title: Twelve Lakeland-Based Gang Members Charged With Paycheck Protection Program Fraud

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of 9 indictments charging 12 individuals with wire fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The following individuals have been charged: Name Age City of Residence Jamilah T’Asia Johnson 25 Winter Haven Khalid Preston 29 Lakeland Nickolas Lavonsoa Brantley 25 Lakeland Alexis Lafaye Flournoy 34 Lakeland Quinton Lakeith Owens 35 Lakeland Tinika Sykes 35 Lakeland Richard James Grimes, Jr. 39 Lakeland Kenny White 31 Lakeland Anthony Grant 31 Lakeland Jacquez Howard 27 Lakeland Treasure Johnson 28 Lakeland Letor’e Webster 24 Lakeland According to the indictments, these individuals are members or associates of the Lakeland-based Hood Boys gang. They devised a scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration by submitting false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. These programs were some of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. While each claimed to operate a business, that statement in each PPP loan application was false. Each of the defendants received between $13,854 and $20,416. Instead of repaying the loans, they either applied for the loans to be forgiven (which they were) or defaulted on them. The defendants spent the money on automobile payments and purchases at liquor stores, clothing stores, and gun stores. The total loss to the United States from these applications is approximately $236,000. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Buchanan and Jeff Chang. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally reentering the United States subsequent to his deportation. Ibrahim Orozzo-Ramirez, 30, a three-time deported Mexican national, pleaded guilty to a one-count indictment charging him with illegally reentering the United States of America subsequent to his deportation following a 2019 aggravated felony conviction. Orozzo-Ramirez admitted that he reentered the United States subsequent to a 2019 Jackson County, Mo., conviction for stealing a motor vehicle. Orozzo-Ramirez admitted that after this conviction he was deported on July 17, 2019, from the United States to Mexico via Brownsville, Tx., and that at some later date he reentered the United States without having obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for reapplication for admission into the United States of America. Orozzo-Ramirez admitted that he was arrested on Feb. 1, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo., by special agents with the Department of Homeland Security. Orozzo-Ramirez had been previously deported from the United States on two other occasions; first, on Nov. 17, 2017, from the United States to Mexico via Brownsville, Tx., and again on Nov. 2, 2018, from the United States to Mexico via El Paso, Tx., following a federal conviction for improper entry by an alien before the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. Under federal statutes, Orozzo-Ramirez is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment in federal prison without parole, with up to three years of supervised release following any sentence. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2026, after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”) and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”). Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Local doctor pleads guilty to making false statements related to 1989 rape

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – A Sycamore Township man whose DNA implicated him in a 1989 rape pleaded guilty today to making false statements to federal agents. Frederick Louis Tanzer, 66, admitted to three counts of the crime, each punishable by up to five years in prison. Tanzer’s plea documents detail that on Aug. 1, 1989, Tanzer broke into a victim’s home in Cincinnati and violently raped the victim over the course of five and a half hours . Tanzer, masked and dressed from head to toe in black Lycra, held a knife to the victim’s throat, dragged her into her bedroom, blindfolded her with surgical tape, bound her hands and feet to her bed frame, and then repeatedly raped her vaginally, anally and orally. In 2024, the FBI, working with the Cincinnati Police Department, confirmed Tanzer’s DNA matched the semen left by the victim’s attacker in 1989. When approached about the rape, the defendant made several materially false statements to a federal agent and a Cincinnati Police Department detective, including denying having seen or interacted with the victim on the date she was raped. Tanzer was arrested in December 2024 and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Division; and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. The IRS-Criminal Investigation Cincinnati Field Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly K. Rossi and Julie D. Garcia are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Venezuelan Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Being in the United States Illegally After Having Been Previously Removed by Immigration Officials

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 29, 2025, Jorge Humberto Moreno Martinez, 34, of Venezuela, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 24 months’ imprisonment. Moreno previously pleaded guilty to being in the United States illegally after having been previously removed by Immigration Officials. According to court records, Moreno was previously removed from the United States by immigration officials on November 15, 2016, after he completed a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence following his New York felony conviction for burglary in the second degree. At that time, Moreno was advised and acknowledged that due to his criminal history he was prohibited from entering or attempting to enter the United States. Despite that warning, Moreno re-entered the United States and his presence in the country thereafter was in violation of U.S. law. Court records also state that when agents from the Department of Homeland Security attempted to arrest Moreno at a parking lot in Williston, Vermont, on January 27, 2025, Moreno fled in a vehicle, hitting three law enforcement vehicles before travelling at more than 100 miles per hour on a busy street before he was apprehended. As he drove, items were discarded from Moreno’s vehicle. Law enforcement recovered some of those items, which tested presumptively positive for cocaine base and cocaine. In his plea agreement, Moreno admitted to possessing the cocaine and cocaine base with the intent to distribute them. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Department of Homeland Security, including its Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI"), Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP”) divisions, with assistance from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Moreno was represented by Brooks G. McArthur, Esq. 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: St. Albans Man Sentenced to 74 Months in Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Mail Fraud

body_text: Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 2, 2025, Jonathan Whalley, 52, of St. Albans, Vermont was sentenced by United States District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to a total term of 74 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Whalley previously pleaded guilty to both Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in relation to his purchase of six vehicles using the stolen identity of a Vermonter. Judge Geraci imposed a 50-month term of imprisonment on the Mail Fraud conviction, and the 24-month mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment for Aggravated Identity Theft, resulting in the total 74-month sentence. According to court records, Whalley obtained the identity documents from a Vermont man whose wallet was stolen from the victim’s vehicle. Whalley traveled to the State of Georgia, where he engaged in numerous fraudulent transactions, including the purchase of a 2022 Ford Explorer, a 2022 Ford Bronco, a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado, a 2020 Kawasaki ATV, a 2021 CF Moto ATV, and a 2022 Honda dirt bike, together valued at over $224,000. Whalley also engaged in fraudulent conduct with multiple banks and insurance companies. On June 8, 2022, Whalley was back in Vermont with the Silverado he had fraudulently purchased, when law enforcement conducted a motor vehicle stop. Whalley fled the stop, dragging an officer over 10 feet, and endangering pedestrians as he sped away at speeds over three-times the speed limit. In sentencing Whalley, Judge Geraci noted Whalley’s extensive criminal history, which includes 34 criminal convictions dating back to 1991. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles’ Enforcement and Safety Division (Investigative Section) and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne M. Smith and Jonathan A. Ophardt. Whalley was represented by Assistant Federal Defender Charles N. Curlett, Jr.


