title: Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Multiple Children

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of multiple children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. Graham Daniel Ash, 42, of Pinson, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon to an 11-count superseding indictment that included three counts of sexual exploitation of children, two counts of transportation of child pornography, three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of aggravated sexual abuse with a child, and one count related to penalties for registered sex offenders. Ash was previously convicted of electronic solicitation of a child in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2022. According to court documents, beginning in August 2023, Ash shared images and videos of child sexual abuse material in his online correspondence with an undercover FBI agent with the District of Columbia Field Office. A federal search warrant was subsequently executed on Ash’s residence in Pinson, Alabama. Agents recovered a laptop and two smashed cell phones from Ash’s residence. Following the search warrant, FBI Agents in the District of Columbia and Northern District of Alabama continued their investigation into Ash. Search warrants for Ash’s online accounts and the forensic examination of his seized devices revealed evidence of other crimes that Ash committed in the Northern District of Alabama between March and October 2023 that involved minor victims located throughout the United States. In his communications with these children, Ash repeatedly asked for child sexual abuse material (CSAM), received CSAM, and used and directed children to perform sexually explicit acts for him. Ash also traveled out of state for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with one of the children. Ash was charged with crimes in the superseding indictment filed in the Northern District of Alabama. Ash was also charged in an indictment in the District of Columbia with distribution of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor. Ash pleaded guilty to these charges and was sentenced in April 2025, to 216 months in federal prison. If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org . The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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 and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The FBI Birmingham Field Office, Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) Unit, and FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Other federal and state law enforcement agencies in Missouri, Texas, California, Connecticut, West Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Colorado, and Maryland were instrumental in identifying and locating minor victims. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.


title: Previously convicted Annandale man sentenced to 10 years in prison for latest drug trafficking and firearms crimes

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Annandale man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, in 2017, David Monroy, 28, was convicted on three counts of possession with intent to distribute Xanax and felony possession with intent to distribute marijuana and in 2020 he was convicted of two counts of distribution of Etizolam, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm while in possession of drugs. On June 2, Monroy provided money to a straw-purchaser to buy a firearm and compensated the buyer with drugs. As a previously convicted felon, Monroy could not purchase the firearm for himself and cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. On June 3, Fairfax County Police Department officers stopped Monroy’s vehicle and seized 15.78 grams of cocaine, 39 tablets containing oxycodone, and 41 tablets containing clonazepam as well as the handgun purchased the previous day, which was equipped with an extended magazine. Officers later searched Monroy’s residence where they seized 0.73 grams of methamphetamine, 12.55 grams of cocaine, and 2,490 fentanyl tablets. Officers also recovered a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number and extended magazine. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-245.


title: Career offender sentenced to 16 years in prison for being armed while trafficking meth

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk drug trafficker was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on Aug. 7, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics from Johnathan David Bell, 36, during which he distributed 111.19 grams of methamphetamine and 1.19 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture. On August 16, 2024, detectives observed Bell walking through the parking lot of a hotel in Norfolk carrying two backpacks. Bell placed the one backpack inside a vehicle and left with the other backpack. Bell later returned to and entered the vehicle. Detectives approached Bell at the vehicle and detained him. Detectives screened the vehicle with a narcotics dog. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics, detectives conducted a search and located the black backpack Bell was previously carrying. Inside the backpack were 386.49 grams of methamphetamine, 1.3657 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, and a loaded handgun. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 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-30.


title: Falls Church man found guilty of receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Falls Church man on a charge of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He previously pled guilty to receipt of CSAM in the same case and was sentenced to seven years in prison. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 27, 2023, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at the residence of David Martinov Traub, 45. Investigators seized several items of digital media, including a desktop computer and an external hard drive. Traub had searched for, downloaded, and possessed CSAM and had collected over 10,000 images and videos, including 30 known victims identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Traub faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 7, 2026, in addition to the previously imposed sentence for receipt of CSAM. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. announced the verdict. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Lauren Halper are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1: 25-CR-25.


title: Joaquin Guzman Lopez—Son of “El Chapo” and a Head of Sinaloa Cartel—Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges in Chicago

component: Criminal - Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section

body_text: CHICAGO – JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ, who succeeded his father—Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo”—as one of the heads of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Chicago to federal drug charges. Guzman Lopez, 39, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of drug conspiracy and one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. The convictions carry a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not set a sentencing date. Guzman Lopez has been detained in U.S. custody since his arrest in July 2024. The guilty plea is the result of close collaboration among federal prosecutors from the Northern District of Illinois as well as those from the Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and the Southern District of California, and law enforcement partners from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration. The guilty plea was announced by Pamela Bondi, United States Attorney General, Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Ray Rede, Acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI in Arizona, Gregory Heeb, Acting Assistant Director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, and Terrance Cole, Administrator of the DEA. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico and IRS Criminal Investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine, Michelle Parthum, and Michael Maione of the Northern District of Illinois, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Sutton and Robert Miller of the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS. The guilty plea was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals—including 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). “The Sinaloa Cartel is a terrorist organization that has spent decades destroying American families through brutal violence and deadly drug trafficking,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Yesterday's guilty plea from El Chapo’s son is a major victory against the Sinaloa Cartel and underscores the Trump Administration’s historic, aggressive campaign to dismantle terrorist organizations that target the American people.” “For decades, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office has been at the forefront of the U.S. government’s relentless pursuit of drug cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, as well as their top leaders,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Today, because of this Administration’s leadership, the U.S. State Department has designated many of these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations—a fact that has only further stiffened our resolve to track down and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations and their highest-ranking members and associates. Joaquin Guzman Lopez’s guilty plea is the latest step in our efforts to bring to justice drug lords and other dangerous criminals who poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs and who otherwise engage in violence and corruption to carry out their and their enterprises’ wide-reaching criminal activities.” As heirs to the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzman Lopez stated in his plea agreement that he and his three brothers, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” assumed their father’s leadership role following El Chapo’s arrest in 2016 and subsequent conviction in the Eastern District of New York. Guzman Lopez admitted in the plea agreement that he acted as a logistical coordinator for the transportation of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs and precursor chemicals from Mexico to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms. Guzman Lopez used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the United States using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft, submersible vessels, and other means, the plea agreement states. After the drugs were distributed throughout the United States, individuals working for Guzman Lopez and others laundered and transferred the illicit proceeds from the United States to Mexico and elsewhere, the plea agreement states. Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates perpetrated violence against law enforcement officials, rival drug traffickers, and members of their own drug trafficking organization to protect the Sinaloa Cartel’s operation. In addition to the drug offenses, Guzman Lopez also stipulated to committing an international kidnaping offense. As part of his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez agreed to the entry of a personal money judgment in the amount of $80 million, which represents proceeds traceable to the offenses. “After the United States successfully prosecuted El Chapo, his son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, took up his father’s mantle and jointly led the ‘Los Chapitos’ faction of the Sinaloa Cartel—one of the world’s most notorious drug trafficking organizations—in its efforts to flood the United States with deadly fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Galeotti. “Under the leadership of Guzman Lopez and his associates, the Sinaloa Cartel spread violence and bribed public officials to protect its illicit business. The Criminal Division and our partners will not rest until we have fully dismantled the criminal cartels whose ruthless violence and lethal narcotics distribution threaten the safety and health of the American people.” “Two down, two to go,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon. “The guilty plea by Joaquin Guzman Lopez is another example of how HSI is taking on the cartels and their transnational criminal networks and sending a clear message that we are going to hold them accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rede. “Dismantling the Sinaloa Cartel one arrest at a time has taken countless hours, but together HSI and our federal partners in the Homeland Security Task Force relentlessly focused efforts to stop this transnational criminal organization scourge by removing leaders from the helm. Today’s announcement exemplifies a whole-of-government approach to protecting our homeland that is yielding results.” “The Guzmans have made a family business out of trafficking fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” said Acting Assistant Director Heeb. “Protecting Americans from the Sinaloa and other criminal cartels terrorizing and poisoning our communities is one of the FBI’s highest priorities and we will continue to work relentlessly to dismantle and disrupt these dangerous international criminal networks.” “Under the Chapitos’ leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel has fueled the deadliest drug crisis in our nation’s history, manufacturing poison and profiting from the destruction of American lives,” said DEA Administrator Cole. “DEA stands committed to dismantle Sinaloa Cartel’s command and control, expose their criminal networks, and deliver justice for the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to their greed. Joaquin Guzmán Lopez’s guilty plea marks another blow to the cartel’s ruthless operations. We will not stop until these narco-terrorists are held accountable and the American people are protected." Guzman Lopez’s three brothers—IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, and OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ—were also charged with drug trafficking in U.S. indictments. On July 11, 2025, Ovidio Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to federal drug charges in the Northern District of Illinois. Ovidio Guzman Lopez is awaiting sentencing. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are charged in both the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of New York. They are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. The U.S. State Department has issued rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrests and convictions. [See the reward information here and here .] The public is reminded that the charges against Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. guzman_plea_agreement.pdf


title: Scam Center Strike Force Announces Seizure of Fake Cryptocurrency Investment Domain Used by Tai Chang Scam Compound in Burma

component: Criminal - Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice, together with major federal law enforcement and interagency partners, announced the seizure by the Scam Center Strike Force, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, of a web domain used to target and defraud Americans through cryptocurrency investment fraud (CIF) scams, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The domain had been used by scammers located at the Tai Chang scam compound (aka Casino Kosai) located in the village of Kyaukhat, Burma. This domain seizure comes less than three weeks after the announcement of the launch of the Scam Center Strike Force and the seizure of two additional domains also used by the Tai Chang scam compound for CIF scams. According to the affidavit filed in support of the domain seizure, Tai Chang is affiliated with the Burmese armed group, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and Trans Asia International Holding Group Thailand Company Limited (Trans Asia), which were designated by the Department of the Treasury , among others, as specially-designated nationals (SDN) on November 12, 2025, for links to Chinese organized crime and development of scam centers in Southeast Asia. The seizure announced today of the domain tickmilleas.com is part of the Scam Center Strike Force’s efforts to combat Southeast Asia scam centers at the highest level and stop U.S. infrastructure from being used as instrumentalities of the fraud schemes. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Department of Justice, and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI San Diego Field Office. According to the affidavit filed in support of today’s announced seizure, the tickmilleas.com domain was disguised as a legitimate investment platform to trick victims into depositing their funds. Victims who used the domain reported to the FBI that the site showed lucrative returns on what they believed to be their investments and displayed purported deposits made by scammers to the victims’ “accounts” when the scammers walked the victims through supposed trades. Despite the seized domain’s having been registered in early November 2025, the FBI has already identified multiple victims who used the domain in the last month to send cryptocurrency as part of what they believed were legitimate investments and were scammed out of their money. The Scam Center Strike Force seeks to collaborate with cooperative private sector companies to thwart CIF scam centers. According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizure, the tickmilleas.com domain directed users to download mobile applications—linked to the scam—from Google Play and the Apple App Store. The FBI notified Google and Apple of the fraudulent tickmilleas-associated apps, and several of the apps have been removed voluntarily from these stores. As part of the Scam Center Strike Force’s efforts at public-private partnership, the Strike Force worked with Meta to identify accounts associated with the Tai Chang compound. Meta voluntarily removed approximately 2000 accounts as part of the collaborative effort. Following the seizure, a splash page will be placed on the tickmilleas.com website that warns victims who have been directed to use the domain that it has now been seized by law enforcement, thereby disrupting the intended CIF scam activity and money laundering tied to the domain. Additionally, the Scam Center Strike Force has deployed FBI agents to Bangkok, who are working alongside the Royal Thai Police in their War Room Task Force, to investigate and combat scam compounds, including Tai Chang and other compounds in Burma. **** The Scam Center Strike Force is targeting many of the worst scam compounds located in Southeast Asia. Chinese transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) are using CIF scams and a variety of confidence scams to steal the life savings of everyday Americans. Strike Force teams are focused on identifying and pursuing key leaders—including Chinese organized crime affiliates operating in Burma, Cambodia, and Laos—to bring them to justice. These CIF schemes, which fraudsters refer to as “pig butchering” because they are “fattening” up their victims before defrauding them, are often run out of scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Using U.S. social media networks or text messages to U.S.-based cell phones, the scammers target their victims, gain their trust, and convince them to invest in real cryptocurrency, only to then trick their victims to transfer those funds into fake cryptocurrency investment websites and applications. Workers in the scam compounds often are victims of human trafficking, held against their will, abused, and guarded by armed groups as they are instructed to target Americans. In some of the Southeast Asian countries where these compounds operate, scam-generated revenue is so massive that it amounts to nearly half of the country’s GDP. Recent reporting estimates that this scam industry defrauds Americans of nearly $9-10 billion per year. The Scam Center Strike Force is a collaboration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; DOJ’s Criminal Division, including the Computer Crimes & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS); Fraud Section; and Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the U.S. Secret Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island is also collaborating on the initiative. For the Department of Justice, the Scam Center Strike Force is led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Kevin Rosenberg, and Associate Counsel Richard Goldberg of DOJ’s Fraud Section. Today’s seizure was handled by Team Burma, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie Zimmerman and CCIPS Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor, along with the FBI’s San Diego Field Office, which has led the investigation into Tai Chang, with substantial assistance from Paralegal Peter Bleicken of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. If you have been defrauded out of your money by a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. If you were directed to use tickmilleas.com as part of a scam, reference “tickmilleas.com” in your complaint. If you have information to report about past or ongoing activity regarding the Tai Chang scam compound (coordinates 16°28'20.9"N 98°38'45.1"E and 16°28'02.1"N 98°38'54.1"E), please the contact the FBI at fbisd_fraudresponse@fbi.gov . signed_warrant_redacted_affidavit.pdf


title: TALLAHASSEE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO THEFT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FUNDS

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Anthony C. Brewer, 47, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent work of our federal law enforcement partner to identify and investigate this theft of government funds that were intended to support one of our brave military veterans. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to steal U.S. government monies intended to benefit our veterans.” Court documents reflect that the defendant agreed to serve as a fiduciary under the Department of Veteran Affairs’ fiduciary program and manage the monetary benefits of an individual who was unable to manage their own benefits. As part of the agreement, the defendant agreed to use the funds for the care, support, health, welfare, comfort, and desires of the beneficiary. The defendant subsequently misused and stole funds provided by the VA for the beneficiary between October 7, 2020, and January 9, 2023. Sentencing is currently set for February 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor. The plea was the result of an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Harley W. Ferguson. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: THREE-TIME DEPORTED HONDURAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR ONCE AGAIN UNLAWFULLY REENTERING THE UNITED STATES

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Noe Alexander Flores Vasquez, 35, of Honduras, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry by a deported alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This violent illegal alien has repeatedly violated our federal laws and threatened public safety while unlawfully present in our country, and now he’ll spend his days in federal prison. Our state and federal law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting our communities against these kinds of criminal aliens, and my office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions of these offenders to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminal aliens who refuse to follow our laws.” Court documents reflect that the defendant was found to be unlawfully in the United States when he was arrested for battery offenses in Alachua County on November 26, 2024. The defendant was previously removed and deported from the United States on three separate occasions. Prior to one of his removals, the defendant was separately convicted of a felony involving a battery on an officer, firefighter, or medical provider. “This sentencing reaffirms or commitment to enforcing federal immigration laws and protecting those who serve our communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas G. Ingegno. “The defendant’s unlawful entry into the United States – after a prior deportation and conviction of battery against an officer, firefighter, or medical provider - posed a clear threat to public safety. This individual has now been held accountable, and the investigations outcome reflects HSI’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the public and uphold” the rule of law.” The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Gainesville Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. 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. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct CONCORD – A Bradford, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty yesterday to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Arthur Picanco, 43, of Bradford, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. U.S. District Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for March 9, 2026. On November 14, 2024, in a proactive law enforcement operation, agents posted and monitored an advertisement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex. The advertisement contained images of what appeared to be two minor females, and a contact phone number. Law enforcement agents monitored the phone line and used it to communicate with potential sex buyers, including Picanco. Picanco arranged to pay $100 to have sex with who Picanco believed to be a 14-year-old girl. The undercover agent then provided Picanco with the address of a hotel in Manchester and Picanco traveled from Massachusetts to New Hampshire to the hotel. Once at the hotel, Picanco confirmed he had the cash and wanted to go up to the hotel room to meet the 14-year-old girl. When police arrested Picanco, they found that he had a condom and over $100 in cash in his pocket. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski, Matthew Vicinanzo, and Alex Chen are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Three Puerto Rico Police Officers Indicted for Civil-Rights Violation and Falsification of Records

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against three Puerto Rico Police Bureau officers: Luis A. Nieves-Colón, Ángel R. Giusti-Rosa, and Alberto Betancourt-Aponte. The charges include a violation of civil rights, conspiracy to falsify records, falsification of records, and making materially false statements to federal agents. According to court documents, the charges arise from an arrest on March 7, 2023, at the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project in Carolina, Puerto Rico, involving an individual identified as J.C.F.G. The indictment alleges that Nieves-Colón used unreasonable force resulting in bodily injury during an arrest, in violation of federal civil rights law. Violation of Civil Rights Count One charges Nieves-Colón with depriving J.C.F.G. of the right to be free from unreasonable force while acting under color of law, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. Conspiracy and Falsification of Records Counts Two through Six allege that Nieves-Colón, Giusti-Rosa, and/or Betancourt-Aponte falsified and conspired to falsify Puerto Rico Police Bureau Use-of-Force Reports and other documents to obstruct and impede a matter within the jurisdiction of the FBI. The indictment alleges that the defendants knowingly omitted the fact that a police officer had struck J.C.F.G. and created false narratives regarding the events of the arrest. False Statements to the FBI Count Seven charges Betancourt-Aponte with making a materially false statement to the FBI during an interview on November 14, 2025. According to the indictment, he falsely stated that he had no knowledge on March 7, 2023, that a police officer had struck J.C.F.G. “The vast majority of police officers serve our communities with honor. But when they misuse their authority, they deprive victims of their civil rights and diminish the public’s trust in our criminal justice system,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The Department of Justice remain steadfast in safeguarding the constitutional rights of all residents of Puerto Rico.” “We are committed to pursuing those who undermine the integrity of law enforcement,” said Joe Rodriguez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “These arrests are an example of how no one is above the law – even those who enforce it cannot falsify records or evade justice. The FBI will remain vigilant, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to tackle corruption and uphold justice for the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you have information on this or any other federal crime leave a tip online through tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can be handled confidentially.” If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum penalties: • Civil rights violation (18 U.S.C. § 242): up to 10 years in prison • Conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 371): up to 5 years in prison • Falsification of records (18 U.S.C. § 1519): up to 20 years in prison per count • False statements (18 U.S.C. § 1001): up to 5 years in prison A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI encourages anyone with information related to the arrest on March 7, 2023 in the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project described in the indictment to contact the FBI San Juan Field Office at (787) 987-6500 or submit a tip online at www.tips.fbi.gov. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Announces $37.76 Million Settlement With CVS For Over-Dispensing Insulin Pens To Patients

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), Naomi D. Gruchacz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”), Christopher M. Silvestro, and Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (“OPM-OIG”), Derek M. Holt, announced that the United States has filed and settled a healthcare fraud lawsuit against national retail pharmacy chain CVS PHARMACY, INC. (“CVS”). The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2010 through 2020, CVS violated the False Claims Act in connection with its billing and dispensing of insulin pens to patients enrolled in Government healthcare programs (“GHPs”), including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Specifically, the Government alleges that CVS improperly requested and received GHP reimbursement for premature refills, dispensed more insulin pens than patients needed according to their prescriptions, and falsely under-reported the days-of-supply of insulin that its pharmacies dispensed. Under the settlement approved by U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, CVS agreed to pay a total sum of $37.76 million, with $24,446,240 to be paid to the United States and the remainder to be paid to various states. As part of the settlement, CVS also admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged by the Government in its complaint, including that GHPs paid CVS substantial amounts for insulin pen refills that were ineligible for reimbursement and CVS pharmacies dispensed more insulin to GHP beneficiaries than they needed. “CVS engaged in a decade-long practice of repeatedly prematurely refilling insulin prescriptions for patients and improperly billing government healthcare programs for more insulin than patients needed,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “These programs rely on pharmacies to follow appropriate refill schedules and to accurately report the amount of medicine dispensed, which CVS pharmacies frequently failed to do. This settlement reflects our continued commitment to holding pharmacies to account, enforcing rules designed to keep costs down, and protecting taxpayer dollars.” “Companies that participate in federal health care programs are required to obey laws meant to protect the integrity of program funds, including the responsibility to bill only for services and supplies eligible for reimbursement,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi D. Gruchacz. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to investigate allegations of improper billing to safeguard our taxpayer-funded federal healthcare system and the millions of enrollees who rely on its programs.” “Investigating false claims against TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their families, is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the criminal investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General,” said DCIS Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Silvestro. “This announcement underscores our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to protect TRICARE against unwarranted and fraudulent expenses.” “Knowingly submitting claims for medically unnecessary insulin refills exploits benefits that federal employees rely on to manage their health, increasing the cost of care and wasting taxpayer dollars,” said OPM-OIG Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt. “We thank our agents, law enforcement partners, and the Department of Justice for their dedication to investigating and pursuing these improper billing practices that undermine the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.” Insulin pens (hard plastic, pen-shaped cases containing syringes filled with insulin solution) are a common way for diabetic patients to self-administer insulin. During the relevant period, manufacturers frequently distributed insulin pens in five-pen cartons with each pen containing 300 units (3 mL) of insulin solution. Insulin prescriptions must set forth the “directions for use,” which typically designate both how much insulin to administer and the frequency and/or timing of when to administer it. When pharmacies seek reimbursement from GHPs for insulin pens, they are required to report, among other data, the “quantity dispensed” and the “days-of-supply.” The “quantity dispensed” means the total amount of medication dispensed to a patient when the pharmacy fills the prescription, and the “days-of-supply” refers to the number of days that the quantity dispensed is expected to last if taken as directed by the prescriber. Typically, pharmacists calculate days-of-supply by dividing the total quantity of medication dispensed by the patient’s “daily dose,” i.e. , the amount of medication that the prescriber directs the patient to use each day. GHP plans, and pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) working on their behalf, typically set limits on the days-of-supply that a pharmacy may dispense when filling prescriptions (such as a 30-day supply), and reject reimbursement claims for fills that exceed those limits. GHPs and PBMs also deny reimbursement for prematurely refilled prescriptions—refills dispensed before the beneficiary would have consumed a substantial portion of the previously-dispensed quantity of medication if taken as prescribed. PBMs use automated processes to review claims for reimbursement submitted by pharmacies and deny claims that are submitted too far in advance of the expected refill date. The ability of PBMs to detect and reject reimbursement claims for premature refills depends on pharmacies complying with their obligations to accurately report days-of-supply data. Dispensing insulin in full cartons containing five pens can exceed applicable days-of-supply limits, resulting in claim rejections. PBMs developed rules to address reimbursement when dispensing medications like insulin in the smallest commercially-available container would exceed the days-of-supply limit. Some PBMs required pharmacies to seek an override of the limit and then to resubmit the claim reporting the accurate days-of-supply actually dispensed so the PBM could verify when the next refill would be needed. Other PBMs permitted pharmacies to submit claims reporting the maximum days-of-supply allowed, even if that number was lower than the actual supply dispensed. Importantly, however, those PBMs still required pharmacies to track and use the actual days-of-supply dispensed to determine when patients would actually need a refill. All PBMs prohibited pharmacies from seeking reimbursement for premature refills, regardless of container size. As alleged in the Government’s Complaint: From January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2020 (the “Covered Period”), CVS violated the FCA by knowingly submitting, or causing to be submitted, false claims to GHPs for reimbursement for insulin pens where CVS: dispensed more insulin to GHP beneficiaries than was specified by their prescriptions and refilled GHP beneficiary prescriptions substantially before GHP beneficiaries needed the refills; falsely under-reported the days-of-supply for the insulin refills, which often prevented PBMs from detecting that the refills were premature; and failed to comply with applicable rules when refilling insulin prescriptions requiring pharmacies to calculate refill dates using the actual days-of-supply dispensed. To fill insulin prescriptions as quickly as possible and to ensure that reimbursement claims for insulin pens were not rejected, CVS instructed its pharmacy staff simply to report the maximum days-of-supply allowed under the beneficiary’s plan when dispensing full insulin pen cartons, which was often lower than the actual days-of-supply dispensed. Many CVS pharmacies did not internally document and use the actual days-of-supply dispensed to determine when patients could next refill their prescription. To the contrary, CVS’ dispensing software calculated refill dates automatically based on inaccurate days-of-supply data reported to the PBM. As a result, CVS pharmacy staff repeatedly refilled prescriptions prematurely, dispensing substantially more insulin to GHP beneficiaries than they actually needed and substantially sooner than they needed it according to their prescriptions. As a result, some GHP beneficiaries accumulated large quantities of unused insulin, which was both wasteful and potentially dangerous as insulin can expire. CVS management was well aware that it was over-dispensing insulin. PBMs conducted periodic audits of CVS pharmacies and repeatedly found violations of the dispensing rules, including reporting invalid days-of-supply data, refilling insulin pen prescriptions too soon, and dispensing insulin pens in excess of the quantities authorized by the prescription. PBMs issued chargebacks to CVS based on these violations. For several years, CVS management knew that insulin pens were among the drug products most frequently subject to chargebacks for premature refills. Yet, despite these audit findings, CVS failed to take necessary steps to address this long-standing problem during the Covered Period. Under the settlement, CVS admitted, among other things, that: During much of the covered period, many CVS pharmacies did not break open insulin pen cartons when dispensing insulin pens. As a result, at times, CVS pharmacies dispensed amounts of insulin that exceeded applicable days-of-supply limits. When a claim for reimbursement was rejected for exceeding the limit, some CVS pharmacies did not obtain overrides and re-submit the claim listing the actual days-of-supply dispensed as required by some PBMs. Instead, CVS pharmacies often reported the maximum days-of-supply allowed under the beneficiary’s insurance plan for insulin pens when resubmitting the claim, which was lower than the actual days-of-supply dispensed. While certain PBMs allowed this practice because the carton was the smallest commercially-available container for the medication, CVS pharmacies at times did not adhere to the appropriate refill intervals for patients that were to be based on the actual days-of-supply dispensed. During much of the covered period, CVS customers with insulin-pen prescriptions who enrolled in CVS’ optional auto-refill program received automatic prompts notifying them that their refilled prescriptions were available to be picked up. CVS’ auto-refill logic calculated prescription refill dates based on the days-of-supply data recorded by pharmacy staff and sent customers refill notifications based on those dates. When pharmacy staff recorded days-of-supply numbers that were lower than the actual days-of-supply dispensed, the system would at times calculate refill dates for patients that were premature. As a result, some CVS pharmacies dispensed insulin pen refills to GHP beneficiaries before the beneficiaries needed more insulin and before the GHP plan or PBM would have approved such refills for reimbursement. At times during the covered period, GHPs and the payors working on their behalf paid CVS substantial amounts for insulin pen refills that were ineligible for reimbursement, and CVS pharmacies dispensed more insulin to GHP beneficiaries than they needed. In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined five private whistleblower lawsuits that had previously been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the HHS-OIG, DOD-OIG, OPM-OIG, the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG, and the U.S. Postal Service OIG. This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pierre Armand is in charge of the case.


title: CONVICTED FELON SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING FIREARMS AND NARCOTICS

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – John Cody Hawthorne, 32, of Pensacola, Florida was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a short-barreled rifle, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the outstanding work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners to remove this violent felon from our streets. Keeping our communities safe is our top priority, and my office will aggressively prosecute repeat offenders like this defendant with the full force of the law.” According to court records, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence in Pensacola, Florida. Law enforcement located eight firearms, including a short-barreled rifle, over 400 rounds of ammunition, ballistic body armor, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other items indicative of drug distribution. The defendant is a convicted felon who is also serving a State of Florida prison sentence for Discharging a Firearm from a Vehicle and Aggravated Assault. “Hawthorne’s seven and a half year sentence reflects both the seriousness of his actions and our commitment to holding violent offenders accountable,” said Sheriff Chip Simmons, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. “We are proud of our partnerships and the effect they have on making our community safer.” The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Etherton. 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. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Disturbing Archaeological Site in Umatilla National Forest

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on September 16, 2025, Shane Dee Caldwell, age 39 of Asotin, Washington pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Washington to one misdemeanor count of disturbing an archaeological resource within the Umatilla National Forest. Based on court documents, between June 30, 2023, and August 31, 2023, Caldwell visited an archaeological site within the Umatilla National Forest and used various tools to collect a rock believed to be an artifact and to dig for additional artifacts. The affected area is located within the traditional homeland of the Nez Perce ( Nimiipuu ) Tribe, located on the “Great Nez Perce Trail,” a trade and travel network that was created as hundreds of Nez Perce men, women, and children fled U.S. Army Generals in 1877. Local tribe members are the descendants of the individuals who have utilized the area for at least 5,000 years and likely longer. Previously, artifacts dating from 5,000 to 200 years before present have been observed and documented within the affected area by Forest Service archaeologists. Archaeologists for the U.S. National Forest Service and the Nez Perce Tribe conducted an archaeological site assessment of the area Caldwell was seen on camera visiting. Archaeologists estimated that the archaeological value of the identified area totaled nearly $28,000. The Archaeologists further estimated that the cost of restoration and repair to the identified area would be nearly $6,000. Figure 1: Archaeologist looks at one identified pit. Note bucket impression and boot footprint in foreground. On February 8, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Caldwell’s residence. During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement recovered 522 pieces of suspected Native American artifacts. Of those items, 514 were determined to be Native American artifacts. Archeologists agreed that the overwhelming majority of the artifacts were consistent with the type found within the archaeological site. The search also yielded Nez Perce National Forest and Umatilla National Forest maps with circled areas known to have been used by Native Americans and would likely yield archeological artifacts. As part of the plea agreement between Caldwell and the United States, Caldwell agreed to not claim any interest in the assets seized on February 8, 2024. The U.S. Forest Service is working with the Nez Perce Tribe to return the artifacts to the Nez Perce Tribe Cultural Resource Program. At Caldwell’s change of plea and sentencing hearing, Magistrate Judge Alex C. Ekstrom recognized that “There has been, historically in the United States, a lack of respect for items that belong to First Nation folks, and it has been a blind spot in the United States for a long period of time.” Judge Ekstrom further acknowledged the reasonable frustrations of tribes at the continuing theft of these items. Caldwell apologized for his actions and hoped to be forgiven. “The individual pursuit and hunt for artifacts and archaeological resources is a harmful and destructive action that erases invaluable pieces of the history of Native Americans. My office takes seriously the disturbance and theft of any Indian cultural items or sites and will continue to hold accountable those who illegally excavate, take, possess, or traffic in such items,” stated U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano. “The Forest Service is committed to upholding our trust and treaty responsibilities with Tribal Nations and protecting cultural and archaeological resources on national forest lands. These resources are irreplaceable and safeguarding them is central to honoring our government-to-government relationships,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Canuto Molina from the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region. “We appreciate the strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Nez Perce Tribe in bringing this case forward and ensuring these sites remain protected for future generations.” “The Nez Perce Tribe Cultural Resource Program is reassured that some level of accountability has been rendered for willful damage and removal of Archaeological Resources from the Umatilla National Forest, which is within the traditional territory and ceded lands of the Nez Perce Tribe.” Stated Nakia Williamson, the Director of the Nez Perce Tribe Cultural Resource Program. “The 522 artifacts that have been seized will be restored to the Nez Perce Tribe and will be taken care of according to traditional protocols. As the original people of this Land, The Nez Perce community view this act as not only ‘Disturbing Archaeological Resources’ within a National Forest, but also ignoring and undermining our basic humanity as a living culture, which is connected to the land and resources managed by the U.S. Forest Service. These are not simply ‘resources’ to our community, but are a testament to our enduring connection to federally managed lands and a reminder of our collective responsibilities to take care of the Land which provides for all of us.” This case was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service. The case was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Ohms, Contract Law Clerk Echo D. Fatsis, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler H.L. Tornabene. 2:25-po-000161-JAG.


title: Afghan Citizen Federally Charged For Posting Threats to Build Bomb and Kill Americans

body_text: A man in Fort Worth, Texas has been federally charged for threatening to build a bomb, conduct a suicide attack, and kill Americans and others, in a video shared on TikTok, X, and Facebook, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, 30, a citizen of Afghanistan residing in Fort Worth, was charged by federal complaint with the offense of transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce related to threats he made on a November 23, 2025, video call, which was recorded and posted to multiple social media accounts, including TikTok, X, and Facebook. According to the complaint, the video shows Alokozay angrily gesturing and speaking Dari, a language commonly spoken in Afghanistan, while interacting with at least two other males on a video call. As alleged, Alokozay threatened to conduct a suicide attack on the other participants on the call, as well as “infidels” and Americans. He claimed he would build a bomb in his vehicle and talked about a particular yellow cooking oil container favored by the Taliban in building improvised explosive devices (“IEDs”) in Afghanistan. Alozokay stated the Taliban were dear to him and that he came to the United States to kill those on the call. He also claimed he wanted to conduct a suicide attack on Americans. According to the complaint, Alokozay stated he was not afraid of deportation or getting killed. A screenshot of a social media post that shared Alokozay’s November 23, 2025, statements is below: Alokozay is currently in custody pending an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge and further court proceedings. “This Afghan national came into America during the Biden administration and as alleged, explicitly stated that he came here in order to kill American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The public safety threat created by the Biden administration’s vetting breakdown cannot be overstated – the Department of Justice will continue working with our federal and state partners to protect the American people from the prior administration’s dangerous incompetence.” “We have zero tolerance for violence and threats of violence to kill American citizens and others like those allegedly made by this individual,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I applaud the rapid response of our federal and local law enforcement partners in identifying and apprehending him. Those individuals who jeopardize the public safety and security of North Texas residents will be swiftly brought to justice.” “This arrest demonstrates that the FBI remains steadfast in our mission to defend the homeland and protect the American people. Thanks to public reports of a threatening online video, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force apprehended this individual before he could commit an act of violence. We continue to ask that if you see something, say something,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “Our commitment to keep America safe is unwavering. Online threats made by those hiding behind a screen will not be dismissed or taken lightly,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “We will use every resource available to make sure these perpetrators are found, arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Alokozay is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office through the Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Fort Worth Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent Mazzurco.


title: Former Corrections Officer Sentenced to 168 Months in Federal Prison for Sexual Assault of Female Inmate

body_text: Spokane, Washington – United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Darren Bowannie, age 35, to 168 months in federal prison after Bowannie pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of an Inmate in Federal Custody. Judge Dimke also ordered that, following his sentence, Bowannie be placed on a ten-year term of supervised release. According to court documents, on February 9, 2024, Bowannie was working as a corrections officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Wellpinit, Washington. Bowannie was assigned to transport a female inmate from Wellpinit to the Colville Tribal Correctional Facility in Nespelem, Washington. During the transport, Bowannie pulled the vehicle over and sexually assaulted the victim, who was bound by hand and foot restraints. After arriving at the Colville Tribal Correctional Facility, the victim immediately reported the sexual assault, resulting in an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Despite Bowannie lying about the sexual assault when interviewed by the FBI, Bowannie’s DNA was recovered on the victim’s person, thereby confirming and corroborating the victim’s account of what had happened. “Every person taken into custody is entitled to the protection of their physical safety and civil rights. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is dedicated to rooting out sexual misconduct committed by any individuals entrusted with public safety and ensuring those individuals are held accountable,” said BIA Office of Justice Services Deputy Bureau Director Richard Melville. “The actions of Mr. Bowannie were a betrayal of that public trust, and we fully supported the investigation and prosecution of this intolerable act. The BIA remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of all individuals in our custody.” “Every federal law enforcement officer takes an oath to protect the people of the United States, including inmates and defendants placed in their charge,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Mr. Bowannie broke that oath with a cruel and senseless act of sexual violence. The FBI remains committed in our mission to prosecute those who would abuse the power granted to them under the color of law.” United States Attorney Pete Serrano, stated, “I commend the victim for coming forward and reporting the assault. Their bravery allowed the government to prosecute Mr. Bowanie and ensure he is no longer in a position of trust where he may try to commit similar conduct.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Colville Tribal Police Department, the Spokane Tribal Police Department, and the Washington State Patrol. This case was prosecuted by Michael J. Ellis and Timothy M. Durkin, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington. 2:24-cr-00110-MKD


title: Afghan Citizen Federally Charged for Posting Threats to Build Bomb and Kill Americans

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, 30, a citizen of Afghanistan residing in Fort Worth, Texas, has been federally charged for threatening to build a bomb, conduct a suicide attack, and kill Americans and others, in a video shared on TikTok, X, and Facebook. A screenshot of a social media post that shared Alokozay’s Nov. 23 statements is below: Screenshot of one social media post containing Alokozay's video. From complaint in United States v. Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, number 25-MJ-730 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. “This Afghan national came into America during the Biden administration and as alleged, explicitly stated that he came here in order to kill American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The public safety threat created by the Biden administration’s vetting breakdown cannot be overstated – the Department of Justice will continue working with our federal and state partners to protect the American people from the prior administration’s dangerous incompetence.” “We have zero tolerance for violence and threats of violence to kill American citizens and others like those allegedly made by this individual,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “I applaud the rapid response of our federal and local law enforcement partners in identifying and apprehending him. Those individuals who jeopardize the public safety and security of North Texas residents will be swiftly brought to justice.” “This arrest demonstrates that the FBI remains steadfast in our mission to defend the homeland and protect the American people. Thanks to public reports of a threatening online video, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force apprehended this individual before he could commit an act of violence. We continue to ask that if you see something, say something,” said Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI's Dallas Field Office. “Our commitment to keep America safe is unwavering. Online threats made by those hiding behind a screen will not be dismissed or taken lightly,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “We will use every resource available to make sure these perpetrators are found, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Alokozay is charged with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce related to threats he made on a Nov. 23 video call, which was recorded and posted to multiple social media accounts, including TikTok, X, and Facebook. According to the complaint, the video shows Alokozay angrily gesturing and speaking Dari, a language commonly spoken in Afghanistan, while interacting with at least two other males on a video call. A screenshot of a social media post that shared Alokozay’s Nov. 23 statements is below: As alleged, Alokozay threatened to conduct a suicide attack on the other participants on the call, as well as “infidels” and Americans. He claimed he would build a bomb in his vehicle and talked about a particular yellow cooking oil container favored by the Taliban in building improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan. Alozokay stated the Taliban were dear to him and that he came to the United States to kill those on the call. He also claimed he wanted to conduct a suicide attack on Americans. According to the complaint, Alokozay stated he was not afraid of deportation or getting killed. Alokozay is currently in custody pending an initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge and further court proceedings. If convicted, Alokozay faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The investigation was conducted by the FBI's Dallas Field Office through the Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Fort Worth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent Mazzurco for the Northern District of Texas is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Citizen of the Dominican Republic Sentenced to Prison for Fraud and Immigration Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KELVIN PRADO-ROBLES, also known as FRANKELY ROBLES-GUZMAN, 49, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment for fraud and immigration offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, Prado-Robles has never held legal immigration status in the U.S. In January 2008, he was sentenced in the District of Delaware to 24 months of imprisonment for false representation of citizenship, passport fraud, and identity theft offenses. He was deported to the Dominican Republic in February 2009. In February 2011, Prado-Robles was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Newark, New Jersey. He was again deported in September 2011. Prado-Robles illegally reentered the U.S. and, beginning in late 2017, conspired with Domingo St. Hilaire Rosario and Jamie Pinto to use stolen identities to obtain vehicles and motorcycles at dealerships in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. As part of the scheme, Rosario arranged for a car or motorcycle to be purchased or leased from a dealership in the name of an identity theft victim, and Prado-Robles or Pinto impersonated the identity theft victim at the dealership to complete the paperwork. Rosario supplied his co-conspirators with fraudulent identification documents bearing the victim’s personal identifying information, and with a fraudulent photo identification that contained the identifying information of the victim and a photograph of a co-conspirator. The conspirators intended to sell or export the vehicles. Through this scheme, they acquired at least 13 vehicles and attempted to acquire at least two more. Some of the vehicles were recovered by law enforcement and returned to the dealers. The thefts caused more than $200,000 in losses to the dealerships. Rosario and Prado-Robles fled to the Dominican Republic in approximately 2018. Prado-Robles was arrested in New Mexico in June 2023 and, under the name “Kelvin Prado-Roble,” was charged in the District of New Mexico with illegal reentry. He pleaded guilty to the offense and, in November 2023, was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment. He was transferred to the District of Connecticut in June 2024 and is currently detained. On August 8, 2025, Prado-Robles pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of reentry of a removed alien. Rosario was extradited from the Dominican Republic in May 2020, pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft offenses and, on October 20, 2021, was sentenced to 65 months of imprisonment. Pinto pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and identity theft offenses and, on October 27, 2021, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with substantial assistance from the Vernon Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.


title: Honduran National Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSE LUIS PAZ-BONILLA , age 47, a citizen of Honduras, was charged on November 21, 2025 by bill of information with illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a). According to the indictment, JOSE LUIS PAZ-BONILLA reentered the United States on or about November 3, 2025, after having been previously removed on or about September 21, 2000. If convicted, JOSE LUIS PAZ-BONILLA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. Acting U. S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). * * *


title: Palmetto Man Sentenced To Over 17 Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Fentanyl While On Supervised Release

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Traveous Anderson (39, Palmetto) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Anderson pleaded guilty on August 27, 2025. According to court documents, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted three controlled transactions for fentanyl – totaling approximately 28 grams – from Anderson between April and May 2024. On May 22, 2024, Anderson was arrested after bringing an additional 55.9 grams of fentanyl to a hotel in Sarasota. At the time, Anderson was serving a term of federal supervised release in connection with a prior conviction for distributing fentanyl. Anderson’s co-defendant, Alexis Soto Escalante, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison on June 18, 2025. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.


title: Jacksonville Man Sentenced To 270 Years In Federal Prison For Producing, Distributing, And Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Joshua Keith Davis (53, Jacksonville) to 270 years in federal prison for production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). A federal jury found Davis guilty on August 12, 2025. According to court documents, between 2011 and 2013, Davis produced CSAM depicting infants. He distributed the material to several individuals online. Davis was also found in possession of CSAM in 2022. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Alexandria Man Indicted for Bomb Threat to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that COREY JOHNSON (“JOHNSON”) , age 35, a resident of Alexandria, Louisiana, was indicted on November 20, 2025, for willfully conveying a bomb threat, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(e). According to court documents, on November 7, 2025, JOHNSON was arrested at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport after making bomb threats to airport operations following a dispute over unpaid parking fees. JOHNSON called AVCOM twice to announce the presence of a bomb in the airport. Additionally, he threatened to harm the AVCOM operator. This action prompted an investigation by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation that identified JOHNSON as the caller from the earlier parking lot incident. If convicted, JOHNSON faces a maximum penalty of up to ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Saint Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution. 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: Indiana Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Bryan Lee Fish, 33, of Mitchell, Indiana, has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, between June 2022 and September 2023, Fish sexually abused three children under the age of 12, including a toddler, photographed the abuse, and distributed the images online. The victims, all related to Fish, were in his custody and care at the time. On September 29, 2023, the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received alerts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating that an X (formerly known as Twitter) account linked to Fish was sharing newly produced child sexual abuse material. A search of his residence uncovered two cell phones containing folders labeled with the victims’ names, explicit images of the children, and more than 3,000 files of child sexual abuse material involving other unidentified minors, including infants and toddlers, as well as CGI and Anime. Following his arrest, another relative disclosed that Fish had sexually abused her as a child, beginning at age five. “This predator not only exploited three young children entrusted to his care, but he also preserved and shared that abuse. Distributing these images is especially insidious because it fuels further exploitation, encourages other offenders to create more material through abuse, and ensures the victims are haunted by the knowledge that their worst experiences live on indefinitely for predators’ gratification,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I am deeply grateful to the ICAC Task Force, NCMEC, and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable in our communities and bring the most heinous offenders to justice.” “Children should be nurtured and cherished, not victimized and exploited by deranged adults. Let this sentence be a warning to all child sexual predators: You will be caught, and you will be punished for your crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes, of the U.S. Secret Service’s Indianapolis Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to using its resources to protecting children from this type of abuse and to pursuing their abusers. Thank you to our state and federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Indiana for bringing justice in this case.” “Child exploitation is among the most heinous and damaging crimes we investigate, and this abhorrent conduct represents a profound betrayal of basic human decency,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “This 50-year sentence reflects the seriousness of his offenses and ensures he will remain far from any child he could victimize. The FBI is relentless in pursuing offenders who exploit the vulnerable, and we will bring every tool we have to bear to identify them, stop them, and deliver justice for their victims. The message is simple: if you harm a child, we will find you, stop you, and hold you fully accountable.” “This investigation stands as a powerful testament to Indiana ICAC’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding vulnerable children and bringing offenders to justice,” said Lieutenant Christopher Cecil, commander of the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, and Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and Carolyn Haney, who prosecuted this case. This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www. internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts. 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. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood ###


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison on Child Pornography Charge

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a St. Louis man who was one of the moderators of an online child sexual abuse material chat group to 84 months in prison and ordered him to pay $10,000 to victims. David Korte Daues, 37, pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted that he was in about 25 groups that shared CSAM on the messaging app Kik and five on the Wire platform. He said he distributed CSAM in these groups. He also possessed images and videos containing CSAM on two cell phones. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Stoneham Man Indicted for Using an Explosive to Damage Bank ATM

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Stoneham man was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 20, 2025 for allegedly using an explosive to damage an ATM in Woburn, Mass. Christopher Silva, 43, was indicted on one count of maliciously damaging by means of an explosive real property used in and affecting interstate commerce. Silva was arrested and charged by complaint in October 2025 and remains in custody pending trial. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on Dec. 9, 2025. According to the charging documents, shortly after 4:00 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2025, Silva, wearing a blue balaclava over his face and a black jumpsuit, allegedly approached an ATM at Eastern Bank in Woburn. It is alleged that Silva then placed an explosive device on the ATM and ran away. Several seconds later, the device exploded, causing significant damage to the frame and lower right section of the ATM. Silva was allegedly identified through DNA evidence and surveillance footage. The charge of maliciously damaging by explosive property used in and affecting interstate commerce provides for a sentence of at least five years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that 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, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Woburn and Stoneham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Federal Drug and Weapons Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on November 20, 2025, LAWRENCE WATKINS (“WATKINS”), age 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 72 months imprisonment, to be followed by 4 years supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). According to court documents, on or about June 22, 2023, Louisiana State Police (LSP) Troopers, FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGTF) members, and other law enforcement personnel were conducting proactive patrols in the Algiers area of New Orleans to combat violent crime. While attempting to stop and investigate a suspicious Dodge Durango vehicle, it sped off, chased by law enforcement, before striking a utility pole. The Durango’s occupants, including WATKINS , fled the vehicle on foot, but were later caught. After WATKINS ’s apprehension, officers recovered his backpack that contained a Century Arms Micro Draco 7.62x39 milli-meter pistol, multiple rounds of ammunition, $1,053 in U.S. currency, drug paraphernalia, and quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana. 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 . The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force, and the Louisiana State Police. Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger and Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Joaquin Guzman Lopez — Son of ‘El Chapo’ and a Leader of Sinaloa Cartel — Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges in Chicago

body_text: Joaquin Guzman Lopez, who succeeded his father, Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo,” as one of the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, pleaded guilty yesterday to federal drug charges. “The Sinaloa Cartel is a terrorist organization that has spent decades destroying American families through brutal violence and deadly drug trafficking,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Yesterday’s guilty plea from El Chapo’s son is a major victory against the Sinaloa Cartel and underscores the Trump Administration’s historic, aggressive campaign to dismantle terrorist organizations that target the American people.” “Under the Chapitos’ leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel has fueled the deadliest drug crisis in our nation’s history, manufacturing poison and profiting from the destruction of American lives,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “DEA stands committed to dismantle Sinaloa Cartel’s command and control, expose their criminal networks, and deliver justice for the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to their greed. Joaquin Guzmán Lopez’s guilty plea marks another blow to the cartel’s ruthless operations. We will not stop until these narco-terrorists are held accountable and the American people are protected." “After the United States successfully prosecuted El Chapo, his son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, took up his father’s mantle and jointly led the ‘Los Chapitos’ faction of the Sinaloa Cartel — one of the world’s most notorious drug trafficking organizations — in its efforts to flood the United States with deadly fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Under the leadership of Guzman Lopez and his associates, the Sinaloa Cartel spread violence and bribed public officials to protect its illicit business. The Criminal Division and our partners will not rest until we have fully dismantled the criminal cartels whose ruthless violence and lethal narcotics distribution threaten the safety and health of the American people.” “For decades, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office has been at the forefront of the U.S. government’s relentless pursuit of drug cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, as well as their top leaders,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “Yesterday, because of this Administration’s leadership, the U.S. State Department has designated many of these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations — a fact that has only further stiffened our resolve to track down and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations and their highest-ranking members and associates. Joaquin Guzman Lopez’s guilty plea is the latest step in our efforts to bring to justice drug lords and other dangerous criminals who poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs and who otherwise engage in violence and corruption to carry out their and their enterprises’ wide-reaching criminal activities.” “Two down, two to go,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “The Guzman’s have made a family business out of trafficking fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” said Acting Assistant Director Gregory Heeb of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Protecting Americans from the Sinaloa and other criminal cartels terrorizing and poisoning our communities is one of the FBI’s highest priorities and we will continue to work relentlessly to dismantle and disrupt these dangerous international criminal networks.” “Yesterday’s guilty plea by Joaquin Guzman Lopez is another example of how HSI is taking on the cartels and their transnational criminal networks and sending a clear message that we are going to hold them accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede for Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “Dismantling the Sinaloa cartel one arrest at time has taken countless hours but together HSI and our federal partners in the Homeland Security Task Force relentlessly focused efforts to stop this transnational criminal organization scourge by removing leaders from the helm. Yesterday’s announcement exemplifies a whole-of-government approach to protecting our homeland that is yielding results.” Guzman Lopez, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy and one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. The convictions carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Guzman Lopez has been detained in U.S. custody since his arrest in July 2024. Guzman Lopez and his three brothers, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” assumed leadership roles of the Sinaloa Cartel following El Chapo’s arrest in 2016 and subsequent conviction in the Eastern District of New York. Guzman Lopez coordinated the transportation of drugs and precursor chemicals for the manufacture of drugs into Mexico, and the transportation of those drugs, including cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms. He used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the United States using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft, submersible vessels, and other means. After the drugs were distributed throughout the United States, individuals working for Guzman Lopez and others laundered and transferred the illicit proceeds from the United States to Mexico and elsewhere. To protect the Sinaloa Cartel’s operation, Guzman Lopez and his associates bribed corrupt public officials and perpetrated violence against law enforcement officials, rival drug traffickers, and members of their own drug trafficking organization. In addition to the drug offenses, Guzman Lopez also stipulated to committing an international kidnapping offense. Guzman Lopez admitted to coordinating and committing the kidnapping in the hopes of receiving cooperation credit from the United States. As stated in the plea agreement, the United States did not induce or condone the kidnapping, and Guzman Lopez will not receive any cooperation credit for it. As part of his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez agreed to the entry of a personal money judgment in the amount of $80 million, which represents proceeds traceable to his offenses. Guzman Lopez also acknowledged that the crimes to which he is pleading guilty involved more than 36 kilograms of fentanyl, 90 kilograms of heroin, 450 kilograms of cocaine, 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana. Guzman Lopez’s three brothers — Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez — are also charged with drug trafficking in U.S. indictments. On July 11, Ovidio Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to federal drug charges in the Northern District of Illinois. He is awaiting sentencing. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are charged in both the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of New York. They are fugitives. The U.S. State Department has issued rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrests and convictions. See the reward information here and here . Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF), Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine, Michelle Parthum, and Michael Maione for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Sutton and Robert Miller for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case. HSI and the FBI investigated the case. The guilty plea was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals — including 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). The charges against Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.