title: FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS HAMMOND MAN OF FAILING TO PAY OVER FEDERAL TRUST FUND TAXES

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that a federal jury unanimously convicted Benjamin Thomas, III, age 52, of Hammond, Louisiana, of five counts of failing to truthfully account for and pay over federal trust fund taxes. The verdict followed a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson. Thomas had been living in the Dominican Republic since early 2023. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, beginning in or around 2013, Thomas owned, operated, and controlled a company called Lighthouse Community Care, Inc. (“Lighthouse”), a mental health services clinic based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As the business expanded, Thomas opened several locations all across Louisiana and hired more than 100 employees. Throughout the company’s existence, Thomas would withhold “trust fund taxes” from his employees’ paychecks - the federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes that employers withhold from their employees’ paychecks and are required to pay to the IRS on a quarterly basis. But he often failed to timely file Lighthouse’s quarterly employment tax returns and consistently failed to pay over to the IRS the withheld funds. For the five specific time periods charged in the Indictment, the first three quarters of 2017 and the first two quarters of 2018, Thomas failed to truthfully account for and pay over more than $970,000 in trust funds. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, the IRS frequently communicated with Thomas through written notices, phone calls, and an in-person interview to remind him of his tax obligations and encourage him to pay what he owed. Meanwhile, he diverted more than $350,000 in company funds to a vacation home in the Dominican Republic, more than $400,000 to a separate management company that he controlled, and more than $500,000 to a family trust that he created. Thomas also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury automobiles (including a Lamborghini and a McLaren), private school tuition, and high-end clothing, jewelry, and accessories. “The defendant willfully failed to satisfy one of the most fundamental obligations business owners face - to truthfully account for and pay over the federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes that they withhold from their employees’ paychecks,” said Acting United States Attorney Travis. “Instead, he treated his company’s bank accounts like his own personal ATM. I sincerely appreciate the jury’s verdict and the work of our federal agents and our office’s prosecutors, who worked diligently to hold the defendant accountable for his criminal activity.” “Employees expect their employers to turn over the employment taxes that are taken out of their paychecks to fund future Social Security and Medicare benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Employers who fail their responsibilities are possibly harming their employees’ future benefits, while also stealing from taxpayers. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are working on behalf of taxpayers to investigate and hold accountable those who commit these financial crimes.” This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, with valuable assistance from the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the USMS’s law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel for the Criminal Division, and Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin M. Anderson.


title: Home Health Care Provider To Pay $334,807 To Settle False Claims Act Allegations

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today that M&Y Care, LLC (M&Y Care) agreed to pay a total of $334,807.20 to the United States and the State of Michigan to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act. M&Y Care provides a variety of home health care services to Michigan patients, including personal care. Its principal place of business is in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that M&Y Care caused the Medicare and Medicaid Programs to be billed for services provided by staff who lacked the requisite qualifications during the period of January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2023. Specifically, the United States contends that M&Y Care improperly billed the Medicare and Medicaid Programs using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code G0156 for services provided by individuals who were insufficiently trained. When properly used, this CPT code pertains to the services of a home health aide under a home health plan of care. The United States alleges that Defendant should have billed for non-skilled care, instead of billing and being paid for services under CPT code G0156. The non-skilled care rate was about 74% lower than the reimbursement rates for CPT code G0156. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, in the case captioned United States and the State of Michigan ex rel. DeCarlo v. M&Y Care, LLC, et al., Case No. 19-11032 (E.D. Mich.). Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, and the Michigan Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division. The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney John Postulka from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.


title: Three-Time Felon Charged with Possession of a Firearm in Austin

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

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin felon made his initial appearance in federal court today after he was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Frank Horton Lee Jr., 38, was allegedly found to possess a.45 ACP caliber semiautomatic pistol following a traffic stop by officers of the Austin Police Department on May 24. According to the complaint filed in federal court, Lee is a convicted felon and is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Austin Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: United Kingdom Citizen Extradited to Face Charges in $99 Million Wine Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, James Wellesley was arraigned following his extradition from the United Kingdom (UK), where he was arrested in 2022. In 2022, Wellesley, along with his co-defendant Stephen Burton, was charged with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy in connection with a scheme perpetrated through Bordeaux Cellars, a company he and Burton operated. Wellesley was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy. Burton was extradited from Morocco in 2023 and is currently pending trial. Wellesley was ordered detained pending trial. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced Burton’s arraignment. “Today’s arraignment sends a message to all perpetrators of global fraud schemes that my Office will work tirelessly to ensure they answer for crimes committed in the United States,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “We will not rest in our efforts to seek justice for victims of fraud.” “James Wellesley and his business partner allegedly concocted an elaborate scheme defrauding investors out of millions of dollars to finance their own personal expenses. Their alleged deceit spread across years and continents,” stated FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Today’s arraignment signals to all criminals that the FBI will practice the same resolve in bringing perpetrators to justice.” “James Wellesley and his co-conspirator are accused of masterminding their nearly $100 million international fraud scheme that exploited the unsuspecting public, including New Yorkers, for their own selfish enrichment. As alleged, the defendants claimed Bordeaux Cellars boasted a high-value wine stockpile and a clientele of ‘high-net-worth wine collectors’ – and in turn profited handsomely – all while they swindled investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Patel. “Let it be known, regardless of the nature of the transnational criminal scheme, HSI New York, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to adapt and evolve to fight global and domestic financial crimes wherever and whenever possible.” The indictment alleges that from at least June 2017 and continuing through February of 2019, the defendants posed as executives Bordeaux Cellars. The defendants solicited investors, including residents of the Eastern District of New York, at, among other places, investor conferences held in the United States and overseas. The defendants claimed to investors that Bordeaux Cellars brokered loans between investors and high-net-worth wine collectors that would be fully collateralized by high-value collections of wine. The defendants promised that investors would receive regular interest payments from the borrowers, and that Bordeaux Cellars would keep custody of the wine, securing the loans while the loans were outstanding. As alleged, these representations were lies, the “high-net-worth wine collectors” did not actually exist, and Bordeaux Cellars did not maintain custody of the wine purportedly securing the loans. Instead, the defendants used incoming loan proceeds to make fraudulent interest payments to investors and for their own personal expenses, resulting in $99 million dollars’ worth of misdirected funds. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing Wellesley’s arrest and extradition from the UK. This Office thanks UK authorities for their assistance in this matter. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Weintraub is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants : STEPHEN BURTON Age: 60 United Kingdom JAMES WELLESLEY Age: 58 United Kingdom E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-79 (PKC)


