. After several hours, he surrendered without further incident. After the residence was cleared, officers seized approximately 197 grams of suspected psychedelic mushrooms, approximately 11 pounds of suspected marijuana, three firearms, approximately $30,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. Marcinowski has three prior federal convictions. In October 2013, he was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In November 2021, Marcinowski was convicted of distributing cocaine. Marcinowski will make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy on April 8, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Scott Forster, and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher Witkowski. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Kansas City Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., Man was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a Beretta, PX4 Storm, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Craig D. Monks, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 4 years in prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Oct. 2, 2024, Independence, Missouri Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on Monks’s vehicle due to expired tags. A patrol officer noticed a firearm lodged between the driver’s seat and center console and asked Monks if there was a firearm in the vehicle. Monks responded that there was a firearm “right here.” The officer asked Monks to exit the vehicle and then the officer secured the firearm for officer safety. The officer conducted a subsequent criminal background check and discovered that Monks had a prior felony conviction. Later, the officer learned Monks was a convicted felon. In a subsequent interview, Monks admitted to possessing the firearm and stated that he thought it was a “dumb” rule that felons could not possess firearms. It is against federal law for a convicted felon to knowingly possess a firearm. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo. Police Department and further assistance was provided by the Kearney, Mo. 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.


title: Woodbridge man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting more than 40 minor girls on Snapchat

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, between at least March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, used a Snapchat account, which he had previously hacked and stolen from a minor, to coerce approximately 41 minor girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas directed the victims to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during live video calls. Thomas told victims he led a criminal organization and that as long as the victims did what he told them they would be safe. To coerce compliance, Thomas made such threats as hacking the victims’ accounts or harming them and their family members. Thomas was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas knew that the victim was in foster care. On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with the victim, which he recorded and saved in his Snapchat account. Police discovered the abuse of this victim after searching one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized from him three days while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim. Thomas’ phone was seized when police responded to the incident. On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. With support from Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police searched Thomas’ residence in Woodbridge where investigators located a second phone containing dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including recordings of his sexual assaults of his two victims in Fairfax County. Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-327.


title: Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting more than 40 Minor Girls on Snapchat

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Virginia man pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, between at least March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, used a Snapchat account, which he had previously hacked and stolen from a minor, to coerce at least 40 minor girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas directed the victims to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during live video calls. Thomas told victims he led a criminal organization and that as long as the victims did what he told them they would be safe. To coerce compliance, Thomas made such threats as hacking the victims’ accounts or harming them and their family members. Thomas was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas knew that the victim was in foster care. On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with the victim, which he recorded and saved in his Snapchat account. Police discovered the abuse of this victim after searching one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized from him while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim. Thomas’ phone was seized when police responded to the incident. “Thomas preyed on vulnerable victims across several states using social media Apps to expand his sprawling reach to abuse young girls and threaten harm to them and their families in order to obtain his disturbing goal — child sexual exploitation,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice will investigate, prosecute, and seek justice for victims of child sexual abuse. Harm to America’s children has no place in our communities.” On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. With support from Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police searched Thomas’ residence in Woodbridge where investigators located a second phone containing dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including recordings of his sexual assaults of his two victims in Fairfax County. Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Oasis Acupuncture LLC And Its Owner Agree To Pay $100,000 To Settle False Claims Act Liability

body_text: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Oasis Acupuncture LLC and its owner, Dr. Hui-Li Yuan, have agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting inflated claims for acupuncture services to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. According to the settlement agreement, Oasis Acupuncture and Dr. Yuan billed the VA for acupuncture needle reinsertion services that were inflated and did not meet the minimum time requirements of 15 minutes per needle reinsertion. This resulted in the VA overpaying for Oasis Acupuncture’s claims. “Protecting our veterans and their care is paramount,” U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “This civil settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure compliance and proper billing by all providers.” “This settlement demonstrates the VA OIG’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the integrity of claims submitted to VA healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the VA Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG commends the US Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.” This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor led the investigation. The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating health care fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG Hotline, at 1-800-488-8244. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination or admission of liability.


title: Former Milford Resident Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Fraud and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARC ANTHONY ALEXANDER, 45, formerly of Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for fraud and firearm offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, a business known as “Traveling Graces, LLC” was registered with the State of Connecticut with Melanie Ham as its registered agent and “Dr. Marc Anthony Alexander” as its manager. Between July 2023 and December 2023, Alexander and Ham misrepresented to a Connecticut resident (the “victim”), who Alexander had met on a dating app, that Traveling Graces was a legitimate business and they were looking for investors. The victim provided two bank checks totaling $167,000 to Alexander and Ham, which they used for their own purposes. In May 2024, Alexander met with an employee of the residential community in which he resided and claimed to be an FBI agent who required additional parking spaces assigned to him for professional reasons. He wore clothing that falsely identified him as an FBI agent, showed a fake FBI identification badge, and possessed a Hellcat 9mm pistol in a holster. Alexander’s criminal history includes convictions for fraud and other offenses. In April 2017, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 96 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his involvement in a scheme related to the theft and negotiation of postal money orders that defrauded the U.S. Postal Service of more than $300,000, and his role in a separate scheme that involved the fraudulent sale of financed vehicles, which defrauded lenders of more than $1 million. Alexander was released from federal prison in February 2023. In February 2024, while he was on supervised release, Alexander was arrested by Stamford Police for illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under suspension, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, and failure to drive in a proper lane. In November 2024, Alexander is alleged to have used a bank statement he manipulated with false information to facilitate the purchase of a vehicle from a car dealership in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Alexander also falsely reported his address to his probation officer, left Connecticut without permission, and opened nine new lines of credit, all in violation of the terms and conditions of his supervised release. Alexander has been detained in federal custody since January 13, 2025. On February 26, 2025, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to two years of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from his prior federal conviction. On January 29, 2026, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. On November 19, 2025, Ham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She awaits sentencing. This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.