title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Violating Federal Gun Control Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – WILLIAM ROBINSON (“ROBINSON”) , age 40, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025, before United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to violating the Federal Gun Control Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court records, ROBINSON pled guilty to Count Two of a seven-count superseding indictment. Count Two charged ROBINSON with being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). A New Orleans Police Department investigation developed ROBINSON, and his co-defendant, as suspects in a January 2022 French Quarter shooting. The shooting was captured on video surveillance and NOPD determined that ROBINSON , wearing an LA Dodgers World Series jacket at the time, was the actual shooter. NOPD recovered several various nine-millimeter spent shell casings from the shooting scene. In February 2022, NOPD executed a search warrant at a home where ROBINSON and his co-defendant stayed, and found the LA Dodgers World Series jacket matching the one ROBINSON was wearing in the video from the January 2022 shooting. Certified criminal records confirm that ROBINSON was a convicted felon when he possessed the ammunition he fired in January 2022. Judge Brown set sentencing for December 4, 2025. ROBINSON faces a maximum term of ten years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


title: U.S. Attorney and FBI hold joint press conference to announce latest efforts in disrupting drug trafficking on the Wind River Reservation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, representing members of the Safe Trails Task Force, held a press conference today to announce the latest efforts in reducing drug trafficking and illegal guns on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Nearly 100 personnel from the FBI converged on the reservation to issue arrest warrants for dangerous criminals who are distributing drugs and possessing firearms, either in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime or by them being a criminal in possession of a firearm. “I want to be clear. We are going scorched Earth on criminal activity on the reservation and across Wyoming,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “There should be no doubt in your mind that if you are pedaling poison to Wyoming’s communities, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. I also want to thank the Riverton Police Department, and members of the Safe Trails Task Force, including the FBI, BIA, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and Fremont County Sheriff’s Department for their continued efforts to reduce criminal activity on the reservation.” "The FBI's Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force remains steadfast in its mission to crush violent crime and stop drug trafficking," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. "Together with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, we will hold criminals fully accountable and ensure that families on the Wind River Indian Reservation and across the region can live in safety." The Safe Trails Task Force is a collaborative law enforcement effort focused on combating violent crime and drug trafficking, especially when it impacts the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes. It unites the FBI with various law enforcement agencies, including tribal police departments, state and local law enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Attachments Video and images of the press conference can be found here: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/oL1zYqUIRO


title: Convicted opioid pill mill doctor must forfeit property and pay restitution

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oakton doctor who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his prescribing of opioids and amphetamines has been ordered to forfeit a $168,000 money judgement and two real properties and to pay restitution of $169,244 to compensate three victims for their losses. According to court documents, David Allingham, 65, owned Oakton Primary Care Center (OPCC), where he advertised his practice as an “Addiction Medicine Family Doctor” with “special training and skill in preventing, diagnosing, and treating patients with addiction.” Between April 2019 and January 2024, Allingham wrote prescriptions for opioids and amphetamines for numerous patients without properly assessing the individual needs of those patients, which was outside the usual course of professional practice and regulations and without legitimate medical purpose. Allingham authorized renewals of opioid medication without physically examining patients. Allingham instructed his employees to use “mom and pop” pharmacies to avoid scrutiny of his patients so he could continue to prescribe high-dose opioids for them. Allingham also prescribed amphetamines to multiple chronic pain patients to assist them in weight loss in contravention of regulations, regardless of whether the patients were obese. Multiple of Allingham’s patients died of drug overdoses within hours, days, or weeks of receiving an oxycodone prescription from Allingham. In 2024 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) served an Immediate Order to Show Cause (ISO) that resulted in Allingham surrendering his DEA registration number, relinquishing his authority to handle controlled substances. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Washington Division; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after judgment by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. The Fairfax County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Annie Zanobini prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-2.


title: Final week of August brings another massive number – 356 – of new border security-related cases in SDTX, including nearly 70 as a result of ‘Operation Pick-Off’

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Between Aug. 22-28, a total of 356 individuals have been charged in immigration and related matters as part of ongoing enforcement efforts along the South Texas border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. A total of 180 people face charges of illegally reentering the country after removal, most with prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. Another 153 people face charges of illegally entering the country, 13 other defendants are charged with human smuggling and the remaining 10 individuals have varying charges to include firearms offenses, assaulting federal officers and other related immigration crimes. Some of those facing new criminal charges are a result of “ Operation Pick-Off ,” a new initiative that targets those illegally residing in the United States while serving terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and assault. The enforcement effort, announced Aug. 25, led to federal charges against 67 illegal aliens in the Rio Grande Valley area, 65 of whom had returned to the country after being previously removed, only to commit other crimes, according to the allegations. “For those that want to come to this country without permission and then victimize American citizens once here, we are more than happy to accommodate them with a stay at a federal facility, followed by a one-way ticket home,” said Ganjei. “SDTX will not rest until we’ve brought Operation Pick-Off to each and every one of the Southern District’s 43 counties. If you’re here illegally and you commit crimes in our community, you can expect a visit from us, and that visit is going to come sooner rather than later. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.” Also, part of the new cases filed this week include charges against two Mexican nationals who had been removed in May but allegedly returned illegally shortly thereafter. The criminal complaints allege authorities found Jairo Neftali Velasco-Gomez and Luis Alberto Mejia-Bertrand near Fronton and Hidalgo, respectively. Velasco-Gomez has a prior conviction for being an alien in possession of a firearm, while Mejia-Bertrand had been sentenced for transporting/harboring illegal aliens prior to his removal, according to their charges. This week law enforcement also found three other Mexican nationals who had previously been removed near Edinburg, according to the criminal complaints. Charges allege Edgar Omar Gallegos-Aboytes and Monico Espinoza-Martinez have both been sentenced previously for illegal reentry crimes, while Julio Cesar Martinez-Arjona has a prior conviction for assault of a family member. Authorities also found Honduran national Jose Alberto Medina-Atunez near Escobares this week, he has been alleged to have been previously removed from the United States after being convicted of possessing cocaine. Others charged with illegally reentering the United States after being removed include three more Mexican nationals whose alleged prior convictions include transporting/harboring illegal aliens, firearms and drug offenses. These complaints allege Angel Alejandro Salazar-Cantu, Alberto Karr-Magana and Ramon Pena-Medina had each been previously removed but returned again unlawfully - all of them now face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of illegal reentry into the United States. 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, Border Patrol, 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 histories, including convictions for 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: St. Lawrence County Couple Pleads Guilty to Assaulting and Interfering with a Federal Agent

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Richard A. Dominie, age 22, of Lisbon, New York and Brianna H. Rathbun, age 19, of Massena, New York, have each pled guilty to assaulting, resisting and impeding federal officers. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector, made the announcement. Dominie pled guilty July 3, 2025, and Rathbun pled guilty today. As part of their pleas, the pair admitted that on March 12, 2025, at approximately 9:45 p.m., Dominie was driving with Rathbun in the vehicle as a passenger, in a dangerous and reckless manner on County Route 4 in Fort Covington, New York. A United States Border Patrol agent was also travelling west on County Route 4 in an unmarked Border Patrol K9 vehicle, enroute to the Massena Border Patrol station to begin his shift. At the intersection of County Route 4 and State Route 95, the agent caught up to the Dominie and Rathbun and activated the emergency lights on his Border Patrol unit to pull the vehicle over. Dominie exited the vehicle and aggressively approached the agent while the agent was still in his Border Patrol unit. The agent exited his Border Patrol unit and identified himself as law enforcement. The agent drew his service weapon and ordered Dominie to the ground. Dominie refused and pulled a folding knife from his pocket. The knife blade was not extended. The agent, with his firearm still drawn, demanded Dominie drop the knife, which Dominie did. Dominie returned to his vehicle only after Rathbun told him to. Dominie and Rathbun exited their vehicle again. The agent grabbed Dominie’s left shoulder and placed him against the Border Patrol unit. Dominie shrugged the agent off and Rathbun then grabbed the agent’s right arm and pulled him away from Dominie. The agent reached to grab Dominie with his left hand, in which the agent was still holding the knife he had secured from Dominie previously, causing the knife to fall to the ground. Rathbun retrieved the knife from the ground. Rathbun got in the vehicle’s driver’s seat, Dominie got in the passenger seat and Rathbun drove away from the traffic stop. The agent, later joined by a second, marked Border Patrol unit pursued Dominie and Rathbun, and Rathbun stopped the vehicle only when she encountered a law enforcement checkpoint with spike strips designed to deflate the vehicle’s tires. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “The agent simply wanted to issue Dominie a warning to slow down but Dominie and Rathbun never gave him the chance. My office will not tolerate noncompliance of federal agents tasked with keeping this community safe. Anyone in this district who assaults or interferes with federal agents should expect to be prosecuted.” Dominie is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2025, and Rathbun on December 23, 2025. At their sentencings, the pair each face up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. This case is being investigated by U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting this case.


title: St. Lawrence County Man Charged with Possession of Bulk Quantity Cocaine

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Casey Kocher, age 28, of Colton, New York, was indicted yesterday with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division made the announcement. Kocher was stopped by the New York State Police in a rental vehicle in Colton, New York and allegedly possessed 25 kilograms of cocaine in a black duffle bag that was intended for further distribution. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Kocher appeared in federal court this morning before United States Magistrate Judge Gary L. Favor and was ordered remanded to custody. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Drug distribution of this magnitude brings devastation to local communities by fueling addiction, driving violent crime, and endangering families and neighborhoods. Kocher showed no concern for his community as he allegedly brought bulk quantity cocaine to be disbursed among many, and now my office will bring the full force of the federal government to prosecute him. I thank our local partners in St. Lawrence County, the New York State Police, and the United States Border Patrol for their work in helping bring this individual to justice.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “The arrest of Casey Kocher and seizure of approximately 25 kilos of cocaine is a result of the collaborative efforts DEA New York and our law enforcement partners have when targeting those individuals responsible for poisoning our communities. I applaud the diligent work of our special agents and those officers who removed this trafficker and their illicit narcotics from the tri-state pipeline.” New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said: “The seizure of 25 kilograms of cocaine underscores the commitment of the New York State Police to protecting our communities from the devastating impact of narcotics trafficking. I commend the professionalism of our Troopers and thank our partners at the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their collaboration in this investigation. Together, we remain dedicated to disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.” The charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum prison sentence of up to life in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. DEA and the New York State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt is prosecuting the case.


title: Clinton County Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Child  and Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Bradley Vincent, age 38, of Chazy, New York, was indicted today for sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement. The indictment alleges that on February 18, 2024, the defendant used a minor female child, then 15 years old, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. The indictment also alleges that the defendant distributed those images of child pornography. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “As alleged, Vicent recorded sexually explicit conduct with a 15-year-old girl and then distributed those videos and images. This defendant already had a state conviction for aggravated sexual abuse or sexual abuse and was at that time only sentenced to probation by the state. This is a perfect example of the broken state system failing to protect our children and our citizens in general. This type of conduct is despicable and will be prosecuted vigorously by my office. I want to thank our state and local partners for their aggressive pursuit of this defendant.” The charges filed against Vincent carry a maximum term of 50 years in prison, a mandatory minimum term of 25 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. HSI and NYSP are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham is prosecuting the case. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Downey Man Suspected of Membership in the 764 Nihilist Violent Extremist Group Arrested on Child Pornography Possession Charge