title: Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Federal Agents

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Jason Raysean Broadbent, 38, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, possession of methamphetamine near a school with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and possession of an unregistered, short-barreled machine gun, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on Nov. 19, 2015, federal agents went to Broadbent’s girlfriend’s residence in Sacramento to serve a search warrant. After the agents knocked and announced their presence and no one came to the door to answer, they forced entry and began filing into the living room shouting “police” and “search warrant.” Within seconds, Broadbent fired shots through a bedroom wall at the agents in the living room, narrowly missing them. Broadbent then fled out a back door of the residence, climbed up onto a fence in the backyard, and pointed his Glock semi-automatic pistol at another ATF agent on the perimeter, who then shot Broadbent several times. Broadbent was transported to the hospital where he was treated for and recovered from his injuries. In the bedroom from which Broadbent fired at the agents, law enforcement found almost two pounds of methamphetamine, a revolver, and a small safe that contained a semi-automatic pistol and a pipe bomb. Broadbent possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to others, within 1,000 feet of Christian Brothers High School. Broadbent also knowingly possessed the firearms and the pipe bomb. Broadbent was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had multiple prior felony convictions. Law enforcement also served a search warrant at Broadbent’s Sacramento residence that same day. In Broadbent’s bedroom, law enforcement found approximately 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol in the same backpack as the methamphetamine, and two unserialized (ghost gun) AR-15 style short-barreled machine gun rifles. Each rifle had a 9-inch barrel, and a conversion device called a “lightning link” to convert them into fully automatic machine guns. This case is the product of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the Woodland Police Department, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Spencer, Justin Lee, and Nicole Vanek are prosecuting the case. Broadbent is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Oct. 23, 2025. Broadbent faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $20 million fine. The plea agreement contemplates a sentence of 50 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was a 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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: Ohio Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Distributing  Fentanyl-laced Drugs That Resulted in Three Fatalities

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: CLEVELAND – Jarad Paster, 32, of Berea, Ohio, has been sentenced to 175 months (14.5 years) in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after he pleaded guilty to dealing drugs that caused the fatalities of three people in one day. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Gaughan imposed the sentence July 8. Paster was charged in a superseding indictment in June 2024 with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of controlled substances that resulted in death. The charges also included enhanced penalties for causing death resulting from the use of controlled substances. He pleaded guilty in December 2024. According to court documents, from April 1-15, 2023, the defendant along with co-conspirator, Matthew Jarrell, 44, of Lakewood, Ohio, knowingly conspired to sell illegal drugs, in particular cocaine and fentanyl which are Schedule II controlled substances, and para-fluorofentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance. On April 15, 2023, three individuals ingested and overdosed on a controlled substance, namely cocaine and fentanyl. Investigators found that these deaths occurred as a result of drugs the victims received from Paster and Jarrell. On Jan. 30, 2025, Jarrell was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in July 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of controlled substances that resulted in death. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Cleveland District Office, the FBI Cleveland Task Force in partnership with the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Crook . According to the DEA, fentanyl is extremely lethal even in small amounts. To learn more about the DEA’s “One Pill Can Kill” awareness campaign, visit dea.gov/onepill . ###


title: Chinese Nationals Charged With Conspiracy To Defraud Elderly Victims

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that eight Chinese nationals who obtained student visas to attend college in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Those indicated include: Yankun Jiang, 24, of State College, PA, Hanlin Yang, 24, of State College; Chenhao Chen, 25, of California; Xiaoqing Tu, 24, of California; Dongjie Lu, 35, of California; Lei Bao, 22, of New York; Kuo Zhang, 31, of New Jersey; and Jiacheng Zhang, 25, of Florida. According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that beginning in or about August of 2023 and continuing until on or about February 22, 2024, the defendants orchestrated a wide-scale computer “pop-up” scam targeting elderly victims falsely claiming that their computer or bank accounts had been compromised. The indictment further alleges that members of the conspiracy traveled to victims’ homes and posed as federal law enforcement officers to collect large sums of cash from the victims claiming that the assets would be protected, among other falsehoods. It is alleged that more than 50 victims across 19 states were defrauded of more than $10,000,000. "These indictments highlight the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to safeguard our elderly population from complex fraud operations," stated Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of HSI Philadelphia. "Schemes like these cause significant emotional and financial harm to elderly victims across the country. HSI, in partnership with the FBI, remains steadfast in our commitment to securing justice for the victims and ensuring that those responsible are held fully accountable." “As outlined in the indictment, this criminal enterprise not only exploited elderly victims but did so by impersonating federal law enforcement—an egregious abuse of trust,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We urge older Americans and their families to remain alert to these kinds of scams. The FBI will never ask for money or payment of any kind. We are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their dedicated work in bringing this case forward.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Killer of 16-Year-Old Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Bernard Eddy, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today by the Honorable Michael Ryan to 25 years in prison for the 2019 fatal shooting of 16-year-old Steffen Brathwaite, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. A Superior Court jury found Eddy guilty on April 22, 2025, of second-degree murder while armed and related weapons offenses. The government had requested a sentence of 31 years. According to the government’s evidence, shortly after midnight on Sept.10, 2019, Eddy approached Steffen on the 3000 block of 24th Place, SE, as Steffen was walking alone through the neighborhood. Eddy, who was armed with a 9 mm handgun, fired multiple gunshots at Steffen. Steffen fell to the ground and Eddy fled on foot. The evidence against Eddy included a 15-second video found on Eddy’s cell phone, which was recovered eight days after the slaying. In the recording, which was made about three hours after the shooting, Eddy is shown celebrating Steffen’s murder. Eddy was arrested on Jan. 6, 2023, and has been held without bail since then. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Mark Levy.


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

component: Criminal - Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section

body_text: CHICAGO – OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, who succeeded his father—Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo”—as one of the heads of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Chicago to federal drug charges. Guzman Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two counts of knowingly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. The guilty plea was entered as part of a multi-district plea agreement with the government that resolves charges against Guzman Lopez brought by grand juries in the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of New York. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not set a sentencing date. Guzman Lopez has been detained without bond following his extradition from Mexico to the United States in 2023. The guilty plea is the result of a collaboration between the Justice Department's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and prosecutors from the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of New York, and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Jose A. Perez, Assistant Director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, Steven Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Ray Rede, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Arizona, and Robert Murphy, Acting Administrator of the DEA. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Justice Department’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine, Erika Csicsila, and Michelle Parthum of the Northern District of Illinois; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, and David J. Robles of the Southern District of New York; Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California; and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS. The guilty plea was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), as well as 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). “Today’s historic guilty plea sends yet another crystal-clear message that this Administration is going to shut down and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations and their highest-ranking members and associates,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Under my leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Our enforcement work will also extend to drug trafficking organizations, narcotics traffickers, and other dangerous criminal enterprises that seek to poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs. Our successes stem from our close partnership with federal prosecutors across the country as well as our tight collaboration with our many law enforcement partners.” As heirs to the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzman Lopez stated in his plea agreement that he and his three brothers, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” assumed their father’s leadership role following El Chapo’s arrest in 2016 and subsequent conviction in the Eastern District of New York. Guzman Lopez admitted in the plea agreement that he coordinated the transportation of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs and precursor chemicals from Mexico to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms. Guzman Lopez used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the United States using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft, and other means, the plea agreement states. After the drugs were distributed throughout the United States, individuals working for Guzman Lopez used bulk cash transport, wire transfers, trade of goods, and cryptocurrency to launder the illicit proceeds and ensure that the money was transmitted to Guzman Lopez and other members of the cartel in Mexico, the plea agreement states. Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates perpetrated violence against law enforcement officials, civilians, and rival drug traffickers in order to protect the cartel’s drug trafficking activities. As part of his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez agreed to the entry of an $80 million forfeiture money judgment. “Today’s guilty plea is another major step toward holding the Sinaloa Cartel and its leaders accountable for their role in fueling the fentanyl epidemic that has plagued so many Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Clayton. “We remain committed to dismantling the Cartel’s entire fentanyl infrastructure and ensuring that the Chapitos and their violent organization can no longer flood our communities with this poison.” “With each passing day, you are seeing the sunset of the Sinaloa cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon. “The Chapitos’ latest violence reflects their fading future. Their leaders who remain free are now paranoid, distrusted and desperate.” “The guilty plea by Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of ‘El Chapo,’ is a real victory for both the United States and Mexico but also a clear win for the rule of law,” said HSI Acting SAC Rede. “So much blood and violence lay with the Guzman family as well as spreading terror and plaguing both sides of the border with deadly drugs and weapons–no more. It’s impossible to measure the amount of work HSI and partner agencies have spent in securing this guilty verdict, but what is clear and evident is that no one is beyond the reach of law enforcement and our nation’s laws. Deliberate and coordinated teamwork resulted in today’s victory.” Guzman Lopez’s three brothers—IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, and JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ—were also charged with drug trafficking in U.S. indictments. Joaquin Guzman Lopez was arrested last year and remains detained in U.S. custody without bond. He pleaded not guilty to charges filed in the Northern District of Illinois and is awaiting trial. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are charged in both the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of New York. They are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. The U.S. State Department has issued rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrests and convictions. [See the reward information here and here .] The public is reminded that the charges against Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ovidio_guzman_lopez_plea_agreement.pdf


title: Mexican National Arrested for Selling 100% Pure Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Antonio Cruz, 36, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Distribution of a Controlled Substance, after selling over 1000 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent. According to the complaint, in April, Cruz met with an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) agent and another individual at a business parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona, to sell them methamphetamine. Cruz provided the agent with approximately 3 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine in exchange for $2700. A records check showed that Cruz is a Mexican national and previously convicted felon, illegally present in the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ATF is conducting the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Usry, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-3289 RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-113_Cruz # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Brazilian Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into U.S.

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A citizen of Brazil pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court on July 10, 2025, to time served and one year of supervised release on his conviction of illegal reentry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Paulo Henrique Fernandes Evaristo, 26. According to information presented to the Court, Fernandes Evaristo reentered the United States without the permission of the Secretary of Homeland Security after having been previously removed on October 7, 2021. Fernandes Evaristo was found in Glassport, Pennsylvania, on March 5, 2025. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fernandes Evaristo. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Brooklyn Man Sentenced for Role in International Wire Fraud Scheme Using Stolen Identities to Submit Fraudulent Tax Returns Seeking More Than $35 Million in Refunds

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to three years of probation and ordered to pay $290,000 in restitution on his conviction of wire fraud conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Xerxes Shevar, 57, on July 10, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, Shevar participated in a conspiracy involving multiple co-defendants in the United States, Ghana, Nigeria, and Ireland to commit wire fraud by submitting fraudulent federal tax returns in the names of individuals whose identities were stolen by the conspirators. The conspirators then opened bank accounts using stolen identities and used those accounts as repositories for their fraudulently obtained federal tax refunds. The conspirators obtained stolen identity information on the Internet and then traded that information among themselves using email accounts and other means of communication. The Indictment against Shevar—who was arrested in February 2024 when he returned to the United States from Ghana— and his co-conspirators alleges that, for the tax years 2010 to 2013, approximately $38 million in fraudulent tax refunds was sought from the IRS by the conspirators, causing the IRS to pay at least $10 million in fraudulent refunds. The Indictment also alleges that approximately 3,493 bank accounts were opened using stolen identities, affecting approximately 443 financial institutions, and that approximately 4,563 credit cards were obtained using the stolen identities, with approximately 11,468 individuals alleged to have been victimized. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shevar.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 95 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 95 border-related cases this week so far, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On July 6, Lorenzo Arturo Bernabe-Alejo, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the U.S. after a Border Patrol agent spotted him lying on the ground about a quarter mile north of the border near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. According to a complaint, the defendant was previously deported on June 26, 2025, at the Calexico Port of Entry. On July 7, Luis Fernando Ramos-Mendez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain and Aiding and Abetting. According to a complaint, a Customs and Border Protection officer found an undocumented Mexican immigrant hiding in a modified rear bench seat compartment near the trunk of the defendant’s car as he attempted to cross at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On July 7, Refugio Ramos Daniel, a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, a Customs and Border Protection officer found 198 packages containing 200 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in a non-factory compartment in the bed of the defendant’s truck as he tried to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Also this week, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are some of those cases: On July 7, Eliseo Gonzalez Chaidez, a citizen of Mexico who previously was convicted of a federal immigration and a drug trafficking crime that resulted in an eight-year sentence, was sentenced in federal court to 24 months in custody for illegally reentering the United States. On July 9, Francisco Ramirez, a Mexican national, was sentenced in federal court to 36 months in custody for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jesse Robert Phillips, 40, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to nine years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to a disturbance call at a Mount Hope, West Virginia, residence where Phillips was living at the time. Officers seized four firearms and two bags containing a total of 19.896 grams of fentanyl analogue from Phillips’ bedroom at the residence. As part of his guilty plea, Phillips admitted that he possessed the seized fentanyl, and that he intended to distribute it. Phillips further admitted that he had been selling fentanyl and used two other occupants of the residence, Robert Lee Moran and Kayla Nicole Dent, to sell fentanyl while he was living in West Virginia. Moran, 47, of Mount Hope, was sentenced on June 3, 2025, to nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. Dent, 34, of Mount Hope, was sentenced to five years of federal probation after pleading guilty on January 29, 2025, to distribution of fentanyl. Phillips has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for armed robbery and multiple drug offenses. 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 Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Alexander A. Redmon 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-142. ###


title: Mexican National and Violent Repeat Offender Sentenced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – The U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jose Luis Moreno-Yanez, 39, for Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Judge Frizzell ordered Moreno-Yanez to serve 78 months' imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell ordered that 39-months of his federal sentence be served consecutively to his current State sentences for unrelated crimes. Upon his release, Moreno-Yanez is expected to face removal proceedings. “While Moreno-Yanez is unlawfully in the United States, his criminal history shows that he commits acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “He has no regard for the laws in the United States and continues to show that he is a threat to lawful citizens. I commend the work of State and Federal prosecutors and law enforcement for working hard to keep our communities safe.” In May and June 2023, illegally re-entered the United States and was charged in two separate State cases for robbery with a firearm. He pleaded guilty in both cases and was additionally convicted of possessing a controlled drug, assault and battery, among several other charges. He was sentenced to serve 18 years and 20 years, concurrently, in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Additionally, because Moreno-Yanez illegally re-entered the United States while subject to a term of federal supervision, he pleaded guilty in Federal Court for violating the terms of his supervised release. A Federal Judge ordered Moreno-Yanez to serve 24 months' imprisonment. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.


title: Southern District of Texas charges 238 this week alone in relation to border enforcement efforts

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 236 new cases have been filed in immigration and border security-related matters from July 3-10, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Among those are 106 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crimes, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 116 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while six cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration related crimes. Two of those charged include Mexican nationals Charlie Ruben Ortiz-Lopez and Mauricio Rivera-Medina. According to their criminal complaints, both have prior convictions for illegal reentry. Rivera-Medina was last removed just last month, but authorities allegedly found him again illegally in the United States near Mission. They encountered Rivera-Medina near Edinburg after he had been previously removed in November 2023, according to his charges. Another man facing charges this week is Honduran national Jose Eduardo Escobar-Reyes, who law enforcement allegedly discovered unlawfully in the United States near Roma. According to court documents, he was previously removed March 12 and has a prior conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. If convicted, all three face up to 20 years in prison. In addition to the new cases, a Rio Grande City man was ordered to prison for 24 months for unlawfully transporting an illegal alien. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Jason Al Venecia took his girlfriend and her minor daughter with him to smuggle the illegal alien to facilitate passage through the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. While on bond awaiting sentencing, Al Venecia was also caught assisting his girlfriend during her own attempt to smuggle illegal aliens. She has since pleaded guilty to separate charges in her case prosecuted in the McAllen Division. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Guilty Plea in Attempt to Possess Mass Quantity of ‘Boot,’ an Illegal Psychostimulant Imported from China

