title: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional Seven Years in Prison for Threatening U.S. Probation Officer in Chicago

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal inmate has been sentenced to an additional seven consecutive years in prison for threatening a U.S. Probation officer in Chicago. GLENN BOWDEN was incarcerated in a federal prison in 2023 when he mailed a letter threatening to injure a U.S. Probation officer. The officer had conducted a presentence investigation of Bowden prior to Bowden’s sentencing on a federal robbery conviction in 2022. Bowden was serving a nine-year federal sentence in the robbery case. In addition to the threatening letter, Bowden authored a letter purportedly from his prison chaplain and caused it to be filed with the Court in support of a motion for compassionate release. The chaplain had no knowledge of the letter. When interviewed by the FBI, Bowden falsely claimed that he did not type or send the letter to the Probation officer and that he knew nothing about the Chaplain’s letter or who wrote it. Bowden, 64, most recently of Riverdale, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to mailing a threatening communication, obstructing an official proceeding, and willfully making false statements to the FBI. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold sentenced Bowden to seven years and three months in prison, which must be served after the completion of his sentence for the robbery case. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. The Federal Bureau of Prisons provided valuable assistance. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Merin and Kirsten Moran. “Threats against Court personnel and other federal staff have no place in our system of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The sentence that the Court imposed in this case should send a clear message that such reprehensible conduct will be met with harsh punishment.” “Threatening to assault federal personnel is a grave offense that risks the safety of all those who selflessly choose to protect and serve our communities,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Any attempt to elicit violence against the federal workforce will be met with swift and full action by our dedicated law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”


title: Arizona man sentenced to prison for traveling to Washington for sex with fictitious minor

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 73-year-old Tucson, Arizona man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four years in prison for travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Steven J. Migdon, was arrested in August 2024 following an online investigation by Seattle Police and the FBI. In the investigation, the undercover agent posed as a 13-year-old boy. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead noted that Migdon lived a crime free life for 73 years, but added, “Today we are here to confront the ugliness of what you did over ten days. The images you had on your phone represented real children and real abuse. These are among the most serious crimes we see in federal court, the crimes that exploit children.” In July 2024, an undercover agent posted on a teen chatroom platform. Migdon replied to the 13-year-old persona and made the communication become more sexually explicit. Migdon requested, but did not receive, sexually explicit images from the “teen.” Migdon sent pictures of his face and penis to the undercover agent. On August 5 th Migdon flew from Tucson to Everett, Washington, believing he would meet the “teen” at an Everett hotel room. Instead Migdon was arrested. A search of his phone revealed that he had sent sexually explicit images to other children, and that he had images of child sexual abuse on his phone. In asking for a four-year sentence and ten years of supervised release to follow, Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson wrote to the court, “Despite age and experience, Migdon spent ten days communicating with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old boy. Worse, the content of his phone confirmed his chatting and travel conduct were not stand alone. Migdon had been sexually communicating with unidentified minors in the days leading up to his travel to Washington for sex with a fictitious child.” Migdon was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to a fund for the known victims in the child sex abuse images he possessed. Migdon is required to register as a sex offender and will be on ten years of supervised release following prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Seattle Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Sacramento Man Sentenced to 30 Years Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Jordan Anthony Hughes, 25, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 30 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release for producing child sexual abuse materials, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, in September 2022, Hughes knowingly used a child under the age of 12 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct in Sacramento. Hughes committed hands-on violations of the minor victim and took videos and pictures of that abuse. Hughes’ abuse of the child dated back to at least 2017. In addition, Hughes used the internet to convince other underage victims to send him images and videos depicting themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Hughes did this in part by posing as an underage male himself. Hughes also distributed images of child sexual abuse conduct, often under the guise of helping or teaching his victims how to perform certain sexual acts. At the time of his arrest, Hughes possessed voluminous child sexual abuse materials. This case was the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, which includes the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department as well as Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Former Marine Sentenced to 40 Years After Trial Conviction on Sextortion and Child Sexual Abuse Charges

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – Anthony Fritzinger, of Middletown, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for five counts of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), four counts of online exploitation of a minor, one count of possession of CSAM, and two counts of extortion. Fritzinger, 25, was convicted at trial on September 12, 2024. “This defendant preyed on vulnerable children, manipulating and threatening them to produce explicit content for his own gratification,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “This case should also serve as a strong reminder that the proliferation of social media has expanded the manner in which young people can be targeted by individuals like Fritzinger, who look to exploit them. We will continue to do all we can to stand with survivors, protect children, and ensure their voices are heard as we pursue justice.” “This case represents the very worst kind of online exploitation, and it is only through the extraordinary courage of the victims and the relentless work of our Special Agents that justice was served,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Parrish, NCIS Carolinas Field Office. “NCIS remains committed to uncovering hidden threats, safeguarding children from predatory abuse, and holding offenders accountable—no matter where they operate or how they hide.” According to court records and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, the investigation began when Fritzinger used an anonymous account to try to extort an eighteen-year-old woman online. He threatened to distribute naked pictures created when she was a minor unless she obeyed his order to create and send him additional sexual photos. Her family contacted their local police, who referred the case to Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). From there, NCIS discovered that he had been serially stalking, soliciting, and extorting minors to obtain sexual images and videos for years. Fritzinger used teen “dating” websites like Yubo, Spotafriend, and mylol.com to identify and contact potential victims, sometimes posing as a teenage girl. Then he began online “relationships” with victims, including on Snapchat and Instagram, in which he encouraged children to send him sexually explicit images and videos. Fritzinger taught his victims to engage in a dominant/submissive relationship in which he exerted total control over them and required them to perform sadistic, sexual punishments. He manipulated and coerced victims to continue sending images, including falsely claiming to be dying and exploiting their immaturity and personal histories. Then he extorted many victims, threatening to expose their images to their friends and family if they did not send more. NCIS recovered a vast quantity of disturbing evidence from Fritzinger’s cell phone, laptop, social media accounts, and Dropbox account. He had collected hundreds of screenshots of young girls’ social media profiles, and thousands of sexually explicit chats revealed his extensive efforts to entice minors to produce child pornography. NCIS recovered hundreds of images and videos of enticement victims, as well as other images and videos of child pornography that the defendant had collected online, including those depicting victims as young as toddlers. Through painstaking effort, NCIS was able to identify roughly two dozen victims, spanning several states, including several who bravely testified against Fritzinger at trial. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The NCIS investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jake D. Pugh and Erin Blondel prosecuted. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-CR-00081.


title: Two Honduran nationals plead guilty to firearms charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Honduran nationals pled guilty to charges relating to their purchasing and international shipping of ammunition to Honduras and an attempt to send firearms to Honduras. According to court documents, in July 2013, Miguel Humberto Pinto Serrano, 29, unlawfully entered the United States and was encountered by immigration officials. Pinto Serrano was found removable in absentia after he failed to appear at his removal hearing. In August 2021, Walter Antonio Coto Alvarenga, unlawfully entered the United States and was encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in New Mexico. CBP determined that Coto Alvarenga was unlawfully present in the United States and removed him from the country. Coto Alvarenga later illegally reentered the United States. The two were illegally residing in the United States in a residence they shared in Sterling. On at least 23 occasions from 2020 to 2025, Pinto Serrano purchased ammunition and firearm parts from three companies. Pinto Serrano also purchased pistol magazines, grips, barrels, and night sights on eBay. On Nov. 29, 2022, Pinto Serrano shipped 3,000 rounds of ammunition to Honduras, and, in coordinating the shipment, stated that the shipment contained clothes and food for Coto Alvarenga’s family in Copán, Honduras. The ammunition was later seized by Honduran officials in a box bearing Coto Alvarenga’s name and phone number. On April 10, Pinto Serrano ordered 1,200 rounds of ammunition that were delivered to the residence in Sterling on April 19. On April 21, 2025, law enforcement searched the residence shared by Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga. From the residence, investigators recovered over a thousand rounds of ammunition, firearm parts, 10 new rifle magazines, and three handgun magazines, including an extended capacity magazine. During the search, Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga arrived in a rental vehicle from which investigators recovered two rifles, four unloaded magazines, and one loaded magazine. The serial number on one of the rifles had been obliterated. On Pinto Serrano’s cellphone were messages indicating that he intended to sell and ship the rifles to Honduras. Pinto Serrano pled guilty today to smuggling goods from the United States and possession and interstate transport of a firearm by an illegal alien. He remains subject to the 2013 order of removal. Coto Alvarenga pled guilty yesterday to possession and interstate transport of a firearm by an illegal alien. Pinto Serrano and Coto Alvarenga are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and face up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call and is prosecuting the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Binder assisted in the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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 Nos. 1:25-cr-175 (Pinto Serrano) and 1:25-cr-176 (Coto Alvarenga).


title: Leader of International Drug Gang Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine While Incarcerated

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An influential leader of a large-scale international gang based in Southern Arizona was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for attempting to facilitate the trafficking of narcotics into Massachusetts via inmate phone calls while serving four concurrent life sentences. Noel Haro, 50, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 188 months in prison, to be served concurrent to the life sentences he is currently serving at the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The court also imposed five years of supervised release. On March 11, 2025 , Haro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; aiding and abetting; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; aiding and abetting. He was indicted in April 2023 along with his brother Marcos Haro. “Even behind bars, Noel Haro continued to direct the operations of an international drug trafficking network and peddle poison into our communities. This level of audacity is precisely why we remain vigilant and aggressive in dismantling drug trafficking networks at every level,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Our office and our agency partners will not allow prison cells to serve as command centers for criminal activity. We will pursue every lead, intercept every coded message, and hold every conspirator accountable.” “While locked up for life, Noel Haro thought he had nothing more to lose so he used his ‘Get out of Jail Free’ card to solicit help in trafficking deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine across the country, but today’s lengthy prison sentence shows he could not have been more wrong,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This case should make it crystal clear to anyone who thinks they can flagrantly violate the law and manage a drug trafficking organization while behind bars. It’s only a matter of time before you will get caught.” “The DOC remains steadfast in advancing the policies, safety measures, and technology that support our ability to detect and deter illegal activity,” said Shawn Jenkins, Commissioner of the Department of Correction. “This case underscores our commitment to rooting out criminal activity within our facilities and holding accountable those who attempt to undermine the safety and integrity of our institutions. I’m grateful to the DOC staff for their dedication and vigilance and commend our state and federal law enforcement partners for their invaluable support.” Noel Haro is a member and influential leader of the “Border Brothers” gang – a large-scale international gang known to be heavily involved in drug, weapon and human trafficking in Southern Arizona with a presence in Nogales, Mexico and the Arizona prison system. Noel Haro is currently serving a life sentence at a Massachusetts Department of Correction facility in connection with convictions in Arizona for drug distribution, conspiracy and money laundering. He was previously serving his sentence at a facility in Arizona but was transferred to serve his sentence in Massachusetts upon being deemed a security concern due to his alleged influence over other inmates and repeated introduction of cell phones and narcotics into Arizona facilities. Beginning in or about April 2019, and investigation began into Noel Haro’s attempts to facilitate the trafficking of narcotics to Massachusetts during his inmate phone calls. Specifically, during his inmate calls, Noel Haro worked to recruit friends and family members to continue his drug trafficking business while he was incarcerated and to transport narcotics from Arizona to Massachusetts on his behalf. In April 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Correction intercepted a letter that Noel Haro had sent to co-conspirator Denise Guyette, whom he had recruited and connected with his drug suppliers in Arizona. Inside the envelope, a “Get out of Jail Free” card from the board game Monopoly was found with a handwritten “key” on the back – which was to be used to discuss drug trafficking in code. For example, the number “736” was written above the word “coke,” the number “747” was written above the word “meth,” the number “766” was written above the word “fety,” and the number “746” was written above the word “heroin.” After sending Guyette this key card, the defendant instructed her to travel to Arizona to meet with his drug suppliers and send drugs back to Massachusetts for further distribution. The defendant also worked with his brother, Marcos Haro, to arrange drug deals outside of prison. In June 2022, Marcos Haro agreed to supply an individual with samples of multiple narcotics – including fentanyl and methamphetamine. Marcos Haro later mailed the narcotics to the individual concealed in a purple teddy bear inside a postal package. On July 13, 2022, the package was retrieved and found to contain fentanyl, five fentanyl pills, methamphetamine and approximately three grams of black tar heroin. On July 25, 2022, during a recorded inmate call, Noel Haro and his brother discussed selling one pound of methamphetamine to the same individual and agreed on a sale price of $5,000. On July 27, 2022, a package sent from Marcos Haro was retrieved and found to contain approximately 446.6 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine. During a recorded inmate call on Aug. 10, 2022, Noel Haro directed his brother to arrange the sale of five pounds of methamphetamine to the individual. Later, on Sept. 12, 2022, two packages sent from Marcos Haro were retrieved and each found to contain approximately 892.3 grams of 86% pure methamphetamine and approximately 1,320.2 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine. Guyette was charged in a separate indictment and, in April 2025, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to drug trafficking offenses. Marcos Haro pleaded guilty on March 19, 2025 and is currently scheduled to be sentenced on July 17, 2025. U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks and MADOC Commissioner Jenkins made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea E. Porter and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Honduran National Guilty Of Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JORGE LUIS VILLANUEVA (“ VILLANUEVA "), age 35, pled guilty on June 26, 2025, to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and 1326(b)(1). According to the bill of information, VILLANUEVA , re-entered the United States after being previously deported on September 11, 2013. At sentencing , VILLANUEVA faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). * * *