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Downey man suspected to be a member of the nihilistic extremist group known as “764” has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of child pornography and he is expected to make his initial appearance today. Dong Hwan Kim, 27, was arrested Wednesday at his residence by members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) following the execution of a federal search warrant and was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles yesterday. According to the complaint, several minor females reported that Kim enticed them and other minor females to produce and send him pictures and videos of themselves engaging in sexual acts between 2022 and the present. The minor females stated that Kim would then extort his victims, by posting or threatening to post pictures and videos to their family members and others if they did not comply with his demands to send him more pictures and videos. The complaint alleges that Kim engaged in this conduct as part of his participation in an online network known as “764”, a network of nihilistic violent extremists who engage in criminal conduct, including the targeting children for sexual exploitation online, to further the network’s goals of accelerating social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government. The complaint details the nature of the 764, which is known to the FBI as a Nihilistic Violent Extremism (NVE) group whose members engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs oftentimes target vulnerable individuals, including minors, frequently using social media platforms to share CSAM are gore material, or grooming victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims can be blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, which vary, but may include self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. The complaint alleges a series of incidents in which Kim enticed minor females into producing CSAM and threatened to send naked photographs to the victims’ family and others or post them online, among other threats. According to a minor victim, Kim ran an online server where he and others openly created, posted, and traded child pornography, and extorted minors to get nude and write names on their skin, cut themselves, and stick objects such as knives and bottles into their genitals. During the search, agents found several CSAM videos and photographs in Kim’s possession. Agents also found evidence that Kim shared with others CSAM videos he produced and, when one associate complimented him, Kim touted his behavior by referring to himself as an “og,” according to the complaint. Kim has used online monikers including “Ryzen” and “Lobster” and the FBI believes victims not yet identified may exist. Anyone who has been victimized or is aware of a victim of Kim is urged to contact the FBI at 1 800 CALL-FBI (1 800 225-5324). A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted on the charges alleged in the complaint, Kim faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this case with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Downey Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David T. Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division, is prosecuting this case.


title: New Orleans Men Indicted For Federal Drug and Firearm Violations

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on August 7, 2025, YUAN BUGGAGE ("BUGGAGE) , age 25, of New Orleans, and ALGERNON JACQUES ("JACQUES") , age 25, also of New Orleans, were charged in a recently unsealed six-count indictment with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts. BUGGAGE and JACQUES are charged in Count 1 with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, Tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846. BUGGAGE and JACQUES are charged in Count 2 with possession with intent to distribute those substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D). In Count 3, BUGGAGE and JACQUES are charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). In Count 4, BUGGAGE is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to court documents, beginning no later than March 31, 2025, and continuing to on or about April 24, 2025, BUGGAGE, and JACQUES , conspired, with others to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Tapentadol, a Schedule II controlled substance, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance. BUGGAGE, and JACQUES also knowingly possessed firearms, a Glock Model 23 Gen 5, .40 caliber pistol, a Glock Model 43X, nine-millimeter pistol, and a Glock Model 23, .40 caliber pistol, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. For the felon in possession count, on or about April, 24, 2025, BUGGAGE , knowing he had a previous felony conviction, illegally, possessed firearms, a Glock Model 23 Gen 5, .40 caliber pistol; a Glock Model 43X, nine-millimeter pistol; and a Glock Model 23, .40 caliber pistol . As to the drug trafficking conspiracy charge in Count 1, BUGGAGE and JACQUES face up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the drug distribution charge in Count 2, BUGGAGE and JACQUES face up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in Count 3, BUGGAGE and JACQUES face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to the felon in possession charge in Count 4, BUGGAGE faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New Orleans Police Department, and St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). * * *


title: Lawrence Man Charged with Possessing 10,000 Counterfeit Percocet Pills

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man was charged today in connection with an investigation targeting a drug manufacturing ring. Joshua Morales, 31, of Lawrence, Mass., was charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. Morales was arrested yesterday on related state charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, Morales was observed by law enforcement entering into a residence in Methuen and leaving with a large orange bag. According to court documents, investigators knew that the residence was an alleged drug distribution and manufacturing location. While under surveillance, Morales then allegedly drove to a location in Lawrence, where he was apprehended. During a search of Morales’ vehicle, 10,000 counterfeit Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl were allegedly recovered. During a search of the residence in Methuen, an automated pill press was located, along with multiple kilograms of counterfeit Adderall and Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine. Numerous items used in the pill manufacturing process, including cutting agents, blenders, scales, bowls and bags full of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine powders and binding agents were also recovered. The charge of possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute provides for a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Peabody Police Department, Lawrence Police Department and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


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 August 29, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 42 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 6 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 23 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 56 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 drug trafficking and illegal reentry. 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: Tangipahoa Parish Woman Guilty of Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that, LATIJERIA MARTIN (“MARTIN”) , age 38, of Tangipahoa Parish, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry on August 12, 2025, to conspiracy to launder monetary funds. Judge Guidry scheduled sentencing for December 9, 2025. At sentencing, MARTIN faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $500,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, in 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration began a drug trafficking investigation into MARTIN’S boyfriend, Dequarius Hamler. Law enforcement officials suspected Hamler was having MARTIN deposit his illegal drug trafficking proceeds into a local bank to launder this drug money as legitimate funds. Bank records and financial documents showed that from January 1, 2021, through September 9, 2023, MARTIN and Hamler made numerous cash deposits totaling $454,589.10 through seven different bank accounts. MARTIN’S deposits to and from bank accounts under her name totaled $328,159.10, while deposits to and from back accounts under Hamler’s name totaled $126,430. MARTIN would make these bank deposits and withdrawals at the direction and instruction of Hamler, whom MARTIN knew was a drug dealer whose drug activities were the source of these funds. Employees at these banks confirmed MARTIN visited the bank often, sometimes multiple times a day, to make cash deposits and withdrawals. Frequently, the cash MARTIN deposited had the strong odor and residue of marijuana. A bank employee informed MARTIN the deposit and withdrawal actions amounted to criminal structuring and money laundering, and that the bank would no longer allow MARTIN to make these deposits. MARTIN relayed this information to Hamler, but despite this warning, Hamler continued to instruct MARTIN to continue concealing his drug proceeds through their bank accounts. This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Honduran National Guilty of Reentry of a Deported Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRYAN JAVIER PEREZ-ESPINOZA (“PEREZ-ESPINOZA”) , age 33, a native of Honduras, pleaded guilty on August 13, 2025, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) (Count 1), and for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8) (Count 2). According to court documents, PEREZ-ESPINOZA , an illegal alien, was found in Orleans Parish on March 23, 2024. He had previously been removed to Honduras on September 30, 2022. For Count One, PEREZ-ESPINOZA faces a maximum penalty of 2 years of imprisonment, up to 1 year of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As to Count Two, the maximum penalty is 15 years of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. 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). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution. * * *


title: Justice Department Files Motion for Summary Judgment in Challenge to New York’s “Climate Change Superfund Act”

