title: Two Miami Men Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison for $28 Million Scheme Involving Diverted Pharmaceuticals

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Two men were each sentenced on Oct. 30 to 57 months in federal prison for their roles in two separate but related schemes involving the sale of diverted and misbranded pharmaceutical drugs, including medications used to treat HIV and cancer. According to court documents, Boris Arencibia, 52, and Jose Armando Rivera Garcia, 45, both of Miami, purchased high-priced prescriptions medications from illicit street sources—including patients who sold their prescriptions instead of taking the drugs and individuals who obtained prescriptions through fraud. These medicines require carefully controlled storage conditions to remain effective, but the diverted drugs were stored without any safeguards. “Diverted drugs put patients’ lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants pushed tainted and repackaged medications into pharmacies across the country, knowing full well the danger. Our Office will continue to work with FDA, HHS-OIG, and the FBI to protect patients and hold accountable anyone who turns the healthcare system into a criminal marketplace.” After purchasing the drugs, members of the conspiracy repackaged them and falsified paperwork to make it appear as though the medicines were supplied directly by manufacturers or legitimate wholesalers. The conspirators marketed the drugs through fake pharmaceutical distribution companies and shipped them to pharmacies across the U.S., where unsuspecting patients purchased them. In some cases, bottles contained incorrect medications, vitamins, or even pebbles—endangering patients’ health. The first case, indicted in 2019, involved a conspiracy of 20 defendants. All but one fugitive have now been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 30 months to 14 years. Arencibia was among those who procured large quantities of diverted drugs from street sources and sold them to other conspirators. Rivera Garcia established a corporation, LDD Distributors, which received the drugs from Arencibia and sold them to a wholesale distributor operated by another defendant. Arencibia and Rivera Garcia each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, for using financial transactions to conceal the source and ownership of proceeds from the misbranded drugs. The second case, filed in 2025, charged Arencibia and Rivera Garcia with operating a pharmaceutical wholesale company that marketed diverted drugs to pharmacies nationwide using falsified documentation to conceal the medicines’ true origins and conditions. Arencibia and Rivera Garcia pleaded guilty to trafficking in medical products with falsified documentation. In total, Arencibia and Rivera Garcia sold approximately $28 million worth of diverted pharmaceuticals between the two schemes. U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles sentenced Arencibia and Rivera Garcia to 57 months in prison in the 2019 case, to be served concurrently with the 43-month prison terms imposed in the 2025 case. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly McCoy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. The 2019 case was investigated by FDA-OCI and FBI Miami, and the 2025 case was investigated by HHS-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Tamen prosecuted the 2019 case, and Trial Attorney Jacqueline Zee DerOvanesian of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section prosecuted the 2025 case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case numbers 19-cr-20674 and 25-cr-20154. ###


title: Armed Baldwin County Methamphetamine Dealers Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Two Baldwin County men were sentenced in late October 2025 to serve 235 months and 60 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms as convicted felons. According to court documents, Boniface Denton Buchanan, 56, and Samuel Earl Crook, Jr., 43, each of Bay Minette, admitted to distributing bulk amounts of methamphetamine to various individuals in north Baldwin County between May 2023 and November 2023. On multiple occasions, narcotics agents used confidential informants to purchase methamphetamine from Buchanan and Crook. Based on these controlled purchases of drugs and other evidence, agents obtained federal warrants to search Buchanan’s and Crook’s residences in Bay Minette. On November 8, 2023, agents executed the search warrants. When agents encountered Buchanan at his home, he attempted to flee and agents had to wrestle him to the ground. Agents searched Buchanan’s house and found methamphetamine and a loaded shotgun. Buchanan admitted that he had multiple prior felony convictions that made his possession of the shotgun illegal under federal law. When agents tried to interview Buchanan, he responded, “I’ll do my time.” Agents seized and searched Buchanan’s cell phone, which contained numerous text messages and other evidence regarding his drug trafficking. That same day, agents searched Crook’s residence. Crook admitted to agents that he had methamphetamine, MDMA, and blue “Roxy” pills in his trailer, which agents recovered. Crook further admitted that he had sold several pounds of methamphetamine with Buchanan. While searching Crook’s trailer, agents found a 9mm pistol in his bedroom. In Crook’s truck, agents also found more than $33,000 in cash and a loaded shotgun. Crook admitted that the cash was drug proceeds. He also admitted that he had prior felony convictions and was not allowed to possess guns. United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Buchanan and Crook to serve 235 months and 60 months in prison, respectively. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Moorer ordered Buchanan and Crook each to serve five-year terms of supervised release upon their release from prison, during which time they will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered the defendants to pay a total of $400 in special assessments. The court also forfeited the defendants’ guns and cash to the United States. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 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 Mobile comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and various state and local law enforcement partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.


title: Three Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people have been sentenced this week for drug trafficking in North Central West Virginia, United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced. Jacob Wilson, 29, of Beverly, West Virginia, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for distributing more than five grams of methamphetamine. Wilson was selling methamphetamine from his home. Lawrence Lower, 36, of Petersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 14 months for methamphetamine distribution. Lower was selling methamphetamine in Grant County, West Virginia. Michael Wayne Miller, 55, of Wardensville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for selling methamphetamine in Hardy County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. Investigative agencies include the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Texas Businessman Convicted for Scheme to Bribe  Mexican Government Officials

