title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 90 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 90 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 June 20, Jose Natalio Flores Avila, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, when the motorist attempted to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection Officers found 95 packages containing 103 pounds of methamphetamine, and one package containing 2.5 pounds of heroin, concealed in the firewall, driver’s side quarter panel, passenger side rear quarter panel, front bumper, driver’s side fender, passenger side fender and dashboard. On June 22, Jason Miguel Byrd-Gallegos and Jose Ricardo Ayala were arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain on a boat that was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard off Point Loma. Fidel Ayala-Romero, Jesus Briseno-Martinez, Jose Antonio Navarro-Alvarez and Jose Miguel Verduzco, who were among the passengers, were charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, the boat had 10 undocumented immigrants aboard, including the six defendants. All but one were determined to be citizens of Mexico; Byrd-Gallegos is a U.S. citizen. On June 23, Fernando Carillo Ramos was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the U.S. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found the defendant hiding in large bushes less than a mile north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The defendant had been previously deported to Mexico in December 2024. Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here’s one of those cases: On June 27, Omar Esteban Garcia-Rodriguez, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of Assault with a Deadly Weapon/Great Bodily Injury in 2020, was sentenced in federal court to 18 months in custody for again entering the U.S illegally. Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community. 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: Honduran National Indicted for Possession of Firearm by an Illegal Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MAINOR FUENTES-PINEDA (“FUENTES-PINEDA”) , age 22, a native of Honduras, was indicted on June 26, 2025, for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5). According to court documents, FUENTES-PINEDA , was found in Orleans Parish on or about April 29, 2025, in possession of a semi-automatic pistol, a Glock Model 42, 380 caliber semi-automatic pistol. If convicted, FUENTES-PINEDA faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit, oversees the prosecution. * * *


title: Twenty-Three Members of an Interstate Car Theft Ring Charged in Federal Court

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that a second superseding indictment had been unsealed, charging the following 23 individuals for their roles in an interstate car theft ring: Name Age Location Diaunte D. Shields 30 Wisconsin Geoffrey Harvey 35 Georgia Willie Bullard 41 Georgia Lashawn Davis, Jr. 25 Wisconsin Brandon Mullins 40 Georgia Nakiya Wright 31 Wisconsin Casha Griffin 31 Illinois Brianna Shields 34 Wisconsin Gerrica Baker 27 Wisconsin Deon Brooks 24 Michigan Tashawn Brown-Smith 28 Wisconsin Dequas Crawford-Higgs 30 Illinois Ja Lean Little 23 Illinois Vashawn Milton 33 Georgia Deamonte Lee 27 Illinois Glenn Larsen 53 Illinois Kenneth Kilson 42 Delaware Chaz Holifield 34 Wisconsin Meliek McClarn 32 Wisconsin Tashay Northern 27 North Dakota Esteban Cardenas 37 Wisconsin According to court records, between approximately January 2019 and February 2024, members of the alleged theft ring stole and directed others to steal motor vehicles, transported and arranged for the transportation of stolen vehicles across the nation, created front companies, altered vehicle identification numbers, made fake motor vehicle titles, registered stolen vehicles using those fake motor vehicle titles, and sold those vehicles to others for money and drugs. This investigation tied more than 175 stolen cars, many of which were new and “high end” to the ring. Some of the vehicles were stolen from airports, including Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport, car dealerships, and car manufacturer’s assembly plants. “The charges unsealed against these defendants are the direct result of effective collaboration and countless hours of thorough investigative work by dedicated law enforcement professionals,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. “I commend all involved in pursuing justice for the impacted victims and for seeking to hold the charged individuals accountable for their actions.” All twenty-three defendants are charged with conspiring to violate various laws of the United States, including conspiring to receive, transport, and sell stolen vehicles; remove, obliterate, or tamper with motor vehicle identification numbers; and produce and transfer false and fraudulent titles for stolen vehicles. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, each defendant would face up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Twenty-one of the twenty-three defendants are also charged with interstate transportation of stolen vehicles or the receipt, possession, concealment, or sale of stolen motor vehicles that traveled in interstate commerce. If convicted of one of these charges, each defendant would face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Diaunte Shields, Brandon Mullins, and Nakiya Wright are also charged with the use of interstate commerce to transmit and transfer fictitious obligations or the presentation or offer of fictitious obligations. If convicted of one of these charges, each defendant would face up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Diaunte Shields and Lashawn Davis, Jr. are also charged with drug trafficking crimes. If convicted of one of these charges, they would face mandatory minimum terms of 10 years and up to life in prison. Nakiya Wright is also charged with aggravated identity theft and, if convicted, would face a mandatory term of 2 years in prison. Defendants Diaunte Shields, Casha Griffin, and Nakiya Wright also are charged with conspiring to violate federal money laundering laws, and if convicted of that offense, each of them would face a maximum term of 20 years in prison and up to a $500,000 fine, or twice the value of the property involved. “Following a multi-year investigation, the FBI successfully dismantled a national auto theft ring that has been ongoing since 2019,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle. “These individuals are part of a criminal organization responsible for hundreds of high-end motor vehicle thefts resulting in millions of dollars in losses. Their criminal activity involves a complex operation of stealing vehicles and transporting them across the country. In Wisconsin, this organization is responsible for drug trafficking multiple kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The FBI and its law enforcement partners will continue working together to stop these crimes and protect the American people.” “This was a calculated, multi-state operation that went far beyond stealing cars—it was identity theft, forgery, and financial fraud on a significant scale,” said Jason Bushey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “These defendants didn’t just take vehicles—they exploited people’s identities, manipulated documents, and laundered illegal profits through sophisticated schemes designed to conceal their crimes. IRS-CI special agents followed the money, mapped out the financial structure of this organization, and worked side by side with our partners to bring those responsible to justice. Let me be clear: if you build your enterprise on fraud and deception, we will find you, we will expose you, and we will hold you accountable.” “The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office was proud to be a partner in this endeavor from its inception, with deputy sheriffs and detectives from this agency playing a key role in identifying and capturing members of this crime ring,” said Sheriff Denita R. Ball. “As stated by others, this was not just a ring of car thieves. This group took advantage of innocent people and turned lives upside down. Their actions were calculated and callous. And now they will face the justice they deserve.” This case is the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Milwaukee County Sherriff’s Office, and the Wheaton Police Department (IL). The Sun Prairie Police Department (WI), Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department (WI), and numerous local and state law enforcement agencies throughout the country provided additional assistance. Operation Strike Out was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Biebel and Philip T. Kovoor are prosecuting this case. The public is cautioned that an indictment is merely a charge, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Steve Caballero, Public Affairs Officer @ 414-297-1700


title: Illegal alien sex offender admits to unlawfully reentering the country

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 34-year-old man from Puebla, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to illegally reentry into the United States after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. According to court records, Fidel Ramirez-Mancilla has a conviction for the aggravated felony of sex penetration with force. He was previously removed from the United States in December 2011 with no permission to return. However, authorities encountered him again May 19 north of the Rio Grande River. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will impose sentencing Sept. 17. At that time, Ramirez-Mancilla faces up to 20 years in prison and a potential fine of up to $250,000. He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Serial Fraudster Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Swindling Investors out of $17 Million in Stock Manipulation and Money Laundering Schemes

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Richard Dale Sterritt, Jr., also known as “Richard Richman,” was sentenced to 18 years in prison by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto for conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, multiple counts of securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges relate to a scheme to defraud investors in Zona Energy, an oil and gas exploration company in Texas, and a scheme to manipulate stock in OrgHarvest, Inc., a publicly traded company that Sterritt controlled. In total, Sterritt raised approximately $17 million from investors and misappropriated most of the money. As part of the sentence, Sterritt was ordered to forfeit approximately $17 million in fraudulently obtained gains and pay approximately $16.3 million in restitution to his victims. Sterritt pleaded guilty to the charges in November 2023. Sterritt had previously been convicted on federal securities fraud charges and imprisoned for five years for his role in a nearly identical fraud scheme. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “For years, Richard Sterritt preyed on unsuspecting investors and betrayed their trust by spending their money on expensive cars, luxury goods, and high-end travel,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentence punishes Sterritt for his crimes and protects the public from this serial fraudster. My Office is committed to protecting the investing public and the integrity of the markets from white-collar criminals like the defendant.” Mr. Nocella thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for their invaluable assistance in the investigation. “Despite his prior conviction for a similar conspiracy, Richard Sterritt once again facilitated the theft of more than $17 million from trusted investors and shareholders through misrepresentations while separately attempting to manipulate the stock of another company,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Sterritt's multiple attempts to defraud investors reflects his relentless pursuit to use others' money to fund his personal lifestyle and businesses. May today's sentencing emphasize the FBI's continued commitment to investigate any individual who manipulates our economic market to line their own pockets.” The Zona Energy Scheme Between March 2018 and January 2021, Sterritt and his co-defendants James Christopher Pittman, Mark Ross, and Robert Magness defrauded investors in an early-stage oil-and-gas company called Zona Energy. Sterritt used a series of sham entities and nominees to conceal his control of Zona Energy. Sterritt also concealed his criminal history from investors and potential investors by adopting the alias “Richard Richman.” The co-conspirators made a series of misrepresentations about Zona Energy’s business, management, and use of proceeds from the offering, ultimately raising approximately $17 million from investors. Sterritt and his co-conspirators misappropriated more than $10 million of the proceeds to purchase luxury items, pay personal expenses, or funnel funds into other businesses Sterritt controlled, including a cannabis company. The ORGH Market Manipulation To cover up the Zona Energy scheme, Sterritt, Ross, and Magness conspired with an undercover FBI agent (the “Undercover Agent”) posing as a corrupt stockbroker to manipulate the price and trading volume of publicly traded shares of stock in OrgHarvest, Inc., which traded under the stock ticker “ORGH.” Sterritt, who secretly controlled the majority of ORGH shares through trusts in the names of his associates, family members, and co-conspirators, agreed with the Undercover Agent to place matched trades at specific prices, volumes, and times to inflate the price of ORGH stock. Between approximately May 19, 2020 and May 28, 2020, the co-conspirators placed test matched trades at the pre-determined prices and volumes agreed to with the Undercover Agent. The ORGH Market Manipulation scheme was halted by regulators on June 1, 2020 before the co-conspirators could trade larger blocks of shares. In addition, Sterritt and his co-defendants, including Michael Greer and Sterritt’s ex-wife Robyn Straza, laundered the proceeds of the schemes by facilitating financial transactions to conceal and promote the fraudulent schemes, including by transferring investor funds through a series of bank accounts controlled by the defendants. Furthermore, Sterritt obstructed the administration of justice when he directed co-conspirators to create fake and backdated documents and sent them to the SEC in response to subpoena requests. All six defendants in the case have pleaded guilty. Straza was sentenced to 10 months in prison; Ross was sentenced to three months in prison; Greer, Magness, and James Christopher Pittman are awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah M. Evans, Nick M. Axelrod, and Jessica K. Weigel are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : RICHARD DALE STERRITT, JR. (also known as “Richard Richman”) Age: 67 Residence: Garland, Texas Co-Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty: MICHAEL GREER Age: 48 Dallas, Texas ROBERT MAGNESS Age: 54 New York, New York JAMES CHRISTOPHER PITTMAN Age: 52 Dallas, Texas MARK ROSS Age: 56 Parkland, Florida ROBYN STRAZA Age: 61 Dallas, Texas E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-193 (KAM)


title: Construction and Engineering Firms Agree to Pay $1.37 Million to Resolve Allegations of Shoddy Runway Construct at Airport Used by Massachusetts Air National Guard

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Eurovia Atlantic Coast, LLC d/b/a Northeast Paving, a Maine-based paving and construction company; the Lane Construction Corporation, a Connecticut construction company; and Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., a New York engineering firm, have agreed to pay $1.37 million collectively to resolve allegations that they submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims for payment concerning the rehabilitation of Runway 2-20 at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport in Westfield, Mass. As part of the settlement agreement , Northeast Paving, Lane Construction and Stantec each admitted to and accepted responsibility for facts underlying the covered conduct. The Westfield-Barnes Airport is the operational center of the Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing, which includes the 131st Fighter Squadron – an operational combat wing that provides combat ready fighter pilots to perform alert missions over the northeastern United States. In 2012, the City of Westfield began the process of rehabilitating Runway 2-20, using a mix of federal, state and local funds, including funds from the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense. To receive the federal funds, the City had to periodically submit claims to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense, including during and after construction. In 2013, the City and Stantec entered into an agreement for Stantec to provide certain design services, project management, bidding support and related engineering services for the Project, which included developing specifications and drawings. The City subsequently selected and entered into an agreement with Lane Construction to complete the rehabilitation. After completion of the rehabilitation, Northeast Paving purchased some Lane Construction’s assets. In 2019, the runway began cracking in the area where the concrete center of the runway and the surrounding asphalt interfaced. The project specifications and plans for the rehabilitation project had provided for a track at the interface between the concrete inlay and surrounding asphalt. Although Lane and Stantec certified that the rehabilitation project met the requirements of the plans and specifications, the track was never constructed. Due to the cracking in the area where the track should have been constructed, the City of Westfield and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation undertook a repair project to address the cracking. During the repair project, 104th Fighter Wing was forced to relocate. “Federal contractors must fulfill their obligations and perform the work they promise to provide, especially where their work impacts the safety of our military,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We will continue to hold contractors to their commitments to ensure that federal agencies and taxpayers get what they paid for.” “The defendants cut corners and misrepresented their work wasting taxpayer dollars," said Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. “This settlement reflects our commitment and ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold contractors accountable for failing to meet contract performance and quality standards.” “Ensuring the safety of the warfighter is a critical part of the DCIS mission,” said Christopher M. Silvestro, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Northeast Field Office, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. “This settlement demonstrates our collaboration with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to ensure DoD contractors adhere to the requirements outlined in each contract.” U.S. Attorney Foley, DOT-OIG SAC Gallagher and DCIS Acting SAC Silvestro made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Morgan of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled this matter.


title: Bagdad Man Sentenced for Aiming a Laser Pointer at Air Force Fighter Jets

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Glenwood Arthur Bringle, 56, of Bagdad, Arizona, was sentenced on June 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to nine days in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for aiming a laser pointer at United States Air Force planes. Bringle previously pleaded guilty to the felony crime of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft or the Flight Path of an Aircraft. On October 5, 2021, Bringle aimed a laser pointer at two United States Air Force F-16 fighter jets while the pilots were conducting training exercises in the desert area near Bringle’s home. The laser strikes caused the F-16 cockpits to be illuminated, interfering with the pilots’ ability to see and affecting their ability to fly the F-16s and complete their training exercise. Bringle entered a plea of guilty on February 26, 2025. As part of the plea agreement and sentence, Bringle abandoned ownership and possession of several firearms and lasers seized during the execution of a search warrant at his home on November 8, 2021. The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-08120-PHX-SMB RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-104_Bringle # # # 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Co-Owner of Virtual Currency Companies Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Operating Crypto Ponzi Schemes

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dwayne Golden was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II to 97 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The charges relate to a conspiracy to offer fraudulent investments in digital assets. Golden and his co-conspirators raised more than $40 million from investors based on false promises of guaranteed returns from trading in digital assets. In fact, the defendants’ businesses operated as Ponzi schemes and used the money to repay existing investors or to benefit themselves. After the schemes collapsed, Golden and co-defendants William White and Gregory Aggesen conspired to obstruct multiple federal investigations. As a part of his sentence, Golden was also ordered to forfeit approximately $2.46 million in ill-gotten gains. Restitution will be determined by the Court at a later date. Golden pleaded guilty in September 2024. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “Dwayne Golden and his co-conspirators took advantage of investor interest in exciting new technologies to perpetrate a fraud scheme that is as old as time, and to make millions of dollars for themselves in the process,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Golden and his co-defendants offered no legitimate services and none of the companies engaged in any actual trading in cryptocurrency as they claimed. My Office is committed to protecting the investing public and the integrity of the digital assets markets from fraudsters like the defendant, and we will be relentless in pursing justice for investors.” Mr. Nocella thanked the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for its invaluable assistance in the investigation. “Alongside his co-conspirators, Dwayne Golden orchestrated an elaborate scheme rooted in deceit and false promises to swindle investors of more than $40 million. Johnson’s lack of candor misled both his clients and federal investigators, demonstrating an utter disregard for integrity to his company or adherence to the law,” stated FBI Assistant Director Raia. “May today’s sentencing reflect the FBI’s steadfast commitment to dismantling any sham company that steals from the pockets of unsuspecting victims.” Between April 2017 and August 2017, Golden, co-defendants Gregory Aggesen, and Marquis Demacking Egerton, also known as “Mardy Eger,” together with others, operated a series of digital asset companies called EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus, and Jet-Coin. EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus, and Jet-Coin promised investors and potential investors guaranteed fixed returns on digital asset investments. They further fraudulently promised investors and potential investors that these returns were made possible through overseas digital asset trading operations. In reality, the assets were used to repay other investors or stolen by Golden, Aggesen, and Egerton, and the companies collapsed shortly after receiving the investors’ assets without the companies having engaged in trading activity. In total, during its period of operation, EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus, and Jet-Coin received more than $40 million from investors. From July 2017 to the March 2022, Golden, Aggesen and White conspired to obstruct a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation and a federal criminal grand jury investigation into the fraudulent schemes. Golden, Aggesen, and White destroyed evidence, and White, on Aggesen’s behalf, provided false and misleading information to the FTC and in response to a federal grand jury subpoena. If you were an EmpowerCoin.com, ECoinPlus.com and/or Jet-Coin.com investor, you may be entitled to restitution. To submit a claim for restitution, please visit http://fbi.gov/jetcoinscams . The four defendants in the case have pleaded guilty. White was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Aggesen and Egerton are awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alixandra E. Smith, Catherine M. Mirabile and Nick M. Axelrod are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section, who is handling forfeiture matters. The Defendants : DWAYNE GOLDEN Age: 57 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania GREGORY AGGESEN Age: 58 Standfordville, New York MARQUIS DEMACKING EGERTON (also known as “Mardy Eger”) Age: 58 Washington, North Carolina WILLIAM WHITE Age: 54 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-88 (S-1) (WFK)


title: Waterbury Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBERT AMATRUDA, also known as “Bubba” and “Spanky,” 41, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a DEA New Haven Task Force and Waterbury Police Department-led investigation into drug trafficking in and around the city of Waterbury. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, and motor vehicle stops that resulted in the seizure of drugs and cash proceeds, revealed that Jose Duprey, also known as “Red” and “Colorado,” trafficked kilogram-quantities of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl. Duprey used his place of employment to supply narcotics to other drug distributors, and he used his girlfriend’s business, located on Straits Turnpike in Middlebury, to store narcotics and other items. During the wiretap, Amatruda was intercepted numerous times speaking with Duprey to arrange narcotics transactions. Amatruda purchased cocaine from Duprey to distribute to others, and sometimes provided Duprey with cocaine. Amatruda, Duprey and 12 other individuals identified during this investigation were arrested on May 25, 2022. On that date, a search of Duprey’s Waterbury residence and his Middlebury stash location revealed approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin, two kilograms of fentanyl, and more than $107,000 in cash. On July 31, 2023, Amatruda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Duprey, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty to related charges and, on March 26, 2024, was sentenced to 141 months of imprisonment for this offense and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal narcotics trafficking conviction. This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of DEA offices in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Connecticut State Police; Connecticut Department of Correction; Connecticut State Parole; and the Naugatuck, Ansonia, West Haven, Meriden and East Haven Police Departments. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Nathaniel J. Gentile through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Three Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Deportation

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three men convicted of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this week. Hernan Molina-Perez , 33, a Honduran national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Chad F. Kenney yesterday to time served, approximately three months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country. Molina-Perez had been deported from the United States in October of 2007, following his arrest by the U.S. Border Patrol and the issuance of a removal order by an immigration judge. In December of last year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned that Molina-Perez was again in the country illegally, and had previously been arrested by the Philadelphia Police Department. ICE officers took Molina-Perez into custody in April. He was charged by information with illegal reentry in May and pleaded guilty this week, at which time he waived prosecution by indictment. Oscar Navas-Rixtun , 37, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone on Wednesday to four months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon the completion of his sentence, he again will be removed from the country Navas-Rixtun had previously been deported in February 2020, after he was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol and arrested for being in the country illegally. In March of this year, ICE became aware that Navas-Rixtun was being held in the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Philadelphia on arson and related charges. ICE officers took the defendant into custody the same month. In April, he was charged by indictment with illegal reentry and pleaded guilty in May. Pedro Jimenez-Georges , aka Edwin Quezada Jimenez and Jose Quezada, 40, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez on Monday to time served, approximately three months, for illegally reentering the United States. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country. Jimenez-Georges had previously been deported in October 2018, pursuant to a removal order issued after he failed to appear at a June 2008 immigration hearing in Texas. In March of this year, ICE received information that Jimenez-Georges may be living in Philadelphia. After conducting surveillance to verify the defendant’s identity and location, ICE arrested the defendant. In May, he was charged by information with illegal reentry and pleaded guilty this week, waiving prosecution by indictment. 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 Neighborhoods (PSN). The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Judy Smith, Robert Eckert, and Lindsey Mills.


title: Syracuse Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Drug Conspiracy, Money Laundering

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Juan Correa, Jr., age 31, of Syracuse, was sentenced Wednesday to 7 years in federal prison for money laundering and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. As part of his prior guilty plea, Correa, Jr. admitted that, from May 2024 through July 2024, he conspired with others to distribute cocaine in Onondaga County. He also admitted that as part of the conspiracy he collected proceeds from the cocaine sales and mailed them to his source of supply in Puerto Rico so that they could purchase additional cocaine. Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered Correa, Jr. to serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. The remaining co-defendants in this case, Juan Correa, Sr., Ashley Correa and Alex Calcano-Carrasquillo, have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This prosecution of a cocaine trafficking and money laundering organization was made possible by the close collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies up and down the East Coast. In this case we tracked down individuals in Florida and Puerto Rico who played key roles in this conspiracy and brought them to justice.” “The sentencing of Juan Correa Jr., who knowingly distributed cocaine throughout Onondaga County and funneled the proceeds in an effort to flood our streets with even more poison, is a result of the collaborative efforts DEA New York and our law enforcement partners have when targeting those individuals pushing this poison into our communities” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “Anytime illicit narcotics are removed from our streets, lives are saved. The DEA remains committed to doing everything in our power to protect our neighborhoods and keep them safe.” Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation New York, stated: “Mr. Correa brought a highly addictive drug to be moved through towns from here to Puerto Rico, with little regard to the effects of his criminal behavior. IRS-CI New York remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners in taking down any criminal seeking to poison the communities in which we live.” Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, stated: “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to protecting the mail from criminal misuse. The successful prosecution of this case should serve as a deterrent to anyone seeking to exploit the mail. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to stop the distribution of harmful narcotics.” Joseph L. Cecile, Chief of the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) stated: “This conviction is another prime example of the outstanding collaboration we have between local, state and federal partners. We couldn't be prouder of the difficult and uncompromising work our narcotics detectives and law enforcement partners put in every day to rid Syracuse of those who decide to peddle their poisons on our streets.” This case was investigated by the DEA, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service, and Syracuse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Brown prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Judge Gives 20-Year-Old Armed Carjacker 19 Years for Spree of Violent Incidents

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Javon Roach, 20, of the District of Columbia., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 228 months in federal prison for his role in a series of violent armed carjackings and armed robberies that targeted 17 victims, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The spree culminated in a high-speed chase, an assault on a police officer, and his arrest in Fairfax County on March 30, 2023. Roach pleaded guilty two years later, on March 6, 2025, to three counts of carjacking and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Roach to serve five years of supervised release. According to court documents, Roach admitted to committing six armed carjackings and five armed robberies between March 6 and March 28, 2023. In addition to the 19-year prison sentence, Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Roach to serve five years of supervised release. On Feb. 7, 2023, about 9 p.m., Roach carjacked a male victim (V-1), who was putting air in his car tires on the 300 block of G Street SW. Roach hit V-1 seven times in the head, pulled V-1 away from his vehicle, and got into the driver’s side of the vehicle. Roach was joined by two co-conspirators and the three of them fled in the stolen car. On March 6, 2023, at 9:20 p.m., Roach and co-defendant Andre Rushing carjacked a victim (V-2) who was approaching a pizza restaurant on the 1500 block of Maryland Avenue. Rushing pointed a handgun at V-2 and demanded the victim’s keys and phone. Roach stood to the side pointing a loaded long-style gun at V-2. Roach and Rushing fled in V-2’s vehicle, which was recovered the next week. On March 11, 2023, at 1:20 a.m., Roach and a co-conspirator approached a male (V-3) who was pumping gas on the 800 block of Bladensburg Road, NE and carjacked V-3’s vehicle. About 30-minutes, Roach carjacked another vehicle on the 800 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. He approached a male (V-4), pointed a gun at him, and demanded his keys. When V-4 stated that his keys were in his car, Roach took V-4’s iPhone and wallet, and drove off with V-4’s BMW 535i sedan. Later that morning Roach posted an Instagram Story depicting a BMW key attached to a belt loop, with an overlay of a song entitled “Jacking.” Shortly thereafter, Roach took photos of himself holding apparent firearms and wearing clothing consistent with that captured by surveillance cameras. On March 16, 2023, at 3:05 p.m., Roach and Rushing robbed a delivery driver (V-5) of food, cash, and a phone on the 3900 block of Benning Road NE. On March 17, 2023, at 9:34 a.m., Roach and Rushing beat and robbed three men (V-6, V-7, V-8) at gunpoint on the 300 block of Anacostia Road. At 11:35 p.m. the same day, Roach committed another armed carjacking on the 3800 block Minnesota Avenue NE where one victim (V-9) was standing at an ATM and another (V-10) sat in the targeted vehicle. When V-9’s vehicle was recovered on March 24, 2023, a .40 caliber spent shell casing was found near the windshield, which was linked to a March 20, 2023, shooting on the 300 block of 34th Street SE. On March 25, 2023, at 11:25 a.m., Roach robbed a male (V-11) at a gas station at gunpoint on the 3800 block of Minnesota Ave. NE. Roach and a co-conspirator fled in a silver Hyundai previously stolen on March 21, 2023. Immediately after the armed robbery, at 11:30 a.m., Roach and his co-conspirator carjacked a Toyota Camry on the 3900 block of Benning Road NE, from a male victim (V-12). The following evening, on March 26, 2023, at 7:48 p.m., Roach and Rushing robbed another male (V-13) and carjacked the victims Chevrolet Impala on the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue NE. In the following days, Roach robbed V-14 at a construction site at 49th Street and Central Avenue NE, and then robbed at gunpoint three construction workers (V-15, V-16, V-17) on the 300 block of K Street SW. About 90 minutes later, Roach and a co-defendant went live on Instagram holding significant amounts of cash. On March 29, 2023, Roach, Rushing and two other coconspirators carjacked an Audi Q5. The next day, at 2:15 p.m., Fairfax County Police located the Audi in a parking garage of Tyson’s Mall and set up surveillance. At 3:15 p.m., Roach and Rushing fled in the carjacked Audi onto Leesburg Pike where it got stuck in traffic. Roach, who was driving, tried to escape by crashing the vehicle into several other cars. Roach then threw the carjacked Audi in reverse and struck a Fairfax County police vehicle before officers surrounded and stopped the Audi. Roach fled on foot. He was caught in a nearby parking lot. During a search, police recovered a loaded handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device from his pant leg. For his actions during the arrest, Roach subsequently pleaded guilty in Fairfax County to possession of a machine gun and assault on a police officer. Rushing, whose sentencing is pending, pleaded guilty in District Court in Washington D.C. on March 17 to carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. A second co-defendant, Dominic Armstrong, whose sentencing is also pending, pleaded guilty in District Court in Washington D.C. on April 10 to carjacking, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. This case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, the Fairfax County Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall.


title: Western District of Texas U.S Attorney’s Office Files 253 New Immigration Cases This Week

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 253 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 20 through 26. Among the new cases, U.S. citizen Justin Joel Knight was arrested near Carrizo Springs on June 19 for conspiring to transport an illegal alien further into the United States. A criminal complaint alleges Knight underwent an immigration inspection at the Highway 277 Border Patrol checkpoint, during which an illegal alien was found inside the toolbox located in the bed of Knight’s pickup truck. The illegal alien who Knight was allegedly transporting was Honduran national Jose Alfredo Pena-Miranda . Pena-Miranda is charged with illegal re-entry and was previously deported twice, most recently to Honduras in May 2019 through Valley International Airport. In 2014, he was convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to five years confinement. Mexican national David Lopez-Bartolo was arrested by U. S. Border Patrol agents near Maverick for being an alien illegally present in the U.S. Immigration records indicate Lopez-Bartolo was previously deported to Mexico on Feb. 4 through Laredo and has multiple prior convictions including criminal mischief, deadly conduct, driving under the influence, evading arrest, and family violence assault causing bodily injury. Honduran national Rigoberto Alvarado Escobar was also arrested for illegal re-entry charges near Maverick. He has been deported four times, the last one being to Honduras on July 29, 2024, through Alexandria, Louisiana. Alvarado Escobar’s criminal history includes several convictions in Kentucky for disorderly conduct, criminal trespassing, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, assault and illegal re-entry. Mexican nationals Angel Arturo Barbosa-Morales and Miguel Angel Herrera Miranda were arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry. Barbosa-Morales has two prior removals, the last one being to Mexico on Aug. 11, 2022, and has prior convictions for aggravated assault and assaulting/resisting/obstructing. Herrera Miranda was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico in July 2003. He was previously convicted for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Guatemalan national Juan Bautista Carrillo-Gomez was arrested for illegal re-entry in El Paso after being removed to Guatemala on May 20 through Harlingen. Carrillo-Gomez has an extensive criminal record that includes prior convictions for willful obstruction and battery. In San Antonio, a Honduran national was federally charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. A criminal complaint alleges Wilmer Vladimir Ruiz Ortega shot and paralyzed a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was working as a security guard at a bar. According to the complaint, the veteran security guard conducted a routine pat-down on Ruiz Ortega at the bar’s entrance when he located a pistol in the defendant’s pocket. A scuffle ensued and Ruiz Ortega allegedly shot the security guard three times, with one of the rounds hitting his neck and causing serious bodily injury. The complaint further alleges that Ruiz Ortega attempted to flee in a vehicle but was detained. In Austin, an Iranian national was arrested and charged with one count of failure to deport. Jamil Bahlouli had been ordered to report to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in 2024 following an illegal re-entry conviction. Bahlouli did not follow the order and appear but was found in Austin on June 25. Honduran national Abner Javier Torres-Maldonado was encountered in the Travis County Jail on Tuesday following an arrest by the Texas Department of Public Safety. In 2018, Torres-Maldonado was convicted for alien smuggling. Jose Luis Hernandez-Salinas , a Mexican national, was also encountered at the Travis County Jail with two prior removals. Additionally, Hernandez-Salinas has been previously convicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm, illegal re-entry, and possession of a controlled substance. Mexican national Hermenegildo Prado-Perez was arrested in Waco by a U.S. Marshal and a Homeland Security Investigations special agent during a targeted enforcement action. He was charged with illegal re-entry after being previously removed from the U.S. in April 2024 through Laredo. Prado-Perez has a prior conviction for soliciting prostitution of a minor. Also in Waco, Guatemalan national Pablo David Cajti-Tzoy was arrested in Temple on June 21 after being encountered by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Waco Fugitive Operations Team. Cajti-Tzoy was not in possession of his I-94 when he was encountered by ICE officers. He also failed to notify the Attorney General in writing of his new address and address change within 10 days. Cajti-Tzoy pleaded guilty in federal court on June 24 and was sentenced to time-served. These 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), 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 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: Award-Winning Journalist Arrested and Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: WASHINGTON – Thomas Pham LeGro, 48, made his first appearance today in U.S. District Court for allegedly possessing child pornography. LeGro, a journalist at the Washington Post and resident of the District of Columbia, was arrested yesterday and taken into custody following a search of his home. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Pirro thanks FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department for their ongoing efforts in this investigation. On June 26, 2025, FBI agents executed a search warrant at LeGro’s residence and seized several electronic devices. A review of LeGro’s work laptop revealed a folder that contained 11 videos depicting child sexual abuse material. During the execution of the search warrant agents observed what appeared to be fractured pieces of a hard drive in the hallway outside the room where LeGro’s work laptop was found. This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell and Janani Iyengar for the District of Columbia. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 25mj112


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

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending June 27, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 67 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 7 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 43 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 38 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for alien smuggling, DUI, and drug possession. In one significant case, U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a flat-bed tractor trailer driven by Jarol Wilberto Arroyo-Cerin. During the traffic stop, agents discovered an illegal alien in the cab of the truck, and 12 additional aliens concealed in the storage bin and frame of the flatbed trailer. One of the aliens was an unaccompanied juvenile. Arroyo-Cerin, a U.S. citizen, admitted to picking up the illegal aliens in El Paso, Texas and told agents he was transporting them to Albuquerque. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Two Indicted for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man and woman who sold drugs to an undercover agent have been indicted by a federal grand jury. The man was also indicted on firearm charges. Marcellus W. Anderson, 31, and Tyra K. M. McGee, 37, were charged today in a 14-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Anderson and McGee on June 12, 2025. The federal indictment charges Anderson and McGee with participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue between December 1, 2023, and June 11, 2025. They are also charged together in one count of distributing fentanyl and one count of distributing a fentanyl analogue. Additionally, Anderson is charged with three counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, Anderson sold cocaine to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on three occasions, methamphetamine on one occasion, fentanyl on six occasions, and a fentanyl analogue on one occasion. McGee participated in one of the fentanyl transactions and the fentanyl analogue transaction. Additionally, Anderson had a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber pistol in his lap during one of the transactions, which he commented was for protection. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Anderson has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen firearms. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; and the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force. Operation Take Back America 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). ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline )


title: El Paso Jury Finds Illegal Alien Guilty of National Defense Area Violation

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A federal jury in El Paso convicted a Cuban national today for one count of violating a defense property security regulation. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Narali Arevalo-Casay, 23, illegally entered the United States from Mexico by crossing the Rio Grande River on May 7, less than a mile west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. Following the jury’s guilty verdict, U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres sentenced Arevalo-Casay to time-served. The misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Myers and Scott Wisniewski 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Illegal Firearms Possession Lands Lawton Man in Federal Prison for Seven Years Following Domestic Violence Conviction

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – RAYMOND IVAN MUNOZ , 22, of Lawton, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms after conviction of a previous misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On September 4, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Indictment against Munoz, charging him with being a drug user in possession of a firearm and, on a separate occasion, possession of firearms by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. According to public record, on February 14, 2023, officers with the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Police Department encountered Munoz unconscious under the influence of drugs in the front passenger seat of a vehicle with an AK-47 loaded with an extended magazine resting between his legs. Later, on May 10, 2024, Lawton Police Department investigators observed one of Munoz’s social media posts in which he displayed a firearm while driving in a vehicle. Later that evening, officers observed Munoz, whom they knew to have a suspended license and active warrants, driving that vehicle in Lawton. When they attempted a traffic stop, Munoz initiated a pursuit in which his speeds exceeded 100 miles per hour, at times on the wrong side of the road and with his headlights off. He eventually reached his residence where he hid inside for approximately two hours before being arrested. Upon execution of a search warrant at the residence, detectives located two firearms hidden in a bathroom. Public record further reflects that Munoz was convicted of domestic assault and battery in Comanche County District Court case number CM-2020-810. On February 7, 2025, Munoz pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment and admitted that he possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. At the sentencing hearing on June 25, 2025, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Munoz to serve 84 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court specifically noted the threat that Munoz poses to society and the necessity of a substantial sentence to protect the public. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Police Department, and the Lawton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. This case is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Torrington Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of 3 Minors

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney of the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER JESUS CONSTANZO, 23, of Torrington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 300 months of imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for his sexual exploitation of three different minors, including the kidnapping and sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl, the enticement and sexual assault of another 16-year old girl, and the production of child pornography involving a 17-year-old girl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 2, 2021, at approximately 7:27 a.m., Constanzo and a 16-year-old female arrived by car at the U.S. Port of Entry at Highgate Springs, Vermont. Just prior to their arrival, officials at the St-Armand/Philipsburg Border Crossing in Canada had refused Constanzo and the minor victim entry into Canada. After U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officers separated Constanzo from the minor victim, the victim reported that she met Constanzo the night before at Stillwater Pond State Park in Torrington. Constanzo then sexually assaulted the minor victim, forced her into the trunk of her car, restrained her with a shoelace, and began driving. At some point during the night, Constanzo removed the minor victim from the trunk and sexually assaulted her again. As they neared the Canadian border, Constanzo had the minor victim sit in the front passenger seat of the car. Constanzo instructed her to “act normal” and “go along with the story.” Constanzo then told Canadian Border Services Agency officials that the minor victim was his sister and they intended to go into Canada for four days to visit friends. However, due to their lack of COVID tests, Constanzo and the minor victim were denied entry into Canada. Constanzo was arrested by CBP on December 2, 2021. In July 2021, Constanzo used SnapChat to coerce a 16-year-old female to go to an abandoned warehouse in Torrington to record herself having sex with Constanzo, and, posing as two fictitious individuals on SnapChat, he threatened to kill the minor victim and kill her boyfriend if she did not comply. At the warehouse, Constanzo sexually assaulted the minor victim at knifepoint. Also in July 2021, Constanzo used his iPhone to record sexually explicit Facetime videos of a 17-year-old female. Constanzo has been detained since his arrest. On February 22, 2025, he pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and, as part of his plea agreement, admitted his conduct against all three victims. State charges against Constanzo are pending. This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Vermont State Police, the Chittenden County (Vt.) Sheriff’s Office, and the Torrington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy V. Gifford and Neeraj N. Patel. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont and the State’s Attorney for the Litchfield Judicial District for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Three District Men Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Trinidad Neighborhood of Northeast Washington

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON — Davon Cunningham, 35, Roosevelt Richardson, 49, and Arnez Mack, 22, -- all of the District of Columbia -- were sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 126 months, 66 months, and a year-and-a-day in prison, respectively, for their roles in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy that operated an open-air drug market in the Trinidad neighborhood in Northeast. The sentencings were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. In addition to the prison terms, Chief Judge James E. Boasberg ordered the men to serve periods of supervised release. Judge Boasberg sentenced Cunningham to 126 months, Richardson to 66 months, and Mack to one year and a day just now. According to court documents, during the course of the conspiracy, the organization sold approximately 468 kilograms of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base on and around the 1100 block of Raum Street, NE. Law enforcement captured images of Cunningham, Richardson, Mack, and several others conducting hand-to-hand narcotics transactions on an almost daily basis. From June 2023 through March 2024, law enforcement made From June 2023 through March 2024, the CIs and UCs made dozens of controlled purchases of narcotics from members of the group. Cunningham, aka “Tank” or “Kevin,” sold 520 grams of fentanyl, 56 grams of cocaine, and 66 grams of cocaine base to law enforcement and also sold a firearm to an undercover officer. His illegal conduct spanned several months from October 2023 through February 2024. Richardson directly sold law enforcement agents fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base on ten occasions between October 2023 through February 2024. During a search of the group’s stash house on the 1100 block of 11 th Street, NE, police recovered several firearms. DNA testing linked Richardson to two of them, a revolver and a black 9mm, Intratec pistol. Mack admitted that he was a member of the group and that he agreed to distribute narcotics with them. On Dec. 20, 2023, an MPD officer approached Mack in the 1100 block of Raum Street, NE, and asked him if he had any weapons. Mack responded by lifting his jacket to expose his waist band and a .45 caliber Glock handgun protruding from the jacket. Following a search, officers also recovered eight grams of cocaine base from Mack. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The Trinidad trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Narcotics Enforcement Unit of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Daniel Seidel of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Christina Taylor and Gaelin Bernstein. 24cr246


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Announces Intent to Seek Death Penalty Against Labar Tsethlikai

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico filed a Notice of Intent to seek the death penalty against Labar Tsethlikai . Tsethlikai , 52, an enrolled Member of Zuni Pueblo, is charged in a 17-count Second Superseding Indictment as follows: Count 1 (October 22, 2022): Kidnapping Resulting in Death of John Doe 1 Count 2 (January 18, 2024): First Degree Murder of John Doe 2 Count 3 (January 18, 2024): First Degree Felony Murder of John Doe 2 Count 4 (January 18, 2024): Kidnapping Resulting in Death of John Doe 2 Count 5 (May 19, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 3 Count 6 (June 15, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 4 Count 7 (June 15, 2023): Assault with Intent to Commit Murder of John Doe 4 Count 8 (June 15, 2023): Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury of John Doe 4 Count 9 (July 13, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 5 Count 10 (July 13, 2023): Aggravated Sexual Abuse of John Doe 5 Count 11 (August 24, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 6 Count 12 (August 24, 2023): Assault with a Dangerous Weapon of John Doe 6 Count 13 (September 7, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 7 Count 14 (September 15, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 8 Count 15 (February 16, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 9 Count 16 (April 5, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 10 Count 17 (April 11, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 11 The maximum penalty for the kidnapping resulting in death charges is death, and Attorney General Bondi has authorized and directed the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization, the U.S. Attorney filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Tsethlikai . U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office is investigating this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department’s Homicide Unit, Sex Crimes Unit, and Air Support Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McGinley and Jack E. Burkhead are prosecuting the case. The FBI continues to investigate Tsethlikai’s involvement in crimes against other victims. If you have reason to believe you or someone you know may be a victim, or have information about Tsethlikai, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. View the NOI to Seek Death Penalty (Tsethlikai).pdf View the Second Superseding Indictment (Tsethlikai).pdf An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Honduran National Charged With Assaulting Federal Security Officer And Attempting To Seize Firearm At 26 Federal Plaza

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and the Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, announced today the arrest and filing of a Complaint charging JOEL ANTONIO ALONZO with assaulting a federal protective security officer and attempting to seize the officer’s service firearm. The incident occurred on June 6, 2025, at 26 Federal Plaza in New York, New York, where Immigration Court proceedings are conducted. The defendant was presented this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses. “The safety of federal facilities and the dedicated personnel who serve there is non-negotiable,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Joel Antonio Alonzo’s alleged attempt to forcibly seize a firearm from a federal security officer in a crowded public area endangered not only law enforcement personnel but also civilians, including children, nearby. We will prosecute to the full extent of the law anyone who threatens the safety of our communities and the federal officers sworn to protect them.” “Joel Antonio Alonzo, an illegal alien, assaulted one of our DHS law enforcement officers and lunged for his loaded gun” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “This incident underscores a disturbing trend—assaults against ICE personnel have increased. Secretary Noem has been perfectly clear: Anyone who threatens the lives of federal officers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint: [1] On or about June 6, 2025, ALONZO arrived in the proximity of Immigration Court at 26 Federal Plaza where civilians, including children, were present. ALONZO immediately exhibited disruptive behavior, forcing his way ahead of others and aggressively tossing papers at service window personnel. While federal protective security officers were attempting to assist ALONZO, ALONZO suddenly lunged at one officer and grabbed his loaded service firearm with significant force, attempting to pull the firearm from its holster, as seen in the photo below. Due to the quick actions and training of the federal protective security officers, ALONZO was unsuccessful and immediately restrained. * * * ALONZO, 19, of Honduras, is charged with one count of assaulting an officer of the U.S. using a deadly or dangerous weapon, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Zabel 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. u.s._v._alonzo_complaint.pdf [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: District of Arizona Charges 164 Individuals for  Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 21, 2025, through June 27, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 164 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 84 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 71 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed cases against 9 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Jesus Alfred Salazar-Ruiz : On June 22, 2025, Border Patrol Agents attempted to conduct a stop on Jesus Alfred Salazar-Ruiz while he was driving. Salazar-Ruiz failed to yield and turned on to a dirt road, breaking through a chain gate in barbed wire fencing. Salazar-Ruiz drove at approximately 50 mph on the dirt road for several miles before coming to an abrupt stop. When agents approached the vehicle, it was empty. Agents searched the area and were able to locate Salazar-Ruiz, who still had the vehicle key in his possession. Agents were able to locate and apprehend three passengers from Salazar-Ruiz's vehicle who were determined to be in the United States illegally. Salazar-Ruiz was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02859] United States v. Miguel Angel Mezo-Antele : On June 24, 2025, Border Patrol Agents stopped a vehicle on Interstate 40 in Yuma, Arizona. Miguel Angel Mezo-Antele, the driver of the vehicle and a citizen of Mexico, was transporting four passengers who were also citizens of Mexico. Mezo-Antele and the four passengers did not possess any documents allowing them to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States legally. Mezo-Antele was transporting the four passengers from New Mexico, through Arizona, to their ultimate destinations in California and Oregon. Mezo-Antele was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25‐MJ‐1696] United States v. Dalesio Hernandez-Bautista : On June 27, 2025, Dalesio Hernandez-Bautista, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Hernandez-Bautista had been previously removed from the United States in 2018 after being convicted of manslaughter, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pinal County. Hernandez-Bautista was sentenced to five years in prison for the manslaughter. [Case Number: 25-MJ-53146] A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 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). RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-105_June 27 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: Colorado Springs Funeral Home Operator Sentenced in Gruesome Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jon M. Hallford, 45, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,070,413.74 in restitution for a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hallford, who owned Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs and Penrose with his wife, mishandled at least 190 bodies over four years and defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) through fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications. According to the plea agreement, from as early as September 2019 through October 2023, Hallford failed to cremate or bury at least 190 bodies, despite having collected more than $130,000 from grieving families for funeral services that were never provided. Instead of ensuring proper disposition of the remains, Hallford allowed bodies to accumulate in various states of decay and decomposition inside the funeral home’s facility. He took steps to hide the nature of his activities by blocking windows and doors, restricting access to the building, and offering false explanations for the foul odor coming from the site. The plea agreement further states that Hallford routinely filed death certificates with the State of Colorado that falsely listed the method of disposition as cremation or burial. In many cases, Hallford misrepresented the identities of decedents to third-party crematories, resulting in inaccurate cremation records, or the remains were never cremated or buried at all. In some of the most egregious cases, Hallford provided family members with urns filled with dry concrete mix instead of the cremated remains of their loved ones, and on at least two occasions, arranged for and delivered the wrong body for burial, concealing the error from the next of kin. The plea agreement further states that from March 2020 to March 2022, Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, conspired to defraud the SBA by submitting loan applications containing false information to obtain COVID-19 relief funds. As a result of this fraud, Jon and Carie Hallford received three separate disbursements from the SBA, totaling $882,300. The funds were obtained through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which was established to provide emergency support to businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Jon Hallford’s criminal fraud was a vehicle to exploit grieving families so he could give himself a lavish life with luxury cars and expensive vacations,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “His actions were not just fraudulent, but deeply inhumane. We offer our condolences to the families who continue to suffer because of Mr. Hallford’s crimes and we hope this case brings them some measure of peace.” “Families in the depths of grief trusted this defendant with the remains of their loved ones. In return, he had no regard whatsoever for the dignity and respect they deserved,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “He schemed and defrauded them and the government in despicable fashion to further his own desires and ambitions. We cannot undo the vast harm he sowed, but we can bring this measure of justice today.” “The sheer scale and callousness of the crimes committed by Jon Hallford are truly disturbing," said Colorado Bureau of Investigation Interim Director Rebecca Spiess. "We are proud of our collaboration with our federal and local agencies in uncovering the horrific conditions at the funeral home and bringing justice to the nearly 190 families who were so cruelly deceived. This case serves as a stark reminder of our commitment to protecting Coloradans from such predatory behavior." “Exploiting SBA programs during a time of crisis is disgraceful, and we are committed to ensuring justice is served,” said SBA Office of Inspector General’s Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jonathan Huang. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to the OIG’s unwavering dedication to protecting our small business support programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their diligence, and I extend my heartfelt sympathies to all those impacted by this reprehensible act.” The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded eligibility for unemployment benefits. United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang sentenced Hallford. The FBI Denver Field Office and the United States Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Several other state and local law enforcement agencies including the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fremont County Coroner’s Office have made significant contributions to this case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Neff and Craig Fansler. Case Number: 1:24-cr-00113-NYW


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Man With Assaulting Federal Employee Outside Federal Courthouse in Downtown Chicago

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged a man with assaulting a federal employee outside of the federal courthouse in downtown Chicago. The assault occurred on Tuesday afternoon as the victim was standing on the sidewalk outside of the Dirksen Federal Building in the Loop neighborhood of Chicago. JOSHUA ROWELL, 36, of Chicago, approached the victim from behind and punched her on the side of her face, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The force of Rowell’s punch sent the victim stumbling into the street onto Jackson Boulevard, the complaint states. The victim is an employee of the federal judiciary and was working in her official capacity as a federal employee when the assault occurred, the complaint states. She suffered a concussion and received treatment at a Chicago hospital. Chicago Police arrested Rowell about an hour after the alleged assault. He remains detained in law enforcement custody. The complaint charges Rowell with one count of forcible assault of a federal employee, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison. His initial appearance in federal court has not yet been scheduled. The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Maione. “Under my leadership, there will be zero tolerance for attacks against federal employees or attacks at the federal courthouse or any other federal government building or land in the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Our federal employees and the people of the Northern District of Illinois deserve to be able to go to and from work and enjoy all that downtown and Chicagoland have to offer without looking over their shoulders out of fear of being attacked. When assailants cross the line, they will be swiftly prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” The public is reminded that U.S. Attorney Boutros earlier this month created new Project Safe Neighborhoods enforcement zones in the economic centers of Chicago and the entire rail system operated by the Chicago Transit Authority, which was a first for the nation. A complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. rowell_complaint.pdf


title: Millington Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Jeffrey Crosslin, 41 , has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for production of child pornography. Interim U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, on four occasions in June, July, and August of 2024, Jeffrey Crosslin secretly photographed a twelve-year-old child in a store where Crosslin worked a part time job. In many of the photographs, the child was sitting in a position that unintentionally exposed her inner thighs and buttocks and her clothed vaginal area. Crosslin surreptitiously angled his phone to capture the child in this accidentally exposed state, with a focus on her buttocks and vaginal area. Crosslin captured more than 550 images of the child over the course of the summer. Of those, about 30 images were pornographic. On the last occasion, in August 2024, the child noticed Crosslin taking the photos and reported him to her father. The case was investigated by detectives with the Munford Police Department and agents with the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, who recovered store surveillance video that showed Crosslin taking the August photographs and whose review of Crosslin’s phone revealed all the photographs he had taken that summer. A federal grand jury for the Western District of Tennessee returned a two-count indictment on November 5, 2024, charging Crosslin with production of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2251(a) and possession of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a). On March 8, 2025, Crosslin pled guilty to production of child pornography. On June 27, 2025, United States Chief District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Crosslin to 15 years' imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. “Safeguarding our children from predators is a top priority of this office.”, said Interim U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy. “Children should be safe in public places from those who would take advantage of their innocent behavior to secretly produce pornographic images. Because this victim had the courage to come forward, Jeffrey Crosslin was brought to justice; and our community and children are now safer. This significant sentence should serve as a warning to those who would harm children in this manner.” This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, which is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children and to identify and rescue child victims of sexual exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Delery and Lynn Crum prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Former Rapid City Gymnastics Coach Indicted for  Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for multiple charges involving Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. A federal grand jury indicted Hayden Sengua, 25, on June 26, 2025. He was arraigned before Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann today and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The penalty upon conviction for each count of receiving child pornography is a mandatory minimum term of five years up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count of conviction. Restitution may also be ordered. Sengua faces up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine for possessing child pornography. Between May 2018, and no later than January 2025, Sengua is alleged to have received and possessed more than 14,000 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse in two Google accounts and multiple electronic devices. Sengua’s collection depicted children as young as infants and toddlers being sexually abused, tortured, and engaging in sex acts with animals. Sengua is alleged to have possessed computer-generated child pornography in addition to erotic visual depictions of minors. Sengua worked at Just Jymnastics in Rapid City until May 2024, when his employment was terminated. He previously worked as a gymnastics coach in Oregon. Sengua is alleged to have possessed images and videos of children in the Rapid City area whom he may have coached. To date, the investigation indicates these photos do not rise to the level of child pornographic images and are not the subject of criminal charges. If members of the community have any information about Sengua that may be relevant to the criminal investigation, however, they are urged to contact the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation at (605) 394-2298. The charges are merely accusations and Sengua is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 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 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 . The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation - Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox is prosecuting the case. Following a detention hearing on June 27, 2025, Sengua was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date has been scheduled for September 2, 2025.