body_text: WASHINGTON – One day before he was scheduled to go to trial, Marvin Benjamin Martin, 32, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in federal court atttempted possession with intent to distribute dipentylone, an illegal psychostimulant known as “boot,” which was imported from China, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Martin pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to attempted possession with intent to distribute N,N Dimethylpentylone hydrochloride. Judge Howell scheduled sentencing for October 17, 2025. Martin is eligible for up to 20 years in prison. According to court documents, in early 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington D.C. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area group (HIDTA) was conducting an ongoing investigation into illegal shipments of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals originating in China. In February 2024, officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized a package at the International Mail Facility at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).The package, addressed to “Martin Hall” on 58 th Street SE. had been mailed from China, and contained 10 kilos of boot. HSI agents swapped out the boot in the package for sham materials and added a GPS tracking device. On March 7, 2024, HIDTA, comprised of HSI, the Metropolitan Police Department, and officers from various other agencies, delivered the package to the front steps of the residence on 58 th Street around 11:27 a.m. The officers watched as Martin retrieved the package, took it back to his vehicle, and drove off. About an hour later, Martin discarded the empty package while keeping what he believed to be real drugs. At 12:37 p.m., investigators found Martin driving in a nearby residential neighborhood and attempted to detain him. Martin sped off and crashed into a minivan and fence before evading officers. Agents subsequently found Martin at a home in Lanham, Maryland, and attempted to block him in with their vehicles. Martin accelerated his car towards the agents, striking the front side of an agent’s vehicle at high speed. About two hours later, agents again found Martin at the Lanham residence, this time in his undamaged car, a Mercedes sedan. Officers positioned their vehicles to block the street and Martin again drove his car towards the agents at a high speed. He swerved onto a sidewalk and hit a tree while accelerating past agents’ vehicles, once again evading capture. On April 10, 2024, Martin was arrested in Annapolis, Maryland. From his multiple phones, agents recovered evidence showing that he had been selling boot and other narcotics, for years leading up to his arrest. The investigation also showed that Martin paid about $40,000 to $50,000 for the box of 10 kilograms of boot and would sell it for anywhere between $125 to $200 an ounce. From his phones, agents also found a DOJ press release links of other boot trafficking convictions that Martin shared with other individuals, showing knowledge of his criminal conduct This case was investigated by Homeland Security Washington D.C. High Intensity Drug Traffic Area group (HIDTA), the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Annapolis Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Anthony Scarpelli of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking section (VCNT) of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. 24cr196


title: San Diego Securities Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Fraud

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Securities attorney Andrew Coldicutt was sentenced in federal court today to 85 months in prison for securities fraud, false securities registration statements, and wire fraud in connection with two pump-and-dump schemes. U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta also ordered Coldicutt to pay $42,970 in forfeiture and a $100,000 fine. Coldicutt was convicted by a federal jury in March on all 17 counts following a weeklong trial. According to evidence presented at trial, in the first scheme, Coldicutt worked with others from 2017 through 2019 to prepare and execute a pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt created a business plan for a fake backyard fruit harvesting company. He prepared and filed securities registration statements with the SEC for an initial public offering of the company’s stock. The securities registration statements contained false and misleading information about the company, its business plans, and the people who owned and controlled the company. Since Coldicutt was unwittingly working with undercover FBI agents and sources gathering evidence against him, no investors were injured. In the second scheme, in 2019, one of Coldicutt’s corporate clients needed to raise money fast. Rather than raise money legally, Coldicutt presented the undercover FBI agents with another pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt wrote a false attorney opinion letter to facilitate the sale of stock for the pump-and-dump scheme. However, a broker-dealer denied the stock transfer and again, no investors were injured. A “pump and dump” scheme is a type of fraud where manipulators gain control over a company’s stock and boost a company's stock price by spreading false information or trading in a way that creates fake demand. Once the stock price is inflated, they sell off their shares (the “dump”), causing the price to drop and leaving investors with losses. “Attorneys are expected to uphold the law, not exploit it,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for abusing that trust and attempting to manipulate the market for personal gain.” “Today’s sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable those who unlawfully pursue personal gain at the expense of the American people,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “Attorneys who exploit the system not only hurt potential victims. They also erode the community’s trust. The FBI will relentlessly investigate such criminals to protect our citizens and ensure justice is served.” The Securities and Exchange Commission has also taken civil action against Coldicutt. DEFENDANT Case Number 22cr1881 Andrew Coldicutt Age: 44 San Diego, California SUMMARY OF CHARGES Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77q, 77x – Securities Fraud Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77g, 77x – False Securities Registration Statements Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1343 – Wire Fraud Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation


title: Illegal alien charged in relation to unlawful employment and harboring of other illegal aliens at local taco restaurant

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Mission has been arrested on charges related to illegally hiring, employing and harboring more than a dozen people with no authority to be in the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Authorities took Juan Ramirez Cortez into custody during an enforcement action July 10. He has made his initial appearance and is scheduled for a preliminary and detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis at 3 p.m. July 15. He remains in custody pending that hearing. The charges allege Cortez was the manager at Ole Taco in Mission. In that role, Cortez is allegedly responsible for hiring and firing of employees, filling out employment paperwork and checking the immigration documents of employees. The criminal complaint alleges he hired at least 10 illegal aliens. As part of the enforcement action, authorities also arrested 17 other individuals, all determined to be illegal aliens with no authority to be in the United States. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison. FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Storey Lyles is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Sacramento Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

body_text: Gilbert Ramirez, 27, of Sacramento was sentenced Thursday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Troy L. Nunley to 16 years and three months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute, and possessing with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine; distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, from April through July 2022, Ramirez and his co-defendant, Michael Valentino Lovato, 36, of Sacramento, sold large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Sacramento County. On Oct. 24, 2024, Lovato was sentenced 19 years and 10 months in prison. This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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. This prosecution is also part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.


title: Mexican National Arrested for Harboring Illegal Aliens and Employing Them at Taco Restaurants

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Blademir Angulo Audeves, 42, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. Angulo will have his initial appearance in federal court today. According to the complaint filed in this case, in March 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating allegations that Angulo was employing illegal aliens without work authorization at his taco restaurants in the Phoenix area. Through the investigation, HSI identified at least 12 illegal aliens working for Angulo, some of whom were living at Angulo’s home in Laveen, Arizona or at a second residence on 16th Avenue. On July 8, HSI executed federal search warrants on Angulo’s residence and restaurant locations, as well as the 16th Avenue residence. Inside the two residences, agents encountered several Mexican citizens without legal permission to be in the United States. Agents also arrested Angulo without incident. At Angulo’s residence, agents found three firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the master bedroom closet. According to immigration records, Angulo, a Mexican national, was encountered by authorities in 2011 while illegally present in the United States, and eventually left the country via Nogales, Arizona pursuant to a voluntary departure in May 2021. When he was arrested on July 8, Angulo did not have legal permission to be in the United States and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. At Angulo’s taco restaurant locations, HSI agents also found Mexican citizens without legal permission to be present or employed in the United States legally. Two of the illegal aliens that HSI encountered while executing the warrants as part of this operation, Christian Sagaste-Garcia and Jose Luis Ambriz-Cortes, were also arrested and separately charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Sagaste-Garcia and Ambriz-Cortez were previously removed from the United States in October 2024 and February 2013, respectively. 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 Neighborhood (PSN). Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-3297; 25-MJ-3296; 25-MJ-3298 RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-114_Angulo # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Two Wellington Park Gang Members Sentenced in the Murder of 10-Year-Old Makiyah Wilson

body_text: WASHINGTON – Mark Price, 30 and Antonio Murchison, 31, both members of the violent Wellington Park crew, were sentenced today for the murder of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Mark Price received 50 years in prison. Antonio Murchison received 72 years. On Sept. 3, 2024, Price and Murchison were each found guilty of first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, participation in a criminal street gang, obstruction of justice, and multiple counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and related firearms offenses. The jury also found Quanisha Ramsuer, 31, guilty of obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation into the murder of Makiyah Wilson. According to the government’s evidence, on July 16, 2018, Mark Price, Antonio Murchison, and three other individuals, drove to the Clay Terrace neighborhood armed with guns. Price, who was driving, briefly stopped to allow the other defendants to exit the vehicle. They opened fire on the Clay Terrace courtyard, indiscriminately firing more than 50 rounds. An innocent bystander, Makiyah was killed by random gunfire while she was sitting on the front stoop of her home. Several other people were wounded. Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Supervisory Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Clark, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Allen, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Maenylie Watson, Witness Security Specialist Ashli Tolbert, USAO Criminal Investigator Neil D’Cunha, USAO Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman, and Lead Paralegal Meridith McGarrity. A specific thank you to former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rich Barker, John Timmer and Melissa Jackson, Lindsey Merikas. Lastly, thank you to Chrisellen Kolb (Chief of the Appellate Section) and Nick Coleman (Deputy Chief of the Appellate Section) for their pre-trial assistance and support throughout the trial. Finally, they commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Natalie Hynum who prosecuted and tried the case.


title: San Antonio Man Arrested for Alleged Facebook Threat Against President Trump Ahead of Friday’s Visit to Texas Hill Country

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was arrested Thursday night in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged threat against the President of the United States. According to court documents, Robert Herrera, 52, commented on a San Antonio news outlet’s July 10 Facebook post pertaining to President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the Texas Hill Country. Using the handle, “Robert Herrer,” Herrera allegedly commented, “I won’t miss,” along with a photo depicting President Trump surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents immediately after the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The criminal complaint alleges that a separate Facebook poster replied to “Robert Herrer” stating, “you won’t get the chance, I promise,” to which “Robert Herrer” responded to, “I’ll just come for you.” Accompanying that statement, “Robert Herrer” included a photo of an assault rifle and loaded magazines. Herrera was arrested the same day and is facing a federal charge of making threats against the President and interstate threatening communications. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison for each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. “This case is an example of great cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement partners committed to taking down anyone who would threaten the life of the President or anyone else,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “I want to thank Chief McManus and his team at SAPD for their swift response to this threat. To be clear, these types of threats will not be taken lightly, and we will always take a swift, aggressive approach, as was done here.” “I would like to thank the San Antonio Police Department and the FBI San Antonio Field Office for assisting the U.S. Secret Service in this matter,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Gibson for the U.S. Secret Service San Antonio Field Office. “Investigating threats towards individuals under Secret Service protection are treated as our highest priority. This is one of the countless reasons the Secret Service prides ourselves on forging and maintaining relationships with other law enforcement agencies. As this is an ongoing investigation, the Secret Service will have no further comment on this incident.” "While the FBI fully supports and defends every American’s right to free speech, it is important to understand that threatening violence against any individual is not constitutionally protected speech, it is a federal crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The FBI and our partners take threats of violence seriously and we urge the public to do the same. We would like to thank the United States Secret Service, the San Antonio Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the United States Attorney's Office for their tremendous partnership in addressing this threat against the President. We urge all members of the public to express their views peacefully and respectfully in a manner consistent with the values that define our nation.” “SAPD remains committed to working alongside our federal partners to ensure that threats of violence are taken seriously and addressed quickly,” said Chief William McManus for the San Antonio Police Department. “I want to commend the individual who reported the threatened violence against POTUS. Law enforcement cannot do this job without the assistance of our community.” The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and San Antonio Police Department are investigating the case with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Louisiana Man Arrested in Texas for Allegedly Fleeing Border Patrol With 10 Pounds of Marijuana

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Louisiana man was arrested this week in Sierra Blanca on criminal charges allegedly fleeing from an immigration checkpoint. According to court documents, Benjamin Thomas Mackey was referred to secondary inspection at the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol checkpoint due to a K-9 alert. The criminal complaint alleges that Mackey initially turned his vehicle off at the direction of Border Patrol agents, however quickly turned it back on and drove away at a high rate of speed. One agent allegedly had to move out of the way to avoid being hit by the vehicle. Two agents responded in pursuit on I-10 East, exceeding speeds over 120 mph. Additional agents attempted to pull Mackey over in the town of Sierra Blanca as he allegedly drove in an erratic and dangerous manner, eventually crashing into a concrete barrier near a gas station. The criminal complaint further alleges that Mackey continued to flee on foot and agents were able to place him under arrest. During the chase, the complaint alleges, one Border Patrol agent obtained an injury to his legs and needed to be taken to the hospital. Inside Mackey’s vehicle, agents allegedly found 10 pounds of marijuana. Mackey is charged with one count of high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. 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 U.S. Border Patrol is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stanley Serwatka is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: CEO of an Iranian Engineering Company Arrested for Allegedly Shipping Sophisticated Electronics from the U.S. to Iran in Violation of U.S. Sanctions