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in Houston convicted a local businessman today for his role in a scheme to bribe Mexican government officials at Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP), PEMEX’s wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary. “Alexandro Rovirosa orchestrated a scheme to bribe Mexican officials to benefit himself and his companies,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Bribery of government officials to win business undermines fair competition and unjustly enriches bad actors. In prosecuting this case, the Department has sent a clear message that we will not tolerate bribery and corruption schemes run out of the United States, whether the bribes are paid here or abroad.” “Most individuals applying for American citizenship treat our laws and customs with respect,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Alexandro Rovirosa instead violated U.S. laws through a network of corruption and deceit. Rovirosa believed his residence in Houston protected him from the consequences of bribing foreign officials. However, as today’s verdict demonstrates, his scheme not only cost him a luxurious Texas lifestyle, but also his freedom.” “The conviction in this case holds the defendant accountable for participating in a scheme to bribe Mexican government officials for the benefit of the defendant and the companies associated with him,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region. “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate financial crimes, including those involving bribery and corruption.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez (Rovirosa), a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, 46, of The Woodlands, Texas, paid more than $150,000 in bribes to officials at PEP to retain contracts and payments from PEMEX and PEP and obtain other improper advantages in business with PEMEX and PEP, for the benefit of companies associated with Rovirosa. The trial evidence showed that between approximately 2019 and 2021, Rovirosa and his co-conspirators, including Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga, 61, of Spring, Texas, a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, offered to pay and paid bribes in the form of cash payments, luxury goods and other valuable items to at least three PEMEX and PEP officials in exchange for those officials taking certain actions to help companies associated with Rovirosa obtain and retain business with PEMEX and PEP. Those improper advantages assisted companies associated with Rovirosa in obtaining contracts with PEMEX and PEP worth at least $2.5 million. The jury convicted Rovirosa of one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and two counts of violating the FCPA. It found him not guilty of a fourth count of violating the FCPA. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Rovirosa’s co-conspirator, Mario Avila, is a fugitive. HSI Houston, FBI Houston and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Lindsey Carson, Samad Pardesi and Paul Ream of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.


title: Harrison County Woman Admits to Theft of Public Money

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Christina Nolte, 42, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, has admitted to the theft of public money, United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced. According to filed documents and statements made in court, Nolte falsified medical records to receive disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Nolte fraudulently used her disability to have her federal student loans in the amount of $242,528 discharged. As a part of the plea agreement, Nolte has agreed to the forfeiture and a money judgement in amount of $360,466.38. Nolte faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer T. Conklin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government, and the matter was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the Department of Education. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: 11 Charged in Multi-state Fentanyl, Meth, and Cocaine Trafficking Operation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced the unsealing of a federal indictment Dec. 3 charging 11 people allegedly involved in connection with a drug trafficking organization operating in Cuyahoga County. According to the indictment, from about August 2023 to April 2024, members of the conspiracy are accused of supplying and/or distributing controlled substances that included fentanyl, oxycodone, and alprazolam pills, as well as methamphetamine and cocaine. Conspiracy members operated throughout Greater Cleveland, with a significant amount of illegal activity taking place at an apartment complex in Euclid. Money and illegal drugs were collected from various individuals and then transported to and from Michigan and Pennsylvania. The announcement was made by United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio and Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon of the DEA Detroit Field Division. All defendants are from Cleveland unless otherwise noted: Dionte Dykes, aka Dots, 31, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances Distribution of Fentanyl. Distribution of Cocaine. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Prior convictions include Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs in 2012, and Delivery/Manufacture of Narcotic or Cocaine in 2018. Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense. Javian Hearns, aka Skeens, 34, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Distribution of Fentanyl. Clarence Jackson, aka Cino, 33, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Distribution of Methamphetamine. Distribution of Fentanyl. Trevaughn Bassett, 26, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Distribution of Fentanyl. Michael Chambers, aka Do-Do, 26, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Distribution of Methamphetamine. Akia Bailey, aka Ky Free, 32, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Distribution of Fentanyl and Oxycodone. Raveona Carter, 30, of Detroit, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense. Keith Dykes, aka Beefy, 29, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Distribution of Cocaine. Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense. Robert Avery, aka Black, 31, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Distribution of Cocaine. Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense. Liam Walsh, 36, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense. Amber Slone, 32, is charged with: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. Use of a Communications Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. The investigations leading to the indictments were conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with the Euclid Police Department, the Independence Police Department, the Mayfield Heights Department, and SPAN Narcotics. Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney is leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio. The assistance of the U.S. Marshals is also acknowledged for providing related support for this crime reduction initiative. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: North Miami Man Convicted of Kidnapping and Firearm Offenses Following Violent Home Invasion

body_text: MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami convicted a man on Oct. 2 of kidnapping and multiple firearm offenses stemming from a violent home invasion. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on July 11, 2023, at approximately 6 a.m., Alphonso Gainer, 37, of North Miami, broke into the victim’s North Miami residence and opened fire inside the home, nearly killing the victim. A 911 call placed by the victim captured the sound of Gainer firing three additional rounds as the victim sought cover. “This victim endured unimaginable fear and terror in his own home,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Thanks to the courage of the victim and the swift work of law enforcement, justice was delivered. We will never relent in pursuing those who use guns to threaten, harm, or intimidate others.” Responding officers arrived within minutes, but Gainer fled before law enforcement could locate him. Hours later, after officers had completed their initial investigation and left the scene, Gainer returned to the residence, kidnapped the victim at gunpoint, and forced the victim into his rental vehicle. The victim managed to escape unharmed but photographed the vehicle’s license plate, which law enforcement traced back to Gainer. Ballistics evidence introduced at trial linked a firearm recovered from Gainer’s residence to shell casings found at the scene of the shooting. The jury convicted Gainer of one count of kidnapping and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Gainer faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the kidnapping count and up to 15 years in prison for each of the three firearm possession counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Reding A. Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement. ATF Miami Field Office is investigating the case, with substantial assistance from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Mikulic and Altanese P. Phenelus are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-20226. ###


title: St. Charles Parish Woman Convicted of Wire Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ASHLEY HYMEL (“ HYMEL”) age 42, a resident of Ama, Louisiana, pled guilty on November 19, 2025 to wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. According to court documents, HYMEL used a company credit card to embezzle funds from her employer, Company 1, where she was an executive assistant. In total, HYMEL embezzled at least $130,663.92. Under the terms of a plea agreement, HYMEL agreed to pay the entire amount back to Company 1. Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for February 25, 2025. At sentencing, HYMEL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, followed by up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator and member of the Financial Crimes Unit, is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Waterbury Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison

body_text: JULIAN SCOTT, also known as “Ju Sav,” 26, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to life in prison, and a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of 30 years, for offenses related to his involvement in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang. Today’s announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo. According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Scott, Gabriel Pulliam, and 14 other 960 gang members with various offenses, including racketeering, murder, attempted murder and assault, firearm possession, narcotics trafficking, and obstruction of justice offenses. According to the evidence presented during Scott and Pulliam’s trial: On October 6, 2018, in a drive-by shooting in the area of Bank Street and Porter Street, Scott and other gang members attempted to murder individuals believed to be members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to an innocent bystander. On October 11, 2018, in an effort to murder rival gang members in retaliation for the murder of a fellow 960 member, Scott, Pulliam, and other 960 members shot into a crowd of people and killed an innocent bystander, 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, and paralyzed a second victim. On November 18, 2018, Scott and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting of rival gang members in the area of Bank Street and Porter Street, which resulted in gunshot wounds to two individuals. To promote 960, Scott and other 960 members made rap videos that glorified gang violence, firearm possession, and drug dealing. Many of the rap lyrics were tied to criminal conduct committed by 960 members. Scott has been detained since arrest on state charges on May 23, 2019. On May 10, 2024, a federal jury found Scott and Pulliam guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence, attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Pulliam was also found guilty of conspiracy to possess, with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. On November 5, 2025, Pulliam was sentenced to life in prison and a mandatory 10-year consecutive term of imprisonment. This investigation identified at least 10 violent acts committed by 960 members in 2017 and 2018. All 16 individuals charged have been convicted and sentenced. In addition to Scott and Pulliam, Zaekwon McDaniel, Tahjay Love, and Malik Bayon also received life sentences. This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, who were cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Files Over 460 New Immigration Cases in 2 Weeks

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 468 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Nov. 21 to Dec. 4. Charges were brought against illegal aliens with past convictions for violent crimes, DWIs, manslaughter and attempted murder, as well as alleged human smugglers and aliens with prior removals. On Nov. 22, two non-U.S. citizens were arrested and charged with alien smuggling in El Paso. U.S. Border Patrol agents observed the two individuals assisting three people out of a canal and into a pickup truck. USBP agents conducted a traffic stop on the truck, when the vehicle doors opened, and the five occupants ran away. The agents initially located and apprehended four of the subjects. A criminal complaint alleges that Denis Ruben Ampie-Ayerdis was identified as the front passenger who assisted the three illegal aliens out of the canal. Ampie-Ayerdis allegedly stated that he was in the U.S. legally under asylum. The driver of the vehicle, Jose Gregorio Rivera-Angarita , was detained by a Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Officer shortly after the other four. Rivera-Angarita stated he was in the U.S. illegally and that he knew the three individuals he picked up were illegal aliens. Rivera-Angarita also allegedly stated that he and his brother, Ampie-Ayerdis, were being paid a total of $800 to pick up and transport the aliens to a house in El Paso. The coordination of the scheme allegedly developed with someone Ampie-Ayerdis met on the social media app, TikTok. On Nov. 27, a USBP agent stopped a vehicle that had allegedly been observed picking up multiple individuals half a mile north of the Rio Grande River on Texas Highway 20. A criminal complaint alleges the agent noticed four individuals tightly crammed in the back seat, unrestrained and attempting to conceal themselves. The complaint further alleges that fifth occupant was hiding on the floorboard of the front passenger seat, attempting to conceal herself with a jacket. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Nahum Alejandro Carrillo-Gallardo , who allegedly stated he was instructed to pick up and transport the five illegal aliens—foreign nationals from Guatemala and Mexico—to a location near Fort Bliss, where another person would take custody. Carrillo-Gallardo is charged with one count of alien smuggling. A convicted felon from Mexico was arrested on Nov. 30. Jose Alejandro Urueta-Cabral allegedly approached the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry, telling the Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) that he was born in East Los Angeles, California, and had attended Garfield High School. Allegedly, he further stated that he had been in Chihuahua with a sick relative for months and his passport had been stolen. The criminal complaint alleges that the CBPO observed Urueta-Cabral as jumpy and avoiding eye contact, and referred him for further inspection, where Urueta-Cabral admitted he was born in Delicias, Chihuahua, Mexico. Further investigation revealed Urueta-Cabral had been previously removed from the U.S. eight times, the last being on March 19 through Nogales, Arizona. Additionally, Urueta-Cabral, has a criminal record that includes multiple narcotics-related convictions, second-degree burglary, and second-degree robbery. He is now charged with illegal re-entry. On Nov. 25, Cuban national Yusmany Santiesteban-Acosta allegedly presented a State of Texas Commercial Drivers License bearing his name, photograph and date of birth at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. A system alerted the CBPO of a previous manslaughter conviction, which had resulted in a 10-year prison sentence in December 2022. Santiesteban-Acosta served two days of the decade-long sentence. The criminal complaint further alleges that Santiesteban-Acosta stated he was a legal permanent resident. Immigration records indicate he was removed from the U.S. to Mexico on July 28. Orlando Cuba-Trencilio , also a Cuban national, was arrested approximately seven miles west of the Tornillo Port of Entry near Clint. Cuba-Trencilio was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico on Oct. 1 and has multiple prior convictions including attempted murder in the second degree and aggravated battery. Mexican national Primitivo Castro-Lopez was found in the Bastrop County Jail, where he had been detained following a DWI arrest. Castro-Lopez has been removed from the U.S. three times and has been previously convicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Mexican national Blas Bautista-Vences was found in the Travis County Jail, where he had also been booked on a DWI charge. Bautista-Vences has four prior DWI convictions and four prior removals, as well as past convictions for possession of a controlled substance, assault causing bodily injury, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Marcos Vasquez Matute , also a Mexican national, was found in the Williamson County Jail. Matute has been twice removed from the U.S. and has been convicted of five DWIs. In Eagle Pass, USBP agents arrested Salvadoran national Jaime Bladmir Hernandez-Garcia , who has been removed from the U.S. twice, the most recent being on April 11. Hernandez-Garcia was convicted in January for his fifth DUI. In 2021, he was convicted for driving while his license was revoked. He is charged with illegal re-entry. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Roanoke Rapids Police Officer Arrested and Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – The FBI arrested a Halifax County man yesterday on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement with child sexual abuse material (CSAM). At the time of his arrest, Isaac Nielsen, age 31, was employed by the Roanoke Rapids Police Department. According to the complaint, in May 2025, an undercover officer engaged in a chat with a user on a website known for promoting user-generated sexual content. During those conversations, Nielsen allegedly distributed child pornography to the undercover officer and discussed his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. The undercover officer’s agency determined that the user was located in North Carolina and notified the FBI. On December 1, 2025, the FBI identified Nielsen as the user, obtained an arrest warrant, and arrested him. Nielsen is charged with the distribution and possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. A complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel is prosecuting the case, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Raleigh Durham Child Exploitation Task Force is investigating the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC. A copy of this press release is located on our website .