title: Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of T-Mobile and UScellular

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division issued the following statement today in connection with the closing of the Department’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of UScellular by T-Mobile: “After a thorough investigation, the Antitrust Division determined prudentially not to seek an injunction to prevent T-Mobile from closing on its proposed acquisition of UScellular. The investigation nevertheless raised concerns about competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services and the availability of wireless spectrum needed to fuel competition and entry. Specifically, as part of the investigation, the Department considered the potential impact on consumers resulting from the elimination of UScellular from the market, the potential for consumer benefits, and the potential impact of the further consolidation of wireless spectrum. “With respect to the potential impact on consumers, for years, Americans have witnessed the too-familiar pattern of local or regional companies that discern and cater to their customers’ needs vanishing in favor of the ‘one size fits all’ approach of national brands. UScellular, whose tagline was ‘America’s locally grown wireless,’ noted the ‘sea of sameness’ among the ‘Big 3’ national carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — and resolved to be ‘fundamentally different’ in how it went to market. The company understood the unmet needs of customers whom they identified as ‘Heartland Families’ or ‘Farmtown Frugals’. UScellular met those needs by building networks, pricing plans, and service offerings that its customers valued, and which for many years the Big 3 often did not offer. To the chagrin of its Big 3 competitors, UScellular maintained a sizable customer base within its network footprint by virtue of its strong emphasis on transparency, integrity, and localized customer service. Accordingly, as part of its investigation, the Department considered the impact of the potential disappearance of the services offered to those customers of UScellular — soon to become T-Mobile customers following the merger — that chose UScellular over T-Mobile or its national competitors. “In addition to the potential impact on consumers resulting from the elimination of UScellular from the market, the Department also investigated the potential for consumer benefits. Specifically, the Department considered how UScellular subscribers would fare if UScellular continued as a business without completing this transaction. That aspect of the investigation made clear that, due in part to its limited regional footprint and unique structural limitations, UScellular simply could not keep up with the escalating cost of capital investments in technology required to compete vigorously in the relevant market. This would, in turn, lead to the slow degradation of its network quality. In contrast, T-Mobile has publicly committed that it will integrate the two networks in a way that provides UScellular customers with faster data speeds, while T-Mobile customers will obtain broader coverage in rural areas. Accordingly, the Department concluded the loss of the local offerings that UScellular customers value was outweighed by the immediate improvements in network quality promised by this proposed transaction. That conclusion is bolstered by the competitive realities of future investment in wireless networks and spectrum. “In sum, the Department evaluated the likelihood of harm to competition and the potential effects of the transaction on consumers and determined that, on balance, the potential harm and offsetting benefits of the transaction do not warrant an enforcement action. UScellular’s inability to maintain its competitive position would result in declining value to its subscriber base, whereas the transaction offers them hope that they will be able to experience the benefits of a more robust cellular network. “More broadly, the Department’s investigation made clear that we stand at a pivotal moment for the wireless industry. The transaction comes near the tail end of a decades-long trend toward consolidation-by-acquisition that has now left most consumers with meaningful choices among just the ‘Big 3’ national carriers. Economists and historians, appropriately, will debate whether this trend ultimately redounded to the benefit of competition and consumers, but the stark facts of today merit our immediate attention: together, the Big 3 account for more than 90 percent of the roughly 335 million mobile subscriptions in the United States. “As the Department observed in 2019, when T-Mobile acquired Sprint, ‘The merger would also leave the market vulnerable to increased coordination among the remaining three carriers. Increased coordination harms consumers through a combination of higher prices, reduced innovation, reduced quality, and fewer choices.’ The Department also noted at the time that ‘competition between Sprint and T-Mobile to sell wireless service wholesale to [mobile virtual network operators] has benefited consumers by facilitating innovation by some MVNOs.’ These concerns remain highly relevant. “Spectrum, a national resource that belongs to the American people, is critical to competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services. This transaction, and two other deals contingent on its closing, will consolidate yet more spectrum in the Big 3’s oligopoly, which controls more than 80 percent of the mobile wireless spectrum in the country. The Department investigated these spectrum transfers and concluded that they would not result in sufficient harm to competition to warrant an enforcement action, yet the risks to future competition due to further spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 are acute. As revealed in the merging parties’ advocacy in defense of the proposed transaction, the increased revenues and profitability that the Big 3 obtain through transactions like these enable them to even more dramatically outbid independent rivals for spectrum at future auctions. “It is of concern to the United States that continued spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 threatens to impede the path for a fourth national player to emerge and challenge the entrenched incumbents with new and innovative offerings. Where future spectrum consolidation transactions threaten this path, the Antitrust Division stands ready to investigate and, if warranted by the facts and evidence, use its enforcement power to protect competition and American consumers.” * * * This statement is limited by the Department’s obligation to protect the confidentiality of certain information obtained in its investigations. As in most of its investigations, the Department’s evaluation has been highly fact-specific, and many of the relevant underlying facts are not public. Consequently, readers should not draw overly broad conclusions regarding how the Department is likely in the future to analyze other collaborations or activities, or transactions involving particular firms. Enforcement decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and the analysis and conclusions discussed in this statement do not bind the Department in any future enforcement actions.


title: Defendants Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine in Middle Georgia

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MACON, Ga. – Four defendants involved in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in Macon responsible for pushing kilogram quantities of the illegal drug into the community were sentenced to federal prison today for their crimes. Denzelle Diangelo Willis, 34, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 278 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Willis previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24. James Richard Fuller, 33, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 181 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Fuller previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24. Julio Cesar Mendez, aka “Migo,” 29, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Mendez previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on March 24. Deion Jocoley Howard, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 53 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Howard previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24. The sentencing hearings occurred on July 10 before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. There is no parole in the federal system. “All those associated with these criminal organizations pushing large quantities of the most deadly and addictive drugs into the Middle District of Georgia will find their cases in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working closely with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to make our communities safer.” “This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “These defendants had total disregard for their actions that far too often have tragic consequences.” According to court documents and statements made in court, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, with assistance from the Bibb, Peach and Monroe County Sheriff’s Offices, began investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in Macon in November 2022, after FBI agents seized nearly eleven kilograms of methamphetamine resulting from a separate investigation into Julian Coker’s drug trafficking organization (for more information about this case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/leader-armed-drug-trafficking-organization-sentenced-28-years-prison ). DEA agents learned that Willis and Mendez sold methamphetamine and heroin throughout the Macon area. Between February and March 2023, agents used Confidential Informants (CI) to conduct three methamphetamine buys from Mendez and two heroin buys from Willis; the substances were later tested and contained fentanyl. Using court-authorized wiretaps and surveillance, agents discovered Mendez maintained a stash house on Melbourne Street in Macon and supplied ounce quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana to a network of street-level dealers. Howard was a freelance illegal drug broker in Macon who facilitated drug transactions between mid-level dealers and upper-level suppliers. Howard connected Mendez with Willis’s methamphetamine supply. Willis obtained kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from a source in the Atlanta area for distribution in the Macon area. Fuller was Willis’s courier for resupply trips and deliveries to mid-level dealers. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was investigated by the DEA with assistance from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office. Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Armed Mexican national sentenced for firearms violation

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

body_text: TYLER, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Tomas Ocamp-Mondragon, 37, a Mexican national illegally living in Tyler, pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 10, 2025. According to information presented in court, on August 5, 2024, Ocampo-Mondragon was stopped for a traffic violation in Smith County. It was determined that he was intoxicated, and he was arrested. During the arrest, a loaded firearm was discovered in his pocket. Further investigation revealed Ocampo-Mondragon was a citizen of Mexico and had previously been found unlawfully present in the United States on September 14, 2019, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was also found to be in possession of a firearm during that encounter. He voluntarily returned to Mexico on January 3, 2020, and did not have permission to return to the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Department of Homeland Security, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble. ###


title: Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Three Individuals for Alleged Covid-Relief Fraud

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO – A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted three individuals for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. TANIKA ECHOLS, ANTONIO ECHOLS, and TAMIA THOMPSON DAVIS engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL)–two sources of relief under the CARES Act, according to an indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois. The indictment charges Tanika Echols, 45, of Austin, Texas, and formerly of South Holland, Ill., with 13 counts of wire fraud and seven counts of money laundering. Antonio Echols, 50, of Austin, Texas, and formerly of South Holland, Ill., who is Tanika Echols’s husband, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, while Davis, 27, of Austin, Texas, who is Tanika Echols’s daughter, is charged with four counts of wire fraud. The indictment alleges that the defendants defrauded lenders of approximately $1.7 million in PPP loans and defrauded the SBA of approximately $307,000 in EIDL funds. Much of the money was used for the defendants’ personal benefit, including the purchase of mink coats from Andriana Furs in Chicago, the indictment states. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges during their arraignments last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert. A status hearing was scheduled for Aug. 13, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin. The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Basil Demczak, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General, and Mark Reeves, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board’s Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner. Pursuant to the CARES Act, a PPP loan allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll, rent, and utilities, while the EIDL program provided loan assistance or grants to cover working capital and other operating expenses. According to the indictment, the defendants from 2020 to 2022 submitted more than 100 fraudulent applications to lenders, loan service providers, and the Small Business Administration, on behalf of themselves, seven other individuals, and two businesses owned by Tanika Echols and Antonio Echols. The applications and supporting documents contained materially false statements and misrepresentations about the defendants’ companies, including the number of purported employees, revenue and payroll amounts, and other expenses, the indictment states. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the maximum penalty for each count of money laundering is ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving Covid-19 is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or filing an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . echols_et_al_indictment.pdf


title: Henderson County habitual offender man sentenced to federal prison  for methamphetamine trafficking

body_text: TYLER, Texas – An Athens man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. James Kiser, 40, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 10, 2025. According to information presented in court, on October 19, 2023, Kiser was arrested after selling approximately 34 grams of methamphetamine to another person for $500 cash. Further investigation revealed Kiser has 27 prior convictions for criminal offenses in Henderson and Smith counties. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble. ###


title: Three Raleigh County Residents Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Beckley-Area Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Three Raleigh County residents were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia. Tilford Joe Bradley Jr., 47, of Beckley, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Heather Danielle Dunbar, 38, of Terry, was sentenced to five years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. Kevin Wray Terrell, 39, of Beckley, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and also for violating supervised release. Each prison term is to be followed by three years of supervised release. Bradley, Dunbar and Terrell are among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO, which operated from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 defendants pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate offenses in lieu of the offenses charged in the indictment. According to court documents and statements made in court, Bradley arranged multiple drug transactions with other individuals as part of the DTO conspiracy, and received controlled substances from multiple suppliers for distribution. On June 28, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Bradley’s residence, where Dunbar was staying, and seized 38 grams of fentanyl, 6 grams of cocaine, multiple digital scales, a money counter, a large quantity of small plastic bags, and a blender containing white residue. Dunbar admitted that she intended to help Bradley distribute the seized controlled substances in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. On October 17, 2023, Dunbar sold 1 ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $320 to a confidential informant at Bradley’s residence. Dunbar admitted to the transaction as part of her guilty plea and further admitted to selling 25.94 grams of methamphetamine for $320 on October 23, 2023, and approximately 2.3 grams of fentanyl for $325 on December 26, 2023, each time to a confidential informant. Dunbar also admitted to working with Bradley to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and crack in and around the Southern District of West Virginia during the months of April and May 2024. On May 6, 2024, law enforcement officers in Beckley conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Bradley was a passenger. Officers searched the vehicle and seized 2 ounces of methamphetamine found in a magnetic box hidden in the vehicle’s engine bay, a Colt model MK IV .45-caliber pistol, and a Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol. As part of his guilty plea, Bradley admitted that he intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine. Terrell admitted that he conspired with others to obtain and distribute controlled substances in April and May 2024 as part of the DTO. On May 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Terrell’s residence in Beckley and seized 136 grams of fentanyl. At the time of this offense, Terrell was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on July 20, 2015. Today’s sentence includes one year and 11 months in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90. ###


title: Federal Judge in Chicago Sentences Corrupt Confidential Informant to 13 Years in Prison

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who cultivated a corrupt relationship with a federal law enforcement agent while trafficking cocaine has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison. In 2018, GARY HOWARD, 48, of Oak Lawn, Ill., attempted to purchase ten kilograms of cocaine. Unbeknownst to Howard, the seller was confidentially working on behalf of law enforcement. When the pair met in the parking lot of a furniture store in Chicago, Howard possessed more than $133,000 in a backpack and offered to buy half of the cocaine. Howard was arrested, and a subsequent search of his residence turned up more than $106,000 in cash, a drug ledger, and a loaded handgun. At the time of the attempted drug deal, Howard was a registered confidential informant for Homeland Security Investigations and his handler was Special Agent Anthony Sabaini. Howard and Sabaini had cultivated a corrupt relationship in which Howard paid Sabaini thousands of dollars in exchange for sensitive law enforcement information and protection from other law enforcement agencies. A federal jury last year convicted Howard of drug conspiracy and attempted drug possession. On July 2, 2025, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger sentenced Howard to 13 years in federal prison. Sabaini was convicted in 2023 of illegally structuring financial transactions, concealing material facts from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and filing false federal tax returns. He was sentenced in October 2023 to more than six years in federal prison. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation. “The Sabaini-Howard partnership stained the reputation of HSI and law enforcement at large, as their actions eroded the public trust,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Shih and Jared Hasten argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Corrupt confidential informants and those who work to corrupt federal law enforcement will be held accountable.”


title: KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for fentanyl trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. Lawrence A. Andrews, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole. On March 4, 2025, Andrews pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Andrews admitted he possessed fentanyl pills weighing a total of approximately 19 grams with the intent to distribute and a SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9mm pistol on Aug. 8, 2023. On Aug. 8, 2023, officers with the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Andrews. Andrews was arrested on a failure to appear warrant. Officers searched Andrews’ vehicle and located the firearm and fentanyl, along with approximately 10 grams of PCP, 22 grams of cocaine in the base form, 3 grams of cocaine in the salt form, and 3 grams of methamphetamine. Andrews has prior felony convictions, including two convictions for stealing, eight convictions for possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in drugs in the second degree, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Salvadoran National Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE ALFREDO JIMENEZ-CENTENO , age 72, a citizen of El Salvador, was sentenced on June 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). JOSE ALFREDO JIMENEZ-CENTENO was sentenced to time served and ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to the court documents, JIMENEZ-CENTENO re-entered the United States after he was previously deported on August 20, 1996. JIMENEZ-CENTENO pled guilty to the entire indictment. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit and Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Pair Sentenced for Two St. Louis Carjackings

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man and a woman who committed two armed carjackings in St. Louis, Missouri in 2022 have been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison. U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Thursday sentenced Jermanine Smith, 51, of St. Louis, to 141 months in prison. Judge Ross sentenced Bianka North, 29, of Illinois, to 154 months in prison on June 20. Smith pleaded guilty on March 20, 2025, to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. North pleaded guilty 10 days earlier to two counts of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Both admitted stealing a 2006 Pontiac G6 on May 14, 2022, and a 2009 Scion xD the next day. The first victim was sitting in her G6 in North Riverfront Park in St. Louis when Smith and North pulled up in a Dodge Charger. A short time later, Smith approached the victims and asked for their help jump-starting the Charger. When the G6 driver and her friend got out of their car, North pointed a silver handgun at them and ordered them to move away. North then stole that car and drove away, followed by Smith in the Charger. On May 15, 2022, North was driving the carjacked G6 and parked near a Scion xD in the 1600 block of South 9th Street in St. Louis just after midnight. North opened the door of the Scion and ordered the driver out at gunpoint before driving away. North also ordered the victim to leave her mobile phone in the car. After the carjacking, someone tried to use Cash App on the victim’s phone to transfer $300 to Smith. The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case.


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Allen Rhule, 45, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 24, 2024, Rhule was on parole for prior felony convictions when parole officers conducted a search of his residence as a condition of his supervision. Officers found a Taurus model PT-140 Millenium G2 .40-caliber pistol and a Palmetto State Armory model PA-15 multi-caliber rifle in Rhule’s bedroom. Officers also found loaded ammunition magazines, including high-capacity magazines for the multi-caliber rifle. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Rhule knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his prior felony convictions for attempted manufacture of a controlled substance in Putnam County Circuit Court on October 3, 2022, and attempted grand larceny in Kanawha County Circuit Court on July 31, 2023. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and West Virginia Parole Services. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-157. ###


title: Man Admits the Armed Robbery of Two St. Louis County Stores

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man on Thursday admitted robbing two St. Louis County, Missouri businesses at gunpoint in 2024. Stanley E. Alford, 58, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted robbing a store on Gravois Bluffs Boulevard in Fenton, Missouri on Jan. 24, 2024, and a pawnshop in the 8100 block of Gravois Road in St. Louis County two days later. During the first robbery, Alford asked a cashier for change and left when she said she couldn’t open the register. He returned a short time later to return an item that he’d just purchased. When the victim opened the register, Alford pulled a handgun and ordered the cashier to give him the cash drawer. He then made her put the cash in a bag and shoved her head with the barrel of the gun. At the pawnshop, Alford browsed jewelry before pulling a handgun. After the employee who was helping Alford ran for her life, he jumped over the counter and stole a tray containing ten gold and diamond rings. Surveillance video captured Alford committing both robberies and fleeing in a vehicle registered to him. He was also wearing or had in his possession several stolen rings, and officers found distinctive clothing and other evidence connecting him to the robberies. Alford is scheduled to be sentenced on October 14. The robbery charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The brandishing charges carry a penalty of seven years in prison, consecutive to any other charge, meaning Alford faces at least 14 years in prison. The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of Firearms

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HAVEN PATTERSON (“PATTERSON”) , age 42, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). According to court records, on February 27, 2025, PATTERSON intentionally possessed a loaded 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and a loaded .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun. PATTERSON is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior Louisiana State conviction. The offense is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Sentencing is scheduled for October 7, 2025. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). * * *


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Cares Act Fraud

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DENT HUNTER (“HUNTER”) , age 46, of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 8, 2025 to five years of probation by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion after HUNTER pleaded guilty to both making false statements, and money laundering, related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program. According to the charging documents, or about April 6, 2020, HUNTER , on behalf of a business, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain a $122,100 PPP loan. On or about July 22, 2020, HUNTER stole $149,900 from the SBA by using an application in the name of NexLevel ONE Realty. Finally, HUNTER committed two counts of money laundering by using these ill-gotten funds to buy two motor vehicles for family members. In addition to probation, HUNTER was ordered to pay approximately over $1 million in restitution to the SBA, and to conduct 400 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200. 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 . This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC), and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Two Venezuelan Nationals Indicted for Conspiracy to Steal Cash in ATM “Jackpotting” Scheme in Merced and Tulare Counties and Elsewhere

body_text: A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Joel Alejandro Morantes Leal, 25, of San Cristobal, Venezuela, and Endis Daniel Gonzalez Ortega, 22, of Venezuela, charging them in a conspiracy to steal cash from ATMs in the Counties of Merced and Tulare and in six other western states, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Morantes was additionally charged with one count of bank robbery, one count of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, and three counts of attempting to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud. According to court documents, between April 1, 2025, and May 29, 2025, Morantes and Gonzalez engaged in an ATM “jackpotting” conspiracy, where they stole money from ATMs at targeted banks and credit unions around the Western United States by infecting the ATMs with malware and causing them to dispense money without a valid transaction. They worked with others and targeted ATMs in California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Nebraska, Utah, and Washington. The defendants and their co-conspirators jackpotted or attempted to jackpot more than 30 ATMs and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. Currency. In one incident alone, in April 2025 at a credit union in Merced County, they stole approximately $94,800 in cash. The investigation is ongoing. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Larimer County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Office and the Eugene (Oregon) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case. If convicted of conspiracy, Morantes and Gonzalez face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of bank robbery, Morantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of accessing or attempting to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, Morantes faces and a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Mexican National With Five Prior Deportations Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made his initial court appearance today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country. Marlo Alejandro Valdovinos-Guerra, 32, is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A jury trial is scheduled for September 8, 2025, before United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva. According to allegations contained in the criminal indictment and statements made during court proceedings, Valdovinos-Guerra is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on December 15, 2012, March 7, 2019, April 22, 2019, March 25, 2021, and December 2, 2024, and reentered the United States illegally within a month of his most recent deportation. In 2024, Valdovinos-Guerra was convicted of inflict corporal injury on spouse, cohabitant, and sentenced to two years of custody. In 2025, he pleaded guilty to attempt malicious destruction of property for discharging a firearm at a nightclub. If convicted, Valdovinos-Guerra faces the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement. The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form . An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


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

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – An Ohio man pleaded guilty on June 30, 2025 to illegally possessing magnetic stripe credit card encoding devices. According to court documents and statements made in court, on the morning of April 28, 2024, John Carleton Johnson, Jr., 32, of Canal Winchester, Ohio, was arrested in Rankin County following a traffic stop wherein he was found to be in possession of approximately 322 gift cards, seventeen reencoded instruments containing stolen bank card data, and two magstripe encoding devices. Johnson and his co-defendant could be seen on CCTV footage at various retail stores throughout the Jackson metropolitan area purchasing gift cads with known cloned instruments. Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possession or trafficking of device-making equipment with intent to defraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, 2025, and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement. The United States Secret Service, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force with assistance from the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Flowood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.


title: Neshoba County Man Pleads Guilty to Two Counts Sexual Abuse of a Minor

body_text: Jackson, MS – On July 1, 2025, a Neshoba County man pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Robert Eikhoff, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement. According to court documents, Quindon Bailey John, 23, engaged in sexual contact with two female minors who were older than 12 years old but younger than 16 years old at the time of the offenses. Court records show that the offenses occurred in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation in 2023 and 2024. John is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2025, and faces up to fifteen years in prison on each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian K. Burns and Kevin J. Payne prosecuted the case.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced to 17 Months for Unlawful Reentry by a Removed Alien Convicted of an Aggravated Felony

body_text: JACKSON, MS – A Guatemalan national was sentenced on June 30, 2025 to 17 months in prison for unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed from the country. According to court documents, Juan Lucas-Gomez, 38, was found by law enforcement officials to be unlawfully present in the country on or about February 28, 2025. He had previously been removed from the United States in July of 2010 following his conviction on January 13, 2009 for aggravated battery of a pregnant woman in Florida. Lucas-Gomez served a state jail sentence prior to his removal in 2010 and was subject to an enhanced federal penalty for unlawfully reentering the United States due to his prior conviction. Lucas-Gomez was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 4, 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 31, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon and Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Brian Acuna, Acting Field Office Director of ICE/ERO in New Orleans, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case. This case was investigated by Homeland Security investigations as part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Roanoke Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Truist Banks

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A local man, who robbed multiple Truist Banks in October 2022, pled guilty today to a pair of federal charges. Michael Anthony McCoy, 67, of Roanoke, pled guilty today to one count of bank robbery with the use of a dangerous weapon and one count of bank robbery. A second defendant, Dawn Davis, has previously pled guilty and will be sentenced later this year. According to court documents, McCoy directed Davis to write a threatening note to use in a bank robbery. After Davis wrote the note as directed, on October 26, 2022, McCoy entered the Truist Bank location on Melrose Avenue NW in the City of Roanoke and handed the note to a bank teller. After McCoy handed the note to the teller, he approached a second teller and brandished a firearm. McCoy stole approximately $6,485 from the Truist Bank location. Two days later, McCoy then robbed another Truist Bank on McClanahan Street SW, stealing nearly $6,000 from that bank as well. Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares made the announcement. The FBI and the City of Roanoke Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff and Special Assistant United States Attorney John Beamer, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, are prosecuting the case.


title: Colorado Woman Conspiring to Distribute Meth and  Fentanyl Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced July 8, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to 76 months’ imprisonment. Danielle Morris, 49, originally from Denver, Colorado, staying in Odebolt, Iowa, pled guilty February 12, 2025, to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that from January 2024 through April 27, 2024, Morris and others conspired to distribute about one pound of methamphetamine and more than 1700 pills of fentanyl. On April 21, 2024, Morris, along with two others were headed to Colorado to pick up more methamphetamine and to sell fentanyl pills. When law enforcement tried to stop them, the fentanyl was thrown from the vehicle and later seized. Morris and the others recklessly attempted to elude law enforcement driving their vehicle at high speeds. Morris made a “false” 911 call in an effort to distract police and avoid capture. Later on the same date, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Morris and her co-conspirator’s residence and seized a small amount of methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded .22 caliber Beretta handgun. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Morris was sentenced to 76 months’ imprisonment and must serve a four-year term of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Morris remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Ida and Sac County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Iowa Criminalistics Laboratory. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Washington State Resident Sentenced For Burglary And Felony Assault

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Lynn Lusk, age 35, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Burglary in the First Degree in Indian Country, and 30 months in prison for one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Muskogee Police Department. On February 3, 2025, Lusk pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on March 22, 2024, Lusk broke into a Muskogee apartment in order to attack the resident. Once inside the apartment, Lusk proceeded to strangle and suffocate the victim, who was able to escape and call for help during a pause in the attack. The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Lusk will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Lee Pritchett, age 34, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment charged Pritchett with knowingly possessing a .22 caliber Derringer, a semi-automatic rifle, a short-barreled rifle, two hundred rounds of assorted ammunition, 40 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, one round of Winchester 12-gauge ammunition, and 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition on February 4, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Pritchett was released on bond with conditions pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Ardmore Resident Pleads Guilty To Sexual Abuse

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Todd Philip Wilkerson, age 53, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, punishable by up to life in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment alleged that on March 26, 2025, Wilkerson knowingly engaged in sexual contact with a victim who was incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct and physically incapable of declining participation or communicating unwillingness to engage in that act. The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department, and the Ardmore Police Department. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Wilkerson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Durant Resident Pleads Guilty To Felony Assault

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Derek Michael James, age 41, of Durant, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment alleged that on January 27, 2025, James assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, intending to do bodily harm. The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. James will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.


title: Two Co-Conspirators Plead Guilty To Federal Drug Crimes

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that two defendants entered guilty pleas for their roles in a federal drug conspiracy. Dylan Thomas Emmick, age 32, of Purcell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by five to 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000.00 fine. Kody James Lile, age 45, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by five to 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000.00 fine. The Indictment alleged that on November 8, 2024, Emmick conspired to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and that on November 9, 2024, Lile knowingly and intentionally possessed five grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation reports. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Emmick and Lile will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.


title: Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty To Involuntary Manslaughter

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Bird, age 70, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Information alleged that on January 21, 2025, Bird unlawfully killed a person in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death when committed in an unlawful manner, without due caution and circumspection. As part of the plea agreement, Bird admitted the government could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he discharged a firearm without due caution and circumspection, killing the victim. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Stilwell Police Department, and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. District Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Bird will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Texas Resident Sentenced For Federal Drug Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darlene Ruelas Flores, a/k/a Darlene Sheppard, age 44, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department. On February 13, 2025, Flores pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 30, 2024, law enforcement conducting a routine traffic stop for equipment violations discovered Flores in possession of 968.9 grams of a white substance that later tested positive for fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Flores will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.


title: Coweta Resident Pleads Guilty To Possessing Child Sexual Exploitation Material

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Michael DeGraw, age 30, of Coweta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment alleged that on or about December 20, 2023, until February 27, 2025, DeGraw knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which DeGraw accessed with intent to view. The charge arose from an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. DeGraw was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.


title: Okmulgee County Resident Sentenced For Federal Firearm Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gabriel Lee Williams, II, a/k/a Chi-Chi, age 26, of Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 140 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Okmulgee Police Department. On January 13, 2025, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm. According to investigators, on April 27, 2024, law enforcement discovered Williams in possession of one 9mm handgun and one .40 caliber handgun after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Williams will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Dean Burris represented the United States.


title: Spiro Resident Sentenced For Methamphetamine Distribution

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Curtis Gene Atkins, age 60, of Spiro, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the 12th/21st Judicial Drug Task Force out of Sebastian and Crawford Counties, Arkansas, and the Barling, Arkansas Police Department. On November 18, 2024, Atkins pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on April 4, 2024, and May 15, 2024, Atkins sold a total of 166.06 grams of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Atkins will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


title: Air Force Employee Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Disclose Unlawfully Classified National Defense Information

body_text: WASHINGTON — A civilian employee of the U.S. Air Force assigned to the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) at Offutt Air Force Base pleaded guilty today to conspiring to transmit classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information) on a foreign online dating platform beginning in or around February 2022 until in or around April 2022. “The defendant, an employee of the United States Air Force with access to some of our Nation’s most closely held secrets, shared classified information with someone claiming to be a foreigner on an online dating platform,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The Department of Justice stands ready to hold accountable those who violate their obligation to protect sensitive national security information entrusted to them.” “Access to classified information comes with great responsibility. David Slater failed in his duty to protect this information by willingly sharing National Defense Information with an unknown online personality despite having years of military experience that should have caused him to be suspicious of that person’s motives,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods for the District of Nebraska. “Mr. Slater betrayed an oath he made to safeguard our nation’s intelligence,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “Leveraging his access to sensitive information, Mr. Slater chose to transmit material that put our country at risk. The FBI is extremely thankful for the work of our partners in this case. We will continue to partner together to defend the homeland by aggressively investigating and apprehending criminals and adversaries who pose a threat to our nation’s security.” According to court documents, David Franklin Slater, 64, of Nebraska, after retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army, worked in a classified space at USSTRATCOM and held a Top Secret security clearance from in or around August 2021 until in or around April 2022. Slater pleaded guilty to willfully, improperly, and unlawfully conspiring to transmit National Defense Information classified as “SECRET,” which he had reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation, on a foreign online dating platform to a person not authorized to receive such information. According to court documents, Slater attended USSTRATCOM briefings regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine that were classified up to TOP SECRET//SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION (TS//SCI). Slater then conspired to transmit classified National Defense Information that he learned from those briefings via the foreign online dating website’s messaging platform to his co-conspirator, who claimed to be a female living in Ukraine on the foreign dating website. The co-conspirator regularly asked Slater to provide her with sensitive, non-public, closely held, and classified National Defense Information and called Slater in their messages her “secret informant love” and her “secret agent.” In furtherance of that conspiracy, Slater did, in fact, transmit classified National Defense Information to her, including regarding military targets and Russian military capabilities relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The charge of conspiracy to transmit national defense information provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Slater is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Omaha Field Office and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald J. Kleine for the District of Nebraska and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/air-force-employee-pleads-guilty-conspiracy-disclose-unlawfully-classified-national-defense


title: Luzerne County Man Sentenced To 15 Years’ Imprisonment On Drug Trafficking And Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Essameddin Birry, age 43, of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 9, 2025, to 15 years’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley on drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, between May 31, 2023, and July 27, 2023, Birry distributed methamphetamine on multiple occasions in the Wilkes-Barre area within Luzerne County. On September 11, 2023, Birry was involved in a motor vehicle stop in Olyphant, Lackawanna County. Birry attempted to flee on foot from law enforcement but was apprehended and found to be in possession of distribution amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessed a loaded handgun. Birry was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony drug trafficking convictions. At the time of this offense, Birry was on probation for a prior drug trafficking conviction. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiate that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police and Olyphant Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Patrick Bannon prosecuted the case. # # #