title: Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Over Six Years In Prison For Role In Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Anne R. Traum to 80 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The government recommended a prison sentence of 110 months. According to court documents, from February 2023 to March 2023, Michael Anthony Rivas distributed and sold fentanyl as part of a conspiracy in the Las Vegas area. He and co-defendant Crystal Fawn Hoag sold approximately 693 grams of fentanyl (approximately 8,500 fentanyl pills). During the execution of a search warrant at Hoag and Rivas’ joint residence, law enforcement recovered a black Smith & Wesson firearm, a Black Xd Springfield Arms firearm, and a black and tan Taurus firearm. Additionally, approximately 67 grams of counterfeit M30 pills containing suspected fentanyl and approximately 113 grams of methamphetamine were also recovered. Both Hoag and Rivas were disqualified from owning or possessing a firearm based on their prior felony convictions. Fentanyl presents a significant and growing danger to our community and our children. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine, and only a few milligrams of this chemical compound equivalent to a few grains of table salt are enough to cause a fatal overdose in adults or children. Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Deputy Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis for DEA’s Los Angeles Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Nathaniel Holland for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement. This case was investigated by the DEA and FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Brenna Bush and Steven Rose prosecuted the case. ###


title: Western District of Texas Nears 300 New Immigration Cases to Start September

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 294 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 29 through Sept. 4. Among the new cases, four people were charged in El Paso for their roles in a scheme to smuggle children from Mexico into the United States, sometimes using candy laced with THC to sedate them during smuggling events. Mexican nationals Susana Guadian and Daniel Guadian; U.S. citizen Dianne Guadian; and Manuel Valenzuela, a lawful permanent resident residing in El Paso, were charged with conspiracy to transport aliens and bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain. According to the complaint, between on or about May 1 through Oct. 17, 2024, the defendants were part of an alien smuggling organization (ASO) that brought unaccompanied alien children between the ages of five and 13 illegally into the United States from Juarez, Mexico. The complaint alleges that Susana Guadian and Daniel Guadian recruited drivers to transport the children by car from Mexico to a port of entry at the U.S. border. The drivers and their co-conspirator would then present U.S. documents to inspecting officers falsely claiming the documents belonged to the children, and that they were the parents of the children. During at least one smuggling event, the alien children were given gummy candies containing marijuana to sedate them. One of the children was taken to a local hospital and later diagnosed with marijuana poisoning. Once inside the United States, the children were then transported to El Paso, where, according to the complaint, Dianne Guadian and Manuel Valenzuela would pick up the children and provide payment to the drivers. The drivers were paid $900 for each minor that they brought into the United States. U.S. Border Patrol agents in Alpine arrested a Mexican national for being an illegal alien present in the United States. Ever Ortega-Uranga was previously removed for the second time in July 2021. Ortega-Uranga has multiple felony convictions, having been sentenced in Midland to two years confinement for cocaine possession in 2010, followed by three years for public order crimes in 2016. He was also sentenced in 2018 to 46 months confinement in Spring for illegal re-entry. Otoniel Lopez-Tellez, a Mexican national, was taken into ICE custody in Williamson County, where he was serving a 40-day jail sentence for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. Lopez-Tellez has been removed from the U.S. twice, the last being in 2018, in addition to four voluntary returns. Mexican national Juan Eduardo Villanueva-Mancilla was taken into ICE custody in Bastrop County, where he was serving a 180-day jail sentence for evading arrest with a vehicle. Villanueva-Mancilla has been removed from the U.S. twice, most recently in April 2023. Angel Eduardo Moreno-De La Rosa was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Normandy on Aug. 27. The Mexican national was allegedly guiding two Pakistani illegal aliens to a pick-up location, where the two Pakistanis would then be transported to San Antonio. According to a criminal complaint, Moreno-De La Rosa claimed he would be paid $1,000 for his role, while the Pakistanis alleged that they paid around $30,000 each to be smuggled further into the U.S. Mexican national Emanuel Ruiz-Alcantara was arrested near Maverick on Aug. 29 and charged with illegal re-entry after being previously removed to Mexico on Jan. 7. In August 2023, Ruiz-Alcantara was convicted for a smuggling of persons felony in Gonzalez, for which he was sentenced to two years in jail. Cristian Jiovanni Chavez-Sanchez, also a Mexican national, was charged with illegal re-entry after he was arrested near Maverick on Aug. 26. Chavez-Sanchez has been twice deported, most recently in January through San Ysidro, California. In 2024, he was convicted of four misdemeanors in Utah, including a DUI, marijuana possession, and two weapon offenses. Honduran national Brayan Alexander Villanueva was arrested near Val Verde on Aug. 30 and charged with illegal re-entry. Villanueva was just removed to Honduras through El Paso on June 28, after being convicted and sentenced in March to two years confinement for possession of a controlled substance. Villanueva was also convicted in 2022 for burglary of a vehicle in Georgetown. Also in the Del Rio Sector, four Indian nationals—Vikash Vikash, Mehakpreet Singh, Aditya Sharma, and Harsh Singh—were each detained in separate incidents and charged with improper entry after they allegedly crossed the Rio Grande River into the U.S. near Eagle Pass between Aug. 28 and Aug. 30. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. 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). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Leading Sophisticated Fraud Scheme that Impersonated Dozens of Doctors to Illegally Prescribe Narcotics

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to leading a long-running scheme in which dozens of medical doctors’ personal information was stolen and then used to create fraudulent e-prescribing accounts, which his accomplices then used to issue thousands of fraudulent prescriptions of controlled substances. Benjamin Jamal Washington, 25, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Washington remains in federal custody. According to his plea agreement, from September 2020 to May 2023, Washington and his co-conspirators obtained personal identifying information (PII) belonging to dozens of doctors, including their names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, National Provider Identification number, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Registration Numbers. After obtaining this information, the co-conspirators impersonated the victims by obtaining fake drivers’ licenses in their names. They also paid corrupt telephone company employees to perform illegal subscriber identity module (SIM) swaps – fraudulently inducing a phone carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber to a phone controlled by the co-conspirators – to gain access to the physicians’ phone numbers. Washington and his co-conspirators then used the fraudulent drivers’ licenses and the stolen phone numbers to open fraudulent e-prescribing accounts in the physicians’ names. At least one co-conspirator spoke with a pharmacy technician to understand the patterns and practices of physicians submitting e-prescriptions so Washington and his co-conspirators could avoid detection and issue more fraudulent prescriptions. Once the co-conspirators opened the fraudulent e-prescribing accounts, Washington and others used the accounts to submit at least 5,600 fraudulent prescriptions of controlled substances, including illegal prescriptions of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine. The co-conspirators then traveled to pharmacies across the United States, including pharmacies within the Los Angeles area, to pick up the illegally prescribed controlled substances, which they sold for a significant profit. United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu scheduled a January 13, 2026, sentencing hearing, at which time Washington will face a statutory maximum sentence of 42 years in federal prison, including a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft count. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, Elizabeth S.P. Douglas of the Major Frauds Section, and Matthew J. Tako of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Aiken County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Adam Sloan, 40, of Jackson, has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to production of child sexual abuse material. * During an international investigation of an illicit online marketplace on the Dark Web, FBI agents identified Sloan as a user committing online fraud and conducted a search warrant at his residence on April 18, 2023. During a forensic review of the electronic devices seized from Sloan, agents located evidence corroborating those crimes and discovered multiple files on Sloan’s electronic devices depicting child sexual abuse material. The material included videos and images of several minor girls changing clothes, showering, and using the bathroom captured by a hidden camera positioned in various angles in Sloan’s bathroom. Analysts also located videos and images of Sloan placing and manipulating the hidden camera. The minor female victims were at Sloan’s home for birthday parties, pool parties, and sleepovers. Senior United States District Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Sloan to 210 months imprisonment, to be followed by a term of life court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court ordered $5,021 of restitution to be paid to one requesting victim. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Holmes and Dean H. Secor are prosecuting the case. ### * The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”


title: Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Role in  Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine within the Pine Ridge Reservation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a woman from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 29, 2025. Kadell Richard, 31, was sentenced to two 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. Richard was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. She pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025. Between October 2023 and April 2024, Richard and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota and within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Richard assisted her co-conspirators in arranging narcotics transactions and finding end-users to whom her co-conspirators could sell methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force (BSTTF). BSTTF is a joint-agency taskforce comprised of law enforcement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigations, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case. Richard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Sacramento Deputy District Attorney Appointed to Federal Team Prosecuting Transnational Drug Organizations in the Sacramento Region

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: U.S. Attorney Eric Grant and Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho announced today the appointment of Deputy District Attorney Brad Ng to be a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to prosecute cases in federal court relating to transnational drug organizations with ties to the Sacramento region. Ng will work on the Homeland Security Task Force, a team of federal and state prosecutors, agents, and analysts dedicated to combatting transnational organized crime and targeting cartels. As a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ng will remain employed by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and will be able to prosecute cases in both state and federal court. Ng will work in this role for a two-year term. “We see the impact of dangerous drugs throughout our community, from homelessness, violence and property crimes, and even fatalities,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Partnering with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office will allow our offices to bring more cases targeting transnational drug organizations that impact Sacramento County. Brad Ng is a talented and experienced lawyer who will work to ensure that those who distribute large amounts of drugs in the Sacramento region are held accountable. I am grateful to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and District Attorney Ho for their collaboration and commitment to keeping our community safe.” “This partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office is a continuation of our fight to eradicate the fentanyl crisis, which has already resulted in Sacramento fentanyl deaths dropping 70% since 2023,” said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. “With Brad’s prosecutorial skills, he will play a key role in taking down transnational organizations that are flooding our communities with fentanyl and other deadly drugs.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office currently has Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the District Attorney’s Offices of Yolo, Placer, and Fresno Counties.


title: Meth and Fentanyl Supplier Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

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

body_text: AKRON, Ohio – A fourth defendant in a drug conspiracy case has been sentenced to prison for his role as being a supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout Summit County. Ernest Shropshire, 38, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 121 months (approximately 10 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after pleading guilty in January to the following charges as outlined in the indictment: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Distribution of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Distribution of Fentanyl Shropshire was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment. According to court documents, from about April 1 through Aug. 28, 2023, Shropshire served as a supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl to Calvin Roberts, 42. Shropshire would place the illicit drugs in a garbage can in the backyard of his house and then tell Roberts, and other buyers, where to retrieve them. In turn, Roberts would sell drugs to his neighbor, Andrew Corbin, 36, who lived only a short distance away from him. During the investigation, agents learned that the two neighbors would regularly sell the drugs—supplied by Shropshire—out of their homes. Using a network of co-conspirators, the methamphetamine and fentanyl supply was further distributed to customers in and around the Summit County area. Roberts, Corbin, and Phillip August, age 57, all of Akron, were previously sentenced after pleading guilty to their roles in the drug conspiracy. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Five Romanians Sentenced for Installing ATM Skimming Devices

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Five Romanian nationals have been sentenced for installing skimming devices on St. Louis area ATMs to harvest bank account information from customers. U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk sentenced Mihai Vlaicu, 48, and Mihai Florin Marinescu, 38, on Friday to two years in prison. Laurentiu Miguel Ivan, 34, Nelu Nae, 37, and Venera Isabelle Dumitru, 28, were sentenced to the time that they already spent in federal custody while awaiting trial. All will likely be deported when they complete any prison time they receive in their St. Louis case and any pending cases elsewhere in the country. All five pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. A sixth person indicted in the case, Ianus Nita, 53, has not yet been arrested. Around January of 2024, Vlaicu and Marinescu began installing skimming devices in the St. Louis area. They installed them on at least two bank ATMs, one in Clayton and one in Frontenac and began using cloned cards to try and withdraw cash. Marinescu unsuccessfully tried to install a skimming device on an ATM in south St. Louis County, and then successfully installed one on an ATM in Wildwood. On May 28, Marinescu and Nae installed a skimming device on an ATM in St. Louis, but law enforcement found and removed it. The conspirators were using an Airbnb in St. Louis County as a base. Investigators found a laptop computer containing hundreds of videos of customers entering their PINs at ATMs outfitted with a skimming device. They also found skimming devices, installation tools, a large amount of cash and numerous gift cards at the rented residence. The conspirators were successful in stealing about $5,200 from 11 victims. Judge Pitlyk ordered them to repay the money. The FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Webster Groves Police Department, the Clayton Police Department and the Frontenac Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll prosecuted the case.


title: Former U.S. Postal Service Mail Carrier Indicted for Theft of Postal Customers’ Prescription Drugs

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly stealing packages containing prescription medications from postal customers on his route. Michael Vernon, 52, of Somerville, Mass. has been indicted on one count of theft of mail by an officer or employee. Vernon was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 2:45 PM today. According to the charging document, Vernon worked as a USPS mail carrier in Waltham, Mass. From around June 2022 through January 2024, Vernon allegedly used his official position to rifle through the contents of mail entrusted to him, including packages containing prescription medication. It is alleged that Vernon stole bottles of prescription drugs intended for postal customers on his delivery route in Waltham. The charge of theft of mail by employee provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Oglethorpe Mall Suspect Indicted Federally

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: Aujawan Hymon, 20, of Savannah, Georgia was indicted by a federal grand jury this week for Illegal Possession of a Machinegun. Aujawan Hymon was one of six suspects involved in the shooting that occurred in the Oglethorpe Mall on July 2, 2025. The investigation revealed that Hymon was in possession of a firearm with an extended magazine and an affixed machinegun conversion device during the shooting. Officers were able to successfully recover the machinegun during the investigation. Hymon is not a convicted felon. “We are working with our law enforcement partners to stop the illegal possession of machineguns. Let me be clear- if you possess a glock switch, or any device that converts a firearm into a machinegun, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” stated United States Attorney Margaret E. Heap. "Machinegun conversion devices are fueling a deadly uptick in gun violence, turning routine firearms into weapons of war," said ATF Acting ASAC Robert Davis. "This case is yet another example of why ATF is committed to aggressively identifying and removing these illegal devices from our communities." The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Savannah Police Department. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Deputy Criminal Chief Greg Gilluly. All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422. 46-25


title: Maryland Man Charged with Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Maryland man was arrested and charged with trafficking in firearms in Ocean County, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Luiz Vargas, a/k/a, “El Biggie,” 25, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of trafficking in firearms. Vargas made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court on August 11, 2025 and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Beginning in January 2025, law enforcement began investigating Vargas for trafficking firearms into New Jersey from, among other places, Texas and Maryland. Using a confidential source acting at the direction and supervision of law enforcement, officers conducted four controlled purchases of firearms, which yielded a total of eight firearms: two semiautomatic rifles and six handguns. Two of the handguns were reported stolen out of Texas and Colorado, respectively, and the two semiautomatic rifles had no serial numbers or other identifiable markings on them. On at least one occasion, Vargas provided cocaine to the confidential source after being unable to follow through with a promised sale of firearms. Vargas has never held a federal license to deal or manufacture firearms. The firearms trafficking charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark, under the direction of Field Office Director Ruben Perez, the Howell Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John Storrow, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy, the Asbury Park Police Department, under the direction of Deputy Chief of Police Guy Thompson, the Freehold Borough Police Department, under the Direction of Chief of Police Chris Colaner, the Lakewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Gregory H. Meyer, the Little Silver Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Paul Halpin, the Marlboro Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Peter Pezzullo, the Middletown Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police R. Craig Weber, the Monroe Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Griffin N. Banos, and the Wall Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Sean O’Halloran, for their assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Andrea Aldana, Esq., Federal Public Defenders. vargas.complaint.pdf


title: Couple Sentenced for Bank Fraud Scheme and Theft from Tesuque Pueblo Gas Station

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Two Chimayo women were sentenced to prison for a bank fraud scheme that spanned more than two years and for breaking into a Tesuque Pueblo gas station. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, between January 2020 and August 2022, Angelica Dominguez , 41, and her wife Billy Jo Gussler , 44, carried out a bank fraud scheme that involved stealing and fraudulently cashing checks intended for other people. The scheme caused more than $40,000 in actual loss. While engaged in this scheme, the pair also burglarized a Tesuque Pueblo gas station in May 2022, breaking a glass door to enter and stealing lottery tickets and cigarettes. They were linked to the theft when Dominguez tried to cash stolen lottery tickets the next day. The burglary caused nearly $2,500 in losses, including property damage. Neither Dominguez nor Gussler is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe. Dominguez and Gussler both pled guilty to one count of theft in Indian Country and seven counts of bank fraud. Dominguez was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment for her role in these offenses, and Gussler was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. Upon their release from prison, Dominguez and Gussler will each be subject to three years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the theft case with assistance from the Tesuque Tribal Police and Quay County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the fraud case with the assistance of the Santa Fe Police Department, Espanola Police Department, and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Maria Stiteler are prosecuting the cases.


title: Hazleton City Man Sentenced to 20 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Hector Alvarez, age 37, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on February 3, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance at a residence located in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, and observed Alvarez leave the location carrying a grocery bag. Officers followed Avarez as he drove away and witnessed him throw the grocery bag into a garbage can from the window of his car. Officers retrieved the bag and observed empty vacuum sealed bags consistent with packaging kilogram quantities of methamphetamine. Officers attempted to pull Alvarez over, but Alvarez ignored emergency alerts and drove to his residence located on McKinley Street, in Hazleton. Alvarez fled from his vehicle but was eventually caught and arrested by police after a short foot pursuit. Officers located a box Alvarez discarded during his flight which contained 600 glassine packets of fentanyl. Officers seized additional glassine packets of fentanyl stamped with the same symbols of the fentanyl from Alvarez’s vehicle. Officers also searched the Hazle Township residence and seized 26 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 90 grams of fentanyl, and 37 grams of cocaine base (crack). The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Luzerne Cunty Drug Task Force, and the Hazleton City Police Department. Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. # # #


title: Former Boston City Councilor Sentenced to Prison for Federal Public Corruption Charges

body_text: BOSTON – Former Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for public corruption charges after receiving a $7,000 kickback from a staff member’s city funded bonus. Fernandes Anderson pocketed the cash from a staffer in a Boston City Hall bathroom. Tania Fernandes Anderson, 46, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Fernandes Anderson was also ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution. In May 2025 , Fernandes Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. Fernandes Anderson was indicted in December 2024 . “Tania Fernandes Anderson was elected to serve her constituents but instead, she deliberately used her elected position as a Boston City Councilor to serve herself,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “From Boston’s City Hall to the Massachusetts State House, to local and state public officials, this office will continue to aggressively root out and expose public corruption. Massachusetts taxpayers deserve an honest government and accountability. As federal prosecutors we have no fear nor favor, and there will be no blind eye or separate justice system for the powerful. The rule of law does not make exceptions for anyone, including someone like Tania Fernandes Anderson.” “Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson let the power she wielded go to her head and routinely put herself over her constituents who trusted her to act on their behalf and for their benefit. Today’s sentence holds her accountable for flagrantly embracing a culture of fraud and deceit and brazenly pocketing taxpayer money inside a City Hall bathroom to feather her nest,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Make no mistake, the FBI will continue to investigate and bring to justice unscrupulous public officials. We simply can’t permit such corruption to go unchecked.” “The sentencing of Tania Fernandes Anderson demonstrates that no one is above the law,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Fernandes Anderson used her position as a trusted elected official to steal from the City of Boston and the American taxpayers. IRS-CI is committed to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting all instances of public corruption, both in the Commonwealth and across New England.” In or about 2022, Fernandes Anderson hired two members of her immediate family as salaried employees of her City Council staff, which was in violation of Massachusetts state conflict of interest law. As a result, Fernandes Anderson was required to terminate their salaried employment in or about August 2022. In May 2023, the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission notified Fernandes Anderson that it would be seeking a $5,000 civil penalty payment from her as a result of this violation. In or about November 2022, Fernandes Anderson emailed a City of Boston employee regarding the hiring of Staff Member A – a relative of Fernandes Anderson who was not an immediate family member – as a salaried employee. In her email to the City of Boston employee, Fernandes Anderson falsely represented that she and Staff Member A were not related. From in or about early to mid-2023, Fernandes Anderson was facing personal financial difficulty, which included the outstanding $5,000 civil penalty payment to the Ethics Commission. In or about early May 2023, Fernandes Anderson told Staff Member A that she would give them extra pay in the form of a large bonus, but that Staff Member A would have to give a portion of the bonus back to Fernandes Anderson. Staff Member A later agreed to the arrangement with Fernandes Anderson. On May 3, 2023, Fernandes Anderson emailed a City of Boston employee instructing them to process a $13,000 bonus for Staff Member A – more than twice the total bonuses given to her other staff – without disclosing the repayment arrangement. Staff Member A deposited the check on May 26, 2023 and, following Fernandes Anderson’s instructions, made three separate cash withdrawals over the following weeks in the amounts of $3,000; $3,000; and $4,000. Following the last withdrawal on June 9, 2023, the two met in a bathroom at Boston City Hall, where Staff Member A handed Fernandes Anderson $7,000 in cash. Additionally, in 2022 and 2023, Fernandes Anderson used funds from her campaign account for her own personal enrichment, and not for campaign-related expenses. For tax years 2021, 2022 and 2023, Fernandes Anderson also filed fraudulent federal income tax returns with the IRS. Specifically, Fernandes Anderson omitted approximately $11,000 in income that she earned from a Massachusetts-based corporation from her 2021 tax return; willfully omitted campaign funds that she used for her own personal enrichment from her 2022 and 2023 tax returns; and willfully omitted the $7,000 kickback that she received from Staff Member A from her 2023 tax return. From January 2022 to July 2025, Fernandes Anderson served as City Councilor for Boston’s District 7, which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and part of Boston’s South End. She was first elected to a two-year term in November 2021 and won re-election in November 2023. On June 12, 2025, Fernandes Anderson tendered her resignation from Boston’s City Council, which took effect on July 4, 2025. U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks and IRS Acting SAC Demeo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced To 45 Months In Prison For Assault With A Dangerous Weapon

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Zachary O’Meara, age 28, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary Canaan, was sentenced on September 3, 2025, to 45 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley, for assault with a dangerous weapon. According to the Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, on September 24, 2024, O’Meara stabbed another inmate multiple times in the head with an inmate-manufactured weapon. The victim sustained six lacerations to the back of his head and one laceration to his right temple that required surgical sutures. The weapon, commonly referred to as a “shank,” was recovered by prison officials following the assault. The weapon measured five inches in length and was constructed of melted plastic with a sharpened metal tip on one end. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—Scranton Office. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson prosecuted the case. # # #


title: New Jersey Man Sentenced to Almost 11 Years in Prison for Violent Armed Robberies of Three Corner Stores in Philadelphia’s Kensington Section

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jared Stanley, 33, of Lindenwold, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 130 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and restitution of $1,450 by United States District Judge John F. Murphy, for carrying out three commercial robberies in January and February of 2024. In March 2024, Stanley was charged by indictment with one count each of Hobbs Act robbery, carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a felon. That August, he was charged by information with two additional Hobbs Act robberies. Stanley pleaded guilty to all charges against him in October 2024. Stanley committed all three robberies during a two-week span. On January 21, 2024, the defendant entered the Birch Mini-Market, located at 2001 East Birch Street. He approached the counter, pointed a gun at the cashier, and demanded money. When the cashier didn’t understand him, Stanley started screaming at them. He repeatedly hit the cashier in the head with the gun, stole approximately $550 from the register, and fled. On January 28, 2024, Stanley and an unidentified co-conspirator entered the Capricorno Grocery, located at 2000 East Orleans Street. Stanley walked to the employee area of the store, displayed a firearm, grabbed the employee by the shirt and forcibly pulled him away, pistol whipped him repeatedly, and stood guard over him while his accomplice went back to the register and stole approximately $500. On February 2, 2024, Stanley and an unidentified co-conspirator entered Bonifacios Grocery, located at 3052 Frankford Avenue. They pushed an employee to the cash register, told him to get on the ground and then pistol whipped him in the head. Stanley and his accomplice then stole approximately $500 from the cash register and fled the store on foot. 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. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert.


title: Oklahoma Man Sentenced To 130 Months’ Imprisonment For Enticing A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Cody Duncan, age 37, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary for enticing a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity. Judge Neary also ordered Duncan to serve 10 years on supervised release after he finishes serving his prison term. According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Duncan pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor on November 13, 2024. Starting in August 2022, Duncan began communicating online with a 13-year-old girl in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, and sent her gifts, including cellphones that she would use to communicate with him. Duncan subsequently traveled to Pennsylvania in April 2023 and had sex with the minor in a local hotel. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: Fourth ICE Detainee Charged with Escaping Detention Facility in Newark Appears in Court

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The last of four individuals charged with escaping from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, has been arrested and had his initial appearance in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Andres Felipe Pineda Mogollon, 25, of Colombia, was charged by complaint on June 13, 2025, with escape from the custody of an institution or officer. In separate complaints, Franklin Norberto Bautista Reyes, 20, of Honduras, Joan Sebastian Castaneda Lozada, 18, of Colombia, and Joel Enrrique Sandoval-Lopez, 22, of Honduras, were each charged with the same offense in connection with the same escape. According to documents filed in this case, each defendant was detained at Delaney Hall, a privately owned detention center in Newark, New Jersey, pending immigration removal proceedings. On or about June 12, 2025, the defendants fled the facility by breaking through an aluminum second-story wall, dropping mattresses through the opening in the wall to provide a landing place on which to jump, and utilizing bed sheets to cover barbed wire in order to climb over the fence. Castaneda Lozada, Sandoval-Lopez, and Bautista Reyes were each apprehended in New Jersey between June 15 and 16, 2025. Pineda Mogollon was apprehended on July 17, 2025, in Los Angeles, and appeared in court on August 18, 2025, in Court before the Honorable Michael A. Hammer, United States Magistrate Judge. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine. Acting U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in the Newark Field Office and Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis in the Los Angeles Field Office; officers of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under the direction of Acting Director Todd M. Lyons; and officers of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Hardin of the Public Protection Task Force in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Stephen Turano, Esq. mogollon.complaint.pdf


title: Drug Trafficker Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Leading Role in Distributing Fentanyl and Heroin and Laundering Millions in Drug Proceeds

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— Luis Antonio Beltran Arredondo, 35, a Mexican National residing in Las Vegas, was sentenced today to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin in Oregon, and for conspiring to launder drug proceeds through a Tualatin Beauty Salon. Arredondo is expected to be deported following his prison sentence. According to court documents, in the fall of 2021, special agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Portland began investigating a drug trafficking organization suspected of transporting counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and heroin from California into Oregon and Washington for distribution. Between October 2021 and February 2022, agents interdicted couriers and seized drugs and proceeds from locations across three states. In sum, agents seized approximately 41 pounds of methamphetamine, 26 kilograms of heroin, 115,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, as well as more than $348,000 in cash. A parallel financial investigation led by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) revealed that Arredondo and his fiancé, Jacqueline Paola Rodriguez Barrientos, laundered money generated by the drug trafficking organization through the Mazatlán Beauty Salon in Tualatin, Oregon and by buying real estate that they converted into income-generating rentals. The real estate purchases were made with cashier’s checks funded by large cash deposits. Bank records showed that Barrientos made frequent cash deposits ranging from $10,000 to more than $373,000 into accounts held in her name or the name of her salon. These deposits totaled more than $3.5 million during a 9-month period in 2021. Since February 2021, members of the drug trafficking organization purchased a total of nine residential properties in Oregon, Washington, and Nevada, mortgage free, totaling more than $4.6 million in value. Arredondo directed the purchase of these properties with laundered funds. Barrientos then used third-party property management companies to rent these properties and earned approximately $10,000 per month in rental income. On February 17, 2022, DEA agents arrested Arredondo and Barrientos at their Las Vegas residence. Agents found and seized two luxury vehicles, several loose receipts documenting high-end retail purchases, credit card statements documenting more than $16,000 spent on tickets to attend a professional boxing match, and other evidence memorializing the couple’s high-end lifestyle. On June 2, 2025, Arredondo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and to conspiracy to launder drug proceeds. Arredondo is the 12th and final member of the drug trafficking organization charged in this case to be sentenced. Barrientos was sentenced in October 2024, and is currently serving a sentence in federal prison for her role in laundering the organization’s drug proceeds. The government has sought forfeiture on all nine residential properties used to launder the drug money. Five of the properties have been forfeited and sold. Four of the properties remain in forfeiture proceedings. This case was investigated by DEA with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-CI, Tigard Police Department, and Oregon State Police. It is being prosecuted by Peter D. Sax, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Forfeiture proceedings are being handled by Katie De Villiers, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Dauphin County Man Sentenced To 29 Years’ Imprisonment For Producing Child Pornography

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Boyd Damgaard, age 37, of Dauphin, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 29 years’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary for producing child pornography. Judge Neary also ordered Damgaard to serve 15 years on supervised release after he is released from prison. According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between April and June 2020, Damgaard contacted two adolescent girls aged 14 and 15 via online platforms and, after learning the girls’ ages, engaged in illegal sexual activity with them. Damgaard created videos and other digital images of his sexual acts with one of the victims and enticed both victims to send him sexually explicit images via online messaging platforms. On September 25, 2024, Damgaard pleaded guilty to producing child pornography. and as part of a plea agreement admitted to committing all the offenses charged in the federal indictment, including producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, and coercing and enticing minors to engage in illicit sexual activity. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: Mason City Brothers Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Bradley Winters, age 58, was sentenced today, to 20 years in federal prison, after a March 18, 2025, guilty plea to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Bradley had previously been convicted of a serious drug felony. Bradley’s criminal history is extensive, with 33 prior convictions. His convictions include controlled substance violations (including a 2009 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine), multiple thefts, and multiple assaults. Gary Winters, age 63, was sentenced January 3, 2025, to 25 years in federal prison, after a July 24, 2024, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Gary had previously been convicted of a serious drug felony in 2010. Gary’s criminal history includes a 1999 possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying firearms in connection with drug trafficking and a 2010 conviction for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Evidence in the case revealed that between July 2023 and August 2023, Bradley Winters and Gary Winters were part of an ongoing drug conspiracy based in Mason City, Iowa to distribute methamphetamine. Bradley Winters sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant, working with law enforcement. Gary was serving a term of supervised release for his 2010 drug conviction when he was involved in the conspiracy, including his possession of over 180 grams of methamphetamine when he was stopped by law enforcement on August 24, 2023. After Bradley was indicted in this case, he was released on pre-trial supervision. Bradley failed to appear as ordered on July 18, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City. It was later discovered that Bradley cut off his GPS ankle monitor. An arrest warrant was issued for his arrest, and on July 26, 2024, Bradley was located by officers in Clear Lake, Iowa where he fled from officers on foot and fought with them. Bradley was in possession of several baggies of methamphetamine, as well as more than $6,000 cash. Gary Winters was sentenced on January 3, 2025, in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 300 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Bradley Winters was sentenced today, by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 240 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Gary Winters and Brad Winters are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department, Clear Lake Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-3032. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for $1.4 Million Cannabis and Restaurant Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Elias Ghanem II, who previously resided in Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 84 months’ imprisonment for engaging in a fraudulent scheme to solicit investments in purported cannabis and restaurant entities and defrauding investors of approximately $1.4 million. The Court also ordered Ghanem to pay approximately $1.4 million in restitution to the victims of his crimes. Ghanem pleaded guilty to wire fraud in February 2025. The sentence was announced by Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI). “Today, the defendant received just punishment for defrauding more than a dozen investors, including a retired law enforcement officer whose arm was amputated due to gunshot wounds,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue justice for victims of financial crime who fall prey to individuals like Ghanem who advance their greedy desires at the expense of others.” “Elias Ghanem shamelessly stole more than one million dollars from investors of his companies to fund personal purchases,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Ghanem prioritized selfish greed and preyed on the wallets of his victims. The FBI will never tolerate any individual who utilizes lies and deceit to enrich themselves.” According to court filings and the defendant’s admissions, between approximately September 2018 through October 2019, Ghanem solicited approximately $1 million from investors in Viva Capital Ventures, LLC (Viva), a purported cannabis distribution and manufacturing company that Ghanem claimed to operate. One of Ghanem’s Viva investors was a retired police officer who invested around $280,000 he received after he was shot multiple times during an armored car robbery, which led to his arm being amputated. Although Ghanem told the Viva investors that he would use their monies for business-related expenses such as those related to applications for cannabis distribution licenses in various states, Ghanem never applied for such licenses and instead diverted nearly $1 million to fund a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of a luxury waterfront home in Babylon, New York, and for personal expenses, including the partial repayment of a personal loan, and payments of restitution obligations that were imposed to resolve prior criminal charges against him in Nevada. In a second scheme, Ghanem solicited approximately $400,000 from investors in the Friends and Family Hospitality Group (FFHG), a purported restaurant entity that Ghanem claimed he operated. Although Ghanem told the investors that he would use their funds to finance the establishment of a New York City restaurant, he instead used approximately $200,000 to purchase jewelry and lease a Florida condominium. In response to demands for repayment, Ghanem issued one of the FFHG investors a series of checks that bounced for insufficient funds. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley T. King and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder and Legal Assistant Danielle Casey. The Defendant : ELIAS GHANEM II Age: 38 Las Vegas, Nevada E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-520 (S-1) (GRB)


title: Three Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Deportation

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three men convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this week. Bernardino Reyes-Gutierrez , 42, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez on Thursday to 58 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again. Reyes-Gutierrez had previously been removed in February 2016, after completing a prison sentence for a 2013 drug conviction in Philadelphia County. He reentered the United States illegally on an unknown date, was arrested in the Middle District of Pennsylvania by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September 2023, and charged by indictment with illegal reentry that October. The defendant pleaded guilty in April of this year. Aneudy Orlando Otanez , 44, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg on Thursday to time served, almost seven months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again. Otanez had previously been removed from the United States in March 2022 and reentered illegally on an unknown date. ICE became aware of Otanez’s presence in Philadelphia and took him into custody in January of this year. He was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in February and pleaded guilty in July. Vincente Perez-Morales , 24, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky on Tuesday to time served, almost four months, for illegally reentering the United States. Having completed his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again. Perez-Morales had previously been removed in October 2019, after he was encountered in Texas by the U.S. Border Patrol. In January of this year, ICE learned that Perez-Morales had been arrested in Chester County by the Pennsylvania State Police. ICE took him into custody in May, and he was charged by information with illegal reentry in July. Perez-Morales pleaded guilty this week, waiving prosecution by indictment. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Livermore, Rosalynda Michetti, and Ashley Martin.


title: Annapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Dalonte Ray Jones, 21, of Annapolis, Maryland, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Edward Jackson, Annapolis Police Department (APD). According to Jones’ guilty plea, on November 11, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Jones’ apartment located in Maryland. During the search, law enforcement found a Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun, with an extended magazine, in Jones’ bedroom. The magazine, which is capable of holding 45 rounds of ammunition, was loaded with 17 live rounds. In 2023, the firearm was reported stolen. Jones’ DNA, along with the DNA of three other individuals, was on the firearm. Investigators also searched Jones’ iPhone pursuant to a warrant. Law enforcement uncovered numerous videos of Jones holding a variety of firearms, including the firearm he possessed on November 11. Jones knew that he had previous felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing a firearm and ammunition. Jones’ prior convictions included a January 2023 conviction for second-degree assault and an April 2023 conviction for second degree assault. Jones was on probation for the April 2023 assault conviction at the time he possessed the handgun in this case. Jones faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge. Judge Brendan A. Hurson scheduled sentencing for Monday, December 8, at 2 p.m. 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and APD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Middlesex County Man Charged with Transferring Obscene Material to a Minor

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey man was arrested on August 27, 2025, for allegedly sending obscene material to a minor knowing that the minor was under the age of 16, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Mahir Chaudhry, 21, of Piscataway, New Jersey is charged by complaint with one count of transferring obscene material to a minor. Chaudhry appeared on August 28, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court and was detained pending approval of certain bail conditions. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: Between in or around March 2023 and May 2023, Chaudhry sent a minor victim at least six obscene images via text message at a time when Chaudhry knew the victim was younger than 16 years of age. The charge of transferring obscene material to a minor is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. “The defendant’s arrest is a testament to the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to protect the people of New Jersey from individuals who prey on minor victims—no matter where the victims are located." - Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba “Chaudhry’s arrest is impactful on many fronts. He can no longer cause harm to minor victims, as the complaint alleges, and his arrest serves as a warning to others who think their actions are unseen. The FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to find and apprehend these predators,” SAC Stefanie Roddy, FBI Newark said. Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and international partners for their assistance. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Maloy of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Timothy Donahue, Esq.


title: Two Minnesota Men Arrested for Funding and Directing Kidnappings, Bombings, and Killings Overseas

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Minnesota has returned an eight-count indictment charging naturalized U.S. citizens Benedict Nwana Kuah, 51, and Pascal Kikishy Wongbi, 52, with organizing, financing, and directing kidnappings, bombings, and killings in their native country, the Republic of Cameroon. Kuah and Wongbi were arrested this morning in the District of Minnesota and made their initial appearances this afternoon. Kuah and Wongbi are being held pending detention hearings scheduled for Sept 10 and 11, respectively. According to the indictment, the defendants held leadership roles in the self-styled Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF), a separatist militia seeking to create an independent country in Cameroon. Together, they allegedly used their positions to raise money and finance the purchase of weapons, and directed their co-conspirators in Cameroon to kidnap, bomb, and kill civilians, government officials, and members of the security forces in order to intimidate the civilian population and coerce the Cameroonian Government into recognizing their legitimacy. “The defendants are charged with using the United States as a base of operations to finance and direct kidnappings, bombings, and killings in Cameroon,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their alleged conduct caused death, terror, and suffering among innocent civilians. The Criminal Division is committed to holding accountable those who seek refuge in the United States while spreading violence abroad.” “Minnesota is not a launchpad for overseas violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson for the District of Minnesota. “Operating from the comfort of their living rooms in Minnesota, these defendants caused violence and suffering half a world away. They ordered kidnappings, bombings, and murders. Their crimes are an affront to both American law and basic human decency. Cameroon is a safer place because of this prosecution.” “The defendants were allegedly involved in planning, financing and directing violent attacks that harmed numerous civilians and government officials in the Republic of Cameroon, with targets including a market, an annual footrace, and a Youth Day celebration,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Although these violent acts occurred outside of U.S. borders, these charges should underscore that criminal actors cannot hide in the United States. The FBI does not condone violence and will work with our partners to ensure those who engage in, or direct criminal acts are held accountable for their actions.” According to the indictment, beginning in 2017, the defendants sent thousands of dollars to co-conspirators in Cameroon for weapons and explosives and directed attacks that left civilians dead, injured, or taken hostage. In 2022, the fighters kidnapped a government official and broadcast propaganda videos about the abduction. In 2023, Kuah helped plan an improvised explosive device attack targeting a regional governor and later financed a bombing at the Mount Cameroon Race for Hope that injured 19 people. That same year, a commander appointed by Kuah murdered two unarmed civilians in a market square, while Wongbi appeared in a propaganda video threatening others with the same fate. In 2024, Kuah allegedly approved the funding and operational plan for a bombing at a Youth Day celebration that killed a 15-year-old girl and injured dozens of other children. The indictment further alleges that Kuah and Wongbi raised money online to support their operations, including campaigns branded as “The Takeover Fund” and “Operation 200AKs,” which solicited donations for AK-47 rifles and explosives. Kuah appeared in multiple videos urging supporters to fund the purchase of weapons and ammunition for the fighters. The defendants are charged with conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, and injure persons abroad, conspiracy to provide material support or resources, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Kuah is also charged with three counts of providing material support or resources, conspiracy to commit hostage taking and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction outside the United States. If convicted, the defendants face a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Roso for the District of Minnesota are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Michael Dittoe and Matthew Hracho of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Defendants Indicted for Directing  Kidnappings, Bombings, and Killings Overseas

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury has returned an eight-count indictment charging naturalized U.S. citizens Benedict Nwana Kuah, 51, and Pascal Kikishy Wongbi, 52, with organizing, directing, and financing kidnappings, bombings, and killings in their native country, the Republic of Cameroon. The defendants are charged with conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, and injure persons abroad, conspiracy to provide material support or resources, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. In addition, Kuah is charged with three counts of providing material support or resources, conspiracy to commit hostage taking and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction outside the United States. According to the indictment, the defendants are leaders of the self-proclaimed Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF), a group of armed fighters seeking to create a new country called “Ambazonia” in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon. Kuah is the Chairman of the ADF’s so-called War Council. Wongbi is the Head of Defense, Department of Logistics and Human Resources of the War Council. The defendants directed “fighters” to kidnap, bomb, and kill ordinary civilians, government officials, and members of the Cameroonian security forces in order to coerce the Cameroonian Government into recognizing their legitimacy. Both defendants were actively involved in planning, financing, and directing attacks to intimidate and coerce the civilian population and to unlawfully influence the policy and conduct of the Cameroonian government. “The defendants are charged with using the United States as a base of operations to finance and direct kidnappings, bombings, and killings in Cameroon,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their alleged conduct caused death, terror, and suffering among innocent civilians. The Criminal Division is committed to holding accountable those who seek refuge in the United States while spreading violence abroad.” “Minnesota is not a launchpad for overseas violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Operating from the comfort of their living rooms in Minnesota, these defendants caused violence and suffering half a world away. They ordered kidnappings, bombings, and murders. Their crimes are an affront to both American law and basic human decency. Cameroon is a safer place because of this prosecution.” “The defendants were allegedly involved in planning, financing and directing violent attacks that harmed numerous civilians and government officials in the Republic of Cameroon, with targets including a market, an annual footrace, and a Youth Day celebration,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Although these violent acts occurred outside of U.S. borders, these charges should underscore that criminal actors cannot hide in the United States. The FBI does not condone violence and will work with our partners to ensure those who engage in, or direct criminal acts are held accountable for their actions.” “The ADF used terror and coercion to torment civilians and threaten the government of Cameroon. The alleged actions of Kuah and Wongbi directed and funded that death, destruction, and terror,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “These arrests underline the strength of the FBI’s partnerships across the federal government and send the clear message that the U.S. will not be a safe harbor for criminals. Across the U.S. and beyond our shores, U.S. citizens who engage in campaigns of kidnapping, bombing, and murder will be found and brought to justice.” According to the indictment, beginning in 2017, the defendants directed and financed attacks and kidnappings in Cameroon. The defendants sent thousands of dollars to fighters for the purpose of purchasing weapons and ammunition and directed fighters to conduct attacks that resulted in deaths. On April 30, 2022, the fighters kidnapped a civilian government official from Cameroon’s Northwest Region. Wongbi advocated for killing the official immediately. The fighters forced the official to read a statement denouncing Cameroon and proclaiming loyalty to Ambazonia. Kuah then worked with others to publish a propaganda video that incorporated the statement and demanded that the Government of Cameroon release prisoners in exchange for the government official’s release. Several days later, Kuah appeared in a video on the ADF’s YouTube channel in which he announced that the kidnapped official had been “condemned to death.” While the official was in captivity, co-conspirators accused the official of not supporting the separatist movement and instructed the fighters not to release her until they gave the order. The official was rescued by the Cameroonian military following a month in captivity. Kuah later appeared in a propaganda video lamenting that the official had not been killed. In January 2023, Kuah and another leader planned and oversaw an attempt to kill the civilian governor of Cameroon’s Northwest Region, which they dubbed “Operation Rattlesnake.” While co-conspirators sent funding for the attack, Kuah reviewed photos of the proposed attack site and the attack plan and instructed the fighters about the construction and placement of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). On the date of the attack, the fighters deployed the IEDs, causing the governor’s convoy to divert, but failing to kill the governor. In February 2023, the group’s leader directed fighters to bomb the Mount Cameroon Race for Hope, an annual footrace held in the Southwest Region. Kuah sent funds from his personal bank account to finance the attack and fighters sent photographs of the completed IEDs. On February 25, 2023, the fighters detonated the IED at the race, injuring 19 people. On October 4, 2023, conspirators murdered two unarmed civilians in the market square in Guzang, a town in the Northwest Region. Prior to the killings, Kuah and Wongbi had repeatedly instructed members to kill civilians who were believed to be cooperating with the Government of Cameroon. After the killings, the group’s spokesman publicly confirmed that the men were killed because they had allegedly provided information to Cameroonian forces. Wongbi then appeared in a propaganda video threatening that other cooperators would meet the same fate. On February 11, 2024, conspirators detonated an IED at a Youth Day celebration in Nkambe, in the Northwest Region. The attack injured dozens of civilians, mostly children, and killed a 15-year-old girl. Prior to the IED attack, Kuah distributed an operational plan for attacks, which included the attack against Youth Day celebrations in Nkambe. Additionally, Kuah approved the purchase of dynamite, a fuse, and a remote, for use in the attack. In addition to planning and directing attacks like the ones described above, the defendants raised money and sent thousands of dollars to fighters for weapons, ammunition, explosives, and other supplies. For example, in 2017 and 2018, Kuah and Wongbi personally sent fighters thousands of dollars to buy materials for attacks. Then, in 2021, the defendants began to raise funds for the group through social media platforms. Through an internet site called “The Takeover Fund” the defendants solicited donations and raised funds for weapons. Kuah also appeared in videos on social media platforms in which he requested donations for explosives. In October 2022, Kuah announced the launch of a new fund-raising campaign called “Operation 200AKs,” which was designed to arm fighters with AK-47 assault rifles. Kuah appeared in multiple videos requesting donations for Operation 200 AKs, and accounts controlled by the conspirators received numerous donations, many of which specified that the funds were to be used for weapons and ammunition. Conspirators directed members to send the funds to fighters in Cameroon, often in support specific planned attacks. Kuah and Wongbi were arrested this morning in the District of Minnesota and made their initial appearances this afternoon. Kuah and Wongbi are detained pending detention hearings set for September 10, 2025 (Kuah) and September 11, 2025 (Wongbi). If convicted, the defendants face a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. These cases result from an investigation conducted by the FBI, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Roso and Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case, and with assistance from Trial Attorneys Michael Dittoe and Matthew Hracho of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 97 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 97 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On August 29, Ernesto Cota-Flores, Yaritza Borges Garcia and Idania Yolanda Castillo-Raymundo, all Mexican citizens, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a vessel off Point Loma carrying 13 suspected undocumented immigrants, including three children. Cota-Flores is the alleged boat captain; Borges Garcia and Castillo-Raymundo were previously deported in June. On August 31, Luis Gustavo Sanchez Sanchez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Sanchez attempted to cross into the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry with 123 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in his vehicle. On September 1, Maria Rivas-Acosta, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry After Deportation. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found the defendant hiding in the bushes just north of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. She had been previously deported to Mexico on May 5, 2025, through San Luis, Arizona. Also recently, several defendants with criminal records were sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases: On September 5, Emiliano Rendon-Rodriguez, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony Burglary, Possession of Controlled Substances for Sale, and Illegal Entry, was sentenced in federal court to 52 days in custody for again entering the U.S illegally. On September 5, Jose David Morales-Rodriguez, a Mexican national, was sentenced in federal court to 87 months in custody for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the Brawley, California area. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.