title: Guatemalan National Arrested For Illegal Reentry And Failure To Register As A Sex Offender

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Jairon Micael Juarez-Gomez (36, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien and failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted, Juarez-Gomez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, Juarez-Gomez was convicted of a felony offense—sexual battery with a child aged 12-18 years—on November 30, 2020. Following his conviction, Juarez-Gomez was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). He was subsequently deported, excluded, and removed from the United States to Guatemala on December 29, 2020. Juarez-Gomez was found to be voluntarily back in the United States on August 8, 2025. He had not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to this country. Juarez-Gomez also had knowingly failed to register as a sex offender upon his return, as required by SORNA. 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 is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Marshals Service, the Mount Dora Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Husband and Wife Each Sentenced to a Year and a Half in Prison for Scheme to Import and Sell Counterfeit Cell Phones, Accessories

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Yangwei Li, aka Jason Lee, Jason Li, Bryan Li, and Ryan Li, 38, and Yawen Huang, aka Yvonne Huang, 38, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced this week to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $60,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Chad F. Kenney, for their scheme to import and sell counterfeit cell phones. The defendants were charged by indictment in September 2023 and pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud in November of last year. As detailed in court filings, starting in July 2018, United States Customs and Border Protection (“Customs”) began to intercept shipments of telephones and telephone accessories in the Ports of Philadelphia, New York, and Louisville. These shipments were addressed to defendant Li, under one of his multiple aliases, at three Philadelphia addresses associated with Li and his wife, co-defendant Huang. The devices in these packages bore counterfeit trademarks of major manufacturers, such as Samsung, Apple, and AKG, as well as counterfeit Underwriters Laboratories symbols. The counterfeit status was established by experts from the trademark owner and/or Customs. In total, between July 2018 and July 2020, Customs seized 24 shipments of counterfeit telephones and accessories imported by Li and Huang, with a total manufacturer’s suggested retail price of nearly $350,000. When Customs seized the defendants’ counterfeit items, it issued notices of seizure to Li, under his various aliases, at the listed import addresses. Each of those notices identified the items had been seized, advised that they were counterfeit, and solicited contrary evidence. Neither Li nor Huang responded to any of the Customs notices. Likewise, Samsung sent a total of six cease and desist letters to Li, under various aliases. Neither Li nor Huang responded to Samsung’s letters. On April 2, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Li and Huang’s residence on the 2100 block of Chandler Street in Philadelphia. Agents recovered numerous types of counterfeit items, including Apple and Apple Watch charging kits; Apple accessory kits; iPhones and iPhone charging cables; Samsung wall and car chargers; Samsung headphones; AKG headphones; LG chargers; and UL charging cables. The domestic value of the items seized at the defendants’ residents was approximately $224,197. Agents also found Samsung and iPhone packaging, as well as laptops, thumb drives, and cell phones linking Li and Huang to six eBay sites selling counterfeit items. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Shapiro and Ruth Mandelbaum.


title: FORMER HOME HEALTH CARE OPERATOR SETTLES FRAUD ALLEGATIONS OF BILLING FEDERAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS FOR SERVICES PERFORMED BY UNLICENSED FOREIGN DOCTORS

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today that Irene Oluwatoyin Oshiyoye has agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that she violated the False Claims Act by defrauding the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The United States contended that Irene Oshiyoye, together with her late husband, Dr. Adekunle Oshiyoye, formerly operated Advance Visiting Physicians, P.C. (“Advance Visiting Physicians”), which provided home health care services to patients in Southeast Michigan from its offices in Farmington Hills. The civil settlement resolves allegations that from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2021, Irene Oshiyoye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims by Advance Visiting Physicians to Medicare and Medicaid for home health visits performed by unlicensed and unsupervised foreign doctors, in violation of Medicare and Medicaid rules. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement or judgment. The qui tam case is captioned United States and the State of Michigan ex rel. Telusnor v. Advance Visiting Physicians, P.C., et al., Case No. 2:20-cv-12602 (E.D. Mich.). The settlement amount and payment structure were based on Irene Oshiyoye’s ability to pay. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the Michigan Attorney General Health Care Fraud Division. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Gentner from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan handled this matter for the United States. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.


title: Everett Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An Everett man pleaded guilty on Sept. 10, 2025 in federal court in Boston to possessing, distributing and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The defendant committed these offenses within months of being released from federal prison. Robert Sokolowski, 52, pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of child pornography; distribution of child pornography; and receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2025. In September 2024, Sokolowski lost his cell phone on an MBTA Green Line trolley. After the phone was turned in, an employee attempting to identify the owner of the lost phone discovered images of CSAM on the phone. The phone was found to contain hundreds of images and videos depicting CSAM, depicting children as young as toddlers. This case is Sokolowski’s third federal conviction for CSAM offenses. In 2005, Sokolowski was convicted in U.S. District Court for possession of CSAM and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. In 2015 , Sokolowski was convicted a second time in U.S. District Court for possession of CSAM and sentenced to 150 months in prison. He committed the offenses in this case seven months after being released from prison for the 2015 offense. Due to Sokolowski’s prior convictions, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the MBTA Transit Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services Employee Gets Prison Term for Sexually Abusing a Minor in His Care

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON—Kelvin Powell, 63, of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today for the sexual abuse of a 17-year-old minor, who was in the custody of his former employer, the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Powell was found guilty on July 1, 2025, on four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a ward, four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, four counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a ward, and four counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, by a Superior Court jury. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt ordered Powell to serve 20 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Powell is also required to register as a sex offender. “The court’s sentencing demonstrates that no one is above the law and that justice will prevail,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The collaborative efforts of my Office, FBI and MPD is a reminder that criminal actions, especially from a child sexual predator, will be met with serious consequences, especially on behalf of our most vulnerable victims.” "Powell is a sexual predator who repeatedly abused a 17-year-old," said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. "As his sentencing demonstrates, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will pursue public servants who use their positions to prey on individuals in their care and custody." According to the government’s evidence, Powell was a Youth Development Representative (YDR) at the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS)’s Youth Services Center (YSC). DYRS is the District of Columbia government agency responsible for the supervision, custody, and care of young people detained while pending charges for a delinquent act. As a YDR, Powell was responsible for the care, custody, and control of the juvenile residents being detained at YSC. Between December 2021 through February 2022, Powell used his position and his authority to repeatedly sexually abuse a then-seventeen-year-old minor ward residing at YSC. During that time, Powell repeatedly isolated the minor in areas of YSC that were not covered by video surveillance cameras. In those areas, Powell repeatedly sexually abused the minor by committing sexual acts and sexual contacts to her. In an incident captured by surveillance cameras, Powell sexually abused the minor by groping her clothed buttocks in a hallway at YSC. Joining in the announcement was FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Special Agent in Charge Davis commended those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also commended the valuable assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. In addition, they acknowledged the efforts of former Assistant United States Attorneys Risa Berkower and Cara Gardner, who provided critical assistance, Paralegal Specialists Liliana Villamizar and ReShawn Johnson, supported by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liz Aloi and Bryan Han, Victim Specialist Veronica Vaughan, Litigation Tech Specialists Leif Hickling, Will Henderson, and Charlie Bruce, who provided critical assistance. Finally, they thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Visser, Jessica Wash, and Niki Holmes, who prosecuted the case.


title: Berks County Man Sentenced for Art Fraud Scheme

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Carter Reese, 77, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl to 60 days in prison, two years of supervised release with four months on home detention, a $50,000 fine, and restitution of $186,125, in connection with a scheme in which Reese defrauded customers by making false representations about the source and authenticity of certain art purportedly created by prominent artists. Reese was charged by information in May of this year with one count of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud and pleaded guilty the same month. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from about February 2019 to March 2021, Reese sold and attempted to sell art that he represented as genuine pieces created by prominent artists, including Francis Bacon, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jean Cocteau, Keith Haring, Fernand Léger, Roy Lichtenstein, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and others. Reese knew that the pieces were fake and had not been created by those artists. The case was investigated by members of the FBI’s Art Crime Team assigned to the Philadelphia and Miami field offices and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and Jason Grenell.


title: 270 New Immigration Cases Added in Western District of Texas This Week

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 270 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Sept. 5 through 11. Among the new cases, two individuals were arrested in El Paso on Sept. 4 after allegedly picking up illegal aliens approximately 10.6 miles east of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that the driver of the vehicle, Carlos Misael Soto-Lopez, lost control of his vehicle at a high rate of speed, causing the vehicle to roll multiple times. U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended all seven individuals who were observed fleeing from the vehicle following the crash. Soto-Lopez and a second individual, Axel Arturo Rodriguez-Mata, were charged for transporting illegal aliens. Mexican national Francisco Javier Mercado-Carrillo was charged with attempting to evade immigration laws by appearing under an assumed or fictitious name when applying for admission to the U.S. Mercado-Carrillo allegedly presented himself to a Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry with a counterfeit Texas Identification Card bearing the photograph, name, and date of birth, of another individual with the initials of J.D.E. After questioning Mercado-Carrillo, the CBPO referred him to Passport Control Secondary, where he allegedly admitted his true name, date of birth, and stated he was born in Coahuila, Mexico. Mercado-Carrillo has been previously removed from the U.S. three times, the last being on or about July 26. Also in El Paso, Mexican national Jose Armando Rodriguez-Rincon was charged with illegal re-entry, having been most recently removed from the U.S. for the third time on Aug. 15. Rodriguez-Rincon was convicted in May 2024 for his second DWI and sentenced to 300 days confinement. In San Antonio, Mexican national Jose Luis Giron-Zepeda was pulled over by Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for allegedly speeding in a school zone on Sept. 9. DPS contacted ICE to inquire about Giron-Zepeda’s immigration status and learned he was in the country illegally. Records also indicated that Giron-Zepeda had been convicted in 2013 for transportation of illegal aliens. Juan Leonardo Tovar-Ramirez, also a Mexican national, was taken into ICE custody in Austin after being convicted for his third DWI. Tovar-Ramirez was also convicted in 2020 for illegal re-entry, having been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico in 2014. Mexican national Luis Garcia-Rincon was taken into ICE custody at the Travis County Jail, where he was being confined for a DWI. He was removed from the U.S. in 2023 following convictions in Travis County for indecent assault and unlawful restraint. Mexican national Jose Alejandro Gonzalez Balderaz was also taken into ICE custody this week, having been in the U.S. illegally and previously removed in 2019. In 2017, he was convicted for unlawful carrying of a weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Dallas. His record also includes two DWI convictions. In Eagle Pass, two Pakistani nationals were charged with improper entry. U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Jamshaid Iqbal Goraya and Talha Khalid on Aug. 27 after the two allegedly crossed the Rio Grande River and entered the U.S. illegally. A twice deported Honduran national was also arrested in Eagle Pass. Jairo Moises Garcia-Castro was most recently deported on Nov. 6, 2024, after being convicted for his second DWI in Karnes County. Alejandro Dominguez-Ortiz, a Mexican national, was arrested in Del Rio for illegal re-entry. He was convicted for sexual assault and sentenced to five years confinement in 2022. His sole deportation was in January 2024. Mexican national Miguel Rosas-Rosendo was arrested in Del Rio on Sept. 7. With three prior removals, Rosas-Rosendo was convicted for illegal re-entry in 2024, and was convicted in 2023 for a state charge of smuggling of persons. 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: Sentencing for illegal reentry includes new allegations of sexual misconduct

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 31-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally entering the country without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Luis Alfonso Murillo-Soriano pleaded guilty March 8, 2024. U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Murillo-Soriano to serve 130 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Murillo-Soriano had allegedly sexually assaulted another inmate and helped bring contraband into the facility while in custody. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of Murillo-Soriano’s three drug convictions and expressed concern over his commission of another serious offense after illegally re-entering the United States. Murillo-Soriano has multiple felony drug convictions involving heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine as well as driving while intoxicated. He was first removed in 2018 and returned unlawfully two other times. Authorities discovered him after he was apprehended in December 2019 for his involvement in distributing four kilograms of heroin. Murillo-Soriano had just been deported at the end of October 2019. Further, he returned illegally to the United States while on supervised release for a previous serious drug trafficking charge. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation along with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Lu is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


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 September 5, Marco Arizmendi-Rodriguez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents intercepted the defendant as he slowly crawled across terrain near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry after he illegally crossed into the United States from Mexico. The defendant was previously deported to Mexico in June 2011 from Calexico. On September 7, Jesus Campos, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 54 pounds of fentanyl and four pounds of heroin concealed in his vehicle when he applied for entry in the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On September 8, Cesar Verdugo-Cabrera, Santos Martinez-Almaraz, Ricardo Natividad Nunez-Pacheco and Jose Carmelo Ortiz-Castro, citizens of Mexico and Guatemala, were arrested by Customs and Border Protection officers after a short pursuit at sea. According to a complaint, Verdugo was charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain as the alleged captain of a panga-style fishing vessel carrying undocumented immigrants; the others were charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Convicted murderer among 306 people charged in border security-related cases during second week of September

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 303 cases have been filed in relation to immigration and border security matters from Sept. 5-11, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Among those charged are 126 individuals who allegedly reentered the country illegally after removal. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses and prior immigration crimes. Another 162 people face charges of illegally entering the country, while 14 others are allegedly involved in human smuggling. The remaining four individuals face charges that include firearms offenses and other immigration-related crimes. Some charged with felony reentry after removal are five illegal aliens who had just been removed this summer. One is Mexican national Luis Pablo Estolano-Velasquez. The charges allege he has a prior conviction for capital murder of multiple persons, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and removed in June. However, authorities allegedly found him near Pharr, illegally in the country this week. Other criminal complaints allege Mexican nationals Adan Jaimes-Gomez and Jose Alvarado-Aguirre were removed June 23 and Aug. 21, respectively, while Honduran nationals Franklin Geovanny Escobar-Matias and Jose Mauricio Garcia-Martinez were removed July 27 and Aug. 1. Each allegedly has prior convictions, including illegal reentry, robbery or manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance. Authorities also found in the Rio Grande Valley Mexican nationals Juan Gerardo Garcia-Torres and Juan Manuel Zamudio-Villasenor as well as Honduran national Cesar Ernesto Amendola-Hernandez with no legal permission to be in the United States, according to the complaints against them. The charges allege all have prior convictions for illegal reentry. All face up to 20 years in prison, if convicted. The Southern District of Texas also indicted a 33-year-old Mexican national for illegal reentry following his second alleged DWI and a fatal crash. Law enforcement allegedly arrested Eduardo Balderas-Zuniga May 11 for a DWI in Harris County. Authorities removed him from the country, but the charges allege he illegally returned and was again arrested after allegedly driving drunk and causing the death of an innocent civilian. In addition to the new cases, eight violent MS-13 gang members, all El Salvadorian citizens who illegally resided in Houston, pleaded guilty and face decades in prison for racketeering charges involving multiple murders and witness tampering. The men used machetes, a baseball bat and strangulation to expand the gang’s power. They also then sent photos of the victims’ bodies to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador, sometimes after mutilating or dismembering them. Under their plea agreements, three will each serve 50 years in federal prison, while the others face sentences ranging from 35-50 years. “This case demonstrates the tremendous public safety threat that MS-13 and other criminal terrorist organizations pose to American communities,” said Ganjei. “Here, defendants carried out a series of murders - bludgeoning, butchering, and strangling their victims with sadistic glee. These are people without remorse or pity. When it comes to eradicating these gangs, the United States cannot afford to either relent or fail. As the facts of this case show, the stakes are too high.” In Brownsville, a Mexican citizen illegally residing in the Weslaco area was sentenced to 204 months following his conviction for illegal reentry after removal, conspiracy to possess with the intent to deliver over five kilograms of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Jorge Huerta-Garcia was indicted in March 2024 for illegal reentry after removal. During this time, law enforcement was also investigating him as part of a drug trafficking organization and linked him to an incident involving nearly 40 kilograms of cocaine. Huerta-Garcia, previously convicted in 2017 of being a felon in possession of a firearm and removed from the United States in 2022, was again arrested in March 2024 with a loaded AR-10 rifle, ammunition and firearm magazines. Mexican national and gang member Raul Angel Serna Buentello was sentenced in Houston to 100 months for illegally reentering the country. The sentence included 24 months for violating the terms of his supervised release following a previous conviction for the same offense. At the hearing, the court heard confirmation of his status as a member of the Tango Blast gang and about other troubling behavior which contradicted defense claims about him allegedly being a loving, family man. He was removed on two occasions and has a conviction for illegal reentry but was found in the United States in 2022 after an arrest and conviction for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading arrest. He has a criminal history dating back to the age of 14 including multiple burglaries/thefts of vehicles, evading arrest and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Also announced this week was a 62-year-old Alamo resident who pleaded guilty to transporting two Mexican citizens hidden under blankets on the top bunk of a tractor-trailer’s sleeper cab. Authorities said Lazaro Rosendo Vega appeared abnormally loud and excited at the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint. He faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Another case out of Corpus Christi federal court was a La Villa resident and repeat human smuggler who received 46 months in federal prison for conspiring to transport 27 illegal aliens, two of whom were minors. The court noted his prior convictions for bulk cash smuggling and the transportation of illegal aliens. He was also on supervised release when he committed the crime. Authorities found the illegal aliens lying on produce pallets in a refrigerated trailer set at approximately 50 degrees. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Man Charged in Federal Court with Robbing Armored Truck Driver in Downtown Chicago

body_text: CHICAGO — A man was charged in federal court today with robbing an armored truck driver in downtown Chicago earlier this week. DAJON HARRIS robbed a Brinks armored truck driver on Wednesday morning in the first block of South State Street in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood, according to a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The armored truck driver had just exited a store carrying several bags of cash when Harris allegedly approached him and tried to rip a bag out of his hand. A struggle ensued, and Harris punched the driver and took a bag of cash, the complaint states. During the struggle, the driver unholstered his gun and fired shots at Harris, the complaint states. Harris fled west on Madison Street toward a Chicago Transit Authority subway station, the complaint states. Law enforcement officers encountered Harris in the station and recovered the stolen money. Harris was transported to a hospital for medical treatment. The complaint charges Harris, 23, of Evergreen Park, Ill., with robbery, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. His initial appearance in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled. The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hanna Helwig. The robbery occurred in the newly designated Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”) enforcement zone in downtown Chicago. On June 4, 2025, U.S. Attorney Boutros announced an expansion of PSN to include the economic centers in downtown Chicago and the entire rail system operated by the Chicago Transit Authority. The enforcement efforts in the newly designated PSN Enforcement Zones focus on the investigation and prosecution of individuals and organized groups who engage in robberies, illegal firearm possession, drug trafficking, carjackings, and other violent offenses most often involving the use of firearms. For violent offenders arrested downtown or aboard CTA trains, criminal prosecutors will bring appropriate charges to achieve maximum deterrence. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. harris_complaint.pdf


title: Former NASA employee and husband convicted in mortgage fraud scheme

body_text: HOUSTON - A Missouri City couple have admitted to their roles in orchestrating a fraudulent financing and refinancing mortgage loan scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Noreen Khan aka Noreen Khan-Mayberry, 52, and her husband Christopher Mayberry, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for making false statements to loan businesses in relation to several mortgage loans they financed. Khan had been a technical manager for NASA, while a NASA contractor had employed Mayberry. Beginning in 2016, Mayberry and Khan, while employed at NASA, took out significant personal loans to fund the purchase of their luxury home before quickly defaulting on them. The couple attempted to dispute the debts, claiming to be victims of identity theft. Khan filed a false police report, submitted a false report to the Federal Trade Commission and sent letters to credit bureaus seeking to have loans removed from her credit. As part of the scheme, the couple signed three separate loan agreements with mortgage lenders related to the financing of their home from 2017 to 2021. They also admitted to providing false employment information and fake documents, including pay stubs, tax forms and account statements, to lenders. Khan and Mayberry face up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine in addition to the possible forfeiture of their luxury home. They must also pay restitution in the amount of $276,709 prior to sentencing, which is set for Dec. 18 before U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge. Both were permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. NASA’s Office of Inspector General-Office of Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.


title: Corpus Christi resident sentenced to 10 years for methamphetamine trafficking

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 62-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Robert Hall pleaded guilty March 3, 2022. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Hall to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court emphasized that Hall had no arguments that could alter the statutorily required sentence. On March 16, 2019, law enforcement pulled Hall over for a traffic violation in Corpus Christi. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a black backpack containing approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine, a scale and unused plastic baggies. Hall admitted he knew the methamphetamine was in the backpack and that he was on his way to drop it off to someone else in Corpus Christi. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Pruitt prosecuted the case.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Firearm Charge

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 7, 2025. Andrew Cortes, 30, was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Cortes was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on May 23, 2025. On December 12, 2024, Rapid City police officers initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Cortes was a passenger for a traffic violation. As soon as the vehicle came to a stop, Cortes fled the scene. Law enforcement pursued Cortes on foot and apprehended him. Cortes had a pistol in his possession during the pursuit, and it dropped from him when law enforcement apprehended him. Cortes was previously convicted for a felony crime. Possessing a firearm after such a conviction is a federal felony offense. 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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Cortes was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Jury Convicts California Man of Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a California man today for receipt of child pornography. “The defendant was convicted by a jury for collecting videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including toddlers and infants who were subject to horrific abuse,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This content is vile and illegal, and we will aggressively prosecute those who engage with it.” “Today, a jury found Cragg guilty of crimes that encouraged the gross abuse of our society’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to target for prosecution and imprisonment those who contribute to this vile conduct.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Edward Cragg, 46, of Turlock, California, used a file-sharing program from approximately Aug. 1, 2015, through March 1, 2016, to search for and download more than 130 child sexual abuse videos. He would then watch these videos, sort them, and move them to an external hard drive. Some of the videos depicted images of infants or toddlers being subjected to sadistic or masochistic abuse. Cragg told law enforcement that the child sexual abuse videos were “interesting … like a dead cat on the side of the road.” He also stated that he did not think looking at child sexual abuse material was wrong. Cragg is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and the Turlock Police Department investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Justice Department’s High Technology Investigative Unit within the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Previously Convicted Sexual Abuser is Found Guilty of Assaulting Several Women at Metro Stations

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, Nicholis Dorsey, 33, of Washington, D.C. was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of misdemeanor sexual assault with felony enhancement for sexually abusing five female passengers at various metro transit stations, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Dorsey was convicted of six counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse with a felony enhancement and aggravating circumstances. Dorsey had previously been convicted of sexually assaulting three additional women – all eight women were strangers to him. The Honorable Judge Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for November 14, 2025. According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, between January and March 2025, Dorsey approached five women at various metro stations and assaulted them by touching either their buttocks or inner thigh. After each assault, Dorsey would then antagonize each of his victims by engaging in prolonged staring, sometimes coupled with laughter. After committing the assaults, the defendant would promptly leave the stations. In response, detectives from the Metro Transit Police Department created be on the lookout (“BOLO”) flyers using screenshots from metro surveillance footage that depicted the defendant. With the help of quick-acting Special Police Officers and Officers from the Metro Transit Police Department, Dorsey was arrested on March 5, 2025, shortly after the final assault, and has been in custody since. He confirmed his identity during a custodial interview, that same day, after being shown two BOLO fliers from the outstanding investigations. The investigation revealed that Dorsey had three prior convictions for misdemeanor sexual abuse, rendering him eligible for a felony enhancement under the law. Joining in the announcement was Chief Michael Anzallo of the Metro Transit Police Department. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Anzallo commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metro Transit Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Victim Advocate Veronica Vaughan, who provided support and coordinative efforts for all five victims. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Soter and LaVater Massie-Banks, who prosecuted the case.


title: Jury Convicts Stanislaus County Man of Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Stanislaus County man today for receipt of child pornography. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California Eric Grant; Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office; and Chief Jason Hedden of the Turlock Police Department made the announcement. “Today, a jury found Cragg guilty of crimes that encouraged the gross abuse of our society’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to target for prosecution and imprisonment those who contribute to this vile conduct.” “The defendant was convicted by a jury for collecting videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including toddlers and infants who were subject to horrific abuse,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Galeotti. “This content is vile and illegal, and we will aggressively prosecute those who engage with it.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Edward Cragg, 46, of Turlock, used a file-sharing program in 2015 and 2016 to search for and download more than 130 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Turlock Police Department investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Justice Department’s High Technology Investigative Unit within the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS are prosecuting the case. Cragg is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Cragg faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former Cruise Line Employee Sentenced for Possession of  Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on September 9, 2025, REZA HETA PRATAMA (“PRATAMA”) , age 29, a foreign national of the Republic of Indonesia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion for Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). According to court documents, PRATAMA was previously employed by a cruise line and was arrested in July 2024 after special agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, found PRATAMA in possession of child pornography at the Erato Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans. Judge Papillion sentenced PRATAMA to 48 months imprisonment, 10 years of supervised release, a payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, and a payment of $100 pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2259A. The Court also ordered that restitution be paid to all victims. A restitution hearing is set for November 4, 2025. These cases were 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany L. Reed of the Violent Crimes/Strike Force Unit. * * *


title: Defendant Convicted at Trial for Participating in  Transnational Telemarketing Scheme that Defrauded Dozens of Victims of More than $12 Million

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Yveler Marcellus was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with a fraudulent scheme that targeted dozens of vulnerable victims in the United States. The verdict followed a five-day trial before United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon. When sentenced, Marcellus faces up to 40 years in prison. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Daniel Brubaker, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the verdict. “The evidence showed that Yveler Marcellus worked closely with a crew based in New York, along with co-conspirators abroad, to perpetrate a sprawling, transnational money laundering and fraud scheme that cruelly preyed on vulnerable victims’ fears that their money was compromised and that they were running afoul of the law,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s verdict underscores our Office’s commitment to vigorously prosecute criminals who conspire with foreign actors for their own monetary gain and to the financial detriment of elderly and other vulnerable victims.” Mr. Nocella thanked Homeland Security Investigations, New York, and the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance on the case. “Postal Inspectors have long investigated telemarketing scams and mail fraud, and unfortunately the elderly are often victims of these schemes by greedy and callous individuals. This verdict is another victory for consumers, and sends a strong message to those who use the U.S. Mail to prey on our seniors, you will be brought to justice and pay for your crimes.” said USPIS Inspector In Charge Brubaker. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to combating elder fraud designed to defraud innocent victims primarily by illegal use of the U.S. Mail, and we continue taking steps to educate Americans about the dangers of various types of frauds.” As proven at trial, between January 2022 and December 2023, Marcellus and his co-conspirators participated in a “tech” scheme, through which co-conspirators based in India contacted victims by phone and convinced them to send money instruments, including checks and money orders, to the defendant and other U.S-based co-conspirators at various addresses in the Eastern District of New York. After receiving the victims’ checks, Marcellus and his U.S.-based co-conspirators laundered the check proceeds through their own bank accounts and other bank accounts that they controlled, shared the proceeds amongst themselves, and sent the remainder of the laundered proceeds to the co-conspirators in India. The scheme is estimated to have netted over $12 million from victims across the United States. Seven of Marcellus’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Molly Delaney and David Berman are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists John Schneider and Erin Payne. The Defendant : YVELER MARCELLUS Age: 32 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-9 (S-1) (CBA) Defendants Who Have Previously Pleaded Guilty : DANIEL VERNON Age: 29 Queens, New York FELIX MARCIAL Age: 32 Brooklyn, New York TATIANA WILLIAMS Age: 28 Miramar, Florida ASHEEM HENRY Age: 34 New York, New York RAHMEL THOMPSON Age: 26 Queens, New York GEORGE MIMS Age: 38 New York, New York DAQUAN MITCHELL Age: 34 New York, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-9 (CBA)


title: New Mexico Teenager Charged with Making Violent Online Threats

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A New Mexico teenager has been charged with making violent threats on social media following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. According to court documents, on or about September 11, 2025, Jace Allen , 19, used an account on X.com under the alias “Jebron Lames” to post a series of violent and racist threats following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025. Among the threats, Allen wrote that he planned to commit mass murder, target minorities and Jews, and shoot up unspecified locations. He also threatened an Ohio city council member directly, telling the official, “You’re gonna be one of the first to die.” The FBI’s Toledo Resident Agency quickly traced the account to Allen ’s phone and residence in Jamestown, New Mexico. Agents from the FBI Gallup Resident Agency located and interviewed Allen at his home on September 11, 2025. Allen admitted to making the posts, acknowledged being a Neo-Nazi who hates Jews and minorities, and said he wanted to help spark a civil war by terrorizing people online. Although Allen stated he did not own a firearm, a search of his phone revealed videos of him firing a rifle and handgun in August 2025. Allen is charged with transmitting communications containing a threat to injure another person and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing. If convicted of the current charges, Allen faces five years in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ogden Market Beating Death in March 2021 Leads to 20 Year Prison Term

body_text: WASHINGTON – Alvin Alexis Cruz Garcia, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court for the beating death of Ramon Gomez Yanez at the Ogden Market in Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Cruz Garcia was found guilty of one count of second-degree murder while armed following a four-day trial on June 6, 2025. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Cruz Garcia to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 8:28 p.m. on March 23, 2021, 38-year-old Ramon Gomez Yanez, parked his car and made his usual stop at the local food market, Ogden Market, located at 1500 Ogden Street NW. When Mr. Gomez came back outside, the defendant was standing on the sidewalk and urinating much too close to the back of Mr. Gomez’s car. The Ogden Market surveillance video, with no audio available, showed some exchange of words between the two men and then showed Cruz Garcia punch Mr. Gomez down to the ground. While Mr. Gomez was down on the sidewalk, the defendant kicked and punched Mr. Gomez multiple times in the head area, and then just walked away, leaving Mr. Gomez to die on the scene from those injuries. Cruz Garcia was arrested on June 7, 2022, and has been in custody since. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Jin Park and Katrenia Shelly who prosecuted the case.


title: California Resident Sentenced in D.C. to 14 Years in Prison for Exploitation of a Dozen Girls

body_text: WASHINGTON – James Styner, 20, of Garden Grove, California, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 14 years in prison after admitting to the online exploitation of at least a dozen girls, ranging in age from 12- to 17-years-old, in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Styner pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell. on March 28, 2025, to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, to one count of distribution of child pornography, and to three counts of receipt of child pornography. In addition to the 14-year prison term, Judge Howell ordered Styner to serve seven years of supervised release. “No man will be allowed to exploit, harm and victimize children under my watch,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “They will be hunted down, prosecuted and then face the full weight of justice. Whether you are behind a screen or behind closed doors—we will find you and convict you.” According to court documents, beginning at the age of 17 and continuing until the time of his arrest at the age of 19, Styner engaged in a pervasive online campaign to manipulate and exploit vulnerable girls for his own sexual satisfaction. He participated in approximately 45 chat conversations over Discord in which he demanded self-produced sexually explicit material from the individuals on the other end, many of them being underage girls. His conduct included in-person sexual relationships with at least two minor girls. He also frequently sent explicit images of his own genitalia to his minor victims and distributed self-produced child pornography to others, including minors. As part of his plea agreement, Styner admitted to conduct involving a total of 12 minor victims, all of whom were identified. He also admitted that he had engaged in similar conduct with other unidentified individuals. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department-Federal Bureau of Investigation (MPD-FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force with substantial assistance from the West Covina (California) Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Bond for the District of Columbia. 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . 24cr171


title: Cheyenne couple sentenced in fraud case

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Sean P. Madigan, 35, and Victoria Madigan, 35, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, were both sentenced to five years of supervised probation for crimes related to making false statements and wire fraud. Sean was sentenced on June 6 and the court ordered him to pay $161,175 in restitution to the State of Wyoming. Sean was also ordered to pay $12,864 in restitution, joint and several with his co-defendant Victoria, to the Cheyenne Housing Authority. Victoria was sentenced on September 10 and the court also ordered her to pay $12,864, to be paid joint and several with Sean, to the Cheyenne Housing Authority. According to court documents, Sean and Victoria Madigan were a married couple with three children living in Cheyenne. The couple received housing assistance through the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program while also running a coffee shop in the Cheyenne Frontier Mall. They used the same bank account for the financial needs of the coffee shop and their household, but they did not disclose the income from their business to the Cheyenne Housing Authority when certifying their eligibility for housing assistance. While a false statement to the Cheyenne Housing Authority is not a statement made directly to a federal agency or department, it is still a matter within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After various governmental assistance programs became available to help keep businesses from failing due to Covid-19 related restrictions, Sean used the coffee shop to facilitate fraudulently receiving Covid-19 relief funds. Rather than spend Covid-19 business relief funds solely for business purposes as required by the State of Wyoming grant programs, the Madigans spent a material portion of the money on household daily living expenses. “Some argue that white collar crime is a victimless crime, but that could not be further from the truth. We all end up paying when someone defrauds the government—the Madigan’s actions are an outright theft from American taxpayers,” said U.S Attorney Darin Smith. We are grateful for HUD’s extensive investigation which exposed the calculated efforts of this couple to exploit government programs.” "The defendants allegedly engaged in a complex, multi-agency fraud scheme that diverted over $300,000 in critical taxpayer dollars intended to support struggling businesses during an unprecedented pandemic, while also receiving HUD housing assistance through a program that was intended for low income families " said Special Agent-in-Charge Machelle Jindra with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our prosecutorial partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.” HUD investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne Martens prosecuted the crime. Case No. CR-25-00030 and CR-25-00039


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced to 105 Months for 2022 Gas Station Shooting

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on September 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion sentenced New Orleans resident, DANTRELL MCZEAL (“MCZEAL”) , age 34, to 105 months imprisonment, and three years of supervised release following his imprisonment. MCZEAL must also pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. MCZEAL pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025 to being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to court documents, in July 2022 MCZEAL and an unknown individual, shot at one another in the parking lot of a New Orleans gas station. MCZEAL was shot in the leg during the gunfire exchange. Ballistic casings recovered from the parking lot revealed that MCZEAL fired nineteen (19) .223 rifle shots during the exchange. The unknown individual fled the parking lot in his vehicle. MCZEAL also fled the parking, lost control of his vehicle, and struck a light pole at a nearby intersection. MCZEAL was seen limping from his vehicle while in possession of a Palmetto State Armory Model PA-15, .223 REM/5.56 x 45mm semi-automatic rifle with an extended magazine. New Orleans Police Department officers later recovered a loaded Glock Model 30GEN4, .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine and a bullet in the chamber, from MCZEAL ’s abandoned vehicle. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms. MCZEAL is a convicted felon, having previously been convicted in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court of aggravated battery, aggravated burglary, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit/Strike Force Unit. * * *


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

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending September 12, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 42 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 3 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 32 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 53 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for alien smuggling, illegally carrying a weapon, illegal reentry, drug trafficking, and domestic violence. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Justice Department Sues Uber For Denying Rides To Passengers With Service Dogs, Wheelchairs

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Yesterday, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc. for discriminating against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices such as stowable wheelchairs. Uber is the largest provider of ride-hailing services in the United States. The lawsuit seeks $125 million for individuals who have been subject to discrimination and previously submitted complaints to Uber or the Department. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges Uber violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability by private transportation companies like Uber. The ADA also requires Uber to allow service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities in vehicles and to provide rides to, and assist, riders with stowable wheelchairs and mobility devices. The Department’s civil complaint alleges that Uber and its drivers routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities; impose impermissible surcharges by charging cleaning fees for service animal shedding and cancellation fees to riders whom Uber has unlawfully denied service; and refuse to reasonably modify Uber’s policies, practices, or procedures, where necessary, to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities, including by denying individuals with mobility disabilities the option to sit in the front seat when needed. Due to Uber’s ride denials, individuals with disabilities have experienced significant delays, missed appointments, and have been left stranded in inclement weather. “Rideshare companies like Uber are prohibited from denying riders with disabilities the same access to transportation that riders without disabilities enjoy,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian of the Northern District of California. “This complaint underscores the United States’ commitment to enforcing the ADA’s promise of equal access.” “For too long, blind riders have suffered repeated ride denials by Uber because they are traveling with a service dog,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit seeks to end this persistent discrimination and allow riders with disabilities to use Uber. We will enforce the ADA’s guarantee that people with disabilities have equal opportunity and full participation in all aspects of American society, including transportation.” The lawsuit seeks a court order to force Uber to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the ADA, and to train its staff and drivers on the ADA. In addition to the monetary damages to compensate aggrieved individuals subjected to Uber’s discrimination, the lawsuit demands that Uber pay a civil penalty to vindicate the public’s interest in eliminating disability discrimination. To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt , and to report possible violations of federal civil rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov . For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . Uber Complaint


title: Contra Costa County Man Charged With Attempted Enticement And Coercion Of A Minor

body_text: OAKLAND – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Joel Lawrence Benitzhar with the federal crime of attempted enticement and coercion of a minor victim to engage in illegal sexual conduct. Benitzhar was arrested yesterday and made his initial appearance in federal district court in Oakland this morning. According to the criminal complaint and court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip from a popular social media platform that an account, later determined to be associated with Benitzhar, 18, of Martinez, California, contained possible enticement and coercion of at least nine potential minor victims. The complaint alleges that in chat messages with Minor Victim 1, Benitzhar claimed to have “traded CP” (i.e., child pornography), had sexual intercourse with the minor victim, and arranged to meet up with the minor victim in January 2025. Benitzhar is also alleged to have messaged another social media user that he met with a 14-year-old girl in real life. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan made the announcement. Benitzhar is currently in federal custody. Benitzhar is next scheduled to appear in district court on Sept. 16, 2025, for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Kang. A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the charge of attempted enticement and coercion of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly I. Volkar is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the FBI, HSI, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, and the Walnut Creek Police Department, with assistance from the Martinez Police Department. Anyone who has information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at (415) 553-7400 or tips.fbi.gov.


title: Member of Ulster County Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Justin Torres, age 37, of Ellenville, New York, was sentenced today to serve 37 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT). Torres admitted that during the conspiracy he distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 580 grams of cocaine and 200 grams of fentanyl. Torres was one of 11 defendants charged in the case . These defendants have pled guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing: Joshuan Atkinson was sentenced to 156 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release; Christopher Baez was sentenced to 71 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release; Michael Herry was sentenced to 27 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release; Daryl Livingston was sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release; Joshua Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, 2025; Joseph Logan is scheduled to be sentenced on November 19, 2025; and Timothy Hutcherson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2025. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “This case demonstrates our commitment to dismantling drug trafficking organizations in Ulster County, where Justin Torres and his co-conspirators sold cocaine and fentanyl. With our federal, state, and local partners, we continue to target these poison peddlers and protect the public from the deadly scourge of drugs. I commend and thank Sheriff Figueroa for his courageous leadership spearheading this operation with URGENT and all the brave officers of the task force who sacrificed themselves in the spirit in which we have all sworn an oath to as members of law enforcement. As I have stated time and time again, if these gangbangers had been charged locally, they would all be out on the streets in two hours continuing their acts of violence against our communities for a year or more while their cases moved through the state court system. The State Legislature and Governor should call a special session to repeal the reckless and dangerous cashless bail law that has imposed massive casualties amongst the citizens throughout the State of New York for eight long suffering years. My office shall do everything in its power to assist state and local law enforcement to combat the revolving door of crime.” Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New York, stated, “This sentence is the result of a coordinated, intelligence-driven investigation that disrupted this organization’s fentanyl and cocaine distribution, and in turn stopped a narcotics pipeline in its tracks. HSI New York remains steadfast in our commitment to deploying our expertise, data-driven strategies, and investigative resources to identify traffickers, dismantle their networks, and prevent deadly drugs from reaching our neighborhoods. Together with the Ulster County Sheriff's Office, URGENT, and our local partners, HSI New York will never waver in our commitment to protecting families within our communities and the public we serve every day.” Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa stated, “This was a collaborative effort consisting of federal, state and local law enforcement. Drug trafficking continues to affect local communities and is a nexus to crime spikes. I thank the U.S. Attorney for prosecuting these criminals. I also thank the members of the URGENT task force who put long investigative hours into this critical case to rid our community of drugs.” Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a fine of $5,000 and a 3-year term of supervised release to begin after Torres is released from prison. This case is being investigated by HSI; the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with URGENT (the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement and Narcotics Team), an inter-agency taskforce targeting drug dealers and gang members in Ulster County; the New York State Police; the Village of Ellenville Police Department; and the White Plains Police Department, with assistance from the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting this case. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Washington County Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Dion, age 48, of Greenwich, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison for distributing and possessing child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement. As part of his earlier guilty plea, Dion admitted that from July 2023 to January 2024, he distributed images and videos of child pornography via an encrypted chat messenger to another person, and that he possessed images of child pornography on five electronic devices on February 28, 2024, when his residence was searched. He also admitted that he produced morphed images of child pornography by using non-pornographic images of known children from his Washington County community and superimposing the faces of those children onto images of child pornography he found on the Internet to create an adapted or modified depiction of an identifiable minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dion possessed more than 205,000 images and 545 videos depicting child pornography across his devices. United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also ordered a 20-year term of supervised release to follow Dion’s release from prison, as well as restitution to the victims in the total amount of $105,000, and forfeiture of the electronic devices he used to commit the offenses. Dion will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “Dion is a sexual predator who deeply impacted the lives of his community, by merging ordinary photos of local children into images of child pornography. He will now spend the next twelve and a half years of his wretched life locked up in a cage where he belongs. I thank our state and local partners for bringing this case to us for federal prosecution and for making our children safer.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Dion’s significant sentence ensures that he will now spend years in federal prison for terrorizing a community. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to swiftly investigate any individual who knowingly possesses and distributes detrimental images that re-victimize our most vulnerable.” New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The steadfast work done by the State Police and our law enforcement partners ensures Mr. Dion will serve time for his deplorable actions. There is zero tolerance for those who prey on children, and this sentencing reflects the severity of these crimes. Together, we will continue to seek justice for those who have been victimized and protect those who are most vulnerable, our children.” The FBI and NYSP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Albany County Felon Admits Receiving Firearms Stolen from Hudson Falls Gun Store and Using the Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kwahpreme Mitchell, age 34, of Watervliet, New York, pled guilty today to one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James; and Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy made the announcement. Mitchell admitted to receiving firearms from Jonathon Combs and Martin Taft that they had stolen from Calamity Jane’s Firearms and Fine Shoes, a federally licensed firearms dealer, in Hudson Falls, New York, on October 21, 2022. In exchange for the stolen firearms, Mitchell agreed to provide Combs and Taft with 150 grams of cocaine, which they intended to distribute. Additionally, on or about October 15, 2022, Mitchell provided Combs with approximately 3.5 grams of cocaine base in exchange for a shotgun. Mitchell could not legally possess the firearms, as he had been previously convicted of a New York State felony drug charge. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Mitchell, already a drug felon, admitted to using drugs to purchase stolen firearms. Drugs and guns are always a dangerous combination, which is why we will prosecute every armed drug dealer we can find. Thanks to the tremendous work of the ATF and our state and local partners following the October 2022 burglary of Calamity Jane’s, our communities are now safe from this dealer, his drugs, and his stolen guns.” Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, stated, ““This case underscores the dangerous intersection of firearms trafficking and illegal drugs. A convicted felon exchanging cocaine for firearms — including guns stolen from a federally licensed dealer — poses a serious threat to public safety. Thanks to the outstanding collaboration between ATF NY Albany, the NYSP, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office NDNY, we were able to disrupt this illicit scheme. This outcome highlights the critical importance of strong partnerships at every level — local, state, and federal — in combating violent crime and keeping our communities safe.” New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James stated, “Collaborative efforts are an integral part of protecting against the crimes and associated terrors that come with illegal weapons and drug trafficking. The individual involved in this operation posed a significant threat to public safety and his guilty plea is a testament to the results we can achieve when agencies work together. We remain committed to targeting the sources of illicit gun and drug activity and holding those responsible fully accountable.” Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy stated, “This case underscores the dangers posed by individuals who engage in these activities. The combination of narcotics and firearms in our communities puts not only the public at risk but also law enforcement. I appreciate the assistance received from our State and Federal Partners.” Sentencing is scheduled for January 9, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Mitchell faces at least 5 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. NYSP, ATF and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance provided by the Washington and Warren County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen J. Vickey is prosecuting this case Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: District of Arizona Charges 215 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from September 6, 2025, through September 12, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 215 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 99 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 99 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 14 cases against 16 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement is a key part of border vigilance, and prosecutors also charged 1 individual for assaulting a federal officer. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Isaia David Ralph Gutierrez, et al. : On September 10, 2025, Isaia David Ralph Gutierrez and Shay Nicole Fernandez were charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Gutierrez, the driver, and Fernandez, the front seat passenger, were pulled over by a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputy for state traffic violations. Upon approaching the vehicle, the deputy observed an individual wearing camouflage clothing and lying down on the rear passenger seat floorboard. The deputy suspected that Gutierrez was engaged in human smuggling and contacted U.S. Border Patrol for assistance. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection and learned that the rear seat passenger was a citizen of Mexico, illegal present in the United States. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05415] United States v. Robin Estuardo Perez Ramos : On September 11, 2025, Robin Estuardo Perez Ramos, an illegal alien and citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Assault on a Federal Officer. While conducting surveillance, agents from ICE and ERO saw Perez Ramos, who had been ordered removed from the United States by an Immigration Judge in 2020, get into a vehicle and leave the area. ICE/ERO officers activated their emergency lights and attempted to stop Perez Ramos, but he fled, alternating between speeding up and hitting his brakes. Perez Ramos then put his vehicle in reverse and rapidly accelerated backwards towards the vehicle of one of the ICE officers. Perez Ramos hit the front bumper of officer's vehicle, causing damage, and then fled away at a high rate of speed. While fleeing, Perez Ramos appeared to initially lose control of his vehicle, causing him to accelerate across the median into oncoming traffic. The vehicle then spun around. For safety reasons, ICE/ERO deactivated their emergency equipment and tried to follow Perez Ramos covertly. ICE/ERO temporarily lost sight of the vehicle but located it soon after in a Walmart parking lot. A second ICE officer then attempted to stop Perez Ramos, but he again rapidly reversed and swerved into the officer's emergency vehicle, causing significant damage to the front passenger side. Perez Ramos then drove to an apartment complex, abandoned the vehicle, and ran into the apartment complex. Ramos Perez entered the apartment of a female occupant, who did not know Perez Ramos and was afraid for her and her children’s safety. Perez Ramos was ultimately taken into custody. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05425] United States v. Jose Eulice Arrendondo-Duran : On September 8, 2025, Jose Eulice Arredondo-Duran was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Jose Eulice Arredondo-Duran was previously removed from the United States in 2014 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Violate Uniform Control Substance Act and Trafficking in Methamphetamine, both felony offenses, in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, State of Nevada. In that case, Arredondo-Duran was sentenced to 12-48 months on the Conspiracy, and to 36-120 months on the Trafficking, with both counts to be served concurrently with one another. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05395] These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-147_September 12 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Removed

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally returned to the United States after being removed was sentenced September 11, 2025, to 127 days’ imprisonment. Gerardo Santis-Jiron, also known as Pedro Simon Rivera-Perez, age 36, a citizen of Guatemala, received the prison term after a June 10, 2025 guilty plea to one count of being found in the United States after illegal reentry. At the guilty plea, Santis-Jiron admitted he had previously been removed from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Santis-Jiron was previously removed in 2009. On April 27, 2025, immigration officials found him at the Linn County Jail following his arrest on state charges for operating while under the influence. Santis-Jiron was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Santis-Jiron was sentenced to 127 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Santis-Jiron is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by Enforcement and Removal Operations of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-36. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.