title: Florida Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Conspiring to Destroy Baltimore Region Power Grid

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Senior U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Brandon Clint Russell, 30, of Orlando, Florida, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor, FBI Tampa Field Office. “Russell allowed hatred to drive him and his co-conspirator to plot a dangerous scheme that could have harmed thousands of people,” Hayes said. “The sentence imposed today reflects the gravity of Russell’s egregious conduct and his ongoing threat to public safety. This conviction underscores our unwavering commitment to dismantling violent extremist threats and holding accountable anyone who dares to conspire to endanger the lives of others.” “Swift and thorough coordination from our law enforcement partners through the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force disrupted this significant threat to Maryland,” DelBagno said. “I am proud of the dedicated FBI agents and analysts who worked this case from Maryland to Florida. This investigation shows the commitment and broad reach of the FBI to ensure those plotting harm are brought to justice.” “This case illustrates the FBI’s vigilance in defending the homeland from radical violent extremists like Brandon Russell,” Fodor said. “Our strong partnerships, resources, and resilience exemplifies our commitment to disrupting hate-filled campaigns intended to harm our communities.” Judge Bredar previously sentenced Russell’s co-conspirator, Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 37, of Catonsville, Maryland, to 18 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, in connection with her role in the scheme. According to evidence presented at trial, from at least November 2022, until February 3, 2023, Russell conspired to carry out attacks against critical infrastructure, specifically transformers located within electrical substations. Russell’s plan was in furtherance of his racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist beliefs. Russell posted links to open-source maps of infrastructure, including the locations of electrical substations. He described how a small number of attacks on substations could cause a “cascading failure.” Additionally, Russell discussed maximizing the impact of the planned attack by attacking multiple substations at one time. Russell recruited Clendaniel to carry out the attacks in Baltimore and elsewhere. They planned to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. The intended monetary loss associated with the planned attacks would have exceeded $75 million. Clendaniel identified five substations to target, and Russell attempted to secure a weapon for her. She stated that if they attacked multiple substations in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city,” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” Clendaniel further added, “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.” U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore and FBI Tampa for their outstanding work in the investigation and praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Maryland State Police, Baltimore County Police Department and FBI Washington for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also acknowledged the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for their support. Additionally, U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Aubin and Joseph R. Baldwin who prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is a partner in the U.S. Department of Justice’s United Against Hate community outreach program. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to directly connect federal, state and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . To report a Maryland-based hate crime, contact the FBI Baltimore field office at (410) 265-8080 or tips.fbi.gov . # # #


title: Coralville Man Sentenced to 144 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Coralville man was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Crime. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Jacky Michael Mabikulu, 35, possessed a loaded handgun and 397 fentanyl pills designed to look like prescription medication. In 2022 and 2024, Mabikulu was convicted in the Iowa District Court for Johnson County for possessing firearms as a felon. After completing his term of imprisonment, Mabikulu will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Johnson County Drug Task Force, which was comprised of and/or assisted by members of the Iowa City Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), University of Iowa Police Department, Coralville Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Liberty Police Department. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Just two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially fatal dose. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, killing 48,422 Americans in 2024. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill . This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Philadelphia Men Convicted at Trial in Connection With Two Armed Kidnappings

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Christopher Burton, 45, and Khalil Jackson-Fletcher, 33, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were convicted today at trial of charges arising from the kidnapping of one individual in December 2021, the kidnappings of five individuals, including an infant, in February 2022, and related crimes. The defendants were charged by indictment in August of 2023 with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. A federal jury convicted both defendants of all counts. As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, Burton orchestrated both kidnappings to steal large sums of money from the intended victims, who were known to him, and enlisted Jackson-Fletcher and other co-conspirators to participate. In December 2021, Burton placed ads offering vending machines for sale on the online marketplace OfferUp, as a ruse to attract his intended victim, who contacted him and agreed to buy the machines. The two arranged to meet in Northeast Philadelphia on December 18, 2021, to complete the deal. On that date, however, the purchaser’s then-business partner (Victim 1), went to the meetup in the purchaser’s place. When Victim 1 arrived, Jackson-Fletcher and a co-conspirator forced Victim 1 into his own transit van at gunpoint, maintaining constant communication with Burton, who was watching nearby. The men zip-tied Victim 1’s wrists together and took his wallet and cell phone, using the phone to transfer approximately $6,000 from the victim’s Cash App account into an account they controlled. The men then transferred the Victim 1 into their vehicle and drove him to several ATMs, forcing him to withdraw more than $9,000 from his bank account. The abductors eventually released Victim 1. In January 2022, Burton came up with a plan to kidnap and steal money from Victim 2, who owned a business that purchased, sold, and shipped goods throughout Pennsylvania, other states, and other countries. On February 4, 2022, at around 10 a.m., Victim 2 left his Northeast Philadelphia home to go to work. As he was walking to his car, Burton, Jackson-Fletcher, and a co-conspirator pulled up in a car, forced Victim 2 into their vehicle at gunpoint, then handcuffed him, and took his cell phone, cash, and bank cards. They proceeded to pistol whip Victim 2, demanding more money. The abductors were eventually able to wire $25,000 from the victim’s bank account to an account that they controlled, but continued to demand even more money, brutally assaulting Victim 2. That night, the men brought Victim 2 back to his residence. Burton and Jackson-Fletcher then forced Victim 2 and Victim 2’s wife into the basement and ransacked the space, looking for more money. For more than two days, the abductors held the family captive in their home, beating, burning, and torturing Victim 2 and choking him and his wife, with Jackson-Fletcher even choking the baby. At times, the men forced Victim 2 to leave with them, driving him around to multiple banks so that he could withdraw cash, to stores to buy merchandise with his bank card, and to a local casino, where they made Victim 2 take out a $25,000 cash advance. On the evening of February 6, 2022, Burton left Victim 2’s home after an argument with a co-conspirator and fled the Philadelphia area. The same night, Jackson-Fletcher and the other co-conspirators took Victim 2 from the home to a local casino, where they released him. Burton and Jackson-Fletcher are scheduled to be sentenced on November 18. They face maximum possible sentences of life in prison and a mandatory minimum term of incarceration of 34 years. “Burton and Jackson-Fletcher thoroughly terrorized their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “The lengths the defendants went to — to steal other people’s hard-earned money — are chilling. While today’s verdict can’t reverse the physical and emotional harm done, it ensures that these violent offenders don’t walk free to hurt anyone else.” “Burton and Jackson-Fletcher are convicted of a vicious nightmarish crime spree,” said Shannon Hamm, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “They stalked their victims, kidnapping them at gunpoint. Holding a family and baby hostage, they tortured their victims for three days while repeatedly robbing them. These criminals’ efforts to disguise themselves was no match to the meticulous work of the ATF Special Agents, Philadelphia Police Detectives and federal prosecutors who brought these brutal criminals to justice.” “This case represents some of the most disturbing and violent criminal behavior our city has seen,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “The cruelty these victims endured is unimaginable. I commend the tireless work of our detectives, our federal partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in securing these convictions. Today’s verdict is a powerful message - that those who commit such heinous acts in our communities will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice.” This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Jeanette Kang and Anthony Carissimi and Special Assistant United States Attorney Izabella Babchinetskaya.


title: South Bend Woman Convicted by Jury of Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Tonya R. Winston, 59 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was found guilty after a three-day jury trial presided over United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. The jury returned a verdict of guilty against Winston on all five counts of the Superseding Indictment charging her with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of theft of government money. According to documents in the case, Winston devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program intended to provide loans to small businesses. Winston obtained multiple loans for herself by submitting false loan applications, and she helped others to do the same. Sentencing is scheduled for November 25, 2025. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines. “The federal government introduced the Paycheck Protection Program to assist small business during an extreme and unexpected crisis,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “Tonya Winston defrauded that program, and the American taxpayers who funded it. Today, a jury of her peers found her guilty of committing those crimes. This would not have been possible without the exceptional work of our federal agents, prosecutors, victim-witness coordinators, and other support staff. They have my thanks.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander and Joel Gabrielse.


title: Washington man sentenced to 20 years for cyberstalking, child pornography crimes

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: JUNEAU, Alaska – A Washington man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison, and, upon release, will serve the rest of his life on supervised release for child pornography and cyberstalking crimes that directly impacted least 61 minor victims. According to court documents, in January 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered that someone was uploading pornographic photos of teenage minors to the internet. HSI agents identified Kaden Ollila, 21, of Tacoma, Washington, as the individual who used different usernames and profiles to upload and distribute these images on pornographic websites. An investigation revealed that on multiple occasions between January and February 2024, Ollila messaged two separate adult victims through online platforms or text messages. The messages included videos or photos depicting the adult victims individually engaged in sexual acts that occurred when those victims were around 14 years old. On one occasion, Ollila also sent a victim sexually explicit images of at least two other minor females. Ollila also messaged victims on platforms like TikTok and Instagram detailing sexual acts that he and other men engaged in while looking at photos of the victims. He also harassed victims by detailing violent sexual fantasies he wished to perform on them. Court documents explain that Ollila maintained a large collection of child sexual abuse materials, including “morphed” nude images he created with the head and faces of adults and minors. Ollila directly victimized at least 61 minors from southeast Alaska, mainly Juneau, and northern California, mainly Redding, through his conduct. Court documents explain that Ollila used similