title: Mexican National Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Role in Large Scale International Cocaine Trafficking Offense

body_text: A Mexican national was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to import approximately 1,900 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. According to court documents, Jesus Rauda-Avila, 46, was a member of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by Marisela Flores-Torruco that was responsible for importing multi-hundred-kilogram quantities of cocaine into the United States. “Jesus Rauda-Avila conspired with a drug trafficking organization to import almost 2,000 kilograms of cocaine into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This level of Mexican DTO importation is the root of the injection of drugs and violence into our communities. Because of people like this defendant, countless Americans lives are ruined, and their families are left picking up the pieces. The Criminal Division will pursue drug traffickers at this level and remove them from our law-abiding society.” “This case highlights DEA’s global reach and commitment to justice for those who threaten the safety and security of the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division. “The case against Rauda-Avila exposes the scope of international drug conspiracies, and today's sentence reflects what's possible when DEA, as part of HSTF, works hand-in-hand with our federal and international partners to dismantle the criminal organizations that threaten Americans." The DTO, which had operations in New York, Texas, and elsewhere in the United States, sourced its cocaine from Colombia and provided logistical and financial support to coordinate the narcotics’ passage through Central America and Mexico and into the United States. During the investigation, law enforcement made several cocaine seizures, including approximately 971 kilograms of cocaine on April 21, 2017, and 500 kilograms of cocaine on May 10, 2017, nearly all of which was attributable to the DTO. From 2016 to October 2017, in coordination with Flores-Torruco’s DTO, the defendant arranged and directed the transportation of funds, drivers, and vehicles from northern Mexico to southern Mexico to purchase and pick up cocaine, which was subsequently transported into the United States for distribution. The defendant conducted at least ten such narcotics purchases in partnership with Flores-Torruco’s DTO, each involving between 100 and 400 kilograms of cocaine. Rauda-Avila pleaded guilty to conspiring to import cocaine to the United States. Three of the defendant’s co-conspirators — Marisela Flores-Torruco, Qiyun Chen, and Jose Francisco Mendoza-Gomez — have been convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia for their roles within the DTO, as have several individuals involved with the related Chinese money laundering network. Flores-Torruco pleaded guilty to possession, manufacture, or distribution of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison. Chen pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Mendoza-Gomez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, investigated the case, with assistance from DEA’s offices in Cartagena (Colombia), Bogota (Colombia), Panama City, Mexico City, and Guatemala City. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service provided substantial assistance in the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Mexico. Trial Attorney Chelsea R. Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo J. Rodriguez and Christopher M. Carter for the Eastern District of Viriginia prosecuted the case. This case 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 Washington, D.C., comprises agents and officers from the FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; DEA; Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA, with the prosecution being led by the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations. MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Complaint Filed Seeking to Revoke the Naturalization of Indian National

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—Yesterday, the District of Oregon filed a civil denaturalization complaint against a native of India who illegally procured his citizenship by lying about his identity and immigration history. According to court documents, Jaswinder Singh, a.k.a. Balwinder Singh, 54, applied for an immigration benefit in August 1990 under the name Balwinder Singh. In November 1990 an immigration judge denied the application and ordered Singh to be deported from the United States. After unsuccessfully appealing, Singh was ordered to surrender in July 1993, but failed to do so. In November 1994, using a second identity, Jaswinder Singh, Singh filed a second application for an immigration benefit. Singh provided a different identity, date of birth, and date of entry to the United States. In August 2003, an immigration judge issued an order granting Singh’s application. After certifying under penalty of perjury the information provided was true, Singh became a permanent resident. Singh signed his naturalization application under penalty of perjury certifying that the application and the evidence submitted with it were all true and correct and on June 3, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved the naturalization application. The complaint charges Singh with illegal procurement of naturalization because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent resident status and because he provided false testimony in his naturalization interview. The complaint also charges that Singh procured citizenship through concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires the U.S. District Court to revoke Singh’s naturalization if it finds him liable on any of the charges. The case is being investigated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security. The claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Former Postal Service Employee Pleads Guilty to Failing to Deliver 14,700 Pieces of Mail

