title: Members of Tacoma street gang are indicted for drug and gun trafficking

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Law enforcement fanned out to some 17 locations in Washington, Oregon, and California, on Wednesday February 4, 2026, making 14 arrests following a wiretap investigation of a drug and gun trafficking organization affiliated with the Black Gangster Disciples street gang, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Lead defendant Kevin Salgado, 27, of Puyallup, Washington, is alleged to have led the group distributing counterfeit oxycodone and Xanax pills, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Some members of the drug trafficking group also conspired to possess firearms to further their drug distribution. Members of the group were heard on the wiretap talking about exchanging drugs for firearms. “The defendants in this indictment allegedly engaged in a wide range of criminal conduct – pressing narcotic pills for distribution, trafficking firearms and switches to make them machine guns, using those guns to settle scores with rival gangsters,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Neil Floyd. “Ringleader Kevin Salgado allegedly distributed the pills he manufactured in western Washington and across the country through the mail. So far three overdose deaths have been connected to Salgado’s activity.” “Together with our Homeland Security Task Force, we’ve struck a major blow against violent crime—dismantling a dangerous criminal enterprise and making our communities safer,” said Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “HSI is relentless in taking down transnational criminal organizations, seizing their drugs, removing their guns, cutting off their money, and bringing their members to justice. Protecting our neighborhoods from illicit activity remains our top priority.” In addition to Salgado, these defendants are indicted in the case: Haley Filler, 30, of Puyallup, Washington Gabriel Tovar, 29, Puyallup, Washington Kevin Andreas, 28, Puyallup, Washington Joshua Bailey, 30, University Place, Washington Tyson Latchie, 28, University Place, Washington Kahlil Bland, 29, Tacoma Ian Newman, 29, Yucaipa, California Edgar Adrian Hernandez, 26, Yamhill, Oregon Isaac Briones, 24, Sunnyside, Washington Roman Jackson, 25, Lakewood, Washington Geeneva Morandarte, 26, Lakewood, Washington Christian Ericson, 26, Tacoma Michelle Ford-Jackson, 50, Olympia, Washington Each of the defendants had different involvement in the drug and gun conspiracy. For example, in March 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the Auburn residence of Gabriel Tovar after seeing social media posts showing him holding high-powered firearms with extended magazines and machinegun conversion switches. Agents seized 11 firearms. Five of them were stolen. They also seized a total of 9 machinegun conversion devices. Some of the defendants were involved in hacking into drug distribution companies and rerouting shipments of controlled substances so they could sell them on the streets. Searches of iCloud accounts and phones associated with members of the organization indicated Newman and Bland were diverting shipments to an address in Lynnwood, Washington, and later conspired to do the same in Florida. And another of the defendants allegedly paid kickbacks to a pharmacist in Oregon for filling fake prescriptions for oxycodone and other narcotics. In June 2025, Isaac Briones was arrested in Davenport, Washington where he was picking up a fraudulent prescription of promethazine and codeine. In all, up until the searches Wednesday, law enforcement seized 38 firearms (nine of which had machinegun conversion devices) and seven were stolen firearms. A lengthy list of narcotics has been recovered including more than four kilograms of methamphetamine, more than two kilos of Phenazepam and seven kilograms of counterfeit oxycodone pills. On Wednesday alone law enforcement seized 39 firearms and more than 100 “Glock switches” – a part designed to turn a semi-automatic firearm into a machinegun. Law enforcement also seized approximately 887.9 grams of fentanyl pills; 924 grams of fentanyl powder, 355.3 grams of methamphetamine, 557.6 grams of cocaine; 3.5 kilograms of counterfeit oxycodone pills; 236.2 grams of oxycodone pills; and 268.8 grams of Xanax pills. “DEA will aggressively target anyone who traffics drugs, diverts controlled substances, or uses guns to fuel criminal activity,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This Tacoma street gang flooded our communities with fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and stolen prescription drugs while arming themselves with stolen firearms and Glock switches. DEA will continue working shoulder to shoulder with our federal, state, and local partners to dismantle violent drug trafficking organizations and hold those responsible accountable for the harm they inflict on our communities as we build a Fentanyl Free America and save American lives.” “This operation and its results are a prime example of what’s possible when agencies collaborate,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “But this type of teamwork is not an anomaly. Every single day, ATF special agents and our law enforcement partners work tirelessly to prevent violent criminals from obtaining and using weapons that put lives at risk, and ATF will continue to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute these offenders and their organizations.” “Narcotics are destroying lives and devastating communities across the region. Every gram, every pill, and every sale of these drugs has the potential to ruin lives,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Seattle Division. “Postal inspectors remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of these deadly drugs through the mail and hold criminals who profit from poisoning our neighborhoods accountable.” “It’s always a win to get illegal drugs and guns off our streets. Our friends and neighbors are safer today due to the extraordinary efforts of our agents and of our law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “We celebrate our success today, but we know that there’s much work to be done. Together, we are committed to making a continued difference by combatting drug trafficking and the violence that comes with it.” The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This investigation 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. HSTF Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. This investigation is being led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with key participation by United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation (CI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agents and Diversion Investigators, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Tacoma Police Department (TPD), Seattle Police Department (SPD). During the investigation special assistance was provided by Department of State (DoS) Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, Spokane Police Department (SPD), Centralia Police Department (CPD), Northwest HIDTA. On the day search and arrest warrants were served, these additional agencies provided support: Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol (WSP), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), San Bernardino County, California, Probation Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elyne Vaught and Michael Harder.


title: Federal Inmate and Four Others Charged With 2016 Kidnappings and Murders in Oakland Park and Lauderhill