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: An Iranian national and U.S. lawful permanent resident has been arrested on a four-count federal indictment charging him with unlawfully exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems from the United States to Iran, in violation the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR). Bahram Mohammad Ostovari, 66, a resident of Santa Monica and Tehran, Iran, was arrested Thursday afternoon upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport. Ostovari is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and three counts of violating the IEEPA. According to the indictment unsealed today, Ostovari is the founder and CEO of a Tehran-based engineering company – identified in the indictment as “Company A” – that supplied signaling and communications systems to Iran and its government, including on projects for the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways. From at least May 2018 to July 2025, Ostovari and his co-conspirators obtained and shipped sophisticated computer processors, railway signaling equipment, and other electronics and electronic components to Company A in Iran. Many of these items were controlled under federal regulations, and their export to Iran without a license was prohibited. To perpetrate his illegal export scheme, Ostovari used two front companies he controlled in the UAE – MH-SYS FZCO and Match Systech FZE – as conduits. Ostovari directed co-conspirators at these front companies to acquire the electronics and electronic components for Company A. Ostovari and his co-conspirators intentionally concealed from electronics suppliers in the United States and elsewhere that the goods were destined for Iran, falsely stating that MH-SYS and Match Systech in the UAE were the end users when in fact the true end user was Company A in Iran. Ostovari then directed his co-conspirators to arrange to ship the goods from the UAE to Company A in Iran. After he became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in May 2020, Ostovari continued to export, sell, and supply electronics and electrical components to Company A in Iran. As alleged, Ostovari knew of the U.S. sanctions against Iran, mentioning them in emails to co-conspirators and directing one co-conspirator to provide false information to a federal export control officer regarding the end use of U.S.-origin goods they had shipped to Company A in Iran. The IEEPA and the ITSR impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, re-export, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). At no time did Ostovari, his companies, or his co-conspirators apply for or obtain authorization from OFAC to export, sell or supply goods and technologies from the United States to Iran. If convicted, Ostovari faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Lachman and Colin S. Scott for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Kathryn DeMarco of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Texas Company Guilty of Aiding and Abetting Fraudulent Transactions Related to False Ethanol Sales, Pays Over $15,000,000 in Fines, Restitution

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS –Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today the June 10, 2025, guilty plea and sentencing of Plano, Texas-based MUREX MANAGEMENT, INC. (“ MMI ”), for aiding and abetting transactions that defrauded financial institutions, including failed New Orleans-based First NBC Bank. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced MMI to pay $15,745,846.10 in fines and restitution, a sum that MMI paid on the day of sentencing as part of its plea agreement in this case. According to court documents, MMI was the management company and affiliate of Murex LLC, a privately-owned ethanol marketing and logistics company. Another company, named as “Company A” in court records, was the U.S.-based subsidiary of a separate, foreign publicly traded company that operated ethanol production plants. Beginning in 2013, Company A and its parent companies, began to experience financial stress. In order to ameliorate cash flow issues and to manufacture additional financing for its debts, Company A initiated a strategy called “buy/sells” and approached MMI to assist in this strategy. Company A’s plan called for Company A and MMI , through its affiliate, to create fictitious invoices purporting to be sales of ethanol between the two companies, which could then be sold as accounts receivable to unwitting buyers via a New Orleans-based online marketplace. This strategy would provide cash flow for Company A and a profit to MMI . Although these invoices purported to show the bona fide sale of ethanol between MMI and Company A, in fact, no ethanol was exchanged between the companies through these transactions. The unwitting buyers of these fraudulent accounts receivable included FDIC-insured financial institutions like First NBC Bank. In plea documents, MMI admitted that, between October 28, 2013, and September 18, 2015, Company A and MMI conducted approximately $1.2 billion in fraudulent “buy/sell” transactions, with MMI making a profit of approximately $6,073,049. Company A eventually defaulted on paying financial institutions for the accounts receivable that had been posted for auction by MMI . The defaulted auctions caused a loss of approximately $73,073,683.05 to First NBC Bank, and a loss of approximately $8,330,427.02 to a North Carolina-based bank. As part of MMI’s plea agreement, it agreed to a fine of $6,073,049.24. Furthermore, MMI agreed as part of its plea to pay $4,263,145.30 in restitution to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver for First NBC Bank, as well as $5,409,651.56 to the successor of the North Carolina-based bank that also purchased the false accounts receivables. MMI was also ordered to pay a $400.00 mandatory special assessment fee. “The conclusion of this case sends a clear message”, said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. “Entities that engage in fraudulent schemes to manipulate and damage the security of our nation's banking system will be held accountable. Along with our federal, state and local investigative partners, our office will continue to investigate and prosecute financial corruption-wherever it may be uncovered in the Eastern District of Louisiana”. “The FDIC OIG is pleased to join our law enforcement partners in announcing today’s guilty plea, and we remain committed to investigating and holding accountable corporate offenders who defraud our insured financial institutions and cause harm to our nation’s banking industry,” said Robert De Los Santos, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Dallas Region, Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division is proud to have played a key role in this collaborative effort, which resulted in more than $15 million in restitution and penalties,” said Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Bahney of EPA’s Southwest Branch. “Working alongside the FDIC OIG and our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to holding accountable those who defraud the government and undermine the integrity of the renewable fuels program.” Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the FDIC Office of Inspector General, Dallas Field Office, and the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, Houston Resident Office, that investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit and Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, handled this prosecution.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes Report

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending July 11, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 57 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 7 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 42 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 30 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for infliction of bodily harm on a child, drug trafficking, and illegal reentry. In one significant case, Rudy Garcia was sentenced to 19 years in prison for fentanyl trafficking and for using and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. According to Garcia, during the drug deal, he saw the victim reach for a pistol. Feeling threatened, Garcia exited the vehicle, drew his shotgun, and fatally shot the victim. In another case, Reymondo Mandonado was charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 166 kilograms of cocaine after New Mexico State Police stopped him while he was driving a tractor trailer northbound from the international border. During a subsequent search of the tractor, officers discovered 166 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a hidden compartment in the floor of the trailer. 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. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Attorney General Bondi Takes Action to End the Subsidization of Open Borders

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced today a decisive move to help end the subsidization of open borders by taxpayers. As noted in the announcement by the White House yesterday, the Attorney General has rescinded a nearly 30-year-old order allowing for the provision of federal benefits to illegal aliens. In 1996, Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which limits public benefits to citizens and “qualified aliens” who have a legal right to be in the United States. To conform with President Trump’s Executive Order , the Attorney General has now issued an order expressly declining to exempt any programs from PRWORA, revoking overly broad exceptions put in place by Attorney General Reno nearly three decades ago. “Previous administrations have acted for decades to undermine the principles and limitations directed by Congress through PRWORA—no longer,” said Attorney General Bondi. “The Trump Administration’s action will preserve public benefits for American citizens, support the rule of law, and avoid the waste of taxpayer dollars.”


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To One Year And One Day In Prison For Assaulting Deputy U.S. Marshal, Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Jeffrey Adam Crum was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison for assaulting a Deputy U.S. Marshal who was attempting to take him into custody following a hearing in federal court and 12 months and one day for violating the terms of his supervised release, with both terms to run concurrently. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence. Crum, 34, who previously resided in Burlingame and San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 3, 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 16, 2025, to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1). According to court documents and the plea agreement, Crum appeared in federal court on Nov. 22, 2024, for a hearing regarding allegations that he violated the terms of his supervised release following his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in federal court in Utah. At the hearing on Crum’s supervised release violation, the district court ordered that Crum be detained pending further proceedings. Crum was upset by the Court’s decision and opposed, resisted, and impeded the efforts of multiple Deputy U.S. Marshals to take him into custody. Specifically, Crum resisted instructions by Deputy U.S. Marshals to enter and exit an elevator that would take him to a holding cell, forcing them to carry him. At one point, Crum kicked his legs out, striking a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the head. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Supervisory Deputy United States Marshal David Siegel made the announcement. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli J. Cohen and Christine Chen prosecuted the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk and Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Washington Man of Three Counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation

body_text: COEUR D’ALENE – After a four-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene found Jason Bergeron, 50, of Washington, guilty of three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford presided over the trial, which began on July 7, and concluded with guilty verdicts as to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon on July 10. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Bergeron drove to his ex-girlfriend’s house on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation. Once there, he shot a rifle into the house while his ex-girlfriend, her daughter and son-in-law, and her three-year-old grandson were at the house. Bergeron shot multiple additional rounds of ammunition towards the daughter and son-in-law as they fled with their child, then pointed the rifle at his ex-girlfriend multiple times and threatened to kill her. All the victims in this case are members of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation. Each of the three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for September 24, 2025, before Judge Brailsford at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a meticulous and professional investigation, which led to the charges. He also thanked the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Prosecutor and the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney for their assistance with this case. Assistants United States Attorney Bryce Ellsworth and Adam Johnson prosecuted the case. ###


title: District of Arizona Charges 147 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 5, 2025, through July 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 147 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 71 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 57 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Ismael Viera-Villa : On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents working along State Route 83 attempted to stop and conduct an immigration inspection on the driver of a Dodge Ram truck after noticing suspicious behavior. The driver of the truck, Ismael Viera-Villa failed to yield, so agents deployed a vehicle immobilization device to stop the vehicle. Inside the truck, agents found seven individuals in the back seat who were trying to hide under the floor mats and backpacks. Agents learned that the back seat passengers and the front seat passenger, Fausto Gil-Cruz, were citizens of Mexico and Guatemala, all illegally present in the United States. Gil-Cruz was identified as the group’s foot guide that led the illegal aliens to the Dodge Ram truck. Viera-Villa and Gil-Cruz were both charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06416] United States v. Carlos Meza-Alcantar : On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents were conducting surveillance of a residence that was suspected of being used in human smuggling operations. Agents observed two vehicles driving in tandem towards the residence. One of the vehicles pulled into the garage while the other waited in the driveway. Several minutes later, the vehicle that had been in the garage left, and both vehicles drove in tandem until they pulled into a warehouse where semi-trucks were parked. A few minutes later, both vehicles left the warehouse, and then a semi-truck departed shortly thereafter. Agents investigated the area where the semi-truck had been parked and noticed several sets of footprints leading to the trailer. Agents at a nearby Border Patrol checkpoint encountered the same semi-truck and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the trailer. Agents inspected the trailer and discovered 14 individuals hiding inside. All 14 individuals were determined to be illegally present in the United States. The driver of the semi-truck was identified as Carlos Meza-Alcantar. Meza-Alcantar was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06415] United States v. Blademir Angulo Audeves : On July 8, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Blademir Angulo Audeves, who was charged by criminal complaint for violations of Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. HSI executed four federal search warrants after a five-month investigation into Angulo’s business practices which revealed that he was employing at least twelve unlawfully present aliens. Angulo also harbored several of the illegal aliens at his residence. During the execution of the search warrant, agents found three firearms in Angulo’s bedroom closet. Angulo, a Mexican national, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as an illegal alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-3297] 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 Neighborhood (PSN). A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-115_July 11 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Mexican national guilty of immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Alejandro Uribe-Chavez, 43, a Mexican national illegally residing in Beaumont, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2025. According to information presented in court, Uribe-Chavez was arrested in Beaumont on unrelated state charges on May 3, 2024. Further investigation revealed that he had been previously convicted of illegally entering the United States in the Southern District of Texas and deported to Mexico in 2019. Uribe-Chavez faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office. Uribe-Chavez still faces unrelated state charges in Jefferson County. 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 Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson. ###