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former United States Post Office employee pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to failing to deliver approximately 14,700 pieces of mail to U.S. Postal customers in Brighton, Dorchester and Mattapan. Khalea Turner, 29, of Hull, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of mails. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Turner was charged in May 2026. From approximately November 2022 to January 2026, Turner worked as a full-time letter carrier and covered routes in the three Boston neighborhoods, as well as the Fort Point neighborhood. During his time as a letter carrier, Turner obstructed approximately 14,700 pieces of mail by storing the mail in a U-Haul storage locker that he rented in Weymouth, Mass. On Jan. 9, 2026, the mail was recovered by law enforcement. Included in the recovered mail were U.S. passports, jury notifications, government checks, education documents and immigration paperwork, addressed to USPS customers along Turner’s delivery routes in Brighton, Dorchester and Mattapan. The charge of obstruction of mail provides for a sentence of up to six months in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Colin T. Missett of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Three Defendants Indicted in Brooklyn Federal Court for Real Estate Investment Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging John Christian Gelin, Heather Marquez, and Kaolee Vang-Thao with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The charges arise from a multi-year and multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud financial institutions, investors, and prospective investors in connection with potential real estate transactions. Gelin was arrested today and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy. Marquez was arrested earlier today in Oceanside, California and will appear in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Vang-Thao was arrested earlier today in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota and will appear in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Marquez and Vang-Thao will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrests and charges. “As alleged, the defendants defrauded investors and lenders out of millions of dollars,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Because of their lies and greed, the defendants ruined the financial security of dozens of victims, leaving them on the hook for repaying loans they could not afford and causing some to declare bankruptcy. Our Office will vigorously prosecute those who abuse the trust of others and profit through fraud.” “Through repeated lies, these defendants allegedly forced trusting investors into financial stress – and for some, ruin – to illegally route more than four million dollars to their personal accounts. The FBI’s Financial Crimes Task Force remains committed to apprehending fraudsters that steal from others to line their own pockets,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. As alleged in the indictment, Gelin operated Kensington International, Inc. (Kensington), a purported real estate development company, and oversaw the Artist Financial Program (AFP), an affiliated entity that specifically targeted aspiring artists and musicians. Gelin marketed the companies as real estate investment firms focused on purchasing distressed real estate that would be rehabilitated and resold for profit. The defendants raised investment capital by soliciting investors who generally had limited assets but high credit scores, and obtained loans and credit cards on behalf of the investors that they promised to repay. Marquez and Vang-Thao, through their firms the Funding Club Consulting and the Financial Saver Network, respectively, submitted loan and credit card applications on behalf of the investors. Unbeknownst to the investors, Marquez and Vang-Thao filed fraudulent applications with the lenders that often inflated the investors’ income to obtain higher loans. Investors were not shown the applications before Marquez and Vang-Thao submitted them, and Marquez and Vang-Thao advised investors to lie to the lenders. Additionally, Gelin used the alias “Christian” to conceal from investors and potential investors his criminal history, which included serving three years in prison for committing a similar fraud scheme. Once the credit card and lending applications were approved, investors were instructed to wire 15% of the credit limit of the credit cards and loan proceeds to Marquez and Vang-Thao. The remaining 85% was transferred to bank accounts controlled by Gelin. Rather than using the loan proceeds entirely to invest in real estate as promised to investors, the defendants diverted investor funds to pay for their personal expenses and spent only a nominal amount of investor funds on buying and renovating homes. Also contrary to their promises to the investors, the defendants did not pay the lenders back in full. As a result, the investors were unable to repay the full amount of the loans and credit cards taken out in their names. Some investors declared bankruptcy. In total, investors lost at least $4.2 million from the fraudulent scheme. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, they each face up to 30 years in prison. If you believe that you or someone you know was victimized by the defendants, please contact the FBI by email at: KensingtonCase@fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney James R. Simmons is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Melina Piatti-Chayan. The Defendants : JOHN CHRISTIAN GELIN Age: 58 Brooklyn, New York HEATHER MARQUEZ Age: 45 Oceanside, California KAOLEE VANG-THAO Age: 53 Brooklyn Center, Minnesota E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-157 (CBA)


title: Illegal alien and local man earn prison sentences after assaulting officers

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been ordered to federal prison for smuggling illegal aliens and for assaulting federal agents in the course of their duties, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Adrian Isaac Pimentel-Garcia, a 20-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, and Juan Carlos Lopez Jr., 24, Laredo, both pleaded guilty March 3 in separate, but similar cases to bringing an alien to the United States and assault on federal officers. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered both Pimentel-Garcia and Lopez to serve a total of 36 months in federal prison. At the hearings, the court heard from the victims who described how their experiences would affect them for the rest of their careers but still expressed forgiveness. Lopez must serve a three-year-term of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, Pimentel-Garcia is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence in the Lopez case, Judge Saldana emphasized that but for the Grace of God, no one died. She noted that his careless behavior could have led to the death of an agent, an alien or even himself but also complimented the agent’s professionalism. On Dec. 5, 2025, Border Patrol agents discovered a group of aliens who had just crossed into the United States from the Rio Grande in south Laredo. Law enforcement found them in a nearby residential area where they were climbing fences around homes. Pimentel-Garcia had been leading the aliens and climbed a rooftop to escape. When the agent attempted to stop the attempt, Pimental-Garcia jumped off a fence and dropkicked a Border Patrol agent in the face, knocking him to the ground. Pimental-Garcia then tried to flee by foot. Assisting agents then detained Pimental-Garcia and the three aliens he was illegally guiding into the United States. The day prior, Border Patrol agents discovered Lopez was driving a vehicle picking up aliens as they exited the Rio Grande near southwest Laredo. Authorities attempted a traffic stop, but Lopez sped off and led law enforcement on a vehicle pursuit. Lopez drove his vehicle from paved roads onto dirt ones that ended at a cliff. When law enforcement stopped the patrol vehicle behind him, he exited to detain Lopez. However, Lopez soon revved his engine and sped back into the agent’s path. He was able to narrowly avoid being hit and severely injured. However, Lopez did strike the patrol vehicle of another agent and caused injury to that law enforcement officer. Lopez attempted to flee on foot, but authorities soon took him and seven smuggled aliens into custody. FBI and Border Patrol conducted both investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel A. Cardenas Jr. prosecuted the cases. 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.


title: Justice Department Files to Intervene and Dismiss Lawsuit that Would Hamper America’s AI Innovation and Security