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) today filed a motion for summary judgment in its challenge to the State of New York’s “Climate Change Superfund Act,” which imposes $75 billion in liability on foreign and domestic energy companies for their alleged past contributions to climate change. The complaint was filed in May , along with a complaint against the State of Vermont for its similar statute, to advance President Donald J. Trump’s executive order to protect American energy from state overreach. As the Justice Department explains in its motion, “New York has declared war on those responsible for supplying our Nation with reliable and affordable energy, and it is trampling over federal law in the process.” Further, the motion says, “the Court should end New York’s lawless overreach by granting the United States’ motion for summary judgment, declaring the Superfund Act invalid and unenforceable, and permanently enjoining Defendants from taking any actions to implement or enforce it.” “New York has overstepped its authority in trying to impose crippling financial penalties on the world’s largest energy providers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “Individual states have no authority to regulate nationwide and global greenhouse gas emissions. The courts must put a stop to New York’s brazen disregard of federal law, the Constitution, and binding precedent, not to mention our Nation’s energy needs.” Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel John Adams and Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General Riley Walters of ENRD filed the motion.


title: District of Arizona Charges 233 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 23, 2025, through August 29, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 233 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 107 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 108 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 18 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. Raymundo Barretero-Fernandez : On August 27, 2025, Raymundo Barretero-Fernandez, a citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Re-entry. In 2019, Barretero-Fernandez was convicted in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma of Conspiracy to Possess Heroin with Intent to Distribute and Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison and subsequently removed from the United States. Barretero-Fernandez then re-entered the United States without legal permission or authority. [Case Number: 25-MJ-0332] United States v. Jose Luis Nunez-Sandoval : On August 29, 2025, Jose Luis Nunez-Sandoval, a Mexican citizen, was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien and Illegal Re-entry. According to court documents, on August 27, 2025, Nunez-Sandoval was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol while traveling on Interstate 40 with two passengers. Agents determined that Nunez-Sandoval and the passengers were unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 25-MJ-0185] 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: 2025-142_August 29 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: Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography and Theft of Government Property

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man has been sentenced to federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material and fleeing from law enforcement in a stolen government vehicle. Travis Jay Grygla, 44, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $27,551.79 in restitution to the United States Government. According to court documents, in April 2024, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations learned that Grygla was storing child pornography at his residence and sharing it with a registered sex offender. Grygla was also a registered sex offender on federal supervised release following a 2008 conviction for distribution of child pornography. On April 24, 2024, federal agents executed a search warrant at Grygla’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices, which he was prohibited from possessing while on supervised release. One of the devices contained over 200 media files of child sexual abuse material, including material with very young children. While investigators were executing the search warrant, Grygla stole a government vehicle and fled the scene at a high speed. Law enforcement officers pursued Grygla and eventually apprehended Grygla in Castle Rock, Washington. Grygla was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possessing or accessing with intent to view child pornography. On June 2, 2025, he pleaded guilty to an information charging him with distribution of child pornography and theft of government property. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Portland Police Bureau, Vancouver Police Department, Washington State Patrol, and Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the pursuit. The case is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov . Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Arvina 13 Gang Member Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO , Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Isaac Rodriguez, 26, of Arvin, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, Rodriguez was found to be in possession of a firearm after he was arrested on warrants for violations of probation. Rodriguez cannot legally possess firearms because he has been previously convicted of several felony offenses, including taking a vehicle, evading arrest, and being felon in possession of a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Baty is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Rodriguez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Former CEO And CFO Of Cryptocurrency Lender Cred LLC Sentenced To Multiple Years In Prison For Wire Fraud Conspiracy Convictions

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Former Cred LLC executives Daniel Schatt and Joseph Podulka were sentenced today to 52 months and 36 months in federal prison, respectively, for wire fraud conspiracy. Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentences. Schatt, 55, of San Mateo, and Podulka, 53, of Palo Alto, were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. Defendants each pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025, to one count of wire fraud conspiracy in connection with their roles in defrauding customers of Cred, a San Francisco-based firm that provided financial services to holders of cryptocurrency and other assets. Schatt, who co-founded Cred, served as the CEO and Podulka served as the company’s CFO. According to the plea agreements, Schatt and Podulka conspired to present an incomplete, unreasonably positive, and thus misleading portrayal of Cred’s business while failing to disclose negative material information about Cred’s business challenges and risks to Cred’s customers. “The defendants’ criminal conspiracy caused significant harm to Cred’s customers,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “This prosecution should serve as a reminder that my Office will aggressively prosecute fraud schemes undermining the integrity of cryptocurrency markets. Fraud targeting cryptocurrency investors and customers will not be tolerated and wrongdoers will be held accountable for their actions.” “Daniel Schatt and Joseph Podulka orchestrated a scheme in which they deceived both investors and customers out of their hard-earned funds in an attempt to extend a failing business. The FBI is committed to investigating investment fraud schemes targeting cryptocurrency holders and working with our partners to bring fraudsters to justice,” said Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo. “Cryptocurrency may still seem foreign to some people, but investment fraud schemes are nothing new,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “IRS-CI special agents are the best financial investigators in the world and will not stand by and allow companies to defraud their customers through malicious actions. Our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI has never been stronger as we will continue to relentlessly pursue these types of crimes based on greed and egoism.” By late 2018, Cred’s business included two principal customer offerings: offering loans in U.S. dollars to customers using customers’ cryptocurrency as collateral and accepting deposits of cryptocurrency in exchange for a promise for a yield (interest payments) for that cryptocurrency. Cred’s business depended on a relationship with a Chinese company founded by one of Cred’s co-founders to generate the interest yield for Cred’s customers, a fact that many Cred customers did not know. Under this arrangement, Cred would loan the Chinese company a percentage of Cred’s customers’ funds, and the Chinse company would make short-term, high-interest microloans to Chinese gamers to generate interest to pay back to Cred. Cred’s business also depended on a hedging strategy using a third-party company to protect Cred from overexposure to cryptocurrency market fluctuations given Cred’s promises to its customers about specific yields they would earn while keeping their assets safe. According to the plea agreements, Defendants’ conspiracy began in March 2020 following the onset of the COVID pandemic and a sudden and dramatic decrease in the price of Bitcoin. Within days of the crash, Cred learned from its hedging partner that Cred was underwater and needed to liquidate all its trading positions. The hedging partner then ended its relationship with Cred, leaving Cred with no hedges and no hedging strategy going forward. As the conspiracy progressed, Defendants also learned that the Chinese company would not be able to pay back tens of millions of dollars to Cred. Rather than convey Cred’s worsening financial situation to its customers, the defendants each made misleading representations to customers or investors about Cred’s financial situation, including a public Ask Management Anything session that Schatt conducted on March 18, 2020, during which he stated that Cred’s business was “operating normally.” On Nov. 7, 2020, Cred filed for bankruptcy. Cred customers and investors filed more than 6,000 claims totaling more than $140 million in the Cred bankruptcy proceedings. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, those claims are worth over $1 billion using August 2025 valuations for the different cryptocurrencies that customers lost. In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced Schatt and Podulka each to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered payment of a $25,000 fine. The defendants will begin serving their sentences on Oct. 28, 2025. Judge Alsup set a restitution hearing for Oct. 7, 2025. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Valliere, Patrick O’Brien, Richard Ewenstein, and Adam Reeves prosecuted the case with the assistance of Helen Yee and Maryam Beros. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.


title: Multiple Defendants Charged In Organized Retail Theft Conspiracy Involving Returns Of Counterfeit Electronic Goods

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has charged seven defendants with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, and trafficking in counterfeit goods in connection with an organized retail theft scheme. Three of the defendants were arrested yesterday. According to the indictment filed on Aug. 26, 2025, and unsealed today, Weidong Liu, 33, Chen Shen, 37, and Weiqin Xu, 34, all of whom are Chinese nationals, and four other defendants, who remain subject to arrest, engaged in a year-long scheme to steal genuine brand-name consumer electronics products, including computer tablets and earphones. Under the scheme, the defendants allegedly purchased iPad tablets and AirPods earphones from a major retailer with stores throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere. The indictment describes that the defendants then returned to the same retailer counterfeit versions bearing the brand name’s trademarks and serial numbers that matched the iPad tablets and AirPods earphones previously purchased from that retailer, in order to obtain the original purchase value back. The counterfeits were returned in the purchased, genuine original packaging that also bore the brand name’s trademarks and the genuine products’ serial numbers. In many instances, the original packaging was resealed with imitation stickers that matched the original sealing stickers to make the return appear unopened. The defendants allegedly imported the counterfeits and the imitation sealing stickers from China. The indictment also alleges that the defendants exported the genuine iPad tablets and AirPods earphones to China. United States Attorney Craig Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan made the announcement. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, defendants each face a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341, and 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2320(a) and trafficking in counterfeit goods in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2320(a)(1). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Liu, Shen, and Xu all made their initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim. All three defendants will next appear on Sept. 3, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex Tse for a continued arraignment and detention hearing. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Northern California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America . HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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). Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Kassabian is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Andy Ding and Lance Libatique. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI, the California Highway Patrol C.T.I.P. (Cargo Theft Interdiction Program) Taskforce, Federal Air Marshal Service, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and FBI.


title: Three sentenced to federal prison in DFW-area VIN flipping scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: PLANO, Texas – Two aliens from Honduras illegally present in the United States and one Dallas-area man have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a theft and fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Gustavo Adolfo Torres-Sadres, 38, of Honduras, and Julian Sanchez, 38, of Duncanville, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and Paul Anthony Oliva Bejarano, 28, of Honduras, pleaded guilty to conspiracy. All three were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan. Torres-Sadres received 78 months in federal prison, Sanchez received 21 months in federal prison, and Bejarano received 18 months in federal prison. According to information presented in court, the three men participated in a VIN (vehicle identification number) flipping scheme in which they conspired to steal vehicles and replace the VINs on the stolen vehicle with the VIN from a salvaged vehicle. Members of the conspiracy then sold the stolen vehicles as purportedly rebuilt vehicles. This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety and prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. ###


title: Keene Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Offense

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Keene man pleaded guilty to a child exploitation offense, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Connor Mueller, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2025. In 2023, an undercover law enforcement operation identified Mueller as using specialized peer-to-peer software to receive videos containing CSAM. The same software allowed other users to access materials shared by Mueller. Law enforcement subsequently searched Mueller’s home and discovered multiple devices which together contained numerous images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 20 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statues which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Keene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/. ###


title: Guatemalan National Convicted and Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry into the United States

body_text: CONCORD – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty and was sentenced for unlawful reentry into the United States, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Jorge Misael Niz, 43, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Salem, pleaded guilty and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to time served, or two months. Niz is currently in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for removal to Guatemala. Niz was previously ordered to be removed from the United States by an Immigration Judge and was deported to Guatemala on March 30, 2006. On the evening of April 27, 2025, the Salem Police Department responded to an apartment after receiving a report of a domestic violence incident. Law enforcement arrested Niz for simple assault. After learning of the defendant’s immigration status, they referred him to ICE. ICE led the investigation. The Salem Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted the case. This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Two Red Hill Fuels Department Employees Indicted for False Statement to Hawaii Department of Health Regarding May 6, 2021 Jet Fuel Spill

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced today that John Floyd, 63, of Mililani, Hawaii, and Nelson Wu, 38, of Waipahu, Hawaii, were indicted yesterday for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and causing another person to make a materially false statement or a material omission in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the government of the United States. According to the allegations in the indictment: Between May 6, 2021 and October 1, 2021, Floyd and Wu were civilians employed as Fuels Department Deputy Director and Fuels Department Supervisory Engineer, respectively, of the United States Navy, Navy Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Pearl Harbor, which included the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (Red Hill). On May 6, 2021, two couplings on the pipeline at Red Hill failed during an attempted transfer of jet fuel. The attempted transfer was aborted after approximately 20,000 gallons of jet fuel from a storage tank flowed into the pipeline and then spilled into the tunnel. As the regulator of Red Hill due to an authorization by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Hawaii Department of Health issued a request for information (RFI) to the United States Navy regarding the May 6, 2021 spill. In connection with the Navy’s October 1, 2021 response to the RFI, Floyd and Wu allegedly willfully caused the Navy to falsely state that the May 6, 2021 spill involved an estimated 1,618 gallons of jet fuel, rather than 20,000 gallons as then known by Floyd and Wu to have been spilled, and omitted information and records material to the RFI. If convicted of the charged offenses, Floyd and Wu face a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000 on each charge. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. This case is being investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, and the Environmental Protection Agency Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan.


