title: Boston Man Indicted for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Other Sex Trafficking Crimes

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly sex trafficking three victims, including a minor, between New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Orland Reyes, a/k/a “Snow,” 33, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child; one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in prostitution; one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution; two counts of transporting an individual with intent to engage in prostitution; and two counts of coercion and enticement of an individual to engage in prostitution. The defendant was arrested in Puerto Rico on Aug. 20, 2025. Reyes made his initial appearance in Massachusetts on Dec. 9, 2025 and was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for Dec. 18, 2025 in federal court in Worcester. It is alleged that Reyes was the sole occupant in a vehicle that was stopped by law enforcement and that he had outstanding arrest warrants. A subsequent search of Reyes’ three cellphones allegedly revealed numerous communications detailing his sex trafficking operation. According to the charging documents, beginning as early as June 2023, Reyes coerced and enticed women from New Hampshire to travel to Massachusetts to engage in prostitution at his direction. It is alleged that one victim was a 17-year-old minor at the time. It is further alleged that Reyes encouraged another victim to take Percocet to “help her feel better,” about engaging in prostitution at his direction and, eventually, the victim became drug dependent as a result. Reyes also allegedly transported an 18-year-old victim and her infant to his apartment in Boston and, when the victim refused to engage in prostitution at his direction, he kicked her and her infant out of his apartment. The charges of attempted sex trafficking of a minor, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in prostitution and coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of transporting an individual with intent to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of coercion and enticement of an individual to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and Brian A. Fogerty of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Canton Man Sentenced for Multi-Million-Dollar Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Canton, Mass., man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare of over $4 million by submitting claims for durable medical equipment (DME) that was medically unnecessary, not wanted by the Medicare beneficiaries and tainted by kickbacks. Krishna Gidwani, 55, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gidwani was also ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to Medicare. In August 2025 , Gidwani pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Gidwani worked with Raju Sharma , and other co-conspirators, to own and operate a DME company that paid telemarketing companies for DME orders for orthotics such as ankle, wrist, knee and back braces. Often, the Medicare beneficiaries did not need or want the braces the defendants shipped them and as further alleged, the doctors whose signatures appeared on these DME orders often did not treat these beneficiaries and did not prescribe the DME. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown – a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren A. Graber and Sarah B. Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Executive Director of Black Lives Matter OKC Charged with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal grand jury Indictment has been unsealed, charging TASHELLA SHERI AMORE DICKERSON , 52, of Oklahoma City, with wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to the Indictment, beginning in at least 2016, Dickerson served as the Executive Director of Black Lives Matter OKC (BLMOKC). As Executive Director, Dickerson had access to BLMOKC’s bank, PayPal, and Cash App accounts. The Indictment alleges that, although BLMOKC was not a registered tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, it accepted charitable donations through its affiliation with the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), based in Arizona. AFGJ served as a fiscal sponsor to BLMOKC and required BLMOKC to use its funds only as permitted by Section 501(c)(3). AFGJ also required BLMOKC to fully account upon request for the disbursement of all funds received and prohibited BLMOKC from using its funds to purchase real estate without AFGJ’s consent. Beginning in late spring 2020, BLMOKC raised funds to support its social justice mission from online donors, as well as from national bail funds. In total, BLMOKC raised more than $5.6 million, which included grants from national bail funds, including the Community Justice Exchange, Massachusetts Bail Fund, and Minnesota Freedom Fund. Most of those funds were routed through AFGJ, as fiscal sponsor, to BLMOKC. According to the Indictment, BLMOKC was supposed to use these national bail fund grants to post pretrial bail for individuals arrested in connection with protests for racial justice after the death of George Floyd. When bail funds were returned to BLMOKC, the national bail funds sometimes allowed BLMOKC to keep all or a portion of the grant funding to establish a revolving bail fund, or for BLMOKC’s social justice mission, as permitted by Section 501(c)(3). Despite the stated purpose of the money raised, and the terms and conditions of the grants, the Indictment alleges that beginning in June 2020 and continuing through at least October 2025, Dickerson embezzled funds from BLMOKC’s accounts for her personal benefit. The Indictment alleges Dickerson deposited at least $3.15 million in returned bail checks into her personal accounts, rather than into BLMOKC’s accounts. Among other things, Dickerson then used these funds to pay for: recreational travel to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic for herself and her associates; tens of thousands of dollars in retail shopping; at least $50,000 in food and grocery deliveries for herself and her children; a personal vehicle registered in her name; and six real properties in Oklahoma City deeded in her own name or in the name Equity International, LLC, an entity she exclusively controlled. The Indictment further alleges that Dickerson used interstate wire communications to submit two false annual reports to AFGJ on behalf of BLMOKC. Dickerson reported that she had used BLMOKC funds only for tax-exempt purposes. She did not disclose that she used funds for her personal benefit. On December 3, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a 25-count Indictment, charging Dickerson with 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. For each count of wire fraud, Dickerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. For each count of money laundering, Dickerson faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction. The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that Dickerson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Jessica L. Perry are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Greenville Man Indicted for Armed Robbery and Firearms Offenses at Bear Creek Bank

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 9, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against a man allegedly involved in the armed robbery of a bank in Bear Creek in northwestern Outagamie County. The indictment named Martin M. Muniz-Lara (age: 43) of Greenville, Wisconsin. Count One of the indictment charges Muniz-Lara with Armed Bank Robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and 2113(d). If convicted, Muniz-Lara faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. Count Two charges Muniz-Lara with Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). If convicted, Muniz-Lara faces up to life in prison, with a 7-year mandatory minimum sentence that must be consecutive to any other sentence. Muniz-Lara would also face fines, a special assessment, and terms of supervised release at the end of any sentence imposed. According to the indictment, on or about October 17, 2025, the defendant forcefully took money from a federally insured bank in Bear Creek and brandished a firearm while committing the robbery. The Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI, Oshkosh Police Department, and Outagamie County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute the case in United States District Court in Green Bay. An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Architect of Massive $420 Million Bank Fraud Scheme  Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL – Matthew Thomas Onofrio, 34, of Plymouth, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Over the course of two years, Onofrio devised and carried out a $420 million bank fraud scheme. Between 2020 and 2022, Matthew Onofrio—a young nurse anesthetist and real estate investor—devised and carried out a massive bank fraud scheme. To carry out his fraud scheme, Onofrio created a real estate investment program whereby Onofrio would enter into purchase agreements for commercial properties and assign them to novice “investors” at highly inflated prices. Onofrio then coached his investors to lie to banks to obtain loans they could not afford based on false information. Onofrio promoted his own financial success and real estate investment strategies in online professional networking groups and on a popular podcast geared towards aspiring real estate investors, called “Bigger Pockets.” Onofrio leveraged those platforms to create a reputation as something of a real estate savant, which attracted more investors. Onofrio’s investors did not have the kind of money (typically, 30% of the purchase price) that was necessary to purchase the multi-million-dollar properties that Onofrio offered. To solve this problem, Onofrio counseled his investors defraud the banks. Onofrio helped investors prepare fraudulent personal finance statements falsely indicating they had enough cash to cover the requisite down payment. When the lending banks inevitably requested proof of funds, Onofrio temporarily wired the money into his investors’ bank accounts, making it appear they actually had the money. If the banks asked about the source of the funds, Onofrio instructed his investors to tell the banks it came from other investments, or they had family money. Onofrio would also loan his investors money to cover the down payment but would not include the loans on the investors’ personal financial statements or record the promissory notes as a second mortgage on the property to keep it hidden from the banks. Over the course of approximately two years, Onofrio completed 68 deals involving $420,564,795 in fraudulently obtained bank loans. Although many of Onofrio’s investors stopped paying on their promissory notes following Onofrio’s indictment in this case, Onofrio netted at least $35,745,252 from his fraudulent scheme before being caught. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced Onofrio to 36 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered him to play $5,398,641 in restitution. In handing down her sentence, Judge Nelson identified Onofrio as the “ringleader and architect of a vast bank fraud.” Judge Nelson explained that she wanted to send a message to other would-be fraudsters that there is no such thing as a get-rich-quick-scheme—at least not a legal one. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the IRS, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury Finds Plant City Gas Station Robber Guilty

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Emarjai Walker (29, Plant City) guilty of interference with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during a violent felony. Walker faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, just before midnight on April 5, 2020, Walker robbed a gas station located at 2911 James Redman Parkway in Plant City. After the clerk opened the register as Walker had demanded, Walker shot the clerk in the face. While his victim was lying on the floor bleeding, Walker fired a second shot which barely missed the clerk’s head. Walker ran from the store leaving the clerk for dead. The victim was discovered by a customer 10 minutes after the shooting. Although Walker was disguised and masked, the clerk’s familiarity of Walker’s mannerisms from previous visits to the store allowed him, from his hospital bed days later, to identify Walker as the shooter. Further investigation revealed that Walker had done extensive media research following the shooting and that he had tried to sell a .38 handgun the next day. This case was investigated by the Plant City Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jim Preston and Brooke Padgett. 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Former VIPD Commissioner and Former OMB Director Found Guilty on All Counts in Federal Corruption Trial

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Yesterday, a federal jury found Ray Martinez, former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD), and Jenifer O’Neal, former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget (OMB), guilty on all counts following a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Mark A. Kearney. Martinez and O’Neal were convicted of participating in a wide-ranging public corruption scheme involving honest services wire fraud, federal program bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and, in Martinez’s case, obstruction of justice. According to evidence presented at trial, Martinez accepted nearly $100,000 in bribe payments from contractor David Whitaker — including cash, luxury travel, personal expenses, private-school tuition, and restaurant equipment — and in exchange used his official authority to approve invoices and award Whitaker a $1.4 million dollar contract funded by federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. O’Neal, who served as the territory’s chief budget official, knowingly approved a $70,000 inflated invoice under that same contract and later accepted a $17,730 lease payment for her business, Java Grande, using federal funds from the inflated invoice. The evidence further showed that, after learning of the federal investigation, Martinez attempted to obstruct justice by directing Whitaker to destroy evidence and by creating a fraudulent promissory note in an effort to conceal bribe payments. Martinez and O’Neal each face significant statutory penalties, including terms of imprisonment and fines. Sentencing dates will be scheduled by the court. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper of the District of the Virgin Islands, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Rodriguez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Virgin Islands Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cherrisse Amaro for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case.


title: Hollywood Director And Writer Convicted Of $11 Million Fraud On Subscription Streaming Service

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the conviction of CARL ERIK RINSCH, a Los Angeles-based director and writer, for his role in a fraudulent scheme to steal $11 million from a subscription video on-demand streaming service (“Streaming Company-1”) in connection with a planned science fiction television show called “White Horse,” and then laundering that money. The defendant was found guilty following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2026. “Carl Erik Rinsch took $11 million meant for a TV show and gambled it on speculative stock options and crypto transactions,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s conviction shows that when someone steals from investors, we will follow the money and hold them accountable.” As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial: RINSCH is a film and television writer and director who partially completed a science fiction television show called “White Horse.” In 2018, RINSCH reached an agreement with Streaming Company-1 in which Streaming Company-1 would both pay RINSCH for the existing episodes of White Horse and also fund completion of the rest of the show. Between 2018 and 2019, Streaming Company-1 paid approximately $44 million for White Horse. Between late 2019 and early 2020, RINSCH demanded even more money from Streaming Company-1 to complete White Horse. Streaming Company-1 ultimately agreed to pay another $11 million and transferred those funds to a company RINSCH controlled on or about March 6, 2020. The entirety of those funds was to be spent on the completion of White Horse. But RINSCH did not use those funds to complete White Horse. Instead, within days, RINSCH began transferring the funds he received through a number of different bank accounts before consolidating them in a personal brokerage account. RINSCH then used those funds to make a number of personal and speculative purchases of securities. His trading was unsuccessful, and in less than two months after receiving $11 million from Streaming Company-1, RINSCH had lost more than half of those funds. Even after losing most of the $11 million, RINSCH still did not spend the remaining funds he had stolen on White Horse. Instead, he used the money to speculate on cryptocurrency, and on personal expenses and luxury items, including at least $1.7 million on credit card bills; at least $3.3 million on furniture, antiques, and mattresses; at least $387,000 on a Swiss watch; and at least $2.4 million on five Rolls Royces and a red Ferrari. * * * RINSCH, 48, of Los Angeles, California, was convicted of one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and five counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy V. Capozzi, Jackie Delligatti, David A. Markewitz, Kevin Mead, and Adam Sowlati are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Maria Larracuente and William Coleman.


title: Twice-Removed Illegal Alien Charged for Violent Attack on Charlotte’s Light Rail System

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: A federal criminal complaint was filed in Charlotte today charging an illegal alien with a federal crime in connection with the violent attack on the city’s light rail system. Oscar Gerardo Solorzano-Garcia, 33, from Honduras, is charged with one count of illegal reentry by a removed alien and one count of committing an act of violence on a mass transportation system. “Not only should this defendant have already been in prison — he should not have been in our country to begin with,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This attack is more tragic evidence that soft-on-crime policies and vetting failures put innocent citizens at risk. My prosecutors will deliver swift, comprehensive justice in this case.” “The people of Charlotte deserve to live in a safe city and this horrific act should never have happened,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As the FBI has illustrated, we will not stand for this type of violence in our communities. Our mission is to keep our communities safe and that is exactly what the men and women of the FBI are working to accomplish each and every day.” “This defendant is charged with coming back to the United States after being deported not once, but twice, and then stabbing a passenger in the chest on our city’s public transit system,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina. “Everyone who uses public transportation is the victim of a crime like this, and we will act swiftly to prosecute those who violate our immigration laws and endanger the lives of citizens using public transit to go about their daily lives.” “Oscar Solorzano-Garcia should not have been on the Charlotte light rail last Friday. In fact, he should not have been in our country. He has a violent criminal history and was deported twice,” said Special Agent in Charge Barnacle James C. Barnacle Jr. of FBI’s Charlotte Field Office. “These two recent attacks on the city’s light rail system make one thing clear. Safety measures on public transportation in our city must be strengthened. People deserve a secure and reliable transit system where they make it to work and back home unharmed.” “Our strong partnerships with federal and community stakeholders are essential to keeping our city safe,” said Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). “Federal charges brought against violent offenders send a clear message: if you commit violent crimes, you will be held accountable. Actions have consequences, and we will continue working with our justice partners to ensure offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent.” According to allegations in the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, on Dec. 5, at approximately 4:49 p.m., CMPD officers received a call for service related to an assault with a deadly weapon that occurred on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte. Responding CMPD officers located the victim in the rear rail car. The victim, identified in court documents as K.D., had sustained serious injuries from a stab wound to his upper left chest and was taken to the hospital. According to witness statements and surveillance footage, Solorzano-Garcia was a passenger on the train and appeared to be intoxicated. K.D. and Solorzano-Garcia engaged in a verbal altercation, and Solorzano-Garcia pulled out a long knife and stabbed the victim in the chest. Solorzano-Garcia then got off the train and began walking away. Additional CMPD officers responding to the scene located Solorzano-Garcia and took him into custody. The criminal complaint alleges that Solorzano-Garcia is an alien unlawfully present in the United States. It is further alleged that in 2012, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by the Union County Police Department in New Jersey and was later convicted of robbery. In July 2016, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and he was removed from the United States in March 2018. Nine months later, Solorzano-Garcia was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol. He was convicted of illegal reentry and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. On June 9, 2021, Solorzano-Garcia was removed from the United States out of Alexandria, Louisiana. If convicted, Solorzano-Garcia faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for the charge of violence on a mass transportation system, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the illegal reentry offense. Ultimately, his sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI is investigating the case with the assistance of CMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller for the Western District of North Carolina is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two Massachusetts Men Arrested for Drug Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged fentanyl distribution conspiracy, following a series of controlled purchases in Brookline and Boston. Shaquylle Burden, 31, of Roslindale, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Burden was arrested this morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for Dec. 17, 2025. Co-defendant, Kerry Charlotin, a/k/a “KG,” 36, of Rockland, was also arrested this morning in South Carolina. Charlotin was ordered detained and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Charlotin is currently on federal supervised release for a 2020 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the charging documents, in June 2025, law enforcement began an investigation into the alleged drug trafficking activities conducted by Burden and Charlotin. The investigation allegedly revealed that the defendants were actively selling fentanyl in the greater Boston area. On two separate dates in October and December 2025, Burden and Charlotin allegedly sold or arranged the sale of fentanyl to undercover law enforcement during controlled purchases. It is further alleged that one firearm was found in Burden’s Roslindale residence at the time of his arrest. The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Columbia Field Office in South Carolina. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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 details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Ohio County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Distribution

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Deontre Christian Johnson, age 25, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for fentanyl distribution, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. According to court documents, Johnson, also known as “Trap,” was selling fentanyl on Wheeling Island. Johnson will serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Brockton Woman Charged with Theft of Government Funds in Connection with Stolen $931,000 Tax Refund Check

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton woman has been arrested and charged with stealing a nearly $1 million United States Treasury tax refund check. Lana Ruel, 70, was charged with one count of theft of government funds. Ruel was arrested today and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. According to the charging documents, Ruel attempted to deposit a United States Treasury tax refund check issued to a healthcare company in Brooklyn. Prior to the attempted deposit, Ruel allegedly incorporated a company in Massachusetts in the same name as Company A and then opened a bank account in the name of the victim company. After the attempted deposit, the bank froze Ruel’s account. Ruel then allegedly called the bank and said that she could “explain what the check was, where it came from, and what it’s for…” It is further alleged that, over the past two years, Ruel created four additional companies in Massachusetts that do not appear to have a legitimate business purpose. With respect to one of those companies, Ruel allegedly opened an account at each of approximately eight different banks. Ruel also allegedly received wire transfers in some of the accounts and then wired the funds to different accounts or made cash withdrawals. The banks have closed all these accounts. The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Mexican man from Billings sentenced for illegal firearm possession

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

body_text: BILLINGS – A Mexican man illegally living in Billings was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Javier Vidal Rico, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that on December 25, 2024, at approximately midnight, deputies from the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office received a report that an unknown subject had brandished a firearm at a Christmas party on Lewis Avenue in Billings. The caller advised that the subject had been disarmed by another partygoer, but was threatening to return. The responding deputies interviewed John and Jane Doe, who said an unknown male had come to the Christmas party earlier that night and started an argument with John Doe. Jane Doe observed the subject withdraw a teal pistol from his waistband during the argument and point it at John Doe’s stomach. Jane Doe said John wrestled the pistol away from the subject, who fled the scene. John Doe gave the gun, a teal SCCY 9mm pistol, to the deputies. John Doe further advised the subject left in a black Cadillac Escalade and that he had thrown a rock through one of the vehicle’s windows. The deputies found a black Escalade parked outside Rico’s residence with a shattered driver’s window and a “Rico Construction” decal on the back window. Deputies confirmed Rico lived at the address but were unable to contact him that night. Deputies returned to the residence the next day to speak with Rico. He admitted he had been at the Christmas party the night before and left around midnight. He acknowledged the Escalade belonged to him and that someone had broken the window while he was driving it. He consented to a search of his residence, which revealed 23 live 9 mm rounds and 3 live .25 rounds on a shelf in Rico’s closet. Deputies also seized a SCCY pistol magazine loaded with 9 mm ammunition and a nylon gun holster. The deputies arrested Rico and during the booking process he said he was a citizen of Mexico. He admitted he paid a coyote to transport him to the United States illegally in 2021 and advised he lived in Missouri before coming to Montana. Investigators later confirmed Ric was a citizen of Mexico who had been removed from the United States in 2014 and had been given a lifetime ban on reentry. Rico did not obtain consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security before entering the United States in 2021. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the ATF conducted the investigation. 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). XXX


title: Jefferson County felon sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for firearms violation

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Groves convicted felon has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Alvaro Montrell Bethea, 46, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on December 11, 2025. According to information presented in court, on May 10, 2023, law enforcement attempted to perform a traffic stop on Bethea pursuant to an active warrant. Bethea did not initially pull over and fled while tossing crack cocaine from the vehicle. Bethea was arrested and a search of his home revealed a semi-automatic handgun. Bethea is a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee. ##


title: Marshall County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Offenses

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – James Adam Vipperman, age 38, of Cameron, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 79 months in federal prison methamphetamine trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. According to court documents and statements made in court, Vipperman worked with others to sell methamphetamine in Marshall County, WV. Vipperman will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Nigerian Resident Sentenced to 33 Months Imprisonment for Participating in Years-Long Romance Scam Victimizing Multiple United States Citizens

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DANIEL CHIMA INWEREGBU(“INWEREGBU”) , age 40, a citizen of Lagos, Nigeria, was sentenced to 33 months imprisonment by United States District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and use of an assumed name to commit a mail fraud scheme, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1342, 1343 and 1349, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(1)(B)(i), 1957, and 1956(h). The charges stemmed from INWEREGBU’s role in a lengthy scheme targeting American citizens. INWEREGBU was arrested when he travelled from Nigeria to the United Kingdom and was extradited to the United States to face the charges pending against him in July 2025. Judge Brown also sentenced INWEREGBU to 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, payment of a $100 special assessment fee and payment of restitution of $166,400. According to court documents, a “romance scam” was a confidence trick involving feigning romantic intentions towards a victim, gaining their affection, and then using that goodwill to commit fraud. Fraudulent acts may involve obtaining access to a victim's money, bank accounts, credit cards, passports, e-mail accounts, or national identification numbers; convincing the victims to transmit things of value to the perpetrator or his witting or unwitting co-conspirators; or inducing victims unintentionally to commit or participate in the commission of financial fraud against third parties on behalf of the perpetrator. Between at least July 1, 2017, and December 16, 2018, INWEREGBU and his co-conspirators devised and operated a “romance scam” whereby they sought to obtain money and property from multiple American women, including Victim 1, a female born in 1965, Victim 2, a female born in March 1974, Victim 3, a female born in 1970, and Victim 4, a female born in 1976, by means of false and fraudulent representations and promises. Specifically, INWEREGBU and his co-conspirators created profiles on social media and online dating sites using the alias “Larry Pham,” purportedly a middle-aged Canadian-born Vietnamese male, to attract female victims. The co-conspirators, including INWEREGBU , used online messaging platforms and email, to contact victims, introduce themselves, and appeal to victims’ longing for companionship. If the target responded favorably, INWEREGBU and his co-conspirators began to cultivate a romantic relationship that emotionally attached the victims to “Larry Pham.” Once the relationship was established, the defendant and his co-conspirators, posing as Larry Pham, requested victims send them money under various scams and ruses to domestic bank accounts they opened and managed. As explained in the Factual Basis, INWEREGBU’s scheme resulted in actual and intended losses to the four identified victims of over $405,000. Thereafter, INWEREGBU and his co-conspirators laundered the funds by conducting financial transactions using the proceeds of their wire and mail fraud scheme, designed in whole or in part to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds, by directing the funds through intermediaries. U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and expressed appreciation for the great support provided by United States Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and the United States Department of State. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Shelby woman sentenced for attempting to harbor illegal aliens

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Shelby woman who attempted to harbor illegal aliens was sentenced yesterday to 3 months in prison to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Kristin Louise Mitchell, 41, was found guilty at trial of one count of attempted harboring of illegal aliens. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on February 21, 2025, a Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) officer encountered individuals during a traffic stop in Gallatin County. The stop was predicated on the vehicle displaying fictitious plates. The MHP officer cited the driver for the license plate violation and released the vehicle. On February 25, 2025, a Sweetgrass Station Border Patrol Agent ran a registration check on a temporary Montana vehicle tag in Shelby that came back to the same vehicle cited in the February 21 stop. On March 4, 2025, Border Patrol Agents observed Mitchell driving the same vehicle with two male occupants. Deputies from the Toole County Sheriff’s Office also saw Mitchell driving the car and conducted a traffic stop when the car failed to stop at an intersection. Mitchell was driving and told the deputies the two men with her were political asylees and did not speak English. The deputies contacted Border Patrol for assistance. A Border Patrol agent responded to the call and recognized Mitchell due to a prior encounter at the northern border. The agent attempted to speak with the two passengers in English and then in Spanish. When the agent asked the men about their citizenship, Mitchell answered for them and claimed they were political asylees from Venezuela. She also referred to one of the individuals as her boyfriend. Neither of the men could produce any documents to verify their status. The three occupants of the vehicle, including Mitchell, were detained and taken to the Sweetgrass Border Patrol Station. Record checks on the other passengers revealed their identities as citizens of Venezuela, and neither had a record of being legally admitted into the country. Mitchell is a United States citizen and has two prior convictions for immigration offenses. Meanwhile, while the traffic stop was ongoing, other Border Patrol officers surveilling Mitchell’s home saw a third man outside the house; this man matched a description of one of the men encountered during the February 21 MHP stop in Gallatin County. He was detained and admitted he had been previously removed from the United States. Border Patrol determined this individual as a citizen of Honduras. One of the individuals was deposed in April 2025 and testified he was working on a commercial construction site near Bozeman for a man who refused to pay them, leaving him stranded. One of the Venezuelans knew Mitchell and they decided to drive to Shelby to stay with her. En route to Shelby, the men stopped at a Walmart and bought bottles of margaritas. They were stopped in East Helena and the driver was arrested for DUI. Mitchell was contacted and drove from Shelby to East Helena to bail the driver out of jail and collect the car, which was released to her. The three aliens then stayed with Mitchell at her home in Shelby for a few days before they were arrested. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol and Toole County Sheriff’s Office. 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). XXX


title: Wetzel County Man Sentenced for Child Pornography Offense

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert Lee Lemasters, 62, of Paden City, West Virginia, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for the possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement received a tip that Lemasters had child pornography on his cell phone. A search of Lemasters’ phone uncovered hundreds of images and videos depicting children in sexual situations. Lemasters will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Probation Office investigated. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Jefferson County man sentenced to federal prison for Beaumont armed robbery

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in federal prison for an armed robbery in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Naiyme Kidd, 28, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 117 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on December 11, 2025. According to information presented in court, on February 19, 2025, law enforcement responded to an armed robbery of Joy’s Fun Place located on South 11th Street in Beaumont. Joy’s Fun Place is a game room and convenience store where customers can play game machines and win credit to use in the store. The store clerk informed officers that the assailant entered the store with a firearm and placed the barrel of the gun into the store clerk’s chest and demanded money before grabbing approximately $400 cash and fleeing the store. Further investigation, including reviewing surveillance video and witness accounts, led police to Kidd who pleaded guilty to the charges. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn. ###


title: North Tonawanda man going to prison for using stolen credit card numbers to purchase tens of thousands of dollars worth of gas

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kingsley Brown, 23, of North Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that between August 2022, and July 2023, Brown, along with co-defendant Cross Malik Williams, purchased approximately 570 stolen bank cards from various online marketplaces. Williams and Brown then used a card-making device to load the stolen banking card information onto blank plastic bank cards with magnetic strips, which allowed purchases to be made using the victims’ funds from the victims’ bank accounts. Williams and Brown used, or allowed others to use, the stolen bank card information to purchase gas for other individuals. The gas customers would then pay Williams and/or Brown an amount of money less than the cost of the gas. As part of his plea agreement, Brown agreed that he was responsible for $192,673 of total loss. Cross Malik Williams was previously convicted and sentenced. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera. # # # #


title: Mexican men sentenced for illegal reentry

body_text: GREAT FALLS – Two Mexican men who entered the United States illegally were each sentenced yesterday to 39 days in prison, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Victor Manuel Uribe Luna, 35, and David Suarez-Olivera, 45, each pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of illegal reentry. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on November 2, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop off U.S. Highway 2 near Malta. The vehicle contained three individuals, only two of whom initially presented identification. The driver was identified as Victor Manuel Uribe Luna and he presented a California Driver’s License as identification. Two passengers were also present in the vehicle, one of whom was identified as Suarez-Olivera. All three subjects were found to be present in the country illegally. A records check found that Uribe Luna was formally removed from the United States on January 13, 2021, and he does not have legal documentation to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States. A records check found that Suarez-Olivera was formally removed from the United States on January 26, 2006, and is likewise prohibited from re-entering the country. During processing, both defendants acknowledged being citizens and nationals of Mexico without legal documentation to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States. They further acknowledged crossing the international boundary illegally without inspection by an Immigration Officer at a designated Port of Entry. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. U.S. Border Patrol and Phillips County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. 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. XXX


title: Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm and Shooting Man in Chicago

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun and using it to shoot a man multiple times in Chicago. ANGEL SOSA illegally possessed a loaded semiautomatic handgun with an extended magazine on the evening of June 8, 2021, in the Noble Square neighborhood of Chicago. Sosa fired more than a dozen shots at a man near the intersection of North Noble and West Walton Streets. The man was seriously wounded but survived. Chicago Police officers arrested Sosa near the scene of the shooting, and he has remained in law enforcement custody since then. Sosa had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including a firearm-related conviction in state court for which he was on parole at the time of the shooting. Sosa, 27, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. On Dec. 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold imposed the ten-year prison sentence. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Branka Cimesa.


title: Orleans Parish Man  Sentenced For Bank Robbery

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, JUAN K. SIMPSON (“SIMPSON”) , age 30, was sentenced on November 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion, after previously pleading guilty to bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a). SIMPSON was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment to be served concurrently with any terms imposed in Gulfport, Ms. Municipal Court and Picayune, MS Municipal Court. Judge Papillion also ordered that SIMPSON be placed on supervised release for three years and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, on November 25, 2024, SIMPSON robbed a Capital One Bank on South Claiborne Avenue, in New Orleans. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit. * * *


title: Memphis Man Receives Second Federal Conviction for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm as An Armed Career Criminal

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—A Memphis, Tennessee, man on federal supervised release after a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Tennessee was convicted by a federal jury for committing the same crime, this time in Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the guilty verdict, which was handed down on Wednesday. A federal grand jury indicted Percy Jackson, 40, on June 6, 2024, charging him with three counts: being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. The three-day trial was held before Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker. The federal jury deliberated approximately three hours before returning a guilty verdict on count one, felon in possession of a firearm. Jackson was found not guilty of counts two and three. Jackson was released from federal prison on September 28, 2022, after serving 15 years for his first federal gun conviction. The evidence at trial revealed that on October 10, 2023, West Memphis Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by Jackson for having a defective brake light and expired tags. Jackson was the only occupant of the vehicle and appeared nervous and sweating when questioned by law enforcement officers. Jackson was removed from the vehicle and law enforcement officers conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search, under the driver’s seat officers located a loaded Ruger 9mm firearm that had been previously reported stolen. A baggie with pills that contained fentanyl was found in the glove compartment. At the time of this incident, Jackson was on supervised release with the Western District of Tennessee for a felon in possession of a firearm conviction. Because of this previous conviction and his violent criminal history, Jackson will be sentenced at a later date by Judge Baker under the Armed Career Criminal Act. Jackson’s past criminal history includes four convictions for aggravated robbery, a conviction for facilitation of especially aggravated robbery, and the previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jackson will, for a second time, face a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the West Memphis Police Department and the Second Judicial Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to More than 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason K. Hairston, 28, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 13, 2024, and January 30, 2025, Hairston sold a total of approximately 1.1 kilograms of methamphetamine for a total of $5,000 over the course of four separate transactions. As part of his guilty plea, Hairston admitted to the transactions and further admitted to selling a total of approximately 61.3 grams of heroin on two occasions for a total of $4,200 and an AR-style pistol for $1,000 during the time period. Each transaction was with a confidential informant and took place in Charleston. On February 4, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hairston’s residence and seized nearly 2 pounds of methamphetamine, six firearms, an assortment of ammunition and magazines, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and $18,057. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. 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. 2:25-cr-28. ###


title: Muskego Man Indicted for Child Exploitation Crimes

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 9, 2025, a three-count federal indictment was issued alleging that Justin D. Kagerbauer (age: 46) of Muskego, Wisconsin, committed three federal felonies: (1) Count One: attempted interstate or foreign travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b); (2) Count Two: using a computer to attempt to persuade, induce, or entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b); and (3) Count Three: distribution of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A). According to court documents, Kagerbauer was the target of an undercover operation originating in the United Kingdom (“UK”). He is alleged to have communicated online with an adult individual in the UK from March 2025 through late November 2025, with the intent that Kagerbauer travel to the United Kingdom to sexually assault a nine-year-old female child. If convicted of Count One, Kagerbauer faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment. If convicted of Count Two, he faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment, up to life imprisonment. If convicted of Count Three, he faces a mandatory five years’ imprisonment, up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Kagerbauer may also be fined up to $250,000 on each count. He also may be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law. This case was investigated by law enforcement in the United Kingdom and Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Jefferson Parish Man Guilty of  Firearm and Narcotics Violations

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on December 4, 2025, KERNELIUS ALFORD (“ALFORD”) , age 35, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana pled guilty to Counts 1 and 3 of the six-count superseding bill of information pending against him. Count 1 charged ALFORD with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D) and Count 3 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Sentencing is set for February 24, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter. ALFORD faces up to five (5) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, at least two (2) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment for Count 1, and up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 3. ALFORD also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to each count. According to court documents, on May 2, 2024, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputy unsuccessfully attempted to conduct a vehicle stop on ALFORD by activating his lights and siren. ALFORD led deputies on a high-speed chase in Metairie and ultimately struck another vehicle. Despite this collision, ALFORD continued driving until he abruptly stopped, exited his vehicle, and fled until he was eventually apprehended by the deputy. Thereafter, deputies searched ALFORD’s vehicle, and recovered a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, that was equipped with an extended magazine, plastic baggies, a scale, 157 grams of marijuana, and a Romarm Model Mini Draco AK47, 7.62x39 semi-automatic pistol. ALFORD was arrested and later admitted possessing the narcotics with intent to distribute and possessing the firearms as a convicted felon. 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. Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit. * * *


title: Man sentenced for being an accessory after the fact

body_text: BILLINGS – A man who attempted to clean up a murder scene on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 70 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. He was also ordered to pay over $11,771.00 in restitution. William Robert Jay Howe, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of accessory after the fact. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that on January 18, 2023, a gunshot victim was driven to the emergency room in Crow Agency, Montana. The driver initially lied to law enforcement about where the victim was found. Some days later, law enforcement learned the location of the shooting. After obtaining a federal search warrant for the SD card from exterior security cameras from a residence in the area, law enforcement discovered footage of the victim being picked up and put in the vehicle used to drive him to the emergency room. The camera footage shows Howe and another individual cleaning the snow-covered area where the victim had been lying moments earlier by moving snow with a shovel, broom, hands, and feet. The footage also appears to show Howe and another male picking up one or more items from the snow-covered area. And it shows Howe ostensibly taking an item from the crime scene and walking across the street with it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Rockford Bank Robber Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for the robbery of a Chase Bank in Rockford. BERNARD WANDICK, 33, pleaded guilty earlier this year to the robbery of Chase Bank, 3699 N. Main St. in Rockford. Wandick admitted that on July 17, 2019, he entered Chase Bank wearing a medical mask and brandishing a firearm. Wandick pointed his firearm at several bank employees and demanded money from the tellers behind the counter before fleeing on foot with stolen cash. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed a 63-month prison sentence during a hearing in federal court in Rockford. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodora Anderson and Jessica Maveus.


title: Orleans Parish Man Sentenced for Violating Federal Gun Control Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on December 4, 2025, ELIJAH MARTIN (“MARTIN”) , age 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to 57 months of imprisonment, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to court documents, on December 16, 2023, an officer with the East Jefferson Parish Levee Police Department found MARTIN , a convicted felon, in possession of a firearm, a Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield, nine-millimeter pistol, during a traffic stop. On January 25, 2024, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers, again found MARTIN in possession of a firearm, a Glock Model 26, nine-millimeter pistol. MARTIN is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his prior felony convictions. This case was investigated by the East Jefferson Parish Levee Police Department, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . * * *


title: Ho-Ho-Hold Up: Christmas convenience store robbers head to federal prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Corpus Christi residents have been sentenced for a string of aggravated robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jonathan Stein, 20, and Alvaro Martinez, 21, pleaded guilty Aug. 4. U.S. District Judge Davis S. Morales has now imposed a 96-month term of imprisonment for Stein, while Martinez received 68 months. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing the robberies committed on Christmas Day and in the days that followed. In handing down the sentences, Judge Morales noted the seriousness of the offenses and the fear and danger their actions caused the victims. Between Dec. 25 and 27, 2024, Stein and Martinez worked together to rob three Stripes convenience stores in Corpus Christi. Surveillance footage showed Stein entering a Stripes convenience store on Airline Road Dec. 25. He was wearing a red and grey ski mask and brandished a firearm with an attached drum magazine while demanding money from the cashier. Approximately two days later, he robbed another Stripes in a similar manner. Martinez provided the firearm and acted as the getaway driver. Authorities uncovered a photograph of Martinez posing with a firearm and a large amount of cash. That firearm matched the one used in the robberies. Inside his vehicle, they located the firearm, along with a red-and-black mask matching the one used in the robberies. Both men were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PLANO, Texas –A Mexican national illegally residing in White Settlement, has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Hector Eduardo Duarte-Martinez, 23, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 11, 2025. According to information presented in court, in February 2024, Duarte-Martinez was observed coming and going from several known drug trafficking residences in the DFW area. A search executed at the White Settlement residence where Duarte-Martinez was residing resulted in the seizure of a large amount of liquid methamphetamine. Duarte-Martinez admitted to being responsible for distributing 45 kilograms of methamphetamine. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson. ###


title: South Carolina man sentenced to 33 years in prison for sex trafficking, production of child sexual abuse material, and firearms charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A South Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 33 years in prison following his conviction for sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of a minor; production of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; transportation with the intent to engage in prostitution; transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in prostitution; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, during July 2024, Johnny Thiel Banks, 30, of Summerville, transported a minor, identified as Jane Doe, from North Carolina to Virginia on multiple occasions. While in Virginia, he sex-trafficked Jane Doe at hotels, a truck stop, and a gas station in Hampton Roads, including in Suffolk and Virginia Beach. Jane Doe was 15 years old at the time and had just finished the 8th grade. Banks repeatedly threatened Jane Doe and her family to get her to comply with his demands. He also had her pose for and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM). When she did not want to go back to Virginia to engage in commercial sex, he threatened to have her “floating in a creek.” “Banks’ treatment of his victim reflects an absolute disregard for humanity,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No person should be subject to such vile actions. This sentence will help to ensure that Banks cannot inflict similar harm on additional victims.” On July 31, 2024, while armed with a firearm, Banks took Jane Doe from a residence and brought her to a hotel in Virginia Beach to sex traffic her. He set up multiple commercial sex appointments that night. After they arrived in Virginia Beach, he argued with Jane Doe and strangled her, and she called a family member for help. After receiving information that Jane Doe was missing from Charlotte, the Virginia Beach Police Department quickly located Jane Doe in the parking garage of a hotel. As officers spoke with Jane Doe, Banks walked by and was detained. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant and recovered Banks’ loaded handgun from his rental vehicle. As a previously convicted felon, Banks cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Police also obtained search warrants for three cellphones that contained CSAM and evidence of sex trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Montoya and Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C. and the Virginia Beach Police Department investigated this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-15.


title: Houston man sentenced to federal prison in ATM crime spree

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for a violent crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Coby Stephon Williams, 27, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 11, 2025. Williams was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $89,032. According to court documents, from June 2020 to June 2024, Williams was involved in a crime spree referred to as “Hook and Chain” burglaries, which involved stealing a truck, attaching hooks and chains to the vehicle, and using it to drag the door off an ATM to retrieve the cash currency from the machine. This crime spree involved several burglaries in the DFW area, including the Texas Bank on South Preston Road in Prosper, the BB&T on Legacy Drive in Frisco, and the First United Bank in Pottsboro. The conspiracy resulted in the theft of approximately $363,000 and damages to ATMs and property of at least $250,000. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case was investigated by the FBI, Fort Worth Police Department, and Pottsboro Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson. ###


title: Former St. Louis Area Pediatrician Admits Exchanging Prescriptions for Sex Acts

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former St. Louis County, Missouri pediatrician on Thursday admitted prescribing pain pills and other controlled substances in exchange for sex acts, nude photos or cash. Craig A. Spiegel, 69, also admitted lying in a prior court hearing when he accused police of misconduct. Spiegel pleaded guilty to one count each of illegal distribution of controlled substances, making false statements related to health care matters and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. As part of his plea, he admitted engaging in a pattern of issuing prescriptions for controlled substances beginning at least as early as 2014 through May 2023, knowing that it was illegal and that there was no legitimate medical purpose to the prescriptions. Spiegel wrote prescriptions for numerous adult women in exchange for sexual acts or sexual photos. In many cases, he wrote the prescriptions despite knowing that the women had a substance use disorder and that issuing the prescription would endanger the recipient’s mental or physical health. Spiegel knew many of the women because he was their pediatrician when they were children. Spiegel admitted that one woman performed sex acts, typically at his pediatrics office in Bridgeton, Missouri, or provided him with nude photos of herself, in exchange for pain pills or Adderall. Spiegel issued prescriptions to another woman, including an opioid, a benzodiazepine and a stimulant and/or a muscle relaxer despite knowing that she had a severe substance use disorder and was at high risk of overdose. He also admitted pressuring the women into engaging in sex acts or providing him with nude photos. Spiegel also admitted prescribing controlled substances to his co-defendant, April Bingham, 48, in exchange for sexual favors. He knew that she was selling some of the drugs, and that she was addicted. He prescribed drugs to Bingham using the names of her ex-husband, mother and friends in part to take advantage of their insurance benefits, his plea says. Bingham introduced Spiegel others who paid him or performed sex acts in exchange for controlled substances. The Medicare, Missouri Medicaid and Illinois Medicaid programs suffered losses totaling $114,480 as a result of Spiegel’s illegal prescription practices. Finally, Spiegel admitted lying in an April 2025, hearing in U.S. District Court in St. Louis during which he sought to suppress evidence found on his cell phone. Spiegel falsely claimed, in court and under oath, that he had not signed a consent form authorizing the search of his cellular phone until after the cellular phone data had been extracted by investigators. Spiegel lied in an effort to accuse officers of the Bridgeton Police Department of illegally searching his cellular phone. Spiegel is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2026. The charges of conspiracy and illegal distribution of controlled substances are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine. The charge of making false statements is punishable by five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Bingham pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge. She was sentenced in 2024 to 21 months in prison. Individuals with concerns about Dr. Spiegel should call the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) at 800-447-8477. The Bridgeton Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the HHS-OIG, the FBI, and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Sestric and Jonathan Clow are prosecuting the case.


title: New Haven Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GREGORY GRANT, 34, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine pills. According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately January 2022 and March 2024, Grant’s co-conspirator, Tyrone Brown, mailed parcels containing methamphetamine pills from Georgia to addresses in New Haven associated with Grant and others. Investigators identified approximately 79 suspicious parcels shipped from Brown to Grant during that time. In January 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of an intercepted parcel and found 16 ziplock sandwich bags containing a total of more than four kilograms of methamphetamine pills, and a firearm. The investigation also revealed that Grant made multiple payments to Brown during the conspiracy. Grant has been detained since his arrest on March 27, 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025. Brown also pleaded guilty and, on December 2, 2025, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, which includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, and the Hartford, Plainville, and Meriden Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.


title: Former Elementary School Teacher Charged With Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former elementary school teacher and employee of two area school districts has been indicted by a federal grand jury for additional child pornography offenses. Dennis Adlai Hernandez, 28, was charged in a thirteen-count federal superseding indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. yesterday. Hernandez was previously charged in a seven-count indictment with five counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The superseding indictment includes those charges and six additional counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. The offenses charged in the indictment are alleged to involve twelve minor victims and are alleged to have occurred between August 2022 and August 2025. The charges contained in this superseding indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."