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Note: View motion for intervention and dismissal here . Yesterday, the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) filed a motion to intervene and to dismiss a private citizen lawsuit seeking to power down a large artificial intelligence (AI) facility in Southaven, Mississippi. The filings concern a case where private litigants sued xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech LLC, alleging violations of Clean Air Act permitting requirements, even though the State of Mississippi — which is charged with administering the permitting program — decided no permit was required. Plaintiffs’ allegations concern the power source for an AI data facility which trains and develops new AI models that are critical to the economy and the Department of War. The private litigants seek an injunction and damages. “Ultimate responsibility for enforcing federal law belongs to the Executive Branch, not private interest groups,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “The Department of Justice is committed to maintaining that constitutional order while protecting national security and promoting American energy and innovation.” “The Department of Justice will not sit idly by while private organizations use environmental laws to undermine our national security,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “This case reflects the important work of the Environment and Natural Resources Division to unleash American energy for the sake of innovation and security.” President Donald J. Trump’s recently issued executive order Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security tasks federal agencies, committees, and officials to prioritize the promotion of AI innovation and security across the federal government. The Department of War is one of many agencies that protect Americans by utilizing AI. Overly burdensome regulation, including private lawsuits that seek to implement their own environmental enforcement, can threaten technological growth, American energy independence, and national security. The Clean Air Act gives the federal government authority to intervene in citizen suits, and the Constitution gives responsibility for enforcing the laws to the President. That includes the power to exercise enforcement discretion in the national interest. In its filing, ENRD asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to dismiss the lawsuit, which would turn off critical power during an energy emergency and hinder the War Department’s use of AI for national defense. xAI Motion to Intervene - ENRD.pdf


title: Southeast Missouri Felon Caught with Machine Gun Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison

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

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced a man caught with a fully automatic pistol to 46 months in prison. Jadiah Dawontra Hines, 20, pleaded guilty in March to two counts: possession of a machine gun and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted possessing a stolen Glock .40-caliber pistol with a “switch,” or machine gun conversion device, attached, rendering it a fully automatic weapon. Hines had posted a photo on social media of himself with a small child seated between his legs and pointing the Glock in the air over the child’s head. When confronted by a woman about the picture, Hines threatened her, saying he would “shoot her in the face,” Hines’ plea says. The gun had been reported stolen in Scott County. Hines has prior convictions for stealing firearms in New Madrid and Mississippi counties and for stealing a vehicle in Scott County, and awaits sentencing in circuit court for violating his probation in those cases. The Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: U.S. Justice Department Moves to Intervene in Race Discrimination Lawsuit Challenging Reparations Program in Evanston, Illinois

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division moved to intervene in a lawsuit challenging a program by the City of Evanston, Illinois, that distributes cash payments and financial assistance for housing solely to black persons, and their descendants, and not to similarly situated persons of other races. The United States’ proposed complaint in intervention alleges that the city’s actions violate the Equal Protection Cause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Fair Housing Act. “Under the pretext of paying reparations for events more than 100 years ago, the City of Evanston has chosen to distribute millions of dollars in cash and housing benefits to people because of the color of their skin or the color of the skin of their parents, grandparents, or great grandparents,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “There are sound ways for a city to remedy past discrimination or direct resources to its most vulnerable citizens and neighborhoods. Simply handing out money based on race, however, is not the answer. It is race discrimination, pure and simple. And it is illegal.” “The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that government actions classifying citizens by race are presumptively unconstitutional,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “The Constitution demands that the government treat citizens as individuals, not as members of a racial class. Distributing public funds based on an individual's ancestry or race divides the citizenry and establishes the very hierarchy the Equal Protection Clause was designed to dismantle.” In 2019, the city adopted the “Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program.” Under this program, black persons who lived in the City of Evanston as an adult at any time between 1919 and 1969, as well as their children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren, can receive $25,000 in the form of cash payments, which the recipient can use for any purpose, or financial assistance for purchasing, repairing, or maintaining a primary residence in the city. The city has not identified any specific acts of discrimination that violated the constitution or a statute that these payments are intended to remedy. Nor does the city require any evidence that recipients or their ancestors experienced discrimination when they lived in the city. Race alone determines whether a current or former resident or their descendant receives $25,000 in cash or financial assistance for housing. To date, the city has paid over $5 million and it plans to distribute millions more as funds become available. In 2024, descendants of persons who had lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969, but who were not black, filed a lawsuit, Flinn, et al. v. City of Evanston , No. 24-cv-4269 (N.D. Ill.), challenging their exclusion from the city’s program as a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The court denied the city’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit in March 2026. That same month, the United States opened an investigation of the program under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Fair Housing Act. The city refused to cooperate in the United States’ investigation. The United States now seeks to intervene in the lawsuit. The United States alleges that the program violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. It also alleges that by offering and providing financial assistance for housing because of race, the city has violated the Fair Housing Act.


title: New York City Public School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Joseph Taylor McKeel, a public school teacher at a high school in New York City, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg. When sentenced, McKeel faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. “McKeel possessed graphic images of child sexual abuse, including sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, all while employed in a position of trust as a high school biology teacher,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Prosecuting those who victimize children by feeding the market for child pornography will always be a top priority of our Office and our law enforcement partners.” “Joseph McKeel, a New York City public-school teacher, exploited children by obtaining child pornography that included infants and toddlers. This is not just a horrific violation of law and abuse of children, but a profound betrayal of the trust placed in him as a teacher. Our FBI/NYPD Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force will relentlessly pursue those who engage in such despicable conduct,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. As set forth in court filings, McKeel, a high school biology teacher, possessed hundreds of images of child pornography. McKeel was arrested in March 2026 on his way to work carrying a backpack that contained a thumb drive with over 150 images of child sexual abuse, along with a pipe used for smoking methamphetamine. An additional device containing child sexual abuse material was found during the execution of a search warrant at McKeel’s residence. This prosecution is 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Sussman and Samuel Rackear are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant: JOSEPH TAYLOR MCKEEL Age: 33 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-148 (RPK)


title: Serbian National Extradited to Face Charges of Transporting Over $1 Million Worth of Stolen Luxury Watches

body_text: BOSTON – A Serbian national was extradited to the United States on June 5, 2026 to face charges for allegedly assisting in the possession and transportation of over 260 stolen luxury watches valued at $1.4 million. The defendant was arrested by Dutch authorities at an airport in Amsterdam while attempting to flee to his native Serbia. Dusan Pericic, 41, was charged with possession and sale of stolen goods, transportation of stolen goods and conspiracy to possess, sell, and transport stolen goods. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston on June 6, 2026 and is detained pending trial. According to the charging documents Pericic allegedly obtained 36 luxury watches stolen from the Territorial Collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy. These watches were traced back to a retail burglary in Saint-Barthelmy of 269 luxury watches valued at $1.4 million. Pericic allegedly transported and arranged for the transportation of the stolen watches into the United Sates for sale to luxury watch dealers. He is alleged to have sold one of the stolen watches to an identified watch dealer for $34,300 in Florida. On Dec. 21, 2021, Pericic allegedly transported 36 of the stolen watches from Miami to Peabody, Mass. and enlisted a watch dealer to assist him in selling the watches. The charges of possession and sale of stolen goods and transportation of stolen goods provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to possess, sell, and transport stolen goods provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshal Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Dutch authorities in securing Dusan Pericic’s arrest and extradition. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Department of Justice Files Suit to Stop Ongoing Medicaid Fraud Related to New York’s $10 Billion Home-Care Program

component: Civil Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the State of New York Department of Health, New York State Medicaid Director Amir Bassiri, and Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), an Alpharetta, Georgia-based company that has managed New York’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Program (CDPAP) since 2025. “New York’s backroom deal with PPL has cost taxpayers millions of dollars and cast countless Medicaid patients to the curb,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald for the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Today’s action is the latest reminder that the Justice Department is mobilizing every available tool to protect taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and corruption.” “One of the Justice Department’s key priorities is protecting the public fisc and delivering savings to American taxpayers,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “New York’s failure to police a favored vendor that unlawfully siphoned millions of dollars of Medicaid funding is egregious and betrays the public trust. The Justice Department is acting to ensure that federal laws regarding truthful statements and fair dealing in federal health care programs are upheld and to prevent additional harm from being exacted against the public by Public Partnerships LLC and New York.” The lawsuit aims to stop an alleged fraud scheme by which PPL has generated millions of dollars in unauthorized profits funded by federal taxpayers in connection with its takeover of New York’s $10 billion-dollar CDPAP program. The lawsuit alleges that the New York Department of Health awarded PPL the lucrative CDPAP contract after conducting a sham bid process, and then, despite learning of PPL’s intent to deviate from the representations made in its bid and violate the financial terms of the contract, failed to take action to hold PPL accountable and to protect public funds from misuse, resulting in a fraud scheme that remains unchecked to this day. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin all defendants from making further misrepresentations about the CDPAP program and from charging American taxpayers millions of dollars unauthorized by the contract. CDPAP is a Medicaid program that provides home care through lay caregivers to Medicaid patients with disabilities or significant medical needs. In spring 2024, the New York Legislature passed a statute that consolidated the management of CDPAP from hundreds of pre-existing “fiscal intermediaries” to a single fiscal intermediary, setting up one of the most lucrative contracts for administering a Medicaid program in the nation. The lawsuit alleges that although New York purported to conduct a fair bidding process to select the single fiscal intermediary during summer 2024, New York pre-selected PPL for the billion-dollar contract by conducting a sham bid process that resulted in PPL being awarded the contract in late 2024. The lawsuit further alleges that PPL and New York repeatedly made knowing misrepresentations to the public concerning the date by which PPL’s transition could be completed, intentionally concealing that, since the contract’s inception, both PPL and New York were aware that the transition would likely not be complete by April 1, 2025 – the contractually designated transition date – and would result in severe disruptions to patient care and harm to patients across the state. Worse yet, PPL and New York, without explanation, have disregarded key limits the contract imposed on the revenues and profits PPL was entitled to receive under the contract – limits that were central to the goal of saving hundreds of millions of dollars through the CDPAP transition. Instead of ensuring that PPL complied with the contract and protecting the American taxpayers, New York has permitted PPL to raid the CDPAP program of millions of dollars in excess revenues, billing at hourly rates in excess of those anticipated by New York prior to the contract award. As a result of PPL’s self-dealing and New York’s failure to require it to comply with the terms of the contract, the purported cost savings that the CDPAP transition was to provide largely have been erased. To date, New York and PPL repeatedly and willfully have misled the public and the New York Legislature concerning important aspects of the CDPAP transition, including, without limitation, the gross mismanagement of the program by PPL and New York. This case was investigated by the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch. This case is being litigated by Assistant Director Patrick Runkle and Trial Attorneys Francisco Unger and Shimeng Zhang.


title: Modesto Dark Web Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Devlin Hosner, 37, of Modesto, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 10 years in prison for a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, Hosner and co-defendant Holly Adams, 36, made hundreds of thousands of dollars selling fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills and methamphetamine on the dark web, and laundered the proceeds through cryptocurrency mixers, wallets, and other online tools. In September 2021, state law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at their residence. Hosner tried to block their entry while Adams destroyed pills by pouring them into a chemical solution. Both were arrested, released, and soon resumed selling fentanyl on the dark web while unknowingly under federal investigation. In March 2022, federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at a hotel room in Riverside County where Hosner and Adams were staying and seized nearly a kilogram of fentanyl-pressed pills and 60 grams of methamphetamine. On Dec. 9, 2026, Hosner pleaded guilty. Adams pleaded guilty on June 18, 2024, and was sentenced to 12 years in prison on June 3, 2025. This case is the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from the IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case.


title: Former Senior Airman sentenced to 25 years for sexually exploiting children

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a former Senior Airman stationed at Scott Air Force Base to 25 years in federal prison after he admitted to sexually exploiting minors and distributing images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Michael E. McCay, 33, pleaded guilty in January to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of distribution of child pornography. Following imprisonment, he will serve the rest of his life on supervised release. “Our brave servicemembers protect the vulnerable and serve our nation with honor. McCay’s conduct is deeply shocking because it betrays everything it means to serve,” said United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “His 25-year sentence highlights our commitment to protect vulnerable children from this type of exploitation.” According to court documents, a review of McCay’s electronic devices in February 2023 identified over 22,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material. McCay also used his devices to communicate with purported minor victims. During these communications, McCay would purport to be a minor and request sexually explicit images from them. McCay’s conduct occurred in numerous locations as McCay was previously stationed in the United Kingdom, Turkey, and the Southern District of Illinois. In January 2024, a review of McCay’s new electronic devices occurred after McCay sent money via CashApp to a suspected minor. During this second search, law enforcement found thousands of additional images and videos of child sexual abuse material along with additional communications with suspected minors. From April 2023 through January 2024, McCay communicated with two minor victims and requested sexually explicit images from them. The child victims were 11 and 12 at the time. McCay had nearly two-dozen videos and images of the minor victims on his electronic device and McCay distributed some of those files to others. “The exploitation of children has a lasting and profound effect on everyone involved, from the victims to the investigators,” said Special Agent Elijah Bell, with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. “Through the collaboration between our agents, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our local law enforcement partners, and the Northamptonshire Police Department in the United Kingdom, we were able to swiftly pursue justice.” The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 .


title: Des Moines Man Sentenced to 21 Months’ Imprisonment for Computer Fraud

component: Cyber Division (FBI)

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced on June 11, 2026, to 21 months’ imprisonment for computer fraud inflicted on the Saydel Community School District for over a year and a half. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in April 2023, Ezekiel Dean Potter, 34, was terminated from his job in the IT department of Saydel Community School District. Prior to his termination, Potter downloaded over 300 usernames and passwords for District accounts and programs, which he used over the next year and a half to access or attempt to access various District online accounts and applications to disrupt District operations. The attacks began in June 2023 when Potter took down one of the District’s social media pages. After that, Potter began trying to revoke District employee access to critical systems and delete District accounts and information. When successful, this resulted in districtwide technology outages and required significant remediation efforts from District employees, among other interruptions. Potter’s misconduct culminated in a series of attacks in January 2025 on District applications that resulted in suspending classes for multiple hours. It was later determined Potter orchestrated many of the attacks from the offices of his subsequent employers. At one of those employers, Potter left a USB drive that contained hundreds of District usernames and passwords, along with other sensitive District information. After realizing he left the drive behind, Potter attempted to have a former coworker to “wipe” it. In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Potter was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $59,668.81 in restitution to the Saydel Community School District and its insurer. “Ezekiel Potter’s theft and malicious use of sensitive data to target his former employer resulted in significant disruptions to school operations,” said Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “Whether it’s a large corporation or a school district here in the heartland, the FBI and our partners will use every investigative method to bring to justice criminals like Potter who weaponize privileged access to computer systems to harm victims and commit fraud.” United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Polk County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Lubben prosecuted the case.


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to drug and gun charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Anthony Franklin, 44, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life and a $5,000,000 fine. On July 22, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Franklin’s Highview Road residence, seizing approximately 254 grams of crack cocaine, 121 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, three firearms, ammunition, and a loaded magazine. Also on July 22, 2025, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop of Franklin’s vehicle. He failed to stop, sped away and fled the area. Franklin’s vehicle was later found on Rich Street in Buffalo, and he was apprehended shortly after. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division. Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra. # # # #