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Palacio Valdes Farley, 45, a federal inmate serving consecutive sentences totaling 34 years for conspiring to commit drug-trafficking and money laundering offenses, and conspiring to rob drug-traffickers of narcotics, money, and other property, made his initial appearance in federal court on Jan. 27 to face new charges arising from the August 2016 kidnapping and murders of two victims. According to court records, Farley and his co-conspirators allegedly planned and carried out the robbery of an apartment in Oakland Park used to store narcotics and drug-trafficking proceeds. Farley recruited Frederic Wayne Mordon, Jr., 44, Emmanuel Xavier White, 51; Walter James Tillman, 37; Andrew Francois Martin, 33; and Joassaint Josiah Aristil, Jr., 30, to execute the robbery. In preparation, the defendants allegedly purchased GPS tracking devices, clothing bearing the letters “DEA,” masks, holsters, and flashlights, and rented two vehicles. They placed a GPS tracking device on a vehicle belonging to a drug-trafficker, “John Doe,” who used the Oakland Park apartment as a narcotics stash house. On Aug. 18, 2016, the defendants met at a staging location in Lauderhill and used the GPS tracking device to locate Doe’s vehicle, which was parked at an apartment complex in Lauderhill. The defendants drove to the apartment complex in the two rental vehicles. When the defendants arrived, Doe was seated in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, with his acquaintance, Tiara Jeanne Register, seated in the front passenger seat. Farley, Mordon, and White allegedly approached wearing DEA-style shirts and masks and carrying firearms, announced they were the DEA, and ordered Doe and Register to put their hands up. Farley forcibly removed Doe at gunpoint from the vehicle and placed him in the back seat, while Martin got into the driver’s seat. White removed Register from the vehicle and handed her to Mordon, who placed her into one of the rental cars. Aristil and Tillman allegedly served as lookouts during the carjacking and kidnappings of Doe and Register. After leaving the Lauderhill complex, Mordon took Register back to the staging location and handed her over to Aristil to hold her captive. Meanwhile, Martin, Farley, and White drove Doe to the Oakland Park stash apartment. Upon arrival, Farley and White took Doe out of his vehicle, intending to use Doe to access his apartment. However, Doe’s associate, Eric Orlando McNair, was standing at the bottom of the stairs smoking a cigarette, saw them, and fled upstairs to the apartment. Doe struggled with White, attempting to disarm him. Farley allegedly shot Doe twice, and Doe fell to the ground. Doe survived and fled the scene. Farley and White then pursued McNair upstairs. Inside the stash apartment, Farley and White pursued McNair into a bedroom, where Farley fatally shot McNair in the head and the neck, killing him. Farley and White collected narcotics and cash from inside the apartment and fled the scene in Doe’s vehicle, driven by Martin. Following the robbery, Martin, Farley, White, Mordon, and Tillman met up at White’s residence in Lauderhill. Soon after, Aristil arrived in one of the rental cars, with Register. Farley handed Martin a firearm and instructed him to take Register to a nearby cul-de-sac and kill her. Martin and Aristil drove Register to the dead end, where Martin shot her in the head, killing her. Aristil and Martin then returned to White’s house, where Martin reported to Farley that he had executed Register. The defendants are charged with two counts of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of causing the death of a person in furtherance of a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime. Farley, Martin, and Aristil are also charged with killing a witness. If convicted, the defendants face mandatory sentences of life imprisonment on the kidnapping counts. The maximum penalty for all counts is death or life in prison. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), and Chief Constance Stanley of the Lauderhill Police Department (LPD) made the announcement. FBI Miami, BSO, and LPD are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne E. Williams is prosecuting the case. 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 Miami comprises agents and officers from FBI Miami, Broward Sheriff’s Office, and the Lauderhill Police Department with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov , under case numbers 25-cr-60305, and 24-cr-60063 (Mordon). ###


title: La Center, Washington man sentenced to ten years in prison for scheme to hack Snapchat accounts to access private images and harass teens

body_text: Tacoma – A 32-year-old La Center, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to ten years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for his scheme to access multiple teens’ private photos by posing as a Snapchat tech support person. Dylan Rex pleaded guilty in August 2025 to seven counts of Wire Fraud; seven counts of Computer Fraud; one count of Possession of Child Pornography; and one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor. Rex was taken into custody at sentencing to being serving his prison term. Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo told him, “For three years, you were acting like a creature. In the end, your behavior caused unimaginable pain for the victims.” “This defendant is the dangerous stranger lurking on the Internet that every parent fears,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “And he made the deception even worse by posing as tech support to get access to private images. I commend the cyber investigators at the FBI for bringing him to justice.” “For several years, Mr. Rex deceived his victims by pretending to provide security for their social media accounts. Instead, he used his ill-gotten access to those accounts to steal their personal photos and videos, which he then circulated on the internet,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Even worse, he offered payment to the mother of a child under the age of 10 to sexually abuse the minor child, film that abuse, and send him the imagery. When law enforcement searched Mr. Rex's residence, they uncovered media depicting the mother abusing her minor child along with hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material on multiple devices. He had gone on to distribute some of these images online, inflicting further damage on the victims each time he did. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue child predators and those who victimize others through the internet so they can be held accountable for their harmful actions.” According to records filed in the case, between July 2020 and March 2023, Rex defrauded over 170 victims of their private and intimate photos and videos stored in their Snapchat accounts. He would use false phone numbers and false email addresses that made it appear he was a member of the Snapchat tech support team. He would trigger a password reset message to the victim and then ask the victim to provide the six-digit code to assist them in getting back into their account. Once the victim gave up the code Rex locked them out of their account and stole the images he wanted. Many of the images and videos he stole he circulated on the internet, leading to harassment and extortion of the victims. On March 29, 2023, law enforcement searched Rex’s residence and seized several digital devices. In all agents found more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material on eight different devices. “What Dylan Rex did was calculated, cruel, and downright depraved. He impersonated a member of Snapchat’s customer support, targeted over 170 victims’ accounts across the country, and stole their photos which were later weaponized against them. To make matters worse, he possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material and even went as far as enticing a young mother into sexually abusing her own child, and documenting that abuse for his own sick gratification,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “With today’s sentence, he’s been held accountable for his crimes, and will be locked away, where he can’t victimize anyone else.” In asking for the ten-year sentence and 15 years of supervised release prosecutors wrote to the court, “Rex’s sole purpose of hacking into the victims’ Snapchat accounts was to hunt for intimate and sexually suggestive photographs and/or videos of young women that he would in turn share or trade on the internet. Although Rex may not have participated directly in the harassment and intimidation of these victims using their stolen imagery, he undoubtedly contributed to it. His actions created a living nightmare for many of these victims.” The search of Rex’s devices led to one state court conviction as well. On October 16, 2025, Rex was sentenced to 90 days in custody after pleading guilty to two counts of Voyeurism in Clark County Superior Court. In that case, Rex photographed and filmed victims, including minors, without their knowledge or consent. Rex used a recording device that he placed in a bathroom to capture these images. The case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne M. Vaught.


title: Carlsbad Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of Carlsbad Woman

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Cameron William Fulston of Carlsbad was sentenced in federal court today to 144 months in prison for coordinating the sale of the fentanyl that resulted in the fatal overdose of 25-year-old Carlsbad resident Danielle Good in 2023. “Danielle’s life was much more than her final moments,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “Danielle was a beloved daughter and sister. Our office prosecutes these fatal drug distribution cases in part because we value the humanity of those victims of the fentanyl epidemic.” “Fentanyl continues to steal lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee. “The defendant in this case didn’t just arrange a deadly sale, he abandoned a young woman in her final moments and then chose deception over accountability. His selfish actions denied the victim and her family the future they deserved.” According to court documents, on September 9, 2023, Fulston contacted the victim on social media and arranged for her to come meet him and his co-defendant and source of supply, prolific drug dealer Bryan Kim Bullard. Fulston coordinated with Bullard to supply Good with fentanyl at a Mission Valley apartment. As Bullard supplied the fatal fentanyl to the victim, he sent Fulston to a nearby restaurant to pick up food, then messaged him quickly thereafter to ask for Narcan at 11:17 p.m. Despite early signs of a medical emergency, the defendants both failed to seek help for over an hour while Good lay dying of an overdose in a bathtub. It was not until more than an hour later, at 12:22 a.m., that Bullard called 911 from Good’s phone, then fled the scene before help arrived. During the critical delay, Fulston and Bullard had two Facebook video conversations during which, despite Good’s rapidly deteriorating condition, no one sought help for her. Instead, Bullard engaged in multiple Facebook video chats and sent disturbing messages, including a video showing the unconscious and unclothed victim in the bathtub. During Bullard’s 9-1-1 call, he stated, “overdose, overdose,” and that he was calling from “…her phone…” While the dispatcher was trying to explain life saving measures, Bullard stopped talking, and the call ended. San Diego Police officers were dispatched immediately, at approximately 12:23 a.m., to the Mission Valley apartment complex. Bullard fled the scene before police arrived. While law enforcement was on scene, Fulston arrived back at the apartment. Fulston told police a series of lies in an effort to distance himself from the overdose but eventually admitted that Good originally came to the apartment with him, as seen on video surveillance. The evidence in the case reflected that Fulston let Bullard know when police and paramedics had left so that it was safe to return. Afterwards, the defendants immediately resumed distributing drugs, with Fulston offering to provide drugs to at least three different users on Facebook in the span of just a few hours that same morning. Prosecutors argued for a significant sentence, arguing that the defendant’s egregious conduct in this case resulted in the loss of life and his indifference towards continued drug distribution put the public at continuous risk and demanded a significant custodial sanction. Fulston pleaded guilty to Distribution of a Controlled Substance in September 2025. Bullard, who pleaded guilty to the same charge in December 2024, was sentenced in July 2025 to 20 years in prison, the statutory maximum sentence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Streja. Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) led the investigation. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. DEFENDANTS Case Number 24cr1063 Cameron William Fulston Age: 31 Carlsbad SUMMARY OF CHARGES Distribution of Controlled Substance (fentanyl), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration San Diego County District Attorney’s Office Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Police Department La Mesa Police Department California Department of Health Care Services


title: Ohio Man Charged for Threatening to Kill the Vice President of the United States

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – A federal grand jury returned an indictment earlier this week charging a 33-year-old man with threatening to kill the Vice President of the United States during his visit to the Northwest Ohio region in January. Shannon Mathre, of Toledo, is accused of making a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, a successor to the presidency, in violation of Title 18 U.S. Code Section 871(a). In the indictment, he allegedly stated, “I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him.” Mathre was arrested by U.S. Secret Service agents Feb. 6. The grand jury further charges that from about Dec. 31, 2025, to Jan. 21, 2026, Mathre was also engaged in the receipt and distribution of images that visually depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18 U.S. Code Section 2252(a)(2). While investigating the threats allegedly made against the vice president, federal agents discovered multiple digital files of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) in Mathre’s possession. “Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.” “While arresting this man for allegedly threatening to murder the Vice President of the United States, a serious crime in and of itself, federal law enforcement discovered that he was also in possession of child sexual abuse materials,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Thank you to federal, state and local partners in working together to bring justice twofold to this depraved individual.” “Hostile and violent threats made against the Vice President, or any other public official, will not be tolerated in our District,” said David M. Toepfer, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “Anyone threatening this kind of action will face swift justice and prosecution. We commend the actions of our local and state law enforcement who collaborated with U.S. Secret Service to take this individual into custody.” Mathre made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Ohio Feb. 6. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 11. If found guilty as charged, Mathre faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 for threating the life of the vice president. Mathre faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 if found guilty of the CSAM charge. U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio and the U.S. Secret Service Toledo and Cleveland Field Offices made the announcement. An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. The United States Secret Service leads the investigation, with valuable assistance from the Toledo Police Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Federal grand jury indicts convicted felon on multiple drug and weapons charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Martino Carter, 38, of Sloan, NY, with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of firearms and ammunition by person subject to domestic violence protective order. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, on June 5, 2025, the Buffalo Police Department, ATF and FBI executed a search warrant at Carter’s Jackson Avenue residence in Sloan. During the search, investigators recovered two firearms, a magazine, and approximately 25 pounds of suspected marijuana. Carter was taken into custody at the scene. In May 2009, Carter was convicted of two felonies in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. In addition, at the time of his arrest, he had an active order of protection against him, which also legally prohibited him from possessing a firearm. Carter was arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Acting Police Commissioner Craig Macy, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Father and son going to prison for killing Niagara Falls man in furtherance of drug conspiracy

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Office Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Lavon Parks, a/k/a Dutch, 35, and his father, James C. Parks, 61, both of Niagara Falls, NY, were sentenced to serve 30 years and 20 years in prison respectively, by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The defendants were convicted following a jury trial of narcotics conspiracy, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and discharge of firearm causing death. In addition, Lavon Parks was also convicted of attempting to possess, with intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that between May 2017, and March 2019, the defendants were part of a conspiracy to sell cocaine in the Niagara Falls and Buffalo, NY areas. On the afternoon of January 21, 2018, Kevin Turner was murdered in a shooting in front of a Niagara Street residence in Niagara Falls. Turner was an alleged crack cocaine dealer who had recently moved from Buffalo to Niagara Falls, where, the night before the shooting, he was staying just a few blocks from the scene of the shooting. The afternoon of the shooting, Turner went to the Niagara Street residence to sell crack cocaine. After exiting the residence, Turner was shot and killed. Evidence was presented by the Government that Lavon Parks and James Parks were driving around the area in a truck immediately before the shooting, apparently looking for someone. Video evidence placed a truck registered to Lavon Parks’ then-girlfriend in the immediate area of the shooting both before and after the murder. Ballistics recovered from the scene of the shooting matched a firearm that was recovered approximately two weeks later from an individual in Niagara Falls who was not near the scene at the time of Turner’s death. The firearm, however, was one of several firearms that were illegally trafficked from Pittsburgh, PA, by an individual who testified that he sold this type of firearm, along with at least seven others, to Lavon Parks in exchange for drugs. The investigation included a series of controlled buys and payments involving defendant Lavon Parks. Investigators seized approximately 8.5 kilograms of cocaine and $52,000 in U.S. currency from postal parcels shipped from Puerto Rico to various locations in the Western District of New York, Florida, Alaska, Georgia, and Pennsylvania using the United States Postal Service. The shipments were made to co-conspirators. Additionally, the investigation identified $55,700 in U.S. currency and/or money orders shipped in parcels from co-conspirators to Puerto Rico as payment to the source of supply for the cocaine. The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Nicholas Ligammari; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, New York Field Division; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Nicholas J. Bucciarelli, Boston Division. # # # #


title: Two Individuals Charged in Scheme to “Straw Purchase” Firearms

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

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals in a scheme to “straw purchase” firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Habonisun Mynez Chaverst, 28, of Center Point, Alabama, and Keonna Daniella Cephus, 38, of Birmingham, Alabama, with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and submit false ATF forms 4473. Cephus was also charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. According to the indictment, between October 2024 and November 2024, Chaverst partnered with co-defendant Cephus to purchase six firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee. Cephus, the straw purchaser, falsified documents by specifically stating that she was the actual buyer when in fact she was buying the firearms for Chaverst. On two separate occasions in November 2024, Cephus purchased two .40 caliber Glock 22 pistols, two .40 caliber Glock 23 pistols, and two 9mm Glock 17 pistols from Hoover Tactical Firearms. Cephus used money provided by Chaverst to purchase the firearms. The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Members of a Large-Scale Nationwide Fentanyl Trafficking Organization Sentenced in Washington D.C.

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Andrew Henrry Rodriguez, 24, of Ontario, California, Santos Balmore Martinez, 23, of Los Angeles, California, Jose Anthony Contreras, 32, of Fullerton, California, Anthony Guadalupe Olguin, 29, of South El Monte, California, and others have been sentenced in United States District Court for the District of Columbia for their roles in obtaining fentanyl from Mexico, and distributing it in California and throughout the United States, including Washington, D.C. The fentanyl trafficking organization distributed tens of thousands of deadly doses of illegal fentanyl using covert social media platforms, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. On September 20, 2024, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl before the Honorable Judge Amit P. Mehta, United States District Court Judge, for the District of Columbia. On May 13, 2025, Judge Mehta sentenced Rodriguez to 63 months imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release. On November 13, 2024, Martinez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On February 21, 2025, Judge Mehta sentenced Martinez to 48 months imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release. On December 6, 2024, Contreras pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On March 21, 2025, Judge Mehta sentenced Contreras to 120 months imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release. On September 4, 2025, Anthony Olguin pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On February 6, 2026, Judge Mehta sentenced Olguin to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Judge Mehta ordered part of the sentence to run concurrently with a separate conviction that Olguin is serving out of the Southern District of Iowa, where he was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment on November 13, 2025, for another drug trafficking conspiracy. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in announcing the sentences were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher Goumenis, of the Washington Division Office, and Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division. According to court documents, the group was part of a large-scale fentanyl distribution conspiracy that obtained tens of thousands of fentanyl pills. Between 2023 and 2024, the DEA, with the assistance of a confidential source and an undercover law enforcement officer, conducted numerous controlled fentanyl pill purchases from Rodriguez, who shipped fentanyl pills from California through the USPS to a mailing address in the District of Columbia. Rodriguez sent about 4,713 fentanyl pills (weighing over 400 grams in total) and prepared to send an additional 21,000 fentanyl pills to the DEA undercover officer, but law enforcement arrested him at his residence in Ontario, California, before the plan could be completed. Thereafter, Martinez, Contreras, Olguin, and others, were arrested, and search warrants were executed. From those searches, law enforcement recovered a cache of illegal substances and evidence of the drug trafficking conspiracy. This case was investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, and the Hermosa Beach California Police Department with the assistance of the DEA’s Los Angeles Division Office and the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and Daniel Seidel, of the Violence Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 24cr80 ##


title: Bexar County Man Indicted for Tampering with Public Water Systems

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury in San Antonio returned an indictment Wednesday charging a Bexar County man with three counts related to his alleged tampering with public water systems, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents, Mark Anthony Cadena, 36, is alleged to have knowingly tampered with and attempted to tamper with a public water system on or about Feb. 2, 2025. The indictment also alleges Cadena hacked into the water utility’s well and pump control systems, intentionally causing at least $5,000 in damage to a protected computer threatening public health and safety. Cadena is charged with one count of tampering with public water systems, one count of attempted tampering with public water systems, and one count of fraud and related activity in connection with computers. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for count one and 10 years in prison each for counts two and three. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Mangels is prosecuting the case. 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: Federal Jury Delivers Speedy Verdicts Convicting Green Bay Man of Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 3, 2026, a federal jury in Green Bay convicted Ricky Q. Chambers, a/k/a “Goldi” (age: 29) of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 and 846. Given very strong evidence, the jury required less than 15 minutes to reach a verdict. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Chambers frequently traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, where he purchased large quantities of fentanyl pills. Chambers then shipped the pills to various cities throughout the Midwest before distributing them in the Green Bay, Wisconsin area. On July 25, 2024, law enforcement officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota intercepted a package sent by Chambers containing more than 55,000 fentanyl pills. Further evidence showed that Chambers spent many thousands of dollars on luxury travel and expensive jewelry. Jurors also reviewed photographs and videos depicting Chambers flashing tens of thousands of dollars in cash. In some of those videos, agents determined that serial numbers on the bills Chambers displayed matched prerecorded currency used in controlled purchases of fentanyl from Chambers. Testimony revealed that highly connected traffickers can purchase tens of thousands of fentanyl pills in Phoenix for as little as 50 cents per pill and then sell them in Green Bay for up to $20 per pill. An expert also testified that seven out of ten fentanyl pills tested at DEA crime laboratories contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. Chambers is one of eight defendants convicted as part of this fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. The remaining defendants charged in the case pleaded guilty. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 175,000 fentanyl pills linked to this drug trafficking organization. Chambers will be sentenced by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach on May 11, 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. This case was investigated by the Brown County Drug Task Force, the Dakota County (Minnesota) Drug Task Force, the MSP Airport Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Green Bay Resident Office and Phoenix Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alex Duros and Tim Funnell. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Upshur County Man Admits to Trafficking Methamphetamine

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A Rock Cave, West Virginia man has admitted to selling methamphetamine in Upshur County, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Colton Darrell Lester, 37, pled guilty today to the distribution of more than 5 grams of methamphetamine. During the investigation, agents purchased methamphetamine from Lester on several occasions. Lester faces at least 5 and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge would determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: FIVE INDICTMENTS RETURNED AND THIRTEEN ILLEGAL ALIENS CONVICTED OF IMMIGRATION, FALSE DOCUMENT OFFENSES IN JANUARY

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA and GAINESVILLE – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that five previously deported illegal aliens have been indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States, and thirteen illegal aliens were convicted of federal crimes in the month of January. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office continues to make positive contributions to the success of Operation Take Back America as we follow the directive set forth by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively prosecute criminal aliens who have repeatedly violated our immigration laws and endangered the safety of our communities. Those who try to lie, cheat, and steal their way into our country will be met with swift justice and quick deportations.” According to court records, five illegal aliens indicted in the month of January include: Pedro Vasquez-Guerra, 26, of El Salvador, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in December 2025, after previously being deported in 2017. Sentencing is set for February 24, 2026, before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Jose Perez-Perez, 42, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in December 2025, after previously being deported three times in 2011 and once in 2023. Trial is set for March 2, 2026, before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Emin Perez-Mendez, 37, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in December 2025, after previously being deported in 2018. Plea and Sentencing took place yesterday, February 4, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Delmer Francisco Garcia-Palma, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in January 2026, after previously being deported in 2017, 2019, and 2020. Trial is set for March 16, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Genaro Lopez Lopez, 49, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Santa Rosa County in January 2026, after previously being deported twice in 2009. Trial is set for March 16, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Garcia-Palma and Perez-Perez both face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine pursuant to allegations of prior convictions qualifying for an increased maximum sentence. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In addition to the indictments filed, eleven defendants were convicted in the month of January for having had each been previously removed due to being unlawfully present in the country and thereafter illegally reentered without seeking the necessary permission or approval from the United States. The illegal aliens convicted in the month of January include: Melvin Saavedra-Vasquez, of Honduras, who was previously removed in March 2025. He was encountered in Okaloosa County on October 17, 2025. Luis Moscoso-Vidal, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in March 2019. He was encountered in Okaloosa County on October 27, 2025. Eugenio Hernandez-Vargas, of Mexico, who was previously removed in October 2010, November 2011, and April 2014. He was encountered in Bay County on October 29, 2025. Jose Alvarado Lopez, of Honduras, who was previously removed in June 2019 and August 2019. He was encountered in Bay County on October 29, 2025. Edgar Enamorado-Lara, of Honduras, who was previously removed in December 2006. He was encountered in Bay County on October 29, 2025. Maynor Esquivel-Amador, of Guatemala, who was previously removed in February 2019. He was encountered in Bay County on October 29, 2025. Edgar Castaneda-Herrera, of Mexico, who was previously removed in January 2006 and April 2008. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on November 8, 2025. Allan Josue Sanchez-Lozano, of Honduras, who was previously removed in July 2016. He was encountered in Escambia County on November 22, 2025. Carlos Sanchez-Mendez, of Mexico, who was previously removed in January 2010, February 2010, March 2010, October 2014, and April 2016. He was encountered in Okaloosa County on November 28, 2025. Leobardo Gomez-Lopez, of Mexico, who was previously removed in April 2016 and April 2017. He was encountered in Escambia County on November 28, 2025. Carlos Castellanos, of Honduras, who was previously removed in August 2014. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on December 11, 2025. Two aliens were also convicted of false document crimes. They include: Belarmino Godinez, of Guatemala. Miguel Gomez-Ical, of Guatemala. The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with assistance from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain, Christopher C. Patterson, Jeffrey M. Tharp, Walter E. Narramore, Joseph A. Ravelo, Meredith L. Steer, and Brooke DiSalvo are prosecuting the cases. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. 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: DEFUNIAK SPRINGS MAN FEDERALLY CHARGED FOR ARMED TRAFFICKING OF METHAMPHETAMINE AND ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Bobby Womack, 45, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon armed career criminal. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Womack appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 2, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. If convicted, Womack faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine count, a minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession of a firearm in furtherance count, and a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon armed career criminal count. The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 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, human and drug trafficking. 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 available 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: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Prison for Committing Two Armed Carjackings Days Apart

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Pridgen, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 214 months’ imprisonment, five years’ supervised release, and $11,709.82 in restitution by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for committing two carjackings in the city just days apart. The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in August 2024 and pleaded guilty in October of last year to two counts of carjacking and two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. As detailed in court filings and statements, the first carjacking was on July 3, 2023, when Pridgen carjacked a victim, who had been sitting in his parked blue Jeep, at gunpoint. Pridgen had at least one co-conspirator who drove him there in a separate vehicle. Then, on July 6, 2023, Pridgen and two co-defendants, Raheem Bivens and Raheim Brown, used the first victim’s blue Jeep to carjack a second victim of his white Jeep. Pridgen and Bivens both pointed firearms with extended magazines at the victim, demanding the car and keys. Pridgen and Bivens then fled in the second victim’s white Jeep, with Bivens behind the wheel. Philadelphia police located both Jeeps quickly and pursued all three men. Bivens crashed the white Jeep into several other cars, and Brown, who was driving the blue Jeep, crashed into another car. All the men ran, but all were apprehended, and police recovered both guns. Pridgen had the second victim’s identification on him when he was apprehended. Pridgen carried out these carjackings right after his release from juvenile state custody for committing several violent gunpoint commercial robberies in 2021. Co-defendants Bivens, 22, and Brown, 25, both also of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in 2024 to one count of carjacking and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. They were each sentenced to 14 years in prison and five years of supervised release, with Bivens also ordered to pay $11,709.82 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Shulman and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Bowerman.


title: FEDERAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST PENSACOLA REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER FOR OBSCENITY CRIMES DEPICTING CHILDREN

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jordan T. Quinones, 30, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on charges of possession of obscene material involving depictions of minors engaging in sexual activity. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. The obscene materials allegedly possessed by Quinones derive from computer generated images as well as drawings. The indictment also charges enhanced penalty provisions because Quinones is a registered sexual offender. If convicted, Quinones faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Quinones is scheduled for trial before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida, on March 16, 2026. The case is being jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The 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: Illegal alien receives five years for smuggling cocaine hidden in vehicle batteries

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 29-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to federal prison for possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Azael Sotelo-Espinoza pleaded guilty Oct. 22, 2025. U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Sotelo-Espinoza to serve 60 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence Feb. 4, the court noted Sotelo-Espinoza was not to return to the United States without permission. On Aug. 15, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet Silverado for a defective light. Sotelo-Espinoza was driving. Upon questioning, he appeared nervous and was breathing heavily, sweating, and his hands were shaking. He also gave inconsistent statements about his travels. Authorities observed a second battery in the engine compartment that displayed evidence of tampering. An X-ray scan showed the batteries lacked internal components. A K-9 also alerted to the presence of narcotics. Further investigation revealed two bundles wrapped in duct tape and electrical tape inside the battery. The packages weighed approximately 2.34 kilograms and tested positive for cocaine. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered jumper cables and a wrench that fit the terminals on the battery located in the back seat. Authorities also discovered Sotelo-Espinoza had deleted cell phone messages before they approached him and that the vehicle he was driving had made frequent trips from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston, returning the same day. Sotelo-Espinoza has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from Kingsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine K. Tucker prosecuted the case.


title: Beeville resident sentenced to 12 years for possessing over 1,000 sexual images and videos of children

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Brian Perez pleaded guilty Aug. 20, 2025. U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Perez to serve 144 months in federal prison. At the hearing Feb. 4, the court heard additional information including how Perez actively sought to trade CSAM videos and images with others online to increase his collection. He will serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designated to restrict his access to children and the internet. Perez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date. The investigation into Perez began Nov. 7, 2024, when authorities discovered CSAM had been uploaded onto the internet. Law enforcement was able to identify Perez as the source of the content. Authorities obtained a search warrant for Perez’s residence in Beeville. They located and seized two electronic devices. Upon forensic examination, law enforcement discovered approximately 75 videos and more than 1,000 images depicting CSAM. Included in the images were prepubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Perez admitted he started viewing CSAM two years prior and that there were multiple images on his phone. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: District Man Pleads Guilty in Domestic Violence Homicide

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Desmond Thurston, 48, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday to murdering his ex-romantic partner in her home on October 1, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Thurston plead guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on February 4, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for June 5, 2026, before the Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt. According to the government’s evidence, on September 28, 2023, Patricia Johnson called 911 to report that Thurston had threatened her. The next day, Johnson obtained a Temporary Protection Order (“TPO”) against Thurston. On September 30, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded twice to Ms. Johnson’s residence, which she had shared with Thurston for years, to advise Thurston that they could escort him in to get needed items, but that he was not allowed in the residence. Despite the TPO, and the warning from MPD, Thurston returned to Johnson’s home around 3:00 a.m. on October 1, 2023, and broke in, snapping a chain lock off the wall. Thurston proceeded up the stairs of the home to where Johnson and a minor family member had been sleeping in different bedrooms. After a brief exchange of words in the hallway, Thurston shot Johnson once through her left wrist and neck, causing her to fall to the ground. Thurston then shot Johnson a second time, in the chest, while she was on the ground. After going through Johnson’s devices, Thurston eventually left the home, allowing the minor family member witness to call 911. A few hours later, after disposing of the gun, Thurston turned himself into an MPD officer, advising that he assumed they were looking for him for a murder. He was placed under arrest and has remained in custody ever since. Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Wes Faulkner Jr. are prosecuting the case. 2023CF1007099


title: Arizona man sentenced for sexual abuse

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for engaging in sexual acts with a minor victim using threats and intimidation. There is no parole in the federal system. In August of 2021, Fernando Yatsatie, Jr., 48, a member of the Zuni Pueblo, unlawfully engaged in a sexual act with a minor victim using threats and intimidation. Yatsatie pleaded guilty to sexual abuse. Upon his release from prison, Yatsatie will be subject to fifteen years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Resolves Lawsuit Against Pennsylvania Borough Alleging Its Zoning Code Violated Religious Land Use Provisions

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the Borough of Kingston, Pennsylvania, to resolve allegations that it violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by enacting and enforcing a 2023 zoning ordinance that treats religious land uses worse than comparable secular uses and unreasonably limit religious land use. The proposed consent order , which was filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and must still be approved by the Court, would resolve a lawsuit the United States also filed yesterday alleging that the 2023 zoning ordinance dramatically restricted how and where religious land uses can locate, which particularly impacted Kingston’s growing Orthodox Jewish Chabad community and prevented it from developing places needed for religious worship. “Time and time again, local governments enact zoning laws that treat places of worship and religious schools worse than comparable secular places of assembly, and unreasonably limit where religious land uses can locate. And too often the Jewish community bears the brunt of those restrictions,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will relentlessly pursue and prosecute jurisdictions that violate RLUIPA.” As alleged in the lawsuit, Kingston’s zoning ordinance violates RLUIPA because it requires that places of worship obtain discretionary special exception use permits, while comparable nonreligious assembly uses like theaters, bowling alleys, recreational facilities, and libraries are permitted as of right. The ordinance also restricts places of worship to one-acre or more parcels, while no acreage restriction is placed on comparable nonreligious assembly uses. These restrictions unreasonably limit religious land uses to only a tiny fraction of existing parcels in the entire Borough such that, in practice, there are essentially no available qualifying parcels on which to develop a new place of worship. As a result, Kingston’s Chabad community has struggled to find sufficient suitable places for prayer, religious study, religious schools, and mikvahs (ritual baths). Under the consent order, the Borough will revise its zoning ordinance to allow places of worship and religious schools as a permitted use in commercial districts and as a special use in residential districts; eliminate the acreage requirements for places of worship and religious schools; and treat places of worship on comparable terms to nonreligious places of assembly with respect to other zoning concerns like parking and landscaping. The consent order also requires the Borough to train its officials and employees on RLUIPA’s requirements, establish a procedure for receiving and resolving RLUIPA complaints, and undertake other injunctive relief. RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the Department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage . Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or through the online RLUIPA complaint portal . Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov .


title: Anti-ICE Antifa member arrested on federal charges of Cyberstalking and Threatening Communications after allegedly calling for the murder and assault of federal immigration officers in Minneapolis

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Self-identified Antifa member Kyle Wagner was arrested today on federal threat and cyberstalking charges following alleged murder and assault threats against ICE, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Wagner, 37 of Minneapolis, is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court today. “This man allegedly doxxed and called for the murder of law enforcement officers, encouraged bloodshed in the streets, and proudly claimed affiliation with the terrorist organization Antifa before going on the run,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s arrest illustrates that you cannot run, you cannot hide, and you cannot evade our federal agents: if you come for law enforcement, the Trump Administration will come for you.” “It’s no surprise that an Antifa terrorist is allegedly threatening to kill and assault federal law enforcement officers as they dutifully remove criminal threats from neighborhoods,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “After all, this is what Antifa is about, lawlessness and violence. But under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, there is no safe haven for terrorists and no protection from the full weight of justice. “We know that a ‘worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.’ And Wagner’s alleged actions were an attempt to spread fire into our peaceful community. That is not going to happen,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon. According to the criminal complaint, Wagner has escalated his opposition to ICE operations, including conspiring and threatening to assault federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. In January 2026, Wagner repeatedly posted on Facebook and Instagram encouraging his followers to forcibly confront, assault, impede, oppose, and resist federal officers whom he referred to as the “gestapo” and “murderers.” On January 8, 2026, Wagner posted a video directly threatening ICE agents by stating, “I’ve already bled for this city, I’ve already fought for this city, this is nothing new, we’re ready this time, ICE we’re f---ing coming for you.” The following day, Wagner posted about the “constant harassment of ICE” and said that “we need to continue that, but we also need to cripple them.” Wagner then advocated for physical confrontation, stating, “Anywhere we have an opportunity to get our hands on them, we need to put our hands on them.” Wagner also urged others to “hunt” ICE, including those who are “armed” to “fight [ICE]. This is kill or be killed.” He described agitators’ “goal [ ] to unmask and identify [ICE] agents - stop their ability to arrest individuals through group resistance.” On January 10, 2026, Wagner asserted that “we are at f----- war” and stated, “So, either we’re going to win, or I will die in this process.” On January 13, 2026, Wagner praised the success of the agitators’ anti-ICE efforts, stating, “This is where ICE has come to die” and then threatened ICE agents, “We want to know who they are. We will identify every single one of them and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. If it has to be done at the barrel of a gun, then let us have a little f------ fun.” On January 24, 2026, Wagner stated that he was “not talking about peaceful protests anymore.” And urged violence against federal officers: “Get your f----- guns and stop these f------ people.” Wagner also reposted a video where he passed out gas masks and shields to agitators. The complaint further alleges that on January 29, 2026, Wagner, used his Instagram account to dox a pro-ICE individual by publishing a phone number, birth month and year, and address in Oak Park, Michigan, threatening the individual. Wagner later admitted that he doxxed the victim’s parents’ house. A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent. As a felony trial cannot be held on a complaint, a decision to seek an indictment will be made in the near future. The case was investigated by the agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. 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: Bogue Homa Man Sentenced in Reservation Burglary Case

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Bogue Homa man was sentenced today to three years in prison for a burglary on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Director Gabriel Billie of the Choctaw Police Department of Public Safety made the announcement. According to court documents, Jaiden Tyler Sullivan, of the Bogue Homa Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians forcefully entered a tribal home on January 26, 2025, and took items of value. Sullivan was subsequently arrested by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. In March of 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Sullivan. On November 4, 2025, Sullivan pleaded guilty to the charge of burglary. Sullivan was sentenced to a prison term of 36 months, to be followed by a term of 36 months of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Kruger commended the investigative work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns.


title: Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover Receives FBI Certificate of Appreciation for Leadership in Human Trafficking Prosecution

body_text: MIAMI – Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation signed by FBI Director Kash Patel in recognition of his outstanding work in the successful prosecution of Shannima Yuantrell Session. The award was presented by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Peter Angell of the Fort Pierce Resident Agency at a meeting hosted by the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. “Human trafficking is one of the most vicious crimes imaginable: it strips victims of their freedom, dignity, and humanity,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “AUSA Justin Hoover showed exceptional leadership and resolve in holding a trafficker accountable and standing up for survivors. This recognition from the FBI reflects the kind of commitment and partnership that defines the best of public service.” The certificate honors AUSA Hoover’s exemplary leadership, dedication, and advocacy for victims throughout the prosecution of Session, who was convicted by a federal jury in September 2024 following a nine-day trial. Session was subsequently sentenced to life in federal prison for trafficking nearly a dozen women and girls and exploiting their vulnerabilities over multiple years. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Session lured his victims with false promises of legitimate employment and housing assistance, then used violence, coercion, and intimidation tactics — including physical assault and firearm threats — to control them. Session also manipulated victims’ substance abuse issues to compel them into commercial sex acts. 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. ###


title: Mississippi Man Sentenced for Federal Civil Rights and Arson Charges  for Setting Fire to Mormon Church

body_text: WASHINGTON – Stefan Day Rowold, 37, of Wiggins, Mississippi was sentenced Feb3, 2025 to 360 months in prison for vandalizing and setting fire to a house of worship. A jury in the Southern District of Mississippi found Rowold guilty of six counts of federal arson and civil rights charges after a trial in September 2025. The evidence presented at trial last year showed that on July 5, 2024, and July 7, 2024, Rowold vandalized and set fire to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wiggins, Mississippi. Evidence at trial also proved that Rowold targeted the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints because of his animosity toward what he believed to be their religious views. Rowold confessed to police that he broke into the building, vandalized the interior walls of the building with hateful messages, and ultimately set a fire in the middle of the church’s multipurpose room. Rowold used the church’s hymnals, paintings, and other religious objects as kindling for his original fire. Rowold also confessed that after he learned that his first fire had failed to burn down the building, he broke into the church again two days later to finish the job, after police had attempted to secure the scene. Rowold then set a second fire against a wall inside the church, trying again to burn the building down. Due to the damage from the fires, members of the church were unable to hold services in their church building for months. At sentencing, the District Court found that the church suffered $176,564.97 in damages. The Court awarded the church $176,654.97 in restitution. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Kruger said, “This was a deliberate, hate-fueled attack on a place of worship meant to intimidate an entire community. Attacks like this will be met with the full force of federal law. Today’s sentence demonstrates our commitment to protecting the right to worship in safety and without fear. The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi State Fire Marshal, and the Wiggins Police Department.


title: Anti-ICE Antifa member arrested on federal charges  of Cyberstalking and Threatening Communications after allegedly calling for the murder and assault of federal immigration officers in Minneapolis

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Biofuel Fraud Conspiracy

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The owner of a company that produces and sells renewable fuel and fuel credits pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to conspiracy for his role in a scheme that generated over $7 million in fraudulent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewable fuels credits and sought over $6 million in fraudulent tax credits connected to the purported production of biodiesel. According to court documents, Christopher Burdett, 59, owned a biofuel company based in Fort Pierce, Florida, that claimed to turn various feedstocks into biodiesel. However, when reporting to the IRS and the EPA the number of gallons they produced, Burdett and his company vastly overstated their production volume to generate more credits. When auditors sought more information from the company, Burdett and general manager Royce Gillham, who was sentenced last year to 37 months in prison , provided false information about their fuel production and customers. “The defendant’s fraud undermines the integrity of EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard and hurts farmers and refiners who follow the law,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This guilty plea is another example of the Justice Department’s broader efforts to hold those accountable, like Burdett and Gillham, who defraud American taxpayers.” “The defendants compromised the core of a program designed to secure abundant renewable fuel. By claiming credit (RINs) for fuel they never produced or sold, the defendants not only defrauded American fuel producers and consumers but also compromised our energy security,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Lying to the federal government and to others under federal programs for profit is an elemental federal crime and intolerable in our society.” “This was not a paperwork error or a regulatory misunderstanding — it was fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant inflated production numbers to steal millions in fuel and tax credits, taking money straight from taxpayers. Working closely with our partners at EPA and IRS, we will continue to hold accountable anyone who lies, cheats, and tries to game federal programs for personal profit.” “Fraudulent tax schemes erode trust in our tax system and harm every honest taxpayer,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Our mission is to ensure that those who attempt to exploit tax credits are identified and brought to justice, protecting the integrity of our nation’s tax laws.” Burdett pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and to file false claims. He is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. The conspiracy count has a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine whether to accept the plea agreement after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and IRS Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Funk for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting this case. ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here .


title: Repeat Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 6 Years

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Edward L. Jackson, III, 29, Rothschild, Wisconsin, was sentenced January 8, 2026 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 years in federal prison for possessing fentanyl and methamphetamine intended for distribution, and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jackson pleaded guilty to these charges on September 29, 2025. On May 20, 2024, the Wausau Police Department was dispatched to a residence for reports of a domestic incident involving Jackson. A short time later, Jackson’s vehicle was located at a nearby residence. After a K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in Jackson’s vehicle, his car was searched. During the search, police found a backpack belonging to Jackson containing 105 grams of methamphetamine, 247 pills containing fentanyl, and a loaded firearm. Jackson is prohibited from legally possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions. At sentencing, Judge Conley found that a substantial sentence was warranted because Jackson was a danger to the community due to his history of drug dealing and frequent possession of firearms. The charges against Jackson were the result of an investigation conducted by the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, the Wausau Police Department, the Mountain Bay Metro Police Department, and the FBI’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger prosecuted this case.


title: Illegal Sex Trafficking Ringleader Indicted in the District of Utah

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Venezuelan national who was residing in the United States illegally with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion after he allegedly threatened a commercial sex worker prior to transporting the alleged victim to Utah to continue doing commercial sex work under threat of force. Jorge Luis Tejera, 40, who was living in Chicago, Illinois, prior to his arrest, was initially charged by complaint on December 19, 2025. According to court documents, in November 2024, Homeland Security Agents opened an investigation into a cell of transnational criminal organization “Desastre” related to their potential involvement in a human trafficking operation. Individuals alleged to have been working for Desastre forced vulnerable individuals to work as commercial sex workers for financial benefit. Beginning on a date unknown, and continuing to December 31, 2024, agents identified Tejera as an alleged principal in this illicit business along with others that forced Venezuelan nationals to participate in commercial sex work. Some trafficked individuals were forced into commercial sex work in order to work off a “debt” incurred for their passage (transportation and smuggling) to the United States. As alleged, investigators have identified numerous victims of human trafficking in this operation. One such victim, who is alleged to have been trafficked directly by Tejera, had their young child allegedly removed from their custody with threats being made toward the victim and the child if the victim did not engage in commercial sex work. Tejera, and his cohorts, who were largely men who are in the United States illegally, often possessed firearms and would routinely brandish them to enforce their will. Under federal law, illegal aliens are restricted from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition. Additionally, it is known that other individuals associated with an outgrowth of this operation were involved in threatening witnesses and victims (forced commercial sex worker) in case number 2:25-cr-00141. Tejera’s initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for February 5, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (DHS-HSI). Assistant United States Attorney Sam Pead of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of O peration Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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: Lafayette Father and Daughters Sentenced for Yearslong Conspiracy to Defraud Federal Child Nutrition Program

body_text: LAFAYETTE– On February 3, 2025, Brian Paul Desormeaux, a 64-year-old Lafayette resident, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for his role leading a yearslong conspiracy to defraud a federal nutrition assistance program operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”). His co-conspirator daughters, Amy Desormeaux Hernandez, a 38-year-old Lafayette resident, and Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux, a 35-year-old Lafayette resident, were each sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after their convictions for wire fraud as well, with Babineaux sentenced in November 2024 and Hernandez sentenced on the same day as her father. “The Desormeauxs’ shameful scheme stole food out of the mouths of Louisiana’s children to satisfy their own greed, and they’re now heading to federal prison as a result,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Protecting Louisiana’s children from financial and other abuses is one of our Office’s core missions, and this case shows our commitment, alongside our federal and state partners, to investigate and prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.” “The Desormeauxs stole half a million dollars of money that was allocated to help hungry children and adults in Louisiana, and we will not tolerate that criminal behavior," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. "The FBI is committed to work with our state and federal partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office to root out fraud in Louisiana and make sure those responsible are held to account.” “The defendants exploited the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program intended to provide nutritious meals to children in need. They fraudulently claimed to administer the assistance at childcare programs and instead used it as a vehicle for personal financial gain. The USDA Office of Inspector General remains committed to protecting the integrity of USDA nutrition programs and safeguarding taxpayer dollars. We appreciate the strong partnership of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in holding those who commit fraud accountable,” said USDA Inspector General John Walk. According to court documents, Desormeaux was the executive director of Regional Nutrition Assistance, Inc., a non-profit sponsoring organization for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, a federal program operated by the USDA and administered by the Louisiana Department of Education. Over the course of roughly five years, Desormeaux and his daughters, Hernandez and Babineaux, submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement from the federal government that involved, among other things, creating and submitting false state fire marshal inspection reports, which were required for reimbursement by the program, and submitting claims for alleged providers who they knew were not active and participating in the program. Desormeaux and his two daughters diverted these fraudulently obtained reimbursements for their own personal use and benefit, with the defendants receiving over $500,000.00 in federal funds that they were not entitled to. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren L. Nickel with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer , under Case Number 6:25-cr-00092. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Twitter @USAO_WDLA