title: Two Romanian Nationals Indicted In Multistate SNAP Benefits Fraud Scheme While Residing Unlawfully In the United States

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Romanian nationals residing unlawfully in the United States are facing federal charges for a multistate fraud scheme involving over $760,000 in stolen SNAP benefits funds, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Miles B. Davis, Special Agent in Charge, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA-OIG), Southeast Region, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement. Marian Ovidiu Dumitru, 38, and Catalin Dumitru, 36, both Romanian citizens residing unlawfully in various places throughout the United States, are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States; possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices; illegal possession of device-making equipment; two counts of wire fraud; and four counts of aggravated identity theft. Both defendants are currently detained pending trial. “These individuals allegedly came to the United States illegally and preyed on some of our most vulnerable citizens—those receiving SNAP benefits,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We will use the full force of the federal government to bring justice for our citizens on government assistance.” According to allegations in the indictment, between July 2024 and August 2025, the defendants were members of an identity theft ring that defrauded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states of more than $760,000. The indictment alleges that the defendants and their coconspirators used skimming devices placed at ATMs, fuel pumps, and other means, to steal the data of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards used to distribute SNAP benefits to eligible individuals. The stolen information was then loaded onto counterfeit bank cards, gift cards, and other such access devices, that the defendants then used at large membership warehouses to buy in bulk thousands of dollars of coffee, candy, energy drinks, and baby formula. For example, on August 1, 2025, the defendants allegedly used counterfeit cards cloned with stolen information of legitimate SNAP EBT cards issued in New Jersey to purchase over $15,600 in coffee, candy and other items from a from a warehouse club in Gastonia, North Carolina. On August 2, 2025, the defendants purchased coffee and candy totaling over $19,000 from a warehouse club in Pineville, North Carolina, using counterfeit cards loaded with stolen information from SNAP EBT cards issued in Massachusetts and New Jersey. The indictment further alleges that the defendants transported, resold or intended to resell the items purchased with counterfeit cards. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison for the conspiracy charge; up to 10 years in prison for the possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices; up to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of device-making equipment; up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge; and up to two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft charge, to be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charges against the defendants are merely allegations and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked HSI, the USDA-OIG, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and their state and local partners for their work on the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Kentucky Man Found with More Than 10 Grams of Methamphetamine Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Joshua Sharp, age 43, from Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced in the District Court of Guam on September 10, 2025 to five years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits. On February 6, 2023, Guam Superior Court deputy marshals arrested Sharp at a Dededo residence after he failed to appear for a Superior Court of Guam hearing. Sharp had extensive criminal history involving theft, drug possession, and drug trafficking crimes in Guam. When Sharp was being processed at the security holding area, he requested medical attention due to leg pain from a motorcycle accident. Before transporting Sharp to Guam Memorial Hospital, deputy marshals conducted a secondary full body strip search and found a sock near Sharp’s groin. The sock concealed 10 small zip lock bags containing 14.7 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine. “Career criminal drug traffickers will attract the attention of federal law enforcement regardless of the quantities involved,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “We will continue to target repeat offenders in an effort to keep our communities safe.” “Every arrest, every drug removed from our communities makes an impact. Methamphetamine is a persistent scourge on our nation, devastating lives,” said Brian M. Clark, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Guam. “DEA, alongside our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the safety and health of our island community.” This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guam Superior Court Marshals. First Assistant United States Attorney Marivic P. David prosecuted the case in the District of Guam.


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Ralph Daniel Clark Ricon, age 49, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in the District Court of Guam to 33 months imprisonment for Possession of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release, 50 hours community service, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits. Ricon is a lawful permanent resident who also faces deportation because of this conviction. On the evening of April 5, 2024, Guam International Airport Police officers initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Ricon. During the stop, the defendant claimed to be Rodrigo Clark Ricon. He appeared to be nervous, heavily sweating, and having difficulty speaking. He was unable to provide a valid driver's license, or any documents related to the vehicle. Ricon verbally consented to a search of his vehicle. Officers seized several bags containing 80.6 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, and drug packaging material. Following the search, DEA Task Force agents responded to the scene. After being advised of his rights, Ricon admitted to possessing the methamphetamine. At the time of the traffic stop, there was an active arrest warrant for "Rodrigo Clark Ricon." The Department of Correction positively identified Ricon and determined he had two open Superior Court felony drug cases with warrants for failure to report and failure to appear. “I applaud the relentless efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners in combatting drug trafficking on island,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “This successful prosecution resulted in another repeat offender going to federal prison.” “Methamphetamine remains a top killer in our country. This deadly drug is extremely potent, unrelenting, devastating families and crushing dreams. Each time we take a drug dealer off the streets; we make a difference,” said Brian M. Clark, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Guam. “Today’s sentencing should put drug distributors on notice. If you choose to push poison to line your pockets, you will be held accountable for your actions. DEA and law enforcement partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protect the health and safety of our island communities.” This investigation was conducted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guam International Airport Authority Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devarup Rastogi in the District of Guam


title: Guam Man Sentenced for Flying Drone Over Military Installation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Billy Cao Cruz, age 54, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in the District Court of Guam to two months home confinement for Violation of National Defense Airspace, in violation of 49 U.S.C. §§ 46307 and 40103. The Court also ordered two years of supervised release and a mandatory $25 special assessment fee. On February 1, 2025, Billy Cao Cruz uploaded a video to his YouTube channel, "Planet Guam," which depicted sensitive footage of a military installation in Guam. The video garnered close to 12,000 views before being taken down. Cruz was previously warned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about photographing military installations. On April 16, 2025, FBI agents met with Cruz at his residence. During this meeting, Cruz admitted to continuing to operate a specific drone, citing its fewer restrictions and the absence of notification requirements to local airports. In using this specific drone, Cruz stated, "You get away with a lot of things." Following a discussion about the national security concerns raised by the FBI and military, Cruz removed the video from YouTube and expressed understanding the potential threats posed by foreign adversaries, who might use the footage to target United States military installations. “Nearly all of the airspace over Guam is subject to flight restrictions by aircraft operators,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “These restrictions help ensure the safe operation of commercial, military, and private aircraft. As this case demonstrates, they also protect our national security, including the military personnel who keep our homeland safe. We encourage anyone with knowledge of this activity to contact the FBI at the earliest opportunity.” “Defending the homeland is at the core of the FBI’s mission, and that includes safeguarding the security of our national defense installations,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “This was not the first time Mr. Cruz had been warned about operating a drone over a military site, and this case demonstrates the consequences drone operators face when they choose to ignore the law in this manner. The FBI will continue to investigate and hold accountable anyone who compromises the national security of the United States and its citizens.” This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Leon Guerrero prosecuted this case in the District of Guam.


title: Wounded Knee Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison  for Committing Child Sexual Abuse

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Wounded Knee, South Dakota, convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025. Anfernee Rondeau, 28, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Rondeau was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in May 2025. Evidence offered at trial established that on the evening of April 4, 2024, Rondeau, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend’s 6-year-old daughter returned home after an evening of drinking. Both adults were intoxicated. Rondeau, his girlfriend, and the child went into a bedroom. A short while later, a 13-year-old witness heard the child crying. When the 13-year-old went to check on the child, she observed Rondeau on top of the child. Rondeau’s pants were partially unzipped and pulled down. The child’s pants and underwear were pulled down. The 13-year-old witness acted heroically and pushed Rondeau off the child. The 13-year-old wrapped the child in a blanket and carried her to another family member inside the house. Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety law enforcement responded and arrested Rondeau. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. Rondeau was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: President Of Queens-Based Construction Company Sentenced For Fraud In Connection With Homeless Shelter Contracts Worth $12 Million

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that LIAQUAT CHEEMA, the leader of a fraudulent scheme to defraud New York City (the “City”) in connection with public contracts to perform general contracting work at City homeless shelters, was sentenced yesterday to four years in prison by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield. CHEEMA previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on March 5, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang. “Liaquat Cheema stole millions of dollars in public funds intended to pay for maintenance at homeless shelters in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This Office has no tolerance for those who use public contracts intended to aid members of our society-in-need to fraudulently enrich themselves. We will aggressively pursue anyone who abuses public trust for personal profit.” According to the Indictment to which CHEEMA pled guilty, the Complaint, the plea agreement, and statements made in court: CHEEMA was the President of AFL Construction Co. Inc. (“AFL”), located in Queens, New York. AFL entered into public contracts with the City worth approximately $12 million to perform general contracting work at homeless shelters located in the City, including in the Southern District of New York. Pursuant to the contracts, AFL was to perform, among other things, general maintenance, landscaping, roofing, and snow removal at shelter sites. From at least in or about 2014 through at least in or about 2017, CHEEMA and others used the contracts to fraudulently enrich themselves and steal from the City. In furtherance of the scheme, CHEEMA and others, among other things, submitted fraudulent invoices and other documentation in support of requests for payment on the contracts, which falsely claimed that workers had performed work on certain projects and inflated amounts paid by the defendants for materials purportedly used on such projects. These fraudulent invoices and supporting documentation contained, without authorization, the identities of other persons, including the names and, in at least one case, the Social Security number, of purported workers who in fact had not worked on the projects specified in the requests for payment submitted by CHEEMA and others. CHEEMA and others also obtained tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of Medicaid benefits by repeatedly submitting fraudulent certifications, which underreported their actual incomes and accordingly enabled them to obtain Medicaid benefits for which they were not eligible. In support of requests for Medicaid benefits, CHEEMA and others repeatedly submitted nearly identical employment letters, which, among other misrepresentations, contained the name and purported signature of a purported “Project Manager” who, in fact, was deceased. In connection with his guilty plea, CHEEMA agreed to pay back the money misappropriated from Medicaid. * * * In addition to the prison term, CHEEMA, 65, of East Elmhurst, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $3,267,811. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the New York City Department of Investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy V. Capozzi is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Texas Mexican Mafia Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm

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

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Crystal City man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 180 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Mario Zavala, 39, was convicted for organized criminal activity with the Texas Mexican Mafia in August 2013. On Nov. 6, 2024, he was arrested on a warrant and admitted to possessing a loaded .40 caliber pistol in his residence. Additionally, Zavala had maintained his ties to the Texas Mexican Mafia and continued to distribute narcotics—namely cocaine and methamphetamine. Zavala was indicted for one count of felon in possession of a firearm on Dec. 4, 2024, and he pleaded guilty March 5, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the court proceedings. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case. ###


title: Felon Charged with 7 Counts in Connection to Armed Robberies in Austin

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A Kyle man made his initial appearance in federal court after being indicted for multiple alleged armed robberies that occurred in June and July. According to court documents, Yael Williams Jr., 38, a convicted felon, allegedly used a firearm during robberies at a Subway restaurant and two 7-11 stores in Austin over the summer. An indictment alleges that, in the presence of store employees, Williams obtained U.S. currency and other property by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury, by threatening the employees with a .22 caliber revolver. Williams is charged with three Hobbs Act robberies, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a felon. If Williams is convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Austin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case. 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: Convicted Honduran Sexual Predator Sentenced in Del Rio for Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Honduran national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 21 months in prison for illegal re-entry. According to court documents, Neri Farid Ardon-Calix, 30, was found hiding in a railcar near Eagle Pass on Jan. 13. He had been previously deported from the U.S. in September 2023, following a conviction and two-year prison sentence for sexual assault of a child in Houston. Ardon-Calix pleaded guilty on April 23. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez sentenced him on Sept. 11, remarking that Ardon-Calix was a danger to the community. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daisy Gonzalez prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: FORMER CONTRACTORS FOR THE FLORIDA PREPAID COLLEGE PROGRAM SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR CONSPIRACY, FRAUD, AND AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: Tallahassee, FLORIDA – Julie Michelle Shuler, 32, and Taylor Skiey Bradham, 26, both of Tallahassee, Florida, were sentenced to 36 months and seven months in federal prison, respectively, after previously pleading guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Shuler was also sentenced to prison for four counts of mail fraud. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “These defendants sought to exploit Florida parents’ investments in their children’s futures for their own personal gain, but thanks to the diligent collaboration between my office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, their profiteering scheme has been dismantled and a prison cell awaits them.” Court documents reflect that Shuler and Bradham worked for the company contracted to provide customer service and records administration service for the Florida Prepaid College Program. According to court records, Shuler and Bradham used their positions to fraudulently access and view the personal identifying information (PII) of Florida Prepaid College Program account owners and beneficiaries. Records show that the women used and conspired to use such PII to fraudulently change ownership of existing Florida Prepaid College Program contracts and plans without the authorization or knowledge of the account owners or beneficiaries. Shuler and Bradham then fraudulently took over control, and conspired to take over control, of such accounts to request termination of those contracts. By canceling the contracts, Shuler and Bradham caused refund checks to be mailed by the Florida Prepaid College Program to addresses that they designated. Once the checks were delivered, Shuler and Bradham, and others working at their direction, cashed or deposited the checks into bank accounts. In doing so, Shuler and Bradham stole or attempted to steal approximately $86,000 in Florida Prepaid College Program funds. “These defendants targeted students pursuing their education and, stole money intended to pay for college,” said Bladismir Rojo, Acting Inspector in Charge, Miami Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is relentless in pursuing anyone who exploits the financial system to steal money from unsuspecting victims.” After their imprisonment, Shuler and Bradham will be required to serve three years of supervision upon their release. Both defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the Florida Prepaid College Program and its insurance carrier. The case involved a joint investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. 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: PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO NARCOTICS AND FIREARMS CHARGES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Akeem Cornell Shaw, 39, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of an unregistered firearm (short-barreled shotgun). The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am incredibly proud of the continued excellence demonstrated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners to investigate this repeat offender and help bring him to justice. The hardworking prosecutors in my office are committed to using the full force of the law to keep our streets safe, and we will fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the criminals victimizing our communities.” Court documents reflect that in February 2025 law enforcement executed a search warrant at Shaw’s residence in Pensacola, Florida. In Shaw’s bedroom, officers located multiple loaded firearms, including a short-barreled shotgun, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, ammunition, and other items indicative of drug distribution. Shaw is a convicted felon, who has previously been convicted of several narcotics related offenses, including Possession of Heroin with Intent to Sell. Shaw faces up to life imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2025, at 9:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 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: Florida Man Convicted At Trial Of Mail Fraud In Connection With Mass-Mailing Scam

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that, on September 15, 2025, ROBERT W. LEDERHILGER III was convicted of mail fraud in connection with a years-long, mass-mailing scam. The defendant was found guilty following a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter. “Robert W. Lederhilger III defrauded tens of thousands of small businesses over the course of more than seven years,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Lederhilger mailed fake bills for webhosting services to businesses across the country and collected payments from victims without providing them with webhosting—or any other service. This federal criminal conviction demonstrates that New Yorkers will not tolerate fraud and want those who victimize the public through lies held accountable.” According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial: Beginning in 2015, LEDERHILGER operated companies through which he purported to offer webhosting services. LEDERHILGER designed and executed a scheme in which he mailed, and caused others to mail, over three million mailers that looked like invoices for webhosting services. LEDERHILGER sent those mailers to, among others, small businesses that already had websites in order to make those businesses believe that LEDERHILGER was their current webhosting provider and that they needed to pay him. When victim businesses made payments to LEDERHILGER, they received no service in return. The only thing the victims received was a “renewal” bill a year later, asking for another payment. Between approximately 2015 and 2021, LEDERHILGER made at least approximately $2.99 million from this scheme. * * * LEDERHILGER, 44, of Bradenton, Florida, was convicted of one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Getzel Berger, Kevin Grossinger, and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Christopher Harris and Alexandra LeBaron.


title: Canadian national sentenced to federal prison for Texas firearms violation

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –An Ontario, Canada woman has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jahtaya O’Dayjah Hamilton, 24, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 16, 2025. According to information presented in court, on November 6, 2024, Hamilton traveled from Ontario, Canada to Houston, where she obtained 22 firearms, including four stolen firearms and a short-barrel rifle, from an unknown firearms trafficker. Hamilton then hired a rideshare driver to transport her from Houston to Little Rock, Arkansas. Hamilton initially attempted to hire the driver to transport her to New York state. The vehicle Hamilton hired was stopped in Angelina County for a traffic violation. During the stop, the deputy could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and a search was conducted. The search resulted in the discovery of the firearms and Hamilton was arrested. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. ##


title: Antitrust Division Contributes to Historic Efforts to Unleash Prosperity Through Deregulation

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Note : A previous version of this release stated "over 170". This has been corrected below to "over 125 Today, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice announces its collaboration with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to identify over 125 anticompetitive regulations in response to the President’s Executive Order on Reducing Anti-Competitive Regulatory Barriers . Under the leadership of President Trump, the Antitrust Division, in close coordination with the FTC and federal agencies, conducted a comprehensive, government-wide effort to identify and reform anticompetitive regulations that distort markets and stifle competition. “In America we believe in free markets, not central planning by government regulators or powerful monopolists,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Lowering barriers to entry by removing anticompetitive regulations will free America’s innovators and entrepreneurs to do what they do best: drive America’s future success.” The Executive Order recognized that federal regulations should not predetermine economic winners and losers, yet some regulations “operate to exclude new market entrants.” It tasked the Chairman of the FTC and the Attorney General to consult with the heads of agencies and to develop a consolidated list of regulations that warrant rescission or modification in light of their anti-competitive effects. The FTC and DOJ worked closely and effectively on this review, and today Chairman Ferguson submitted an extensive list of anti-competitive regulations to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.


title: Minnesota Fraudster Sentenced to 51 Months for Embezzling $2.7 Million

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Destiny McKayla Combs, 37, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 51 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for embezzlement, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Destiny Combs was the Accounting Manager for a surrogacy agency and affiliated law firm. Combs used her position of trust to embezzle more than $2.7 million from her employer. Combs gambled away most of the $2.7 million she stole. “Combs treated her workplace like her own personal slot machine,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Combs’s crime is part of a disturbing wave of fraud sweeping across Minnesota. From private companies to public programs, fraud has seeped into every corner of our state. We will continue to attack this fraud plague with everything we’ve got at the federal level.” According to court documents, Destiny Combs was the Accounting Manager for a surrogacy agency and affiliated law firm for approximately nine years. In her position, Combs was solely responsible for managing both companies’ finances, including taxes and financial statements. Combs was such a trusted member of the management team that, in 2022, the company’s owner agreed to sell the surrogacy agency to Combs upon his retirement in 2023. As the sale date approached, however, Combs abruptly quit and moved to Florida. A subsequent investigation revealed that between February 2019 and June 2023, Combs embezzled approximately $2.72 million from the businesses. Combs’s scheme was simple: she used personal credit cards to fund her gambling habit, then used company funds to pay her credit card bills. Combs stole the money to fuel her online gambling addiction. She made fraudulent entries in the companies’ books to disguise her credit card payments as business expenses, and exploited the trust and autonomy her company gave her to go undetected. Over 52 months, Combs made approximately 292 payments from the company accounts to her personal American Express credit card, totaling $2,723,025. While this case was pending and Combs was under the supervision of pretrial services, she repeatedly lied to her probation officer and violated her terms of release. Among other things, without authorization or knowledge of her probation officer, she traveled to New York City, New York; Tucson, Arizona; Miami, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Seattle, Washington. Combs was sentenced today before Judge John M. Gerrard in U.S. District Court. In handing down the sentence, Judge Gerrard noted Ms. Combs’s bad behavior while on pretrial-release, including her multiple trips to Las Vegas, Nevada, in flagrant violation of the travel restrictions imposed upon her by the Court. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.


title: Owner of New Jersey Businesses Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining over $3.2 Million in Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An owner of several New Jersey businesses was sentenced yesterday to 41 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining over $3.2 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Daniel Dadoun, 49, of Israel, formerly of South Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court on April 8, 2025, to an Information charging him with bank fraud and money laundering. U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch imposed the sentence yesterday in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From April 2020 through August 2022, Dadoun engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain over $3.2 million in PPP loans for his New Jersey businesses by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds, Dadoun sought to keep the money by submitting false and fraudulent PPP loan forgiveness applications that misrepresented payroll expenses and the number of employees working at his companies. In support of the loan and loan forgiveness applications, Dadoun submitted falsified tax documents and altered bank statements. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Dadoun to three years’ supervised release and ordered restitution of $3,239,773. Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office, under direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr., special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ### Defense counsel: Anthony J. Pope, Jr., Esq.


title: D.C. Man Arrested for the Murder of a 17-Year-Old Classmate

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Carlton Simon, 20, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with a homicide that occurred in the afternoon of May 29, 2025, in Northwest D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Simon made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Heide L. Herrmann on September 16, 2025, where Judge Herrmann found probable cause that Simon committed the offense of second-degree murder while armed and ordered that Simon be held without bond pending trial. According to court documents Simon, a classmate of the 17-year-old victim Angel Dominguez, approached Dominguez on Florida Avenue with a firearm in tow. As Dominguez walked away from him, Simon pointed a gun at Dominguez’s back, before putting him in a chokehold and ultimately shooting him in the chest. Dominguez died as a result of his injuries shortly thereafter. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi. These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Baltimore Woman Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes and Defrauding Maryland Unemployment Insurance Program

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Natonia Johnson, 52, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty today, to one count of wire fraud in connection with a bribery scheme that she conducted as a Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) contractor to issue fraudulent unemployment insurance funds. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore. Unemployment insurance (UI) is a joint state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible beneficiaries. UI payments are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to lawful workers who became unemployed through no fault of their own. Beginning in or around March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded UI eligibility and increased UI benefits. This included the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, and Lost Wages Assistance Program. In Maryland, residents seeking UI benefits submit online applications. In the application, applicants must answer specific questions to establish eligibility to receive UI benefits, including their name, Social Security Number (SSN), and mailing address, among other things. Additionally, the State requires applicants to self-certify that they are unemployed, partially employed, or unable to work for a COVID-19-related reason. The MD-DOL relies upon the information from the application to determine UI benefits eligibility. According to the guilty plea, between June 2020 until about November 2021, Johnson executed a scheme to defraud the MD-DOL and United States. Johnson assisted friends, family members, and strangers with fraudulently filing and obtaining UI benefits they were not eligible to receive in exchange for bribes and kickback payments. Initially, Johnson assisted individuals with uploading fraudulent documents in support of UI claims. She then falsely asserted that these individuals were self-employed. Later, through her employment as a contractor at Company #1, Johnson staffed MD-DOL’s UI call center and gained access to MD-DOL’s internal UI database. Then Johnson used this access to remove flags and holds on various co-conspirators’ UI accounts that established these individuals were ineligible to receive UI benefits. Additionally, Johnson backdated claims, removed fraud holds, and caused MD-DOL to issue additional UI benefits that these co-conspirators were ineligible to receive. In exchange, Johnson received between $200 and $500 from each co-conspirator whose claims she assisted with. Through the scheme, Johnson defrauded the MD-DOL of more than $250,000 in UI claims. Johnson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2026, at 11 a.m. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and HSI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Wenner who is prosecuting the federal case. She also recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Guatemalan National Charged for Resisting Federal Agents

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON– A Guatemalan national has been charged in federal court in Boston after allegedly resisting and assaulting federal officers during an immigration arrest. Manolo Morales Lopez, 29, was charged with one count of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers while they carried out official duties, prosecutors announced. The defendant appeared in federal court in Boston on Sept. 12, 2025 and was released on conditions. The complaint alleges that on Sept. 12, 2025, Morales Lopez forcibly resisted and assaulted agents as they attempted to arrest a woman for a violation of the immigration laws in Woburn, Mass. As agents attempted to remove the woman from a car, Morales Lopez allegedly leaned toward the woman and began holding onto her arm, preventing her removal. After the agents warned Morales Lopez repeatedly that he could be subject to arrest himself for interfering with the arrest of the woman, the agents attempted to remove him from the vehicle. It is alleged that after the agents succeeded in getting Morales Lopez out of the car, he raised his arm up and over the head of one of the agents and grabbed him around the neck from behind. The agent ducked under Morales Lopez’s arm to avoid being put in a choke hold or headlock. Morales allegedly continued to struggle and resist the agents as they attempted the put him in handcuffs. The charge of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties provides for a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson 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: Callaway man who allegedly paid for “live child sexual abuse videos” of minors in the Philippines Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Callaway County, Mo., man was charged with nine counts of attempted production of child pornography. David Lee Maddox, 59, was charged by indictment with nine counts of attempted production of child pornography on Aug. 5, 2025. The charges were made public today following the arrest and first appearance in court by Maddox. The investigation began on Aug. 8, 2023, when the St. Louis Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office received a referral from HSI Portland, Me pertaining to the defendant’s apparent communication via Microsoft Skype with known traffickers/sellers of live and recorded child sexual abuse videos operating in the Philippines. The investigation showed defendant used Skype to receive “shows” from minor victims in the Philippines and paid for the shows by sending money via money transmittal services. From on or about Sept. 20, 2021, through Dec. 23, 2023, the defendant received “shows” depicting underage females on approximately 20 occasions. The charges contained in the indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, if convicted, Maddox faces a federal prison sentence of up to 30 years on each count to be served without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is provided by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from Holts Summit, MO Police department and Missouri State Technical Assistance Team (STAT). Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking a Minor

body_text: WASHINGTON – Linwood Barnhill, 59, a registered sex offender residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to sex trafficking a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. According to court documents, between April 2024 and April 2025, Barnhill, a former Metropolitan Police Department officer, recruited minor girls to engage in commercial sex acts. Barnhill collected over $10,000 in profits from one of the minor girls whom he exploited in commercial sex. Barnhill also used his victims to find additional minor girls to victimize, by forcing them to work in commercial sex. Judge Jia M. Cobb scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, 2025. Sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . 25cr149


title: Three Philadelphia Correctional Officers, Their Former Supervisor Charged in Connection With Violation of Inmate’s Constitutional Rights

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three correctional officers and their former supervisor were arrested and charged by indictment, in connection with the violation of an inmate’s constitutional rights and an attempt to cover it up. Jahaan Andrews , 34, Oneil Murray , 31, and Mumin Hart , 43, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were correctional officers (“C.O.s”) at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (“CFCF”). Georgia Malloy , 58, also of Philadelphia, was a lieutenant with the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (“PDP”) and the officers’ supervisor at CFCF. The indictment alleges that, on or about October 6, 2020, Andrews detained Inmate 1, a pretrial detainee, in a holding room, purportedly because Inmate 1 was wearing the wrong color jumpsuit. Andrews, Murray, and Hart, along with C.O. Ronald Granville, charged elsewhere, and another C.O. subsequently removed Inmate 1 from the holding room and escorted him to his cell, to conduct a strip search of Inmate 1 and have him change into the correct jumpsuit. The indictment further alleges that, once inside Inmate 1’s cell, the group of correctional officers ordered Inmate 1 to strip. Andrews, Murray, Hart, and Granville then punched, kicked and assaulted Inmate 1 numerous times, knocking him to the ground. As a result of the assault, Inmate 1 was hospitalized with injuries to his face, ribs, and scrotum, and had to undergo emergency surgery. After any use of force by a C.O. against an inmate, PDP correctional officers who used force, and those who witnessed another C.O. use force, were required to complete reports about what happened, prior to the end of their shift. The indictment alleges that, from about October 6, 2020, to October 31, 2020, the four defendants and Granville conspired to falsify records, with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation and proper administration of a matter within the jurisdiction of the FBI. As alleged, Andrews, Murray, and Hart wrote their use of force reports about the October 6 incident, and Malloy her investigation report, so that they exaggerated the aggressiveness of Inmate 1 and disclosed as little of the true nature of the force the C.O.s used against him as they believed was necessary, to avoid scrutiny of their conduct by their superior officers and others. The reports also falsely claimed that Granville did not use force in the October 6, 2020, incident. All four defendants are charged with conspiracy. Andrews is also charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, two counts of falsification of records, and making a false statement to the FBI. Murray is also charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of falsification of records. Hart is also charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and falsification of records. Malloy is also charged with two counts of falsification of records. If convicted, Andrews faces a maximum possible sentence of 70 years of incarceration, Murray a maximum possible sentence of 65 years of incarceration, and Hart and Malloy a maximum possible sentence of 45 years of incarceration. The case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Michael Miller. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Lancaster Man Sentenced to Almost Nine Years in Prison for Robbing a Chester County Convenience Store at Gunpoint

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Micael Dilone Rojas Diaz, 25, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 106 months in prison, three years’ supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and restitution in the amount of $518.61 by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher yesterday for the armed robbery of a Chester County convenience store in February 2024. The defendant was charged by indictment in May of 2024 with one count of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He pleaded guilty to both charges in June of this year. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, in the early hours of February 10, 2024, Rojas and his co-defendant, Ashley Santos-Rodriguez, both wearing masks, entered the Turkey Hill convenience store on the 3000 block of Horseshoe Pike in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania. One person, a 59-year-old clerk, was in the store at the time. Rojas pointed a loaded .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol at the clerk’s face and demanded money, as Santos started grabbing cigarettes from the racks. The robbers left the store with approximately $124 and some 40 packs of Newport cigarettes, fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Police apprehended them in a car stop approximately 20 minutes later and recovered the stolen cash and cigarettes. This case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.


title: Rhode Island Business Owner Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy and Obstruction of Justice

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a “virtual CFO” business from Rhode Island was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for laundering tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from internet fraud schemes by creating shell companies and opening fraudulent business bank accounts. Craig Clayton, 75, of Cranston, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Clayton was also ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution. In May 2025 , Clayton pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of obstruction of justice. In February 2023 , Clayton was arrested and charged by criminal complaint. From 2019 to 2021, Clayton and others used his accounting and “virtual CFO” business, Rochart Consulting, as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the conspiracy, Clayton founded shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which he laundered the proceeds of internet fraud schemes on behalf of his foreign-based clients. In total, Clayton laundered more than $35 million. Clayton also instructed his foreign-based clients on how to structure deposits, draft wire memos concealing the nature of fund transfers and create false business documentation to justify account inflows and outflows. In communications with one of his Rochart co-conspirators, Clayton stated that because they were “money mules complicit in [Rochart’s clients’] offenses” that “opens [them] up to charges.” Additionally, in encrypted communications with one of his client co-conspirators, Clayton expressed concern that his phone was “tapped” by law enforcement and sought to obtain “dirt” on a victim who had reported the fraud scheme in order to “distract the police.” In another exchange with a co-conspirator, Clayton proposed moving their electronic communications to Signal, noting that WhatsApp “can be tapped.” When banks and law enforcement began to investigate Rochart, Clayton falsely told investigators and bank personnel that his shell companies were legitimate businesses, among other things. Further, during a recorded conversation with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a potential client, Clayton noted that Rochart does not “deal with anyone who has law enforcement connections” and that some of his business’s clients were “fugitives from justice.” After he became aware that a federal grand jury was investigating him, Clayton attempted to obstruct the ongoing investigation by making several false statements to federal agents during an interview. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian J. Stearns and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Alexandra Amrhein of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Money Laundering

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jack Paskin, 35, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, to nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for money laundering. Paskin participated in the laundering of approximately $337,000 in proceeds from the illegal sale of controlled substances. According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about mid-summer 2019 to on or about August 31, 2020, Paskin facilitated the shipment of wholesale quantities of marijuana to Mullens, West Virginia. Paskin admitted that the shipments were directed to addresses provided by Merrick Rice, who then obtained the marijuana packages following their delivery. Paskin further admitted that he knew Rice sold the marijuana to other individuals who then distributed it within the Southern District of West Virginia. Proceeds from Rice’s sale of the marijuana were deposited into bank accounts that Paskin individually controlled or had signatory authority over. On February 24, 2021, Paskin withdrew $30,000 in cash from one of the bank accounts he knew held proceeds from Rice’s marijuana sales. Paskin admitted that he knew that the $30,000 and the other deposited funds represented proceeds from illegal drug sales in the Southern District of West Virginia. Rice, 45, of Mullens, and Miranda Aliff, 33, of Rock Creek, both pleaded guilty on May 7, 2024, to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions. Rice and Aliff admitted to structuring bank deposits of the illicit drug proceeds totaling $228,000 to evade currency transaction reporting requirements. On October 21, 2024, Rice was sentenced to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Aliff was sentenced to five years of federal probation. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-122. ###


title: Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Multiple Deportations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two Mexican nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after multiple prior deportations have been sentenced to prison. David Gonzalez-Castillo , 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro to two years in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again. Gonzalez-Castillo had been removed from the U.S. four times before: in March 2009, July 2009, and twice in August 2009, after encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas and the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. In October 2024, ICE learned that Gonzalez-Castillo had been arrested by the Coatesville (Pa.) Police Department. ICE officers took the defendant into custody in March of this year, after he was convicted of simple assault in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas. Gonzalez-Castillo was charged by federal indictment with illegal reentry in April and pleaded guilty in May. Saul Lopez Rodriguez , 32, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to six months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again. Lopez Rodriguez had previously been removed from the country four times, including in November 2012, December 2012, and March 2013, after encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. In March 2016, the U.S. Border Patrol encountered the defendant in New Mexico. He was arrested, charged by information with illegal reentry in the District of New Mexico, pleaded guilty, and was removed from the country in April 2016. In July 2024, ICE became aware that Lopez Rodriguez had been arrested by the Norristown (Pa.) Police Department, with the defendant subsequently pleading guilty to reckless driving. ICE took him into custody in June of this year, after law enforcement encountered him during a traffic stop. Lopez Rodriguez was charged by information with illegal reentry in July and pleaded guilty the same month, waiving prosecution by indictment. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Francis Weber and Erica Kivitz.


title: Havre man sentenced to 4 years in prison for illegal possession of multiple firearms

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Havre man who illegally possessed firearms was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Emil Martin Lundstrom, 59, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on October 10, 2017, Emil Martin Lundstrom was sentenced to 20 years with 5 years suspended on eight counts of felony theft in the Montana Seventeenth Judicial District Court, Phillips County. On September 6, 2024, law enforcement responded to a Havre business to remove Lundstrom from the property because his employment was being terminated due to theft from the business. Officers learned from the owners Lundstrom had previously been found with bullet shell casings in his work pickup and they knew he was not allowed to be in possession of firearms because he was on probation. A probation search was executed on Lundstrom’s work pickup. A Ziploc bag with what appeared to be several rounds of 9mm full metal jacket cartridges was found in the pickup. Law enforcement also searched Lundstrom’s residence and a camper on his property. In the residence, officers found several rifle barrels and rifle buttstocks in a back bedroom under bed sheets, and three firearms in the walk-in closet of Lundstrom’s bedroom, along with a safe containing cash. In the camper, officers seized pistols, rifles, and shotguns in the living and kitchen areas and a .22 caliber pistol in a black case under the bed mattress. When the officers asked Lundstrom if they had recovered all the firearms, he suggested they check a pile of items in the garage, which led to the discovery of another rifle in a gun case. During an interview with law enforcement, Lundstrom admitted he knew he was prohibited because he was on probation. He also said he had acquired many of the firearms before he was placed on probation in 2017, but he purchased additional guns from individuals after being placed on probation. Lundstrom said he bought firearms through private parties after being placed on probation because he could not purchase them from an FFL. He also obtained hunting permits to hunt with firearms for several years after being placed on probation, which he knew would last for the next 20 years. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole. 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 . XXX


title: Poplar men plead guilty to sexual abuse on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS - A pair of Poplar men who sexually abused their victim on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Chandler Duran Longtree, 19, and Payton Robert Richard Montclair, 19, each pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. Each defendant faces life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Longtree’s sentencing was set for January 14, 2026. Montclair’s sentencing was set for January 21, 2026. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on January 18, 2025, Jane Doe was drinking with a group of young people. She eventually separated from her friend and went with the defendants, Chandler Longtree and Payton Montclair, both 18 at the time, to Longtree’s house. While at the house, she was sexually assaulted by Longtree and Montclair. Doe reported the assault and underwent an exam from a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), which revealed evidence consistent with a sexual assault. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leann Marie Keyes, 42, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 2024 and January 2025, Keyes conspired with another individual sell drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. As part of her guilty plea, Keyes admitted that she and her co-conspirator sold a total of 12.34 grams of fentanyl on four occasions during the time period, each time to a confidential informant. Keyes further admitted she communicated with the confidential informant about each sale beforehand and that her co-conspirator conducted the hand-to-hand sales at the Beckley residence where she and her co-conspirator lived. Keyes is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Keyes’ co-conspirator and husband, Justin Scott Keyes, 36, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-73. ###


title: St. Louis Felon Found Responsible for Detainee’s Fentanyl Overdose, Sentenced to 157 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a felon caught with a gun to 157 months in prison after finding him responsible for supplying the fentanyl that caused a fatal overdose in 2024. Alantae Garner, 31, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in June to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Nov. 17, 2023, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted him in the driver’s seat of a stolen 2019 Kia Rio. When officers approached, Garner walked away, then ran before being detained. Police found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun in his bag. Garner admitted owning the gun and said he bought the Kia for $500. Garner was arrested on the federal charge on July 25, 2024. During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, evidence and testimony showed that while awaiting his first appearance in court, he supplied fentanyl to another detainee, who overdosed in a holding cell. Deputy U.S. Marshals attempted to revive the victim, but he later died at a hospital. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Multiple time convicted felon and habitual re-enterer sentenced to 45 months

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Mexican national who unlawfully resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for illegally reentering the country for the sixth time, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Bartolo Saucedo-Patino pleaded guilty June 11. U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Saucedo-Patino to serve a total of 45 months in federal prison – 32 months for this offense plus an additional 13 months for violating his supervised release for his prior conviction for illegal reentry. In handing down the sentence, the court considered the dangerousness of his other crimes, lack of respect for the law and need for deterrence. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. Saucedo-Patino has multiple felony convictions to include assault of a family member, assault for intentionally or recklessly impeding breathing or circulation, failure to stop and provide information, possession of marijuana, two for possession of cocaine as well as another conviction for illegal reentry into the country. He was first removed in September 2007, repeatedly returned unlawfully and removed eight times. Authorities encountered him again May 27, 2024, in Houston. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration Customs Enforcement – Enforcement Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Law prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Seeks Potential Victims in Case Against St. Louis Doctor and Staff

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – In July of 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri announced that a federal grand jury charged physician David A. Parks, clinical manager and clinical research coordinator James M. Bilderback, and front desk assistant Michelle J. Scheer with crimes related to the clinic at which they worked, located at 3960 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis. The indictment alleges that from at least July 6, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2021, the three conspired to knowingly and intentionally prescribe controlled substances outside of the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The conspiracy’s goal was to maximize their patient population and, in turn, their profit, the indictment says. Parks and Bilderback, the indictment alleges, also conspired to defraud Medicare, Missouri Medicaid and private health insurers by billing them for claims for services that falsely and fraudulently identified Parks as the provider, including at times when Parks was out of the country. On August 15, 2025, U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Bodenhausen issued an order directing the government to employ alternative victim notification procedures so that any member of the community who believes they may be a crime victim is made aware of their potential rights. The government is asking members of the community who believe they may be a victim of illegal prescribing of controlled substances or fraudulent billing practices by Dr. David A. Parks, James Bilderback or Michelle Scheer to please email USAMOE.Victims@usdoj.gov to reach the Victim-Witness Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri. Former patients of Parks or their families may still be facing the aftermath of illegal prescribing of controlled substances or fraudulent billing practices. The victim-witness program provides information, services and support to individuals during federal prosecutions. Case updates will be provided on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr . Please also be aware of these free, confidential resources that may be of assistance: Always call 911 if it’s a life-threatening emergency. To find supportive services, dial 2-1-1 to call United Way. Operational hours are 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. If you call after hours, please leave a message. Phone calls will be returned the next business day. 2-1-1 provides information and referral service that connect people to vital community, health and social services provided by a range of nonprofit, government and tribal agencies. SAMHSA has a national helpline to assist with finding behavioral health support or substance use management at 800-662-HELP (4357), TTY: 800-487-4889, or online at https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ . Calls are manned 24/7 and are routed to the DHSS Division of Behavioral Health during DHSS operational hours. Help is available 24/7 through Missouri's Crisis Hotline ( https://dmh.mo.gov/behavioral-health/treatment-services/specialized-programs/crisis-services ), 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you or someone you know is in a mental health, suicide or substance use crisis; reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or the 988 Lifeline Chat . The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime Violation

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Braden Birdsong, 28, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Bernard M. Jones for the Western District of Oklahoma today and pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime violation. According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, on Aug. 25, 2023, Birdsong, a white man, attacked D.G., a black man, while D.G. was cleaning the parking lot of the Oklahoma City restaurant at which he worked. Birdsong used racial slurs and other anti-black rhetoric as he punched D.G. in the head multiple times. D.G. suffered bodily injury because of the attack. As Birdsong admitted in court today, he assaulted D.G. because of D.G.’s race and color. Birdsong faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for the hate crime violation. U.S. District Court Judge Jones will determine Birdsong’s final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors at a later date. Birdsong will remain in federal custody pending the future sentencing hearing. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorneys Laura Gilson and Taylor Payne of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – BRADEN BIRDSONG , 28, of Oklahoma City, appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Bernard M. Jones for the Western District of Oklahoma today and pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime violation. According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, on August 25, 2023, Birdsong, a white man, attacked D.G., a black man, while D.G. was cleaning the parking lot of the Oklahoma City restaurant at which he worked. Birdsong used racial slurs and other anti-Black rhetoric as he punched D.G. in the head multiple times. D.G. suffered bodily injury because of the attack. As Birdsong admitted in court today, he assaulted D.G. because of D.G.’s race and color. Birdsong faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release for the hate crime violation. U.S. District Court Judge Jones will determine Birdsong’s final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors at a later date. Birdsong will remain in federal custody pending the future sentencing hearing. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorneys Laura Gilson and Taylor Payne of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After  Removal Following a Conviction for an Aggravated Felony

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States. Marcos Martinez-Jimenez, 42, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry after deportation for an aggravated felony and was sentenced to 25 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on September 17, 2025. According to court documents, on February 11, 2025, Martinez-Jimenez was arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations following a vehicle stop. Martinez-Jimenez was previously convicted of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child Under 14 in Johnson County, Kansas in 2007. In that case, he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 61 months’ and upon completion of that sentence he was deported to Mexico in 2011. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Chicago Field Office, Kansas City Sub-Office. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Stamford Man Charged with Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw today announced that BRANDON TURNER, also known as “Bizz,” 31, of Stamford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with fentanyl and cocaine trafficking offenses. Turner, who had been detained in state custody for unrelated offenses, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in Bridgeport and was ordered detained. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Stamford Police Department’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit identified Turner as a narcotics distributor. In July 2024, investigators made a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Turner. On April 21, 2025, employees of an apartment complex where Turner had been employed as a maintenance worker found a tool bag in a storage room that contained approximately 790 grams of fentanyl and one kilogram of cocaine. The investigation, which included a review of surveillance camera and the use of DNA analysis, determined that Turner had placed the bag in the storage room. A related court-authorized search of Turner’s vehicle revealed additional quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. The complaint charges Turner with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford, and Stratford Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings. 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 Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Former D.C. Corrections Employee Sentenced to Prison Time for Accepting Bribes to Smuggle Contraband

body_text: WASHINGTON – Herbert Baylor, 68, a former D.C. Department of Corrections caseworker who resides in the District, was sentenced today to six months in federal prison followed by a term of six months of home detention in connection with his role in a contraband smuggling scheme at a facility operated by the Department of Corrections (DOC), announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Pamela Porter, 56, also of the District, was sentenced to six months of home detention for her role in the scheme. Baylor pleaded guilty April 16 to one count of bribery before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan. In addition to the six-month prison term and six months of home detention, Judge Chutkan ordered Baylor to serve one year of supervised release and complete 60 hours of community service. Porter pleaded guilty April 17 to one count of bribery. In addition to six months of home detention, Judge Chutkan ordered Porter to complete 60 hours of community service. Joining in the announcement were FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division and D.C. Department of Corrections Director Thomas Faust. According to court documents, Baylor was a case manager employed by DOC to assist and manage inmates housed at the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), a specialized medium security facility that houses inmates receiving specialized medical treatment or monitoring related to substance dependencies. Beginning in October 2023, Baylor worked with Inmate-1 and others to smuggle contraband into CTF in exchange for money. Specifically, Inmate-1 directed his non-incarcerated associates, including Pamela Porter, to send CashApp payments to Baylor. Baylor then hid cigarettes or controlled substances on himself to clear security at CTF. Once through security, Baylor brought Inmate-1 to his office and provided him with the contraband. Inmate-1 then distributed the contraband to other inmates at CTF in exchange for money. As part of this scheme, Porter sent Baylor $1,200. In total, Baylor received $7,995, between Oct. 20, 2023, and June 21, 2024. On Sept. 19, 2024, Inmate-1 asked Baylor if Inmate-1 could call his attorney to talk about an appeal. Baylor authorized the inmate’s request. But instead of calling an attorney, Inmate-1 called Individual-1 to set up the delivery of prohibited objects to be smuggled into CTF. Baylor agreed to smuggle Suboxone strips into the CTF facility for Inmate-1. Suboxone strips contain Buprenorphine—a Schedule III narcotic drug. On Sept. 23, 2024, Baylor met Individual-1 in the parking lot of CTF. Baylor accepted $1,000 in cash from Individual-1 and received a cigarette carton Baylor believed to be filled with Suboxone strips. Following the meeting with Individual-1, Baylor placed the $1,000 in his personal vehicle. He put the cigarette carton inside his underwear. Baylor went through security at the entrance to CTF and entered the facility. At that time, he was arrested. As a DOC employee, Baylor’s conduct was governed by the DOC’s Contraband Control policy which states that trafficking contraband of any kind to inmates is strictly prohibited. The policy describes any illegal drug or controlled substance and any tobacco product as major contraband. Additionally, federal law makes it a crime to provide “prohibited objects” to an inmate. Prohibited objects include any controlled substance or any object that threatens “the order, discipline, or security of a prison, or the life, health, or safety of any individual.” This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold. Baylor: 25cr87 Porter: 25cr59


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime Involving Beckley-Area Drug Trafficking Organization

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – David Anthony Lacy, 52, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. Lacy admitted to an offense related to a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 24, 2024, Lacy called Tilford Joe Bradley Jr. to request that Bradley provide approximately 3.5 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and asked to discuss buying fentanyl from Bradley to redistribute to make more money. As part of his guilty plea, Lacy admitted to making the phone call. Lacy further admitted that he received crack from Bradley throughout the month of April 2024 and redistributed it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. Lacy has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug possession, criminal conspiracy, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Lacy and Bradley are among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO, which operated from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 defendants pleaded guilty, with Lacy and another defendant pleading guilty to separate offenses in lieu of the offenses charged in the indictment. Bradley, 47, of Beckley, was sentenced on July 10, 2025, to 12 years and seven months in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-1. ###