title: Spencer Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute it was sentenced on August 27, 2025, to more than eight years in federal prison. Dylan Everett Halbur, age 33, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 28, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture of substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on August 26, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a camper in Spencer, Iowa, where Halbur was known to reside and store items. Inside, law enforcement located approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine, $2,900 in cash, marijuana, a digital scale and other indicia of drug use and distribution. Halbur admitted the methamphetamine was his and that he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another. Halbur was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Halbur was sentenced to 105 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Halbur is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4077. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Roanoke Man Pleads Guilty to Witness Tampering After  Sending Illicit Texts to Teen

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who was a registered sex offender and on federal supervised release for a previous conviction on charges of soliciting minors, pled guilty yesterday to witness tampering after he sent a 16-year-old boy inappropriate text messages he knew violated the terms of his supervised release. Lenny Baldwin Jr., 30, pled guilty yesterday to one count of witness tampering. At sentencing, Baldwin faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to court documents, on May 10, 2023, Baldwin was released from federal prison and began a term of supervised release. In the summer of 2023 while working at Dollar Tree, Baldwin met and befriended a 16-year-old boy (MV1). Baldwin eventually spent time with the boy and his mother at their Roanoke home. In October 2023, Baldwin began exchanging sexually charged text messages with MV1 while using an iPhone. During the conversation, Baldwin used the iPhone’s “unsend” feature to unsend three of the messages to conceal these messages from being discovered, knowing that these communications violated the terms of his supervised release. The following day, Baldwin, using a different phone number, texted MV1 and asked him to delete the messages between the two of them, telling MV1 that he did not want “the wrong eyes” to see the messages. On November 30, 2023, Baldwin began texting MV1 using a different phone connected to a different phone number. Baldwin did not notify his probation officer of this new phone or phone number. Again, the messages sent to MV1 were sexually charged, and Baldwin knew they violated the terms of his supervised release. Baldwin again asked MV1 to delete the messages. Finally, on December 24, 2023, Baldwin sent MV1 additional messages of a sexual nature and in violation of his supervised release. Throughout the totality of the text message conversations between Baldwin and MV1, Baldwin unsent multiple messages to conceal them from his probation officer, knowing they constituted a violation of the terms of his supervised release. In addition, Baldwin asked MV1 to delete their text messages to conceal from his probation officer the fact that he was sending sexual text messages to a minor. Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement- Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the City of Roanoke Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Barrio Azteca Leader Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to RICO Violation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national who served as a leader in the Barrio Azteca Criminal Enterprise was sentenced in court last week to 144 months in federal prison for a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) offense. According to court documents, Salvador Garcia-Garcia aka Ardilla, 56, of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, was responsible for coordinating the shipment of heroin from Juarez to El Paso for the Barrio Azteca organization. Garcia-Garcia conducted the narcotics smuggling operations from Juarez from Aug. 1, 2010, through on or about Sept. 10, 2014, recruiting other members and associates to smuggle the heroin into El Paso for him. On Sept. 10, 2014, Garcia-Garcia was indicted for seven counts, including conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, murder in aid of racketeering activity, three separate drug trafficking charges, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and transferring a firearm to a prohibited person. He was arrested by federal authorities on June 20, 2024, and pleaded guilty to the RICO charge on April 7, 2025. Eighteen of Garcia-Garcia’s co-defendants have been sentenced in the case since 2016. In June 2017, Barrio Azteca leader Juan Pablo Espino was dealt concurrent sentences of 299 months and 240 months imprisonment for one count of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and one count of money laundering. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the El Paso Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steve Spitzer and Antonio Franco prosecuted the case. ###


title: SHIPPING COMPANY FINED $2M FOR MARITIME POLLUTION OFFENSE

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: V.Ships Norway A.S. (V.SHIPS) pleaded guilty today to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and was sentenced to pay a $2 million fine. V.Ships admitted that oily bilge water and oily waste was discharged from the Motor Tanker Swift Winchester ( M/T Swift Winchester ) and the discharges were omitted from the Oil Record Book. “Dumping oil-contaminated waste into the waters around our ports and coasts violates the law and poses an unnecessary health and environmental hazard,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The crew took pains to hide their illegal activity by knowingly keeping inaccurate records. We will not turn a blind eye to this kind of irresponsible and fraudulent activity.” “The Gulf of America and the Texas ports are amazing places with great natural beauty. They are also vital to our economy,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs for the Eastern District of Texas. “When a foreign ship operated by a foreign company discharges polluting wastes, it threatens waters that are vital to the United States and the state of Texas. We will hold those responsible for polluting the Gulf of America accountable.” “The criminal prosecution of this case underlines our commitment to enforcing the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ellison C. Travis for the Middle District of Louisiana. “The illegal discharge of bilge water and oily waste from vessels poses a significant threat to our waters and marine life and by holding those accountable who violate these standards, we send a clear message that we will not tolerate actions that endanger our environment. We remain dedicated to ensuring that the maritime industry operates responsibly and in compliance with environmental laws.” “Coast Guard Marine Inspectors, Pollution Responders and Investigating Officers undergo rigorous and specialized training to detect and gather evidence of environmental crimes. This expertise alongside our federal partnerships was crucial to the successful prosecution of this violation,” said Capt. Jennifer Andrew, the Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur. “The Coast Guard maintains one of the world’s most comprehensive and thorough vessel inspection programs, and we will continue to leverage this robust capability to ensure strict compliance with domestic and international maritime laws.” Between February 2022 and August 2022, a hose was connected between the incinerator waste oil tank and the sewage holding tank on the M/T Swift Winchester . This allowed oily waste to transfer into the sewage holding tank and then to be discharged directly into the sea, bypassing required pollution prevention equipment. A low-ranking engine crewmember reported this to a Superintendent at V.Ships. The Superintendent investigated the matter and discovered what appeared to be oil in the sewage tank. V.Ships dismissed the Chief Engineer. In August 2022, the new Chief Engineer ordered the engine crew to clean the Oil Water Separator (OWS) filter. The engine crew took the filter onto the deck and hosed it down with a degreaser and the oily waste washed directly overboard through a scupper. Coast Guard members from U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur conducted an examination, during which an engine room crewmember disclosed the discharges and provided photographic and video evidence documenting the illegal discharges. The M/T Swift Winchester entered Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Aug. 25, 2022, and Port Arthur, Texas, on Sept. 7, 2022, with a knowingly falsified Oil Record Book. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth E. Nelson and Trial Attorney Lauren Steele of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Batte for the Eastern District of Texas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Warner for the Middle District of Louisiana prosecuted the case. -###- 25-XXX