title: Cedar Park Man Arrested, Charged with Defrauding Investors

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A Cedar Park man was arrested Thursday on criminal charges related to his alleged wire fraud. According to court documents, from no later than 2018 through September 2023, Daniel Vincent Attridge, 48, allegedly defrauded multiple individuals whom he convinced to lend him money. An indictment filed earlier this week alleges that Attridge told the individuals that he traded commodities such as petroleum, precious metals and cryptocurrencies through his company called Nilsatis, Inc. He allegedly told them that, if they lent him money, he would use the funds to trade said commodities and that he could pay interest on the funds at relatively high rates due to the profits he would earn from trading. The indictment alleges that Attridge entered into loan agreements with the individuals, some of which listed Nilsatis, Inc. as the borrower and others which listed Attridge named himself as the borrower. In one agreement, Nilsatis, Inc. allegedly agreed to repay a loan of $150,000 plus 3% monthly interest or at an interest rate “reflective of trade performance” after 24 months. In another agreement, Nilsatis, Inc. allegedly agreed to pay 9.1% interest for a six-week period on a $20,000 loan. Attridge allegedly agreed to pay interest of at least 25% on a $50,000 loan for the period of Dec. 5, 2022 to June 1, 2023. And in two other agreements, Nilsatis, Inc. and Attridge allegedly agreed to repay loans of $125,000 and $10,000 with 21% interest each. The indictment alleges that Attridge used only a small fraction of the loan proceeds to trade commodities and used the majority to pay personal living expenses or to pay principal and interest to lenders, failing to disclose that he had spent and would spend most of their money in way that did not generate profits. Attridge is charged with five counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI San Antonio White Collar Crime Task Force is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a scam or fraud scheme, report it to ic3.gov , the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). 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: Norfolk man sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. “Antonio Saunders has learned that kilogram-level cocaine shipments will not enter the Commonwealth of Virginia without swift and certain consequences," said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Our vigilance is unwavering, and we will hold drug traffickers accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” According to court documents, in September 2021, law enforcement became aware of two parcels suspected of containing narcotics in transit from Texas to Virginia. Investigators interdicted the parcels and located 2.44 pounds of cocaine in the first package. They allowed the second parcel to continue to its intended address in Norfolk. On Sept. 9, 2021, after the parcel was delivered to the addressed residence and left on the front porch, Antonio Deshaka Saunders, 43, retrieved the parcel, placed it in a vehicle, and attempted to leave. Investigators conducted a traffic stop and recovered the package, which contained one kilogram of cocaine. U.S. Attorney Halligan; Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-72.


title: Slidell Man Guilty of Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JONATHAN SUAREZ (“SUAREZ”) , age 29, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on December 2, 2025 before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter, to receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). According to the court documents, beginning in early 2024, Special Agents with the FBI conducted an investigation concerning the purchase of files depicting the sexual exploitation of children over the internet. The investigation revealed one such individual, determined to be SUAREZ , sent and attempted to send money via CashApp to accounts known to be used for the primary purpose of receiving funds in exchange for the transmission of CSAM on at least six occasions between February 2023 and August 2023. On April 10, 2025, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at SUAREZ’s residence, at which time they seized his Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max. A forensic review of the phone identified at least 186 images and 853 videos, some as long as over 49 minutes, depicting the sexual victimization of children. The review also determined that SUAREZ downloaded, saved, and maintained his collection of CSAM on multiple dates between February 2023 and April 2025. SUAREZ saved the files in approximately 145 custom-made file folders with representative names describing the content. Some of the child victims depicted in the materials SUAREZ received were of children as young as approximately two years old. SUAREZ faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years in prison and a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years. SUAREZ also faces at least five years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. He may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Vitter has been scheduled for February 26, 2025. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Southern District of Texas charges more than 318 people for immigration and border security offenses this week

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 316 cases have been filed in matters related to further securing the southern border from Nov. 28 – Dec. 4, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. A total of 84 people face charges of illegal entry, while another 204 face charges of felony reentry after removal. Most have convictions for narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. The filed cases also include 28 individuals accused of engaging in human smuggling and the remaining two charges involve firearms offenses and other immigration-related crimes. As part of the new cases, criminal complaints allege three individuals attempted to unlawfully reenter the country within five months of their most recent removals. Mexican nationals Jesus Hernandez-Gomez and Jose Martinez-Arrevalo were previously removed Aug. 28 and Oct. 24, respectively, according to court documents. Law enforcement removed Mexican national Ascencion Avellaneda-Rodriguez Sept. 10. Each allegedly has prior felony convictions for illegal reentry. Charges allege law enforcement found all three in the United States without legal authorization. Additional complaints allege several previous felons had also illegally reentered the country. Mexican nationals Diana Aurora Bueno-Zuniga and Julio Guerra-Silva had both been previously removed on various dates between 2007-2019, according to their respective charges. However, both were allegedly found in the McAllen area this week. Bueno-Zuniga has a previous conviction for harboring an alien for financial gain, while Guerra-Silva was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute nearly 20 kilograms of marijuana. If convicted, all face up to 20 years in federal prison. Also announced this week was the conviction of Carlos Alberto Garcia-Guajardo on all 12 counts as charged. A Laredo federal jury found he had sold cocaine and multiple firearms, including machine guns, during a month-long undercover investigation. He and Fernando Patino used the sale of cocaine and firearms to negotiate future deals. They not only sold firearms but fired them indiscriminately in their neighborhood. A search warrant revealed scales, cash in various denominations, multiple firearms and crack cocaine stored near items belonging to young children. Garcia-Guajardo had been removed from the country on two occasions. He now faces up to life in prison. In Brownsville, Mexican national Alejandro Ramirez-Carranza was ordered to federal prison for five years for transporting and bringing an alien into the United States, illegal reentry and being an alien in possession of a firearm. While conducting surveillance near the Rio Grande, authorities heard a boat approaching and observed a vehicle arrive as several individuals ran from the brush and climbed into the truck bed. Ramirez-Carranza acted as the river guide and worked with others to transport and smuggle the aliens. One said Ramirez-Carranza brought him across by boat and that relatives were paying for his smuggling. In McAllen, Mario Alberto Almanzan-Mata received a 72-month sentence for illegally reentering the country for a third time. He was removed most recently May 27, and authorities discovered him again July 7 in Mission. At the hearing, the court heard about a pattern of behavior that places members of the community in significant danger. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Mexican Man Guilty of Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations and Money Laundering

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that RODOLFO AVILES-REYES a/k/a “Omar,” (“AVILES-REYES”) , age 38, a resident of Mexico, pled guilty on November 19, 2025, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to a three-count superseding indictment. Count One charged AVILES-REYES with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, and four hundred grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A). Count Two charged AVILES-REYES with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(2)(A) and 1956(h). Count Four charged AVILES-REYES with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1952(a)(3). According to court documents, AVILES-REYES, and other co-conspirators, distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additionally, AVILES-REYES, and other co-conspirators, traveled between New Orleans, and other states, in order to transport U.S. Currency and narcotics on behalf of a Drug Trafficking Organization, from Louisiana to Mexico. As to Count One, AVILES-REYES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. As to Count Two, AVILES-REYES faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. As to Count Four, AVILES-REYES faces up to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. 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 New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Father and Son Leaders of Transnational Criminal Organization Sentenced to Prison for Violations of Kingpin Statute and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Phoenix, Arizona, and a Mexican national illegally residing in Phoenix were sentenced in federal court to charges of violating the federal “Kingpin” drug-trafficking statute for operating a continuing criminal enterprise as well as money laundering, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendants were among 35 individuals charged in a Second Superseding Indictment unsealed in January 2024 for their participation in a domestic and international narcotics and money laundering conspiracy involving substantial quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine (read the Second Superseding Indictment news release here ). The sentences imposed by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan were: Defendant Age Residence Sentence Marcos Monarrez Jr. 26 Phoenix, Arizona Life imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza 55 Mexico 15 years of imprisonment, to be followed by deportation to Mexico In connection with the guilty pleas, the Court was advised that, at various times from September 2022 to November 2022, Monarrez Jr.—a co-leader, along with his father Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza, of the Phoenix-based Monarrez Drug Trafficking Organization—was intercepted over a federal wiretap obtaining hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, millions of fentanyl pills, and kilograms of cocaine from a Mexican national drug supplier. Monarrez Jr. and Monarrez-Mendoza provided the drugs to a network of subordinate drug traffickers who redistributed them throughout the country, including into western Pennsylvania. Additionally, Monarrez Jr. provided over $10,000 and Monarrez-Mendoza provided over $100,000 in proceeds from the drug sales to couriers, who smuggled the money into Mexico to promote the drug trafficking operation. “The sentencings of the father/son leaders of this transnational criminal organization today, in addition to the earlier sentencings of nearly two dozen of their co-defendants in the case, are reflective of the extremely serious nature of these charges and the magnitude of the destruction such groups inflict upon our communities,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti. “The Monarrez TCO introduced massive amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into neighborhoods throughout the country, using violence and money laundering to help carry out their drug trafficking. We remain resolute in standing with our law enforcement partners at all levels to investigate and dismantle such networks and protect our communities from these predators.” “Today’s sentencings send a clear message: the FBI and our partners will not allow organized drug networks to crisscross this continent,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The flow of these deadly poisons across the border ends right here in our communities where families and lives are destroyed. It fuels addiction, overdoses, and violence. Those who think they can peddle these drugs will be put away for a very long time.” “With Marcos Monarrez Jr. and his father, Marcos Monarrez-Mendoza, heading to federal prison, the dismantling of this father-and-son trafficking enterprise has proven that no one is beyond the reach of justice,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Eric McLoughlin. “By working in lockstep with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and our state and local partners, HSI cut off a pipeline responsible for distributing millions of fentanyl pills, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine into communities here in western Pennsylvania and across the nation. Today’s sentencings demonstrate our unwavering commitment to protect the public and to hold transnational criminal networks fully accountable for the devastation they inflict.” Monarrez Jr. was also sentenced at the same proceeding to a charge from the Eastern District of Michigan of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl from in and around February 2019 to on or about December 14, 2021. Additionally, Monarrez Jr. pleaded guilty at the same proceeding to a charge of violating RICO racketeering acts involving bribery conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute K2, and money laundering. While detained at the Cambria County Prison in the Western District of Pennsylvania from in and around July 2023 to on or about December 19, 2023, Monarrez Jr. used contraband cell phones to communicate with other co-conspirators outside of the jail facility in an effort to direct the continued operations of the Monarrez DTO. Specifically, Monarrez Jr. coordinated the distribution of approximately 500,000 fentanyl pills and kilogram-quantities of fentanyl powder throughout the United States. Sentencing for the latter offense is scheduled for April 13, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. To date, 33 of the 35 defendants charged in the Second Superseding Indictment have pleaded guilty or been convicted in this case, with 25 now having been sentenced. Two of the defendants were convicted during a jury trial in September 2025 and are pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorneys Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Katherine C. Jordan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Prison, and other local law enforcement agencies. 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, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Downloading Thousands of Images and Video of Children Being Sexually Abused

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Hochman, 52, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 240 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for downloading and collecting thousands of images and video of child sexual abuse material. The defendant was charged by information with receipt of child pornography and pleaded guilty in June. In 2002, Hochman was convicted in the state of Kansas of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, for which he was sentenced to 55 months’ imprisonment. In that case, he communicated online with a 13-year-old girl, manipulated her into producing sexually explicit images, and traveled to Kansas and engaged in sex with the child on multiple occasions. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov . The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.


title: Man Charged With Setting Fire To Train With Victim Inside

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), Bryan DiGirolamo, Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department (“FDNY”), Robert S. Tucker, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced the filing of a Complaint charging HIRAM CARRERO with arson resulting in injury to another person in connection with a December 1, 2025, incident in Midtown Manhattan. CARRERO was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. “As alleged, Hiram Carrero committed a horrific arson, starting a fire inside of a New York City subway car where a victim was sleeping,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As a result of that arson, the victim has suffered severe injuries. The New York City subway is the heart of our City, with millions of people who live and work here relying on it every day. New Yorkers have the right to be safe and feel safe when they ride the subway, and our Office is committed to that result.” “The swift arrest in this case demonstrates what is possible when our agencies work as one,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “ATF New York Special Agents, the NYPD Detectives, and FDNY Fire Marshals brought their unique strengths to bear to identify and locate the suspect responsible for this violent act. The ATF NY Arson and Explosives Task Force is dedicated to protecting this city, and we will continue working with our partners to bring justice to those who threaten public safety. Our partnership with the Southern District of New York remains central to seeking justice.” “This alleged outrageous and senseless attack received an immediate response from our elite joint task force,” said FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker. “Our Fire Marshals worked side by side with our partners in the NYPD and ATF to identify and apprehend this suspect quickly. Their work has removed a dangerous individual from the streets of New York City and the FDNY will continue to work closely with our public safety partners to keep New Yorkers safe.” “Hiram Carrero showed a complete disregard for human life when he allegedly set a sleeping New Yorker on fire inside a subway car,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This attack is among the most serious acts of violence a person can commit, and it has no place in our city—above or below ground. This case also reflects the exceptional work of the NYPD’s Detective Bureau, whose investigators worked closely with our federal partners to identify the individual responsible. And it comes at a time when the last five months have been the safest for subway riders in recorded history. I am grateful to our detectives, our responding officers, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their swift and coordinated work on this case.” According to the allegations in the Complaint and statements made in open Court: At approximately 3:03 a.m., CARRERO entered a northbound train at the 34 th Street – Penn Station subway stop. He picked up a piece of paper from the subway car (depicted in the screenshot below), lit it on fire near where the victim was sleeping, and jumped out of the car just as the doors were closing. Video from inside the train car shows that as the train traveled north towards the 42 nd Street – Times Square subway stop, the fire flared up, engulfing the victim’s legs and a portion of the train car in flames. When the train arrived at 42 nd Street – Times Square, the victim emerged, burning from the train (depicted in a screenshot below). Law enforcement partners on the platform responded to the victim immediately and extinguished the fire. The victim was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. * * * CARRERO, 18, is charged with arson resulting in injury to another person, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. The maximum and minimum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and NYPD, and the FDNY Fire Marshals. Mr. Clayton also thanked the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in this case. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Molis is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 115 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 115 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On November 29, Oscar Rene Redondo, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 25 packages containing 260 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the bed of the defendant’s truck when he attempted to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On December 2, Arturo Olazaba-Lopez was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, the defendant was hiding under a blanket in the back cargo area of a car that was being driven through the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Olasava-Lopez was previously removed from the United States on November 1, 2025, from the San Ysidro Port of Entry, and before that in 1996 from El Paso, Texas. On December 3, Joel Enrique Topete-Toparro and Aristeo Esteban Ceballos Lorea, citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged with Brining in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered the defendants walking north of the U.S.-Mexico border, east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, and determined they were foot guides for other undocumented Mexican citizens. Also recently, some defendants with criminal records were sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here’s an example: On December 5, 2024, Felipe Jesus Galindo, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sale, Illegal Possession of an Assault Weapon, and Willful Discharge of a Firearm with Gross Negligence, was sentenced in federal court to 24 months in custody for again illegally entering the U.S. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Marion County Man Pleads Guilty To Attempting To Meet A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jason Shane Ejmali (51, Silver Springs) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Ejmali faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. According to the plea agreement, from July 24-26, 2025, Ejmali messaged an individual whom he believed was willing to provide their 13 to 14-year-old foster child to engage in sexual activity. That individual was actually an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent. Ejmali discussed the type of sexual activity he wanted have with the minor and agreed to meet for that purpose at a location in Marion County. Once Ejmali arrived at that location, law enforcement placed him under arrest. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Terrebonne Parish Man Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILLIAM ARTHUR BRYANT, JR. , (“BRYANT”) , age 31, a resident of Terrebonne Parish, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to six counts in an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, use of a communication facility, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. BRYANT was sentenced to 200 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $600 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, BRYANT conspired to distribute methamphetamine throughout Terrebonne Parish, and the surrounding areas, for over a year. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, and the Houma Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Grand jury indicts Jamestown man on multiple sex trafficking, kidnapping and drug charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Edward E. Leeper, Jr. aka Edward E. Barnes, Jr., 47, of Jamestown, NY, attempted sex trafficking, sex trafficking, kidnapping, aiding and abetting, distribution of fentanyl, and maintaining a drug involved premises, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 90 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between 2019 and 2024, Leeper is accused of sex trafficking or attempting to sex traffic and kidnapping a total of eight victims, using force and threats of force. In addition, Leeper used a Broadhead avenue residence for his drug trafficking activities, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. Leeper is also charged in a separate federal case with narcotics trafficking. He is accused of conspiring with Joseph S. Zaso and others, to sell heroin and fentanyl in the Jamestown area between 2018, and May 26, 2022. If you have been victimized by Edward Leeper, Jr. in any way or have any additional information regarding his alleged illegal behavior, please call Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone. 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: District of Arizona Charges 242 Individuals for  Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from November 29, 2025, through December 5, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought im-migration-related criminal charges against 242 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 111 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 118 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlaw-ful immigration, the United States filed 12 cases against 13 individuals responsible for smug-gling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immi-gration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Admin-istration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Dulce Haglaen Durazo-Torres : On December 4, 2025, Dulce Haglaen Durazo-Torres was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. An AZ DPS trooper observed Durazo-Torres driving slowly on I-10 Westbound. The trooper suspected the vehicle was attempting to avoid detection and ran a vehicle registration check. The check confirmed that the vehicle’s plates were suspended, and the trooper initiated a traffic stop. The trooper observed Durazo-Torres, one man in the passenger seat, and one man in the backseat of the car. The two passengers admitted to entering the United States without legal authorization, and Du-razo-Torres admitted to transporting the passengers into the United States. Immigration checks confirmed that Duraz-Torres and the two passengers are citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. Case Number: 25-MJ-08581-PHX-JZB United States v. Edgar Eduardo Quiroz-Otero : On December 1, 2025, Edgar Eduardo Quiroz-Otero was charged by complaint with Re-entry of Removed Alien. Quiroz-Otero was previously removed from the United States in July 2024 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, a felony, in the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio. In that case, Quiroz-Otero was sentenced to 30 months of im-prisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Case Number: 25-MJ-08558-PHX-JZB United States v. Joseph Tunon Esteban-Seanez : On December 1, 2025, Joseph Tunon Esteban-Seanez and Jesus Francisco Pena-Valenzuela, both Mexican citizens illegally present in the United States, were charged with Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. During a vehicle stop on suspicion of alien smuggling, agents requested the driver, Esteban, to put his Jeep in park. Instead, Esteban drove away. Agents pursued but ultimately terminated the pursuit because of the Jeep's speed. Agents then found the Jeep parked in front of a store and arrested Esteban inside the store and Pena with two other aliens some distance away from the store, hid-ing in the brush. Esteban and Pena had agreed to pick up and transport other aliens because they had been fired from their jobs and saw the opportunity to make money. Case Number: 25-MJ-01360-TUC-BGM A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-171_December 5 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Waimanalo Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography of His Minor Volleyball Student

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Elias David, 37, of Waimanalo, Hawaii, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on December 3, 2025 with producing child pornography. According to court documents, beginning in approximately February 2023, David began a sexual relationship with a minor female whom he had coached in volleyball. Investigators seized from the minor victim’s phone videos depicting the minor victim and David engaged in sexual conduct. In the videos, David is holding or positioning the phone just prior to, or right after, the sexual conduct. If convicted of the charged offense, David faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment, along with potential fines and supervision after release from imprisonment. The charge in the criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese.


title: Portland Man Faces Federal Charges for Child Sex Trafficking

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— A Portland, Oregon, man appeared in federal court today after being charged and arrested for sex trafficking of a child. Tyler Matthew Mandera, 25, made his initial appearance in court today after being charged by a federal grand jury for sex trafficking of a child. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on February 3, 2026. According to court documents, from October 11, 2025, until October 14, 2025, Mandera recruited and enticed a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts. If convicted, Mandera faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, a life-term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from Tigard Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website .


title: Former Bank Vice President Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison For Fraudulent PPP and EIDL Fraud Scheme

body_text: A former bank vice president in Wichita Falls, Texas was sentenced to four years in federal prison for a fraud scheme involving fraudulent Paycheck Protection Plan and Economic Injury Disaster loans, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Kaylee Ree Lunn, 37, of Holliday, Texas, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in July 2025 related to several fraudulent PPP loans she submitted in 2020 and 2021. On Friday, December 5, 2025, Lunn was sentenced to forty-eight months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered Lunn to pay restitution of $573,444 to the Small Business Administration and more than $19,000 to her former employer, Prosperity Bank (formerly First Capital Bank). According to court records, Lunn admitted that, while she was vice president of commercial lending at the Wichita Falls branch of First Capital Bank, she accessed and unlawfully used the personal and business financial information of certain bank customers to apply for a series of four fraudulent PPP loans and a commercial loan in late 2020 through mid-2021. Lunn admitted that she used false or inflated income and payroll expense figures and diverted loan proceeds totaling more than $276,000 to bank accounts she controlled, all without the customers’ knowledge or consent. Court records also reflect that Lunn applied for and received more than $140,000 in fraudulent PPP loans falsely reflecting the business entities as her husband’s. Throughout this time period, Lunn also made failed attempts to obtain several Economic Injury Disaster loans of over $890,000, which were ultimately rejected because they were associated with fraudulent information. According to plea documents, Lunn spent thousands of dollars of the fraudulently-obtained loan proceeds on her personal and lifestyle expenses. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office through the Amarillo Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Mark (“Mac”) McDonald prosecuted the case.


title: Williamsburg man sentenced to five years in prison for sending a threatening email that included obscene material to a police officer

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Williamsburg man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for distribution of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. According to court documents, on Feb. 14 and 15, a police officer contacted Xavier Joseph Stafford, 22, and asked Stafford to move his vehicle from private property in Williamsburg. On Feb. 18, Stafford sent an email to the officer threatening the officer’s child and indicating he knew the officer’s home address. Stafford then sent another message that included two animated images depicting the sexual abuse of a minor. The email also included a live photo repeatedly looping several frames of consecutive images of the officer’s home. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Therese O’Brien prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-40.


title: Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty To Strangulation In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Derrick Earl Scott, age 35, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Superseding Indictment alleged that on February 28, 2025, Scott strangled a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Scott will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.


title: Vian Resident Pleads Guilty To Child Abuse

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Grant Wes Morris, age 25, of Vian, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country, punishable by a term of up to life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.00. The Indictment alleged that on July 1, 2025, Morris willfully and maliciously harmed and threatened the health, safety, and welfare of a child under the age of 18, causing swelling and bruising. The crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sequoyah Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Morris will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Carter County Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearms

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Paul King, age 50, of Lone Grove, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The Indictment charged King with knowingly possessing a 7.62x25mm semi-automatic pistol and a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol on June 30, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charge arose from an investigation by the Ardmore Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. King will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.


title: BRISTOL MAN FOUND GUILTY OF ATTEMPTED MURDER  OF ATF AGENTS SERVING A SEARCH WARRANT

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – John Caleb Allen, 26, of Bristol, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of ten counts, including two counts of attempted murder of a federal officer. The guilty verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “The case exemplifies the incredible danger our brave men and women in law enforcement face as they keep our communities safe from violent offenders like this defendant. Attacks on law enforcement will be prosecuted by my office to the fullest extent of the law and deserve severe punishment.” Evidence at trial demonstrated that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) had been investigating the defendant for the illegal sale of machine gun conversion devices (MCDs). On June 3, 2025, ATF used a confidential source to purchase a firearm and a MCD from the defendant. On June 23, 2025, ATF used a confidential source to purchase 13 MCDs and two firearms from the defendant. Officers watched the defendant pick up the two firearms he sold to the confidential source from a federal firearms licensee (FFL), where he lied on ATF Form 4473. Based on their investigation, ATF obtained a federal search warrant for the defendant’s house. While attempting to execute the search warrant, the defendant shot approximately 14 times at ATF agents as they attempted to enter his front door. One of the officers had a bullet pass through his shirtsleeve and another officer was struck by a bullet in the body armor, but neither was injured. Officers did not return fire and were able to get the defendant to peacefully exit the residence with his hands up several minutes later. Agents located numerous firearms, including an unregistered firearm silencer, during the residential search. In total, the defendant was convicted of: Count 1: Transfer of a machinegun on June 3, 2025; Count 2: Transfer of a machinegun on June 23, 2025; Count 3: Making a false statement to an FFL on June 23, 2025; Count 4: Attempted murder of a federal officer (first ATF Special Agent); Count 5: Forcibly assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon (first ATF Special Agent); Count 6: Discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (first ATF Special Agent); Count 7: Attempted murder of a federal officer (second ATF Special Agent); Count 8: Forcibly assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon (second ATF Special Agent); Count 9: Discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (second ATF Special Agent); and Count 10: Possessing an unregistered or unmarked silencer. Sentencing is scheduled for February 17, 2026, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors. 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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: OHIO MAN CHARGED WITH PRODUCING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Ronald Pate Newman, 26, of Youngstown, Ohio, has been indicted in federal court for three counts of production of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges. Newman appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida. Trial is scheduled for January 14, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before Chief District Court Judge Allen Winsor. If convicted, Newman, faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years’, and up to 30 years’, imprisonment for each count. This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt. 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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: VIRGINIA WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO  INTRODUCING METHAMPHETAMINE INTO FEDERAL PRISON

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Ashley Mullins, 40, of Appalachia, Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court to introducing methamphetamine into the Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution (FCI). The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The introduction of contraband into a federal prison poses a safety threat to correctional officers and the inmates housed at the facility. I applaud the excellent work of the federal officers in this case who intercepted these deadly drugs the defendant was attempting to smuggle into prison, as well as the successful prosecution by my office to ensure the smuggler is held accountable for her crime.” According to court records, the defendant was detected by a Bureau of Prisons officer walking with an object bulging in her pocket. The officer directed the defendant to empty her pockets and discovered several contraband items, including a crystal substance and a crystal powder substance in a bag. Later forensic testing confirmed the substances were methamphetamine. Mullins faces up to twenty-years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release when she is sentenced. The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Welch. 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .