title: Utah Doctor and Two Nurses Charged with Health Care Fraud After Submitting False Claims to Medicare and Receiving Millions in Payout

body_text: ST. GEORGE, Utah – A federal grand jury in St. George returned an indictment today charging a Utah podiatrist and two nurses who worked for him with fraud after they allegedly submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for skin substitute services, many of which were medically unnecessary, and resulted in Medicare paying $29 million dollars in claims. According to allegations in court documents, from July 2021 through December 2025, Ryan Scott Ellsworth, 47, of Highland, Utah; Emily Kelly, 45, of Washington, Utah; and Drake Dell Broadbent, 55, of Santa Clara, Utah, allegedly defrauded the federal health care benefit program, Medicare, to fraudulently obtain money for their own financial benefit. Medicare is intended to provide health care benefits to individuals over the age of 65 or disabled. Ellsworth was a podiatrist who owned and operated Summit Foot and Ankle, with clinics throughout the state of Utah. Ellsworth also owned and operated Amble Medical, located in Highland, Utah. Kelly, a Utah licensed registered nurse practitioner and Broadbent, a Utah licensed registered nurse, worked primarily out of Summit’s St. George clinic. As alleged, Ellsworth, Kelly, and Broadbent knew Medicare billing of a skin substitute was permissible only if medically necessary and if basic wound care had been administered to a wound for the previous 30 days. However, the defendants submitted false claims to Medicare for providing skin substitutes to patients who did not have qualifying wounds and where continued treatment of skin substitutes was medically unnecessary. As part of their alleged scheme, Ellsworth, Kelly, and Broadbent routinely did not pursue Medicare copayments from beneficiaries for skin substitutes which, at times, would have been thousands of dollars owed by a Medicare beneficiary. Ellsworth also allegedly caused unqualified medical providers, such as Broadbent, to provide skin substitute services that were outside his professional scope of practice. Ellsworth also submitted claims to Medicare for such skin substitutes under his name and Medicare provider number. As a result, Ellsworth billed $44 million in claims to Medicare for skin substitutes, many of which were unnecessary, and Medicare paid Summit over $19 million on these claims. Kelly billed $17 million in claims to Medicare for skin substitutes, many of which were medically unnecessary, and Medicare paid Summit over $10 million on the submitted claims. Ellsworth, Kelly, and Broadbent are charged with health care fraud, and wire fraud. Ellsworth and Broadbent are also charged with false statements relating to health care matters. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for June 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470. First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Utah Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office hosts Victims' Rights and Advocacy Awards Ceremony

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an annual observance that brings communities together and raises awareness about victims’ rights and services. It's an opportunity to honor survivors and recognize organizations that have been fighting for victims’ rights, forge new partnerships to better serve and support victims of crime and strengthen existing partnerships. Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has challenged the nation to confront and remove barriers to achieve justice for all victims of crime. The theme for this year: Listen. Act. Advocate . Protect victims, serve communities . The United States’ Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee held its inaugural Victims’ Rights and Advocacy Awards Ceremony in April to honor the below individuals for their service and commitment to crime victims in West Tennessee: John Chevalier - Former Task Force Officer, FBI Chase Cogswell - Former Special Agent, ATF Jennifer Dolquest - Victim Witness Assistant, U.S. Attorney's Office Brianna Futrell - Special Agent, FBI Cody Graham - Special Agent, FBI Emily Knox - Special Agent, ATF April Moseley - Sergeant, Memphis Police Department/FBI Safe Streets Task Force Gregory L. Newberry - Inspector, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Marian Peete - Former Victim Witness Coordinator, U.S. Attorney's Office Karen Rinehart - Special Agent, FBI Kyle Vlastos - Detective, Memphis Police Department/FBI Safe Streets Task Force Kyle Williams - Special Agent, ATF U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Each of these dedicated public servants go above and beyond the call of duty to serve and protect crime victims every day. Our office was glad to honor them with this recognition for their tireless efforts to achieve justice for victims, consequences for criminals, and better public safety outcomes across West Tennessee." We are thankful to those named above and all our law enforcement partners throughout the district for the work they do each day and their commitment to helping crime victims. ###


title: Washington man sentenced to 5 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Washington man who was selling fentanyl pills in Havre and the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said. Timothy Harris, 56, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to conspiracy to possess with the intent to deliver fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that Harris conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl from May 2023 until June 19, 2023. Sources said Harris and a co-defendant were working together to bring drugs from Washington to distribute on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, they kept their stash of drugs off of the reservation, and they would front a couple hundred pills at a time to individuals on the reservation and other places to sell. On May 18, 2023, a source met with Harris and gave him $800 for 30 fentanyl pills. Harris directed the source to pick up the fentanyl from another person at a house on Rocky Boy’s. On May 31, 2023, the source conducted another controlled purchase of 20 fentanyl pills from Harris for $800. The drugs were exchanged at a hotel in Havre. On June 15, 2023, the source spoke with Harris about purchasing additional fentanyl pills. Harris directed the source to go to a hotel parking lot in Havre. Once in the parking lot, the source was met by Harris’s co-defendant who sold the source 20 fentanyl pills in exchange for $800. On June 19, 2023, a search warrant was executed on a motel room in Big Sandy rented by Harris’s co-defendant. Law enforcement located 3,200 fentanyl pills and a Springfield, model XDM Elite, 10mm handgun with a loaded 10 round magazine under the bed. An additional magazine, a box of 10mm ammunition, an SD card, and $437 in U.S. currency were also located in the motel room. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and the Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine, Meth, Illegal Firearm and Dirty Money Seized Thanks to Homeland Security Task Force Operation

body_text: Aberdeen, MS – Two Louisville men have been sentenced today. Aaron Hughes, 33, and Warren Goss, 58, were convicted of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, despropionyl fentanyl and heroin. Hughes was also convicted of a firearms offense. Hughes was sentenced on March 24, 2026, to 108 months in federal prison and 3 years supervised release. Goss was sentenced on May 12, 2026, to 70 months in federal prison and 3 years supervised release. Both were sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock. These convictions resulted from a Homeland Security Task Force operation conducted by the FBI, HSI and Louisville, Mississippi Police Department. United States Attorney Scott Leary stated, “The Homeland Security Task Force has allowed the relationships we have always had with our federal and local law enforcement partners to do more to keep our citizens safe in this district. The full might of our United States is behind us to make sure we identify, investigate and prosecute crimes such as these. We have zero tolerance for fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and illegal firearms. We will continue to work to make sure any and all individuals are put away, where they belong, if they bring these dangerous drugs and firearms into our communities.” FBI Special Agent in Charge of the FBI-Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff said, “the FBI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting our communities from the devastating impact of violent crime and illegal drugs. Hughes and Warren have been held accountable, and their case serves as a strong warning to anyone engaged in similar criminal activity. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue those who threaten the safety and well-being of our communities.” “Through the Homeland Security Task Force, our partnerships continue to make a meaningful difference in protecting the people of Mississippi and the broader HSTF Core 15 Region,” said Matt Wright, Acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI New Orleans. “This case demonstrates how collaboration yields stronger outcomes, and the sentencing of Hughes and Goss is a clear reminder that offenders who harm our communities will be held accountable.” This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Jackson comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection – U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Stringfellow and Julie Addison prosecuted the case.


title: New York-Based Iranian National Pleads Guilty to Alien Smuggling and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Iranian national Sharon Gohari pleaded guilty to unlawfully smuggling aliens into the United States and intentionally receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). For years, Gohari, who is a naturalized United States citizen and resided alternately in Iran and Nassau County, New York, solicited and received payments from Iranian nationals and others seeking to enter the United States unlawfully in exchange for arranging and facilitating their entry. At least one individual whom Gohari aided had associations with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has been designated by the United States Department of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). During the investigation into Gohari’s illegal activities, law enforcement discovered that Gohari received and stored multiple videos on his phone depicting the rape of children, as well as hundreds of photos and videos reflecting the stalking and surreptitious recording of women throughout New York City. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Donald Holstead, Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Counterterrorism Division (FBI); James C. Barnacle, Jr, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI, New York Field Office (FBI); Frank J. Russo, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea. “The defendant exploited and endangered vulnerable individuals for profit, over and over again,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “In doing so, he also put our national security at risk and circumvented the vital procedures that are in place to vet those entering our country. Our Office will continue to aggressively pursue transnational criminal schemes operating here in the United States, especially when they involve terrorist groups like the IRGC that seek to do us harm. And we will always prosecute the sexual exploitation of children to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Nocella praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, for their crucial assistance. Mr. Nocella also thanked the Homeland Security Task Force, a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. “As this case illustrates, we cannot protect our national security without a secure border,” said Assistant Attorney General Eisenberg. “Gohari made a business of smuggling aliens into the United States, at least one of whom had ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated foreign terrorist organization. I applaud the investigators and prosecutors who made possible today’s plea, taking this defendant off our streets.” “The defendant admits to helping people illegally enter the United States -- including someone associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – which endangers our country’s national security,” said FBI Assistant Director Holstead. “It is essential to protect our borders, and the FBI works closely with our interagency partners to prevent anyone from being smuggled in, especially those connected to our adversaries. This individual will now face justice not just for that crime but also for sexually exploiting children, the most vulnerable members of our society.” “Sharon Gohari threatened our national security by selling illegal entry into the United States – including a client with ties to a designated terrorist organization. With our federal and local law enforcement partners, the FBI is committed to holding accountable criminals seeking to exploit our country’s border and our citizens,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “This case underscores the dedication and vigilance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Tactical Threat Response Team and Task Force Officers, whose actions were critical in identifying and stopping an individual who posed a significant threat to our national security and the safety of our communities," stated CBP Director of New York Field Operations Russo. “Thanks to our close partnership with the FBI and the U. S. Attorney’s Office, Gohari was brought to justice. CBP remains committed to securing our borders and working with our partners to pursue those who circumvent our immigration system and endanger the American public.” “Anyone who seeks to profit through the abuse and exploitation of other people – especially children – will be held fully accountable,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Today’s guilty plea is the result of the NYPD’s unwavering commitment to bring human traffickers to justice. I commend and thank our NYPD investigators, as well as our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, for their dedicated work in this case.” Gohari is a naturalized United States citizen from Iran who resided in Roslyn, New York, and traveled frequently to Iran. From at least December 2020 up to his arrest in May 2025, Gohari solicited and received payments from Iranian nationals and others seeking to enter the United States unlawfully in exchange for arranging and facilitating their entry, primarily through Mexico. Among other things, Gohari helped these individuals obtain travel visas at the Mexican embassy in Iran and helped arrange their travel to and through Mexico and into the United States in large groups. Some passed through Central and South American countries with Gohari’s assistance. Gohari worked with a network of associates in Iran and elsewhere and charged thousands of dollars per client for these services. At least one Iranian national Gohari aided had ties to the IRGC. Specifically, in early 2021, Gohari facilitated the travel of an individual from Iran to Turkey, from Turkey to Mexico, and from Mexico into the United States, where the individual was detained by border patrol officers. The individual ultimately confessed to law enforcement that he had previously carried out tasks in Iran and Malaysia for the IRGC. During the investigation into Gohari’s alien smuggling activities, federal agents discovered that Gohari received and stored CSAM on his phone, including multiple videos depicting the rape of children apparently as young as five years old. In chat communications following his receipt of the videos, Gohari stated his intention to seek out sexual partners in a high school. Agents also found on Gohari’s devices hundreds of photos and videos of what appeared to be women in various public places throughout New York City, including on trains and at cafes, who did not seem to be aware that they were being photographed or recorded. Some of the photos and videos appeared to be taken at close range, including several photos that were angled in an apparent attempt to see under the women’s skirts or other garments. Other photos and videos depicted the same women in multiple locations, indicating that the women had been followed. Gohari sent some of these photos and videos to an Iranian-based account from which he received CSAM, among other Iranian-based accounts. For the child sex abuse material charge, Gohari faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to 20 years in prison, and a mandatory minimum of three years in prison for alien smuggling and up to 10 years in prison. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Reich is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin Nunnally of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialist Wayne Colon. The Defendant : SHARON GOHARI Age: 48 Roslyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-183 (S-1) (AMD)


title: Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marcus Brinkley, 23, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 54 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Brinkley’s prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. Brinkley pleaded guilty to this charge on February 27, 2026. Brinkley was arrested following a controlled delivery of narcotics. In Brinkley’s motel room, law enforcement recovered a loaded handgun on the nightstand. Brinkley is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions. At sentencing, Judge Peterson commented on the nature of Brinkley’s prior convictions and his conduct in this case to highlight the danger Brinkley posed to the public. To arrive at the sentence, Judge Peterson balanced these aggravating factors with the defendant’s young age. The charge against Brinkley was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF and task force officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case. Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). # # # #


title: Federal Prisoner Sentenced to Additional Two Years of Incarceration for Racketeering Activity at Cambria County Prison

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A former inmate at the Cambria County Prison was sentenced in federal court to 24 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of conducting and participating in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendant is among 10 individuals charged through an Indictment unsealed in July 2025 with racketeering charges related to the Cambria County Prison (read the Indictment news release here ). United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Mikal Davis, 48, who was previously sentenced in July 2025 to 180 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture of heroin, five kilograms or more of a mixture of cocaine, 400 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, and 28 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine base. Judge Haines ordered today’s sentence to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the 2025 conviction. According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2023 to in and around December 2023, while incarcerated at the Cambria County Prison, Davis conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity. Specifically, Davis bribed correctional officers and medical staff to smuggle contraband into the prison, namely Suboxone, which was then sold to other inmates for a substantial profit. Davis directed the bribe payments and accepted payments of drug proceeds to further facilitate the racketeering activity. To date, four of the 10 defendants in the case have pleaded guilty, with Davis the first to be sentenced. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cambria County Prison for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Davis.


title: Kansas City Man Sentenced to 115 Months  for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, multi-caliber pistol with a 30-round magazine. Tyron Young, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, to 115 months in prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Nov. 20, 2024, officers with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were called to an apartment complex on a report of suspicious activity. A police helicopter observed Young, wearing all black, walking through the complex holding what appeared to be a rifle. The helicopter then observed Young running eastbound through the complex and tossing the firearm underneath a vehicle. Thereafter, officers detained Young and recovered the firearm which was loaded with 27 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber. Officers spoke with the reporting party and witnesses who said an unknown male banged on the window of their residence and said, “You wanna fight, come outside.” The parties reported that the male was holding a gun to the ground and described it as a “black long gun possibly an AR pistol.” Young, who is a convicted felon, had been found guilty of three prior felony offenses before today’s hearing. Those offenses were attempted robbery in the second degree, felon in possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of a firearm. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Largest Methamphetamine Seizure in New Jersey History

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – Two men were charged under the New Jersey Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) with conspiring to distribute over 260 pounds of methamphetamine into New Jersey, which represents the largest seizure of methamphetamine in the state’s history, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced. “By preventing hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine from hitting the streets, this historic seizure has made New Jersey a safer place. And it has also sent an unmistakable message to drug traffickers who plan to enter the Garden State: stay out. We will find you and you will answer for any attempt to bring poison into our communities. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their tireless work in this case and for putting themselves at risk for the benefit of public safety every day.” - U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer “Seizing 260 pounds of methamphetamine, the largest seizure in New Jersey, is a critical step in preventing these deadly drugs from reaching our neighborhoods,” stated DEA New Jersey Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James. “This success highlights the power of collaboration between DEA and our law-enforcement partners at every level. By working together, we are making our community safer and holding drug traffickers accountable.” “This seizure and the resulting charges are a tremendous demonstration of partnerships at work, with members of the Homeland Security Task Force bringing these drug traffickers to justice. Over six million dollars of methamphetamine was seized, but what is priceless is the number of lives potentially saved by the extraordinary efforts of law enforcement in New Jersey,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy. “This seizure represents a decisive blow against a large‑scale drug trafficking organization that sought to move an extraordinary volume of methamphetamine into our state,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “This case reflects the dedication and cooperation of every agency involved, and together we will continue to safeguard the residents of New Jersey by pursuing those who finance and facilitate the distribution of dangerous narcotics.” “Our communities are safer today as a result of the unwavering partnership between Homeland Security Investigations, the DEA, and our federal counterparts,” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. “This operation underscores our collective dedication to disrupting transnational criminal organizations and safeguarding the public from the threats posed by illicit drugs.” Marcos Cesar Acosta, 47, most recently of Chicago, Illinois, and Carlos H. Cordero-Guiterrez, 53, a citizen and national of Mexico, were charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Acosta and Cordero-Guiterrez made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal on April 29, 2026 and were detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On April 28, 2026, Acosta traveled to New Jersey to supervise the delivery of hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine by a truck driven by Cordero-Guiterrez. That evening, after the truck arrived in New Jersey loaded with the methamphetamine, law enforcement officers arrested Acosta and Cordero-Guiterrez. Law enforcement seized three black storage boxes, one duffel bag, and a garbage bag from the truck cab, all of which contained methamphetamine. Collectively, the seized methamphetamine weighed over 260 pounds. The conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) MOPOD Enforcement Group 11 and the DEA Camden Resident Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James, for the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, and IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, for their assistance in the investigation. This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. ### Defense counsel: Marcos Cesar Acosta: Margaret M. Grasso, Esq. Carlos H. Cordero-Gutierrez: James P. Maguire, Esq., Federal Public Defenders.


title: Puerto Rican Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging Aircraft

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Puerto Rican man pleaded guilty today in connection with an incident in which he opened an emergency exit door while aboard a JetBlue flight preparing for takeoff from Boston to Puerto Rico. Angel Luis Morales Torres, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of damaging or disabling an aircraft. U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor scheduled sentencing for Aug. 4, 2026. Morales was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. On Jan. 7, 2025, Morales was a passenger aboard a JetBlue flight scheduled to fly from Boston to Puerto Rico. While the aircraft was on the taxiway preparing for takeoff, Morales stood up from his seat, ran down the aisle and entered an empty emergency exit row, where he began attempting to open the emergency exit door. A flight attendant attempted to restrain Morales and he was eventually tackled by another passenger. Prior to being restrained, Morales managed to open the emergency door, causing the emergency inflatable slide to deploy, and rendering the aircraft inoperable. The charge of damaging or disabling an aircraft carries a maximum of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Poplar bookkeeper sentenced for embezzling over $150,000 from local company

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Poplar bookkeeper who wrote unauthorized checks, modified payroll amounts, and utilized company checks and credit cards for unauthorized personal expenses was sentenced today to 6 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said. Parker Lee Gray Hawk, 36, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of wire fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that Fort Peck Manufacturing, Inc., (FPM), with assistance from its bank, discovered Gray Hawk was taking money from the company. In late 2023, FPM learned their bank account had a negative balance based on some questionable transactions, including checks with wholly round numbers and no taxes withheld. All the questionable checks were signed by Parker Gray Hawk. A review of the bank statements indicated a number of checks written and signed by Gray Hawk to non-FPM employees. Gray Hawk also used the company credit card to make online purchases, including from Amazon, and initiated other unauthorized electronic payments, including to Apple, CashApp, PayPal, and Western Union. Law enforcement interviewed the non-FPM employees to whom Gray Hawk wrote checks and they said she requested they cash the checks, and they would keep some of the money while Gray Hawk kept the rest. Gray Hawk embezzled approximately $166,156.47 from FPM between 2021 and 2023 ($98,644.28 in fraudulent checks and $67,512.19 in fraudulent electronic transactions). Gray Hawk was ordered to pay $131,901.57 in restitution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law & Justice conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Foreign National Drug Courier Sentenced for Conspiring with Cartel to Distribute Fentanyl in Oklahoma

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A foreign national living in East Tulsa was sentenced for conspiring with the cartel to distribute fentanyl in Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Today, U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante sentenced Jose Amadeis Sanchez Sanchez, 34, a Mexican national, for Drug Conspiracy. He was ordered to serve 37 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. In 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics began investigating a Mexico-based cartel operating in the Northern District of Oklahoma. Agents identified Sanchez as a courier in February 2025. After completing two purchases of fentanyl, agents followed Sanchez and found that he stayed at two separate drug houses in East Tulsa. Agents executed search warrants at both locations. They found $38,000 in cash, multiple cell phones, scales, a drug ledger, and nearly 2.5 pounds of fentanyl. Sanchez was present during the search of one of the homes and was detained. When interviewed by agents, Sanchez admitted to crossing the border in 2024. Sanchez was removed from the United States after a drug house was raided in Texas, prior to coming to Tulsa. After returning to the United States, he continued to work for the cartel. Court documents allege that Sanchez believed he was coming to the United States to legally work. Instead, he was “informed” by the cartel that he would be a courier to repay the $25,000 “fee” for being smuggled into the United States. Sanchez explained to agents that he would obtain large quantities of fentanyl and would break it down into smaller quantities for distribution. Additionally, Sanchez would collect cash and provide it to a separate courier for transportation back to Mexico. During this investigation, agents have seized approximately 30 kilograms of fentanyl, 11 kilograms of methamphetamine, 4 kilograms of heroin, and $250,000 in bulk currency. More than 35 individuals have been arrested and are linked to the same cartel. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people . Removing thirty kilograms of fentanyl from the United States has the potential to save millions of people from overdosing or being poisoned. Sanchez will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Windsor County Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of Stolen Firearms

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: BURLINGTON – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on May 8, 2026, Kyle Pickett, 31, of Windsor County, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to 53 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Pickett previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. According to court records, on November 25, 2023, Pickett possessed two loaded stolen firearms, a Winchester Model 62 .22 rifle and a Winchester Model 42 410 shotgun, in a Ford Ranger truck, which Pickett had also stolen from a residence in Strafford, Vermont. When law enforcement attempted to conduct a vehicle stop on Pickett while he was driving the Ranger, he fled at a high rate of speed, through a residential neighborhood. Pickett is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior felony convictions, including one for eluding a law enforcement officer. First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Pickett was represented by Charles N. Curlett, Jr., Assistant Federal Public Defender.


title: Federal Jury Returns Guilty Verdict Against Hardin County Man for Multiple Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: Jackson, TN – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against Christopher Peyton Stricklin, 19 , of Savannah, Tennessee, for committing three sexual exploitation offenses against a minor in August 2025. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today. Evidence presented in court established that Stricklin used a cell phone to videotape himself sexually molesting a minor female and then sent the video to another minor on the same cell phone. Stricklin was charged in a three-count indictment with production and distribution of child pornography, and with transferring obscene material to a person under age 16. Following a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court J. Daniel Breen, Stricklin was convicted of all three counts. His sentencing will be held in August of this year. Stricklin is facing a 15-year mandatory-minimum prison sentence and a maximum sentence of 30 years' imprisonment on the production count, a 5-year mandatory-minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of 20 years on the distribution count, and a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment on the transferring obscene material count. Judge Breen will determine the sentence to impose on Stricklin after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “With the proliferation of cell phones and social media, predators are increasingly committing disturbing crimes against vulnerable victims, including child sexual abuse. As offenders keep committing these heinous crimes against children, our office will keep convicting and severely punishing them.” This case was investigated by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Savannah Police Department, the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, and the District Attorney’s Office for the 24th Judicial District in Tennessee. Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Morrow and Caroline Parish are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Gardner Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Gardner woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits. Leidy E. Otero, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of stolen government money or property and one count of Social Security fraud – concealment. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 27, 2026. Otero was charged in April 2026. In 2011, Otero applied for and began receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) as the representative payee for two other individuals based on Otero’s limited income and resources. In assessing a married individual’s eligibility for SSI, the income and resources of the applicant’s spouse is considered if they live together. If an applicant is awarded SSI, they have a continuing obligation to notify SSA of any changes in their marital status, living arrangements and household income and resources. In July 2014, Otero reported to SSA that she was married, but stated that she did not live with her husband. After that July 2014 report, Otero’s husband became part of the household and Otero did not notify SSA as required. At all times during the charged period, Otero’s husband’s income exceeded the SSI limits. Had Otero accurately reported her living arrangements, her husband’s income would have made her ineligible for SSI when they lived together. The charge of receipt of stolen government money or property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of Social Security fraud – concealment provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg and the Worcester Branch Office. On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621). On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.


component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Iranian national Sharon Gohari pleaded guilty to unlawfully smuggling aliens into the United States and intentionally receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). For years, Gohari, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen and resided alternately in Iran and Nassau County, New York, solicited and received payments from Iranian nationals and others seeking to enter the United States unlawfully in exchange for arranging and facilitating their entry. At least one individual whom Gohari aided had associations with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has been designated by the United States Department of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). During the investigation into Gohari’s illegal activities, law enforcement discovered that Gohari received and stored multiple videos on his phone depicting the rape of children, as well as hundreds of photos and videos reflecting the stalking and surreptitious recording of women throughout New York City. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly. “As this case illustrates, we cannot protect our national security without a secure border,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Gohari made a business of smuggling aliens into the United States, at least one of whom had ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated foreign terrorist organization. I applaud the investigators and prosecutors who made possible today’s plea, taking this defendant off our streets.” “The defendant exploited and endangered vulnerable individuals for profit, over and over again,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “In doing so, he also put our national security at risk and circumvented the vital procedures that are in place to vet those entering our country. Our Office will continue to aggressively pursue transnational criminal schemes operating here in the United States, especially when they involve terrorist groups like the IRGC that seek to do us harm. And we will always prosecute the sexual exploitation of children to the fullest extent of the law.” “The defendant admits to helping people illegally enter the United States -- including someone associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – which endangers our country’s national security,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. “It is essential to protect our borders, and the FBI works closely with our interagency partners to prevent anyone from being smuggled in, especially those connected to our adversaries. This individual will now face justice not just for that crime but also for sexually exploiting children, the most vulnerable members of our society.” “Sharon Gohari threatened our national security by selling illegal entry into the United States – including a client with ties to a designated terrorist organization. With our federal and local law enforcement partners, the FBI is committed to holding accountable criminals seeking to exploit our country’s border and our citizens,” said Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI New York Field Office. “Anyone who seeks to profit through the abuse and exploitation of other people – especially children – will be held fully accountable,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “Today’s guilty plea is the result of the NYPD’s unwavering commitment to bring human traffickers to justice. I commend and thank our NYPD investigators, as well as our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, for their dedicated work in this case.” Gohari is a naturalized United States citizen from Iran who resided in Roslyn, New York, and traveled frequently to Iran. From at least December 2020 up to his arrest in May 2025, Gohari solicited and received payments from Iranian nationals and others seeking to enter the United States unlawfully in exchange for arranging and facilitating their entry, primarily through Mexico. Among other things, Gohari helped these individuals obtain travel visas at the Mexican embassy in Iran and helped arrange their travel to and through Mexico and into the United States in large groups. Some passed through Central and South American countries with Gohari’s assistance. Gohari worked with a network of associates in Iran and elsewhere and charged thousands of dollars per client for these services. At least one Iranian national Gohari aided had ties to the IRGC. Specifically, in early 2021, Gohari facilitated the travel of an individual from Iran to Turkey, from Turkey to Mexico, and from Mexico into the United States, where the individual was detained by border patrol officers. The individual ultimately confessed to law enforcement that he had previously carried out tasks in Iran and Malaysia for the IRGC. During the investigation into Gohari’s alien smuggling activities, federal agents discovered that Gohari received and stored CSAM on his phone, including multiple videos depicting the rape of children apparently as young as five years old. In chat communications following his receipt of the videos, Gohari stated his intention to seek out sexual partners in a high school. Agents also found on Gohari’s devices hundreds of photos and videos of what appeared to be women in various public places throughout New York City, including on trains and at cafes, who did not seem to be aware that they were being photographed or recorded. Some of the photos and videos appeared to be taken at close range, including several photos that were angled in an apparent attempt to see under the women’s skirts or other garments. Other photos and videos depicted the same women in multiple locations, indicating that the women had been followed. Gohari sent some of these photos and videos to an Iranian-based account from which he received CSAM, among other Iranian-based accounts. For the child sex abuse material charge, Gohari faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to 20 years in prison, and a mandatory minimum of three years in prison for alien smuggling and up to 10 years in prison. Mr. Nocella praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, for their crucial assistance. Mr. Nocella also thanked the Homeland Security Task Force, a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Reich is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin Nunnally of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialist Wayne Colon.


title: Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Receipt and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A recidivist sex offender previously convicted of taking indecent liberties with a child has been sentenced to seventeen-and-a-half years in prison for receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Registered sex offender James Patrick McGraw, 62, of Wadesboro, N.C., a was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release. “We have a duty to the community to protect children from child predators, and it is one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “I have no patience for repeat child predators who have had a chance at rehabilitation and instead return to child exploitation. We will seek significant sentences in those cases.” According to information in filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, the Wadesboro Police Department (WPD) received information that an individual, later identified as McGraw, was accessing and uploading material to his cloud storage that contained CSAM. In May 2022, McGraw was interviewed by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation regarding using the TOR network on the dark web and his phone to access CSAM. McGraw admitted to accessing CSAM and being sexually interested in girls as young as 8 years old. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at McGraw’s apartment, where they seized a laptop and an external hard drive. A forensic examination of the seized items revealed a number of CSAM files, some of which depicted infants and toddlers and children under the age of 12 being sexually abused, as well as bestiality and S&M content. On July 2, 2025, McGraw pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and possession and access with intent to view child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained age 12. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Homeland Security Investigations, NC SBI, and the Wadesboro Police Department for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted 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 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: Defendant Extradited From Dominican Republic To Face Charges For Using Manhattan Apartment To Operate Industrial-Scale Pill Pressing Operation

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael Alfonso, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Farhana Islam, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging RUDDY CENIT-THEN with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. CENIT-THEN was presented earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and ordered detained pending trial. “New Yorkers want us to send a message: New York will not be a safe haven for any level of drug distribution, much less fentanyl and methamphetamine pill factories,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, Ruddy Cenit-Then conspired with others to operate a pill mill out of a 20th-floor Manhattan apartment, right next to thousands of innocent New Yorkers just going about their lives. That conduct will never be tolerated by this Office. I am deeply grateful for the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office as we work to keep methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other deadly and debilitating narcotics off our streets.” “Ruddy Cenit-Then now stands accused of using a Manhattan apartment as the base for a clandestine pill-pressing factory to produce narcotics-laced tablets on an industrial scale,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Pumping these toxic pills into our communities drives overdoses, fuels crime, and erodes the safety and stability of our families and local businesses. HSI New York, together with our Homeland Security Task Force partners, will continue to utilize every lawful tool at our disposal to dismantle these operations and protect our neighborhoods from this deadly trade.” “The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in holding accountable those individuals responsible for pushing fentanyl and methamphetamine into our neighborhoods,” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Ruddy Cenit-Then, who is charged with operating an industrial-scale pill press operation in Washington Heights and sought refuge in the Dominican Republic, thought he was safe from the reach of the DEA and our partners. Today he learned that our global footprint remains strong and wide, and that we are committed to holding traffickers accountable both here at home and abroad.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint: [1] On July 24, 2025, pursuant to a judicially authorized warrant, law enforcement officers searched an apartment in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan that appeared to be used by CENIT-THEN. Inside the apartment, law enforcement officers found evidence that CENIT-THEN was using the apartment to run a clandestine, industrial-scale pill pressing operation. Hidden behind panels inside a closet, law enforcement found, among other things, an industrial-scale pill press and approximately 37 pounds of a white crystal substance contained in a series of Ziplock bags for which field tests positively indicated the presence of methamphetamine. The pill press, drugs, and other items found behind the hidden panels are pictured below in Image 1 , and the hidden panels are pictured below in Image 2 . Image 1 Image 2 RUDDY CENIT-THEN, 46, of the Dominican Republic, is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI New York and the Homeland Security Task Force, DEA Group D-25, the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Clayton also thanked the DEA Chemist Team for its processing of the scene and the U.S Marshals Service for the arrest of CENIT-THEN. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Dominican authorities in securing CENIT-THEN’s arrest and extradition. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger, Katherine Cheng, and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Members and Associates of Transnational Criminal Organization Based Out of Añasco, Puerto Rico, Indicted for Violating the RICO Act as part of Homeland Security Task Force Initiative

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

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal indictment was unsealed today in the District of Puerto Rico charging six defendants with 23 counts of racketeering—murder, drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms violations, committed in furtherance of a transnational criminal organization based out of Añasco, Puerto Rico, that engaged in large-scale drug trafficking in coordination with Venezuela, Colombia, and Dominican Republic sources of supply, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “This indictment not only alleges crimes of violence but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and brazenly, and innocent members of the community were killed,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “These crimes have no place in our society, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to bringing perpetrators to justice and making our communities safer.” “This operation demonstrates the relentless commitment of the Homeland Security Task Force, and our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent transnational criminal organizations operating in Puerto Rico and beyond,” said Rebecca González-Ramos, HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge. “This fourth phase of the operation builds on years of investigative work to ensure that dangerous criminal leaders, including Rodríguez-Cumba and his associates, remain behind bars while HSI and its partners continue targeting the drug trafficking, violence, and money laundering networks threatening our communities.” “This organization operated through violence, intimidation, and the false confidence that they were beyond accountability,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Today’s operation demonstrates that no criminal network is untouchable when law enforcement components work together with focus, persistence, and a shared commitment to protecting the people. The FBI and our Homeland Security Task Force partners remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling the individuals and financial networks that enable this violence to persist in Puerto Rico.” According to the indictment, the transnational criminal organization (hereinafter the Enterprise ) was involved in narcotics trafficking and money laundering. The Enterprise also committed and attempted to commit violent acts, including murder and assault. To further their narcotics trafficking operation, the Enterprise used boats to import multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine from Colombia, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic into Puerto Rico and subsequently into the continental United States. In order to promote the Enterprise, they laundered and used the drug proceeds to purchase weapons and ammunition, purchased real estate properties, rented properties for the purposes of storing narcotics, purchased vessels, and motor vehicles, amongst other things. Also, according to the indictment, members of the organization committed acts of violence to further the objectives of the Enterprise. These acts of violence served to promote and enhance the prestige, reputation and position of the Enterprise amongst rival criminal organizations; protect members and associates from law enforcement and rival drug trafficking organizations and preserve and protect their operation. The following murders are part of the charged racketeering acts: On or about April 15, 2020, [1] Manuel Antonio Valentín-Vega was kidnapped by rival drug traffickers for a ransom. Valentín-Vega was eventually released by the kidnappers. Afterwards, Valentín-Vega sought to murder those that he believed were responsible for the kidnapping, including F.S.C.V. and J.M.S.R, by putting out contracts for their murder. On or about May 21, 2020, in Añasco, PR, believing that F.S.C.V. was in an identified vehicle, J.A.A.F. (deceased) drove two other members of the Enterprise (not charged herein), who fired upon the vehicle, killing Y.M.H.R. (the consensual partner of F.S.C.V.) and R.T.H. (Y.M.H.R.’s eight-year-old daughter). On or about October 9, 2020, in Mayagüez, PR, two members of the Enterprise (not indicted herein) shot and killed E.F.S.O. (the neighbor of F.S.C.V.). On or about October 15, 2020, in Mayagüez, PR, members of the Enterprise (not charged herein) shot and killed F.S.C.V. and E.S.C. (an individual staying in the same residence as F.S.C.V.) After the murder of Y.M.H.R. and R.T.H., J.A.A.F. began to cooperate with Commonwealth of Puerto Rico authorities in the homicide prosecutions of members of the Enterprise. Cooperating Witness J.A.A.F. also identified [2] Rafael Ángel Ruiz-Garcés as one of the individuals who participated in the murders of Y.M.H.R. and R.T.H. Upon learning of J.A.A.F.’s cooperation with authorities, [1] Valentín-Vega put a contract out for the murder of J.A.A.F. On October 5, 2021, J.A.A.F. was shot and killed. O.D.R. was a member of the Enterprise and a rival within the Enterprise of [5] Luis J. Irizarry-Zapata. [5] Irizarry-Zapata told another member of the Enterprise (not charged herein) that O.D.R. wanted to kill [1] Valentín-Vega and [2] Ruiz-Garcés. [5] Irizarry-Zapata then ordered a member of the Enterprise to kill O.D.R. On March 31, 2022, that member of the Enterprise shot and killed O.D.R. On or about April 14, 2022, in the Middle District of Florida, at the direction of [5] Irizarry-Zapata, a member of the Enterprise (not charged herein) shot and killed J.M.S.R. (one of the kidnappers of [1] Valentín-Vega). In addition to the murders listed above, the indictment includes several racketeering acts, to wit: conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, importation of cocaine into the United States, attempted importation of cocaine into the United States, witness retaliation conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment also charges 22 additional counts, including: racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, importation of cocaine into the United States, attempted importation of cocaine into the United States, murders in-aid-of racketeering, witness retaliation conspiracy,possession firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, money laundering conspiracy, and unlawful monetary transactions over $10,000. The charged defendants occupied different roles in the Enterprise, to wit, principal leaders, lieutenants, money launderers, transporters, and enforces. The defendants are: [1] Manuel Antonio Valentín-Vega, a.k.a. “Nano/El Viejo”, (Counts 1-16, 17-19, and 21) [2] Rafael Ángel Ruiz-Garcés, a.k.a. “Pito Rancho/Pito/El Flaco”, (Counts 1-4, 7, 18, and 19) [3] César E. Carrero-Martínez, a.k.a. “Waldy”, (Counts 1-9, 18, 20, 22, and 23) [4] Jonathan Hernández-Ruiz, a.k.a. “Tan”, (Counts 1-4, 6, 9, and 18) [5] Luis J. Irizarry-Zapata, a.k.a. “Luijo”, (Counts 1, 2, 4, 17, and 18) [6] Luis F. Rivera-Quiñonez, a.k.a. “Nino”, (Counts 3, 4, and 6) The defendants are facing racketeering and narcotics forfeiture allegations that include the potential forfeiture of the following assets: “Game Changer” - a 2002 Viking, 55-foot vessel “Kay” - a 2020 Boston Whaler, 38-foot vessel Property located in Guayabo Ward of the municipality of Aguada Property located at Caracol Ward of the municipality of Añasco Property located at Piñales Ward of Añasco Property located at Boquerón Ward, El Combate Sector, in the municipality of Cabo Rojo Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio L. Pérez-Alonso and Ryan McCabe from the Asset Recovery, Money Laundering, and Transnational Organized Crime Section are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison. Defendants [1] Manuel Antonio Valentín-Vega and [5] Luis J. Irizarry-Zapata are eligible for the death penalty. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Six men indicted for firearms-related charges

body_text: SAVANNAH, Georgia: Six men have been indicted by the May term of the federal Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia for a variety of gun charges, including Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced the indictments. Those facing federal charges include: Jason Booz , 46, of Augusta, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Twain Frails , 36, of Augusta, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Naquan Brinson , 23, of Savannah, indicted for Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment. Thomas Hilliard , 39, of Savannah, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Nathaniel Williams , 46, of Savannah, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and Orlando M. Williams , 35, of Savannah, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. “We will prosecute those who illegally possesses firearms in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We value and commend our law enforcement partners, and we will continue to prioritize removing these dangerous weapons from individuals who are prohibited from possessing them.” The cases listed above have been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, and the Savannah Police Department. These cases are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karl I. Knoche, Matthew Breedon, Henry W. Syms Jr. and Bradley R. Thompson. Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Former Department of Labor Employee Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Over $40,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Benefits

body_text: BOSTON – A former employee of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining over $40,000 in pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) benefits. Mo Yuong Kang, 50, formerly of Woburn and Dracut, Mass., pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Aug. 11, 2026. In August 2025 , Kang was indicted by a federal grand jury. Kang worked as an Industrial Hygienist with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an agency of the DOL, from June 2016 until July 2023. In 2020 and 2021, Kang was a full-time employee of the DOL and earned over $85,000 annually. In April 2020, Kang submitted a false PUA application to the Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA). In the application, Kang claimed under the penalty of perjury that he was “self-employed, an independent contractor, or a gig worker and COVID-19 has severely limited [his] ability to perform [his] normal work,” and that he had not earned more than $89 a week since March 8, 2020. The DUA approved Kang’s claim, and through September 2021 Kang subsequently submitted weekly certifications to the DUA claiming that he did not work and did not receive any income during those weekly periods. Based upon his application and weekly certifications, Kang received $45,868 in PUA benefits to which he was not entitled. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Christopher Silvestro, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program called pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA), which provided unemployment benefits for individuals who were not eligible for standard unemployment benefits. To receive PUA benefits, Massachusetts claimants were required to certify in an initial registration and in weekly certifications whether or not they worked or received any income during the relevant time period. The PUA program was administered in Massachusetts by the Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA).


title: Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun Offenses

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – DaMorie Lamontay Miles, 19, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of receipt, possession, transfer, or production of a firearm which is not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Running with drugs and illegal firearms in the Northern District of Florida is a one-way ticket to federal prison, and my office is more than happy to send this felon on his way. Operation Take Back America is a promise to U.S. citizens that the Department of Justice will devote maximum resources toward keeping our streets safe and drug-free, and my office will continue to deliver on that promise with successful prosecutions like this one.” Court records reflect that the defendant was communicating via text message and social media with others to buy and sell marijuana and to obtain a machine gun conversion device (MCD). The defendant was arrested after a search warrant of his residence produced over 600 grams of marijuana and the MCD. If convicted on all counts, Miles faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt. 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. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Maryland Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Related Offenses

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a six-count indictment today charging Brandon Sartor, 33, of Hyattsville, Maryland, with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and related charges. According to court documents, Sartor compelled two adult women to perform commercial sex acts in Miami and elsewhere for his financial benefit from December 2024 until April 2025 and transported these two victims across state lines with the intent that they engage in prostitution. Sartor is charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; using a facility of interstate commerce to facilitate the promotion of a prostitution business enterprise; transporting individuals across state lines with the intent that they engage in prostitution or other criminal sexual activities; and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison along with mandatory restitution. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement. FBI Miami and the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne Williams for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Connecticut Man Sentenced to Prison for $2.5 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: DOMINICK N. DONOFRIO, 73, last residing in Middlefield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for defrauding a client of more than $2.5 million. According to court documents and statements made in court, Donofrio was the president and owner of Windstar Financial Services, Inc. (“Windstar”) based in Madison, Connecticut. In January 2013, Wisconsin-based Randall Robert Binversie Holdings (“Binversie”), which was interested in purchasing a renewable fuel business, hired Donofrio to provide business and financial consulting services. In early 2014, Donofrio informed Binversie of the opportunity to purchase Tioga Fuel, a home heating oil company in Philadelphia, and its properties (collectively, the “Tioga properties”), and convinced Binversie that the purchase price was $2,050,567. In fact, Donofrio had fraudulently marked up the purchase price by approximately $1,300,000. Donofrio subsequently completed the transaction. In pleading guilty, Donofrio admitted that he defrauded Binversie of more than $2.5 million. The loss amount includes the difference between the actual purchase price and the inflated purchase price of the Tioga properties; more than $987,000 in fraudulent consulting, negotiation, and legal fees Binversie paid in 2013 and 2014; approximately $87,000 that Donofrio stole from Tioga Fuel’s account during the acquisition; and approximately $136,000 that Donofrio obtained from Binversie as interest payments on a fictitious $1.25 million “loan,” an amount that Donofrio represented to Binversie that Windstar had fronted during the acquisition. On July 30, 2019, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned an indictment charging Donofrio with the offense. Donofrio was a fugitive until his arrest on July 24, 2024, in Mystic, Connecticut. After he failed to appear for a pretrial conference in Philadelphia on July 22, 2025, he was again arrested on December 3, 2025, and has been detained since that date. The case was transferred to the District of Connecticut for further prosecution. On February 4, 2026, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Francis of the District of Connecticut and Anita Eve of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.


title: Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Charlton, Mass. woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits and pension payments. Gina M. Cummings, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20, 2026. In December 2025 , Cummings was arrested and charged. From January 2020 through July 2025, Cummings fraudulently obtained approximately $110,428 in Social Security benefits, private pension payments and COVID Economic Impact Payments. Cummings had access to the checkbook of a Social Security beneficiary and pensioner who died in August 2019. She failed to report the beneficiary’s death to the Social Security Administration, the pension plan and the bank where the funds were deposited. Instead, Cummings accessed the improperly paid funds by forging the deceased beneficiary’s name on 84 checks and regularly depleted the account funds through recurring bill payments. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg and the Worcester Branch Office. On March 26, 2026 , United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621). On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Beverage Dispensing Equipment Manufacturer Pays $2.6 Million To Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Paycheck Protection Program

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: Tampa, FL – Micro Matic USA, Inc. (Micro Matic), a Delaware corporation with a principal place of business in Brooksville, Florida, has agreed to pay a settlement of $2,593,219.18 to resolve allegations that Micro Matic violated the False Claims Act by improperly obtaining a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP was expanded and modified by the Economic Aid Act in December 2020 and the American Recovery Plan Act in March 2021. The PPP authorized small businesses to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan funds on eligible expenses. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications. The PPP was administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Under the second round of PPP, only a business with 300 or fewer employees was eligible for a PPP loan. To determine size, businesses were required to apply the affiliation rules under 13 C.F.R. § 121.301(f), which require aggregating the employees and revenue of related companies, including companies outside the United States. GNGH2, Inc. filed a qui tam complaint in the Middle District of Florida alleging that Micro Matic improperly obtained a $2 million PPP loan. According to the allegations in the complaint, Micro Matic was ineligible for its PPP loan because it was not a small business due to its size after inclusion of its foreign affiliates. The United States investigated GNGH2’s allegations with the cooperation of Micro Matic. This settlement concludes the litigation and GNGH2 will receive $259,321.91 as a share in the recovery. The civil case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Micro Matic USA, Inc. , Case No. 8:24-cv-00442-MSS-UAM (M.D. Fla.). “PPP loans were intended to provide economic assistance to legitimate businesses during a national catastrophic event,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue to prosecute those who abuse this federal program and pursue the recovery of improperly obtained funds from anyone found ineligible to receive taxpayer dollars.” “Investigations like this one reflect the collaboration of the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as the work of private individuals who uncover fraudulent conduct, to recover COVID pandemic relief funds obtained through fraud,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis. This civil settlement resulted from an investigation by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Emden, with the support of Arlene Embrey and Alexis Pinkston from SBA’s Office of General Counsel. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Appointed to Attorney General’s Advisory Committee

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida announced today his appointment to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys (AGAC), a select body of United States Attorneys chosen by the Attorney General to advise Department leadership on national law enforcement priorities, Department policy, and the administration of justice. On September 30, 1973, Attorney General Elliot Richardson took a historic step by appointing fifteen United States Attorneys to serve on the very first Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys. The Committee’s purpose was to give United States Attorneys a powerful voice in Department policies and to advise the Attorney General of the United States. That foundational mission remains as vital today as it was more than five decades ago. Its members represent a broad cross-section of federal judicial districts, geographic locations, and offices of every size — small, medium, and large. The Committee meets approximately eight times each year with the Attorney General and works hand-in-hand to advance the law enforcement goals set by the President of the United States. Operating solely at the discretion and pleasure of the Attorney General. The Advisory Committee was formally institutionalized on February 20, 1976, by Attorney General Order 640-76, cementing its enduring role as a cornerstone of Department of Justice strategy. Established in 1973 and formalized by federal regulation, the AGAC is the principal advisory body through which United States Attorneys provide direct recommendations to the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, and the Associate Attorney General on federal prosecution, public safety, and Department operations. Its work includes recommending policy reforms, improving coordination between Main Justice and United States Attorneys’ Offices, promoting consistency in the application of federal law, and helping shape national criminal justice initiatives. The AGAC is composed of a group of United States Attorneys from across the country and is designed to ensure broad geographic, operational, and subject-matter representation. Members work through subcommittees and working groups on issues including violent crime, national security, immigration enforcement, cybercrime, fraud, victim services, and intergovernmental coordination. Under United States Department of Justice policy and regulation, the Committee plays a central role in ensuring that the experience of federal prosecutors in the field informs national Department strategy. “This is a significant honor and a serious responsibility,” said United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “The Attorney General’s Advisory Committee helps shape how the Department of Justice confronts the most urgent threats facing the American people, from violent crime and cartel activity to cybercrime, fraud, and national security threats. I am honored by the trust placed in me and look forward to bringing the perspective of the Southern District of Florida to that work. South Florida sits at the crossroads of global commerce, international travel, immigration, finance, and national security. The lessons we learn here matter nationally, and I intend to ensure our experience strengthens the Department’s mission to protect Americans, restore impartial justice, and defend the rule of law.” As United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Reding Quiñones has prioritized violent crime reduction, criminal immigration enforcement, public corruption, cyber-enabled/crypto fraud, and transnational criminal organizations. His appointment to the AGAC reflects both his leadership in one of the nation’s most complex federal districts and the important role the Southern District of Florida plays in confronting emerging threats to public safety and national security. Reding Quiñones was sworn in on August 13, 2025, as the first U.S. Attorney confirmed during President Trump’s second administration. An Air Force colonel with more than 23 years of military service, he previously served as a Florida trial judge, as a national security official in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division focused on counterterrorism and intelligence, and as a federal prosecutor in both the Eastern District of Virginia and the Southern District of Florida. The Executive Office for United States Attorneys provides operational support to the AGAC and coordinates its work with Department leadership to ensure the nation’s 94 United States Attorneys’ Offices remain aligned in carrying out federal law enforcement priorities. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. ###


title: Sarasota Woman Found Guilty of Making Threats on TikTok  Sentenced to 14 Months in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Desiree Doreen Segari (41, Sarasota) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Katheryn Kimball Mizell to 14 months in federal prison for interstate communication of a threat to injure. A federal jury found Segari guilty on January 13, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. Segari was indicted on September 18, 2025. According to evidence presented at trial, on August 17, 2025, Segari posted a video on TikTok calling for MAGA supporters to be shot on sight. Segari stated, “so if we all get our guns and use our second amendment right…and you see somebody with a MAGA hat, ‘pew pew’ that’s what we do, that’s the way, it’s the only way.” While saying “pew pew,” Segari used hand gestures mimicking the firing of a gun. She further stated, “Put them back in their basements, make them scared again to be racist, homophobic, and terrible just awful [expletive],” and “MAGA people deserve to be terrified and scared to walk in the streets because they should know that real Americans are gonna [mouths expletive] kill them.” When Segari posted the video, she included a caption: “#seemagapewpewmaga starting a new trend, hope it catches on. Please spread the word. Share this video. Repost it. Use the hashtag all over the internet. Let's go guys. It's time to fight back in a potentially effective manner.” The next day, Segari posted another video on TikTok, in which she stated, “See MAGA pew pew MAGA, see MAGA pew pew MAGA, see MAGA pew pew MAGA so these [expletive] know we ain’t here to play” while again using hand gestures to mimic the firing of a gun. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.