title: Sioux Falls Women Sentenced to 16 Years and 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced two Sioux Falls women convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Hailey Schneiderman, 25, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The sentencing took place on August 4, 2025. Heather Downey, 54, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The sentencing took place on August 25, 2025. Schneiderman and Downey were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in November 2024. Schneiderman pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025. Downey pleaded guilty on June 4, 2025. Schneiderman obtained methamphetamine from a source in California and sold it to Downey and others in the Sioux Falls area. Downey also sold methamphetamine in the Sioux Falls area. Schneiderman was identified when she twice sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. In total, those sales involved more than 100 grams of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Schneiderman and Downey were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: U.S. Government Seizes Online Marketplaces Selling Fraudulent Identity Documents Used in Cybercrime Schemes

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced today the seizure of two marketplace domains and one blog used to sell fraudulent identity documents to cybercriminals worldwide. The operators of VerifTools produced and sold counterfeit driver’s licenses, passports, and other identification documents that could be used to bypass identity verification systems and gain unauthorized access to online accounts. VerifTools Splash Page The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began investigating in August 2022 after discovering a conspiracy to use stolen identity information to access cryptocurrency accounts. The investigation revealed that VerifTools offered counterfeit identification documents for all 50 U.S. states and multiple foreign countries for as little as nine dollars, payable in cryptocurrency. The FBI used the VerifTools marketplace to generate and purchase counterfeit New Mexico driver’s licenses, which were paid for with cryptocurrency. The FBI has identified the equivalent of approximately $6.4 million of illicit proceeds linked to the VerifTools marketplace. The following counterfeit documents are an example of New Mexico driver’s licenses obtained from VerifTools. Counterfeit New Mexico Driver’s License Counterfeit New Mexico Driver’s License with watermark “The internet is not a refuge for criminals. If you build or sell tools that let offenders impersonate victims, you are part of the crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “We will use every lawful tool to disrupt your business, take the profit out of it, and bring you to justice. No one operation is bigger than us together. With our partners at every level of law enforcement we will protect New Mexicans and defend those who stand up for our community.” "The removal of this marketplace is a major step in protecting the public from fraud and identity theft crime," said Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. "Together with our partners, we will continue to target and dismantle the platforms that criminals depend on, no matter where they operate." Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department collaborated closely with investigators and prosecutors from multiple jurisdictions in this investigation, including the District of New Mexico, Eastern District of Virginia, the Dutch National Police and the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service.


title: Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – Julianne E. Murray, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that on August 24, 2025, Dwayne Fountain, 54, of Middletown, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of possession with intent to distribute, and two counts of distribution of controlled substances. Dwayne Fountain was convicted after a trial in March 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly pronounced the sentence, finding that the defendant was a leader of a drug trafficking organization. The amount of fentanyl seized from this organization, over ten kilograms, represents the largest known fentanyl seizure in Delaware history. This case was the result of a long-term investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Delaware State Police, and Dover Police Department. The evidence at trial showed that Dwayne Fountain bought kilograms of drugs from his suppliers and added ingredients like xylazine, also known as “tranq,” to make the drugs more potent and profitable. Agents found a kilogram press in a home he owned in Middletown, which was used to put the drugs back into “brick” form after they were adulterated. The defendant also rented an apartment in Bear, Delaware, where he stored his inventory of drugs. Search warrants executed in the case led to the seizure of over 10.5 kilograms of fentanyl, over 200 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine, over 3.5 kilograms of cocaine, and nearly 3 kilograms of heroin. The government stressed at sentencing that the defendant knowingly placed the public in danger by mixing and selling drugs that frequently cause overdoses and deaths. On a recorded call, the defendant admitted that he knew the drugs he was selling could kill people stating, “They said it's too strong, come on man... We all got some sh*t that can make a [person]die. For real, for real. You gotta know how to mix it right.” The defendant also stored his drugs in the same apartment where his teenaged son lived, and he coached his other son about how to manage a drug operation on wiretap calls. U.S. Attorney Murray commented, “The defendant well knew the danger he was causing, both to his own family and to the public. He sold drugs anyway, for no reason other than the desire to make money. The Court’s sentence sends the right message – selling drugs, especially fentanyl – will land you in federal prison for many years.” “Law Enforcement took Dwayne Fountain off the streets in 2023. He was enriching himself by selling poison in our community on a scale not often seen. Surely this arrest was a contributor to the 36% drop in overdose deaths recorded in Delaware in 2024,” offered Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson. “I understand and acknowledge the broader effort in reducing the overdose death rate in the First State, but sometimes we forget the months of crime fighting efforts put in by our police officers. Cases that involve both physical and electronic surveillance are labor intensive and require considerable sacrifice. This was a tremendous effort by all the involved officers. They made Dover a little safer and they certainly saved lives.” “This case serves as a reminder of the dangers our communities face from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids,” said Colonel William D. Crotty, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police. “The amount of fentanyl seized in this case could have led to countless overdoses. Thanks to the dedication and teamwork of our detectives and federal partners, a major supplier has been taken off the streets, and lives were undoubtedly saved.” “Dwayne Fountain was poisoning our communities through the distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Working with our law enforcement partners from the Delaware State Police, Dover Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office, Mr. Fountain was brought to justice through his sentencing to a 25-year term of incarceration,” stated Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett, DEA Philadelphia Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer K. Welsh and Samuel S. Frey prosecuted the case. This case was investigated by the DEA Dover Post of Duty, Delaware State Police and Dover Police Department, with assistance from the DEA Scranton Resident Office, Delaware National Guard, Smyrna Police Department, Ocean View Police Department, and Delmar Police Department. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-CR-49-CFC.