title: Seven people sentenced to prison for their roles in $31M coupon fraud scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – Sherise Williams, 40, of Palmetto, Florida, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for mail fraud. She is the final defendant to be sentenced for a multi-million-dollar fraudulent coupon scheme. According to court documents, from at least April 2017 through May 2020, Lori Ann Talens , of Virginia Beach, used a computer to design, create, and produce a wide variety of counterfeit coupons in her Virginia Beach home, and used social media and apps to find groups of coupon enthusiasts and sell them the counterfeit coupons. These counterfeit coupons were often created with inflated values to receive items for free or at a greatly reduced price. Lori Ann Talens’ husband, Pacifico Talens Jr., 43, assisted in and profited from the operation. Lori Ann and Pacifico Talens pleaded guilty to mail fraud, and Lori Ann also pleaded guilty to wire fraud and health care fraud for a separate scheme. Pacifico was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison. Lori Ann was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Williams and others purchased the counterfeit coupons from Lori Ann Talens in bulk quantities. For example, Williams purchased counterfeit coupons from Lori Ann Talens on 274 occasions for a total of $19,821.34. For every dollar paid to Lori Ann Talens, her customers received an estimated $50 in counterfeit coupons, at which ratio Williams caused an estimated total loss of $991,067 to retailers and manufacturers. An analysis determined that the scheme caused a total loss of approximately $31,817,997 to retailers and manufacturers. Amber Lynn Teague, aka Amber Johnson, 32, of Louisville, Kentucky, pled guilty on June 18, 2025, to mail fraud. On Dec. 16, 2025, Teague was sentenced to six months in prison. Jennifer Irene Snyder, 38, of Lavon, Texas, pled guilty on July 11, 2025, to mail fraud. On Dec. 15, 2025, Snyder was sentenced to a year and three months in prison. Melissa Kay Apodaca, 41, of Thornton, Colorado, pled guilty on June 30, 2025, to mail fraud. On Dec. 16, 2025, Apodaca was sentenced to a year and six months in prison. Cindi Suzette Swindle, 56, of Jacksonville, Florida, pled guilty on Aug. 11, 2025, to mail fraud. On Dec. 11, 2025, Swindle was sentenced to a year in prison. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky prosecuted the case. 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 Nos. 2:24-cr-137 and 2:21-cr-39.


title: Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Trafficking Firearms and Drugs

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for trafficking firearms and drugs. In the fall of 2024, EFRAIN JACOBO sold methamphetamine, cocaine, and seven firearms in a series of transactions in Joliet, Ill. Unbeknownst to Jacobo, the buyers were undercover law enforcement officers. On Dec. 17, 2024, Jacobo shared tracking information with the undercover officers for a truck containing meth that was traveling to Illinois from Texas. At Jacobo’s direction, the truck arrived at a shipping facility in Bolingbrook, Ill., the following day. Law enforcement searched inside the truck and discovered more than 150,000 grams of meth. A subsequent search of a storage facility leased by Jacobo in Wheeling, Ill., turned up more than 1,800 grams of fentanyl. Jacobo, 44, of Prospect Heights, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal firearm and drug charges. On June 11, 2026, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly sentenced Jacobo to 16 years in federal prison. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosive, and Todd C. Smith, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Bolingbrook, Ill. Police Department provided valuable assistance. “Defendant plainly was a powerful and high-level drug dealer,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Stern argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Drug sellers of any illegal narcotics have a negative impact on society. They help fuel a drug trade that can devastate lives, families, and communities.”


title: Lawrence Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Fentanyl Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence, Mass. man was sentenced on June 12, 2026 in federal court in Boston for distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Jhonatan Monegro Rosario, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2026, Monegro Rosario pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Over a five-month period, on the North Shore of Massachusetts, Monegro Rosario distributed thousands of counterfeit Oxycodone pills made with fentanyl. Additionally, the investigation revealed that Monegro Rosario possessed a pill press which could be used to manufacture large quantities of counterfeit pills. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and Brad A. Rocheville of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case. This case 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 Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


title: Wichita man admits to distributing child pornography

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to using a messaging application to distribute child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, Zachery Leslie, 25, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. Zachery Leslie used a messaging app to send and receive CSAM including nine files in July 2024, which included images of prepubescent children subjected to sexual acts. He utilized his phone and the Internet to distribute the images. Leslie is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Project Safe Childhood 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: FBI Minneapolis Field Office announces Operation Ballistic Backlog

body_text: Rapid City, SD—FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson announced Operation Ballistic Backlog today, an initiative carried out by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in partnership with the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Department of Public Safety (OST-DPS), to address a critical need for firearms evidence testing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This initiative is part of the FBI’s larger, overarching surge of investigative resources to address unresolved violent crime on tribal lands called Operation Steadfast Promise. Other initiatives make up parts of Operation Steadfast Promise. For example, FBI surged investigative resources to support Operation Not Forgotten, now in its fourth year. For 2026, Operation Not Forgotten identified a backlog of approximately 500 serviceable firearms in custody of the OST-DPS which had not been entered into the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is a crucial investigative tool managed by ATF that compares spent ammunition casings with other evidence found at crime scenes. NIBIN analyzes microscopic tool marks left on casings by the firearm used to discharge the casing and can match those markings to firearms or other spent casings in evidence, often resulting in investigative leads which may help resolve unsolved gun crimes such as assaults and murders. Since its inception, NIBIN has resulted in more than a million investigative leads on unresolved gun crimes. Many of those leads led to the conviction of drug traffickers, gang members, and murderers. The firearms in OST-DPS custody are being test fired at the OST Criminal Justice Center on Pine Ridge. The resulting casings will be run through NIBIN using the ATF’s Mobile Testing Lab, now at the FBI’s Rapid City Resident Agency during Ballistic Backlog. “The FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office serves all of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, including the tribal lands that share the same geography,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Our agents, analysts, and professional support employees work tenaciously to investigate major crimes on tribal lands, including many gun crimes such as major assaults and murder. This year’s initiatives like Ballistic Backlog and Operation Not Forgotten enhance our ability to make meaningful improvements in public safety and violent crime reduction. We appreciate the crucial partnership of ATF and the resources they have brought to bear in this initiative. We are also grateful for the ongoing partnerships with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and United States Attorney Parsons’ Office which prosecutes the offenders identified by law enforcement investigations on Pine Ridge.” “NIBIN is one of the most powerful crime gun intelligence tools for law enforcement, and ATF is the agency that operates it nationwide in support of any law enforcement partner that needs it,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Spence Burnett, St. Paul Field Division. “When the FBI came to us and asked for our support on Operation Ballistic Backlog, we didn't hesitate. We brought our NIBIN mobile unit to South Dakota because violent offenders should not be able to hide behind an unsolved case, and we are proud to put that capability to work here in support of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.” “The Tribe sees firsthand the effects of gun violence on our people,” said Oglala Sioux Tribe Attorney General Jessica Four Bear. “Many in our communities live in continued apprehension and fear from hearing gunshots throughout the night. This is not acceptable, and it is not the Lakota way of life. As part of this coordinated approach, the Tribe is taking steps to address youth gun violence. Our responsibility is to uphold the law in a manner that honors who we are as Lakota people. We will continue to pursue approaches that reduce youth access to firearms, support families, and promote safety across the Reservation. The Tribe calls for cultural support in our homes and families. We encourage all relatives to remind our youth of Lakota values; respect, generosity, courage, and wisdom, and to model these teachings every day. Lateral violence is not the Lakota way of life. Our strength is found in kinship. Community members are encouraged to report concerns, secure firearms responsibly, and engage youth in cultural activities and mentorship. Together, with vigilance, compassion, and cultural grounding, we will ensure safer nights and a stronger future for the Oglala Nation.” “We hear our relatives’ concerns and we share them. Our officers are committed to a visible, consistent presence, and enforcement that keep our families safe,” said Jason Lone Hill, Chief of Police, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. “Working with our federal partners strengthens our ability to protect the community with our limited resources.” “Operation Ballistic Backlog is a promise kept by this Administration to clear the backlog of untested firearms evidence and help deliver timely justice to protect the men, women, and children who live in the Pine Ridge Reservation and across South Dakota. Every unexamined cartridge or casing could hold the key to solving a murder or violent crime, and now—thanks to the leadership of the FBI, ATF, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety—we are going to carefully test every piece of available ballistic evidence and follow the evidence where it leads,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons. In a concrete example of how crucial NIBIN testing is to advancing investigations of gun crimes in this community, last week SAC Dotson announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murder of six-year-old Logan Warrior Goings. On May 5, 2022. Logan was at a family residence in Oglala, near the community of Pine Ridge, when one or more unidentified assailants shot approximately 14 rounds into the home, killing Logan. NIBIN testing linked a firearm found in another part of the state to the murder. Anyone with information on the murder of Logan Warrior Goings or any other major crimes on Tribal lands is urged to call 800-CALL-FBI or submit information to tips.fbi.gov.


title: Corvallis Man Sentenced to Almost 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—A Corvallis, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and for violating his supervised release on a prior federal case, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. Blaine Garrett Reposa, 41, was sentenced to a total of 234 months in federal prison and a lifetime term of supervised release. “This repeat offender has continued to exploit and victimize children who have already endured profound abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that those who prey on children will be held accountable.” “Today’s sentence is representative of the FBI and our partners’ commitment to pursuing child sex offenders through investigative tenacity and teamwork,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “We work tirelessly with our partners, as we did here with the Corvallis Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, to bring offenders like Blaine Reposa to justice, and to give victims an opportunity to heal. These types of crimes have no place in our community.” According to court documents, a search warrant was executed at Reposa’s residence in October 2024 after the Corvallis Police Department learned that Reposa was uploading CSAM. Detectives seized multiple devices from Reposa’s residence. One smartphone contained more than 6,000 images and more than 2,500 videos of CSAM, mostly of male minors, including infants and toddlers. Another smartphone revealed additional evidence with searches for CSAM, more than 300 images, and 20 videos of CSAM. Between May and July 2024, Reposa sent CSAM to nine different users on Session, a messaging platform. In October 2024, Reposa sent a Telegram user almost 40 videos of CSAM. On September 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Reposa with distribution of child pornography. On March 10, 2026, Reposa pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment charging distribution of child pornography. The FBI and Corvallis Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Sweet prosecuted the case. Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . 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 www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Guatemalan Illegal Alien Sentenced for Role in  Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy in HSTF Case

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Guatemalan illegal alien, unlawfully in the United States, received a federal prison term, today, for charges stemming from a federal firearms investigation. Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Lester Ramos Perez, 29, to 78 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. Ramos Perez is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his citizenship status. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Steven Schrank, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Atlanta; Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. According to the guilty plea, in July 2024, ATF and HSI special agents began investigating Ramos Perez after suspecting that he was trafficking firearms from Alabama to Baltimore. Then in September 2024, Ramos Perez started living in Waldorf, Maryland. During the investigation, through various law enforcement techniques, agents learned that Ramos Perez conspired with others to traffic firearms. Ramos Perez and a co-conspirator conspired to sell firearms during a controlled recorded transaction in Alabama and Maryland. At least two of the firearms Ramos Perez sold to law enforcement were stolen. Additionally, at least two of the firearms Ramos Perez sold to law enforcement are classified as machineguns. Ramos Perez was also advised during this investigation that the individual he was selling firearms to possessed a criminal record and that they were purchasing the firearms on behalf of someone else. Ramos Perez knew he was selling the firearms to a prohibited person and that the person he was selling them to was not the ultimate owner/end-user/possessor of the firearms that he was illegally selling. The Homeland Security Task Force (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 Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, HSI, BPD, and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Hagan who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Peyton C. Dagenais, 29, was sentenced on June 11, 2026, to 204 months in prison, to be followed by a 15-year term of supervised release, for distribution and possession of child pornography. Restitution was ordered for each of the victims in the case. At the sentencing hearing, the government established that Dagenais had a long history of child pornography possession and distribution and that his behavior had escalated to possessing physical items related to his sexual interest in children and expressed a desire to rape a child. Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless described the number of images possessed by Dagenais as rather extraordinary and said that the images were egregious. Judge Lawless also noted the defendant’s escalation in conduct and emphasized the need to protect the public from further acts of the defendant in crafting her sentence. In February 2026, Dagenais pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Dagenais remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service where he has been since his arrest in September 2025. The statutory penalties for distribution of child pornography are not less than five years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a life term of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and restitution. The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are not more than 10 years’ imprisonment, five years to a life term of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. “Any individual who shares, receives, and possesses child sexual abuse material contributes to the irreparable harm suffered by these victims,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “This behavior poses a risk to all children as these predators constantly seek new images and that desire creates a greater risk of potential hands-on offenses.” “This case highlights the reality of how digital exploitation can escalate into an imminent physical threat to children,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. “By intercepting this defendant before his expressed desires turned into physical violence, we successfully protected the community from a dangerous predator. This lengthy sentence ensures that the defendant can no longer exploit children or threaten their safety. The FBI and our partners will remain relentless in pursuing these predators and ensuring they face justice.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case with assistance from the Lewiston, Maine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution. The case against Dagenais was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Southbridge Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON –A Southbridge man pleaded guilty on June 11, 2026 in federal court in Worcester to conspiring to distribute cocaine in Central Massachusetts. Luis Sastre Pagan, 37, of Puerto Rico and formally of Southbridge, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 15, 2026. Pagan was charged in November 2024 , along with co-conspirators Eric Rivera and Miguel Lopez. From in or about April 2023 through April 2024, Sastre Pagan participated in a conspiracy that shipped kilograms of cocaine into Central Massachusetts from Puerto Rico. Evidence showed that the defendant was in communication with co-conspirators before and after the deliveries and that Sastre Pagan was directing the activity of his co-defendants and other co-conspirators as to the activity of the drug trafficking organization in and around Southbridge and Worcester. Over the course of the investigation, four packages related to the drug trafficking organization were seized, each of which were found to contain cocaine. In total, between 15-50 kilograms of cocaine is attributable to Sastre Pagan as part of his participation in the conspiracy. The charge of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In August 2025 , Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. In November 2025 he was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2026 , Lopez was sentenced to six years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA Puerto Rico and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. This case 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 Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


title: Burlington Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing 9.5 Pounds Meth

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man was sentenced on June 10, 2026, to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in March 2024, law enforcement encountered Michael Alexander Patoir, 48, during a traffic stop. Patoir was in possession of more than nine and a half pounds of methamphetamine in the backseat of his vehicle. After completing his term of imprisonment, Patoir will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines County Sheriff's Office and the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force investigated the case.


title: Former Joplin Man Sentenced to 33 Years for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Joshua Stanley Miloszewski, 37, of Joplin, Mo., was sentenced in federal court on June 15, 2026, for sexual exploitation of a minor and receiving and distributing child pornography. Miloszewski was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 400 months in federal prison without parole, followed by a life term of supervised release. Miloszewski was sentenced to 300 months for sexual exploitation of a minor and 100 months for receiving and distributing child pornography, with both sentences running consecutive to each other. According to court documents, Miloszewski, who pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2025, used a cellular device to record sexually explicit activity between himself and a 16-year-old minor victim identified in court documents as Jane Doe. Miloszewski’s cellular device contained both images and videos of Miloszewski and Jane Doe engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and Jane Doe reported she had taken nude images of herself and sent them to Miloszewski using a cellular device. Miloszewski will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Joplin Police Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: U.S. Attorney Honors Brenda Miller with Distinguished Service Award

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey has presented Ohio County Circuit Clerk Brenda Miller with the “Distinguished Service Award” in recognition of her decades of dedication to Ohio County and the State of West Virginia. “Brenda has dedicated her career to public service and has given much of her time and talents to the judicial system as Ohio County Circuit Clerk,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “I am honored to present her this award, and I am grateful to call her a colleague and a friend.” Miller will retire later this year after 28 years as Circuit Clerk. Throughout her tenure, she has earned a reputation for leadership, professionalism, and a deep commitment to strengthening the administration of justice in West Virginia. She has served on numerous statewide committees, including the State Elections Committee and the Legislative Committee. The West Virginia Supreme Court has also appointed her to several key groups, such as the Circuit Court Liaison Committee—where she represents the nine Northern Panhandle counties—the Regional Fatality Review Board, where she has served for more than 15 years, and the Access to Justice Committee, where she is one of only two circuit clerks selected statewide. Miller also served as President of the West Virginia Association of Counties from 2015 to 2016, representing 444 county-elected officials, including circuit clerks, county clerks, assessors, prosecutors, sheriffs, and county commissioners. U.S. Attorney Harvey presented the award during the annual West Virginia Association of Counties dinner at Oglebay’s Wilson Lodge.