title: Federal jury convicts Franklin man for armed robbery

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

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted Janathian Porter, 27, of Franklin, on Aug. 26 on a charge of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. Porter, aka Frankboy Nate, Nate, or Nate Dog, also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Leondre Douglas, aka Worm, 26, set up a drug transaction on Oct. 28, 2024, with a marijuana dealer and Porter. When they met for the transaction, Porter robbed the dealer at gunpoint, taking the dealer’s firearm. Porter and Douglas then fled in separate vehicles. On Nov. 1, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that reportedly had been involved in the Oct. 28, 2024, robbery. Douglas was driving, and three minor children were inside the vehicle. Officers recovered a stolen handgun from underneath the driver seat. As a previously convicted felon, Douglas cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. On Nov. 12, 2024, a man observed Porter rummaging through the man’s vehicle at his home. The victim entered his vehicle, noticed that a speaker had been stolen, and followed Porter, who was attempting to flee in another vehicle. The victim pursued Porter to the end of a cul-de-sac, where Porter shot at the victim. Shell casings at the scene matched the caliber of a firearm that a witness reported stolen the same evening from his vehicle near where Porter was observed breaking into cars. Porter is an eight-time convicted felon, including for breaking and entering, grand larceny, buying/receiving stolen goods, eluding/endangering police, and twice each for probation violations and hit and run. As a convicted felon, Porter cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Douglas pled guilty on Aug. 25 to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Porter and Douglas face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2026. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the verdict and the pleas. The Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of the Oct. 28, 2024, and Nov. 1, 2024, offenses. The Franklin Police Department assisted in the investigation of the Nov. 12, 2024, offense. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Cheney, Anthony Marek, and Kristin G. Bird are prosecuting the cases. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-62, 2:25-cr-77, and 2:25-cr-78. This release was revised on Jan. 30, 2026, to correct the spelling of Leondre Douglas' name.


title: Murfreesboro Woman Charged with Threat to Murder United States Senator Marsha Blackburn

body_text: NASHVILLE – Penelope R. Convertino, age 22, of Murfreesboro, has been charged by criminal complaint with making a threat to murder a federal official with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn while she was engaged in the performance of her official duties, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Our public officials should be able to do their jobs without receiving vile death threats,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Threatening public officials with deadly violence cannot and will not be tolerated. We will not hesitate to hold those who make these kinds of violent threats accountable for their crimes.” According to court documents, on Friday, May 30, 2025, a voice message was left on the voicemail for Senator Blackburn’s Nashville satellite Senate office. One of Senator Blackburn’s staff listened to the voicemail the following Monday. In it, the caller said, “My name is mother**ker and I’m gonna kill Marsha Blackburn. I’m gonna shoot her with a gun. I’m gonna blow up her head on national TV. She will literally have brains splattered behind her because she will not be a person. She will be a dead f**king body.” Convertino was arrested earlier today by FBI agents. If convicted, Convertino faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office. Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Violent Drug Dealer Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: ATLANTA – Royce Cobb, a/k/a “Rapp,” 47, of Atlanta, Georgia, a multi-time convicted felon who was distributing kilogram quantities of dangerous drugs from an Atlanta stash house, will serve a 23-year prison sentence following his convictions for cocaine trafficking and illegal possession of a loaded semiautomatic firearm. Cobb previously served prison sentences in Georgia and North Carolina for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, trafficking and attempted trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in marijuana, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Cobb’s aggravated assault conviction followed a 2001 shooting during which Cobb killed one of his drug customers. “More than a decade behind bars failed to deter Cobb from trafficking large amounts of drugs from an Atlanta stash house while armed,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thankfully, the determined investigation of the DEA and their state and local partners finally halted Cobb’s illicit activity.” “Far too many victims have suffered at the hands of repeat offenders who show no remorse for the chaos they create,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA is committed to dismantling criminal networks and protecting our communities.” “When we team our resources with the resources of our local, state, and federal partners, gang members better beware,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “The removal of drugs, weapons and gang members from the streets immediately makes those communities safer.” “This case underscores the powerful impact that can be achieved when law enforcement agencies unite with purpose, harnessing their collective strength to dismantle complex drug trafficking networks and deliver a decisive blow to criminal organizations,” said Acting Director Andy Dimond of the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (Atlanta-Carolinas HIDTA). According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Cobb, a large-scale drug trafficker, was responsible for distributing at least 50 kilograms of cocaine, 4 kilograms of methamphetamine, and various quantities of fentanyl and heroin. In 2022, DEA investigators began surveilling Cobb’s southwest Atlanta drug stash location, which enabled them to seize kilograms of illegal drugs, firearms, and thousands of dollars of drug proceeds from Cobb’s customers and associates. Agents observed dozens of drug traffickers, including some from neighboring states, visit Cobb’s residence for suspected drug deals. Agents’ seizures included approximately 17.6 kilograms of cocaine concealed under the bed of a tow truck and approximately 22 kilograms of cocaine in an associate’s vehicle in South Carolina. In 2023, DEA agents seized multiple kilograms of cocaine and other narcotics, and drug proceeds, from drug transporters working with Cobb and his conspirators. In July 2023, agents executed a search warrant at Cobb’s primary drug stash house, where they seized counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, three bricks of marijuana, and a loaded semiautomatic firearm with a large-capacity magazine. Agents also seized ammunition for two other firearms, money counters, and a pill counter. At another of Cobb’s Atlanta stash locations, agents seized seven kilograms of cocaine. Agents recovered more than a quarter-million dollars of cash from the two stash houses combined. Yesterday, United States District Judge J.P. Boulee sentenced Cobb to 23 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Cobb was convicted on April 16, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Atlanta-Carolinas HIDTA, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Suwanee Police Department, and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Georgia State Patrol, Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, and Anderson County Sheriff’s Office (South Carolina). Assistant United States Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Dwayne A. Brown, Jr., along with former Assistant United States Attorney Rebeca M. Ojeda, prosecuted the case. This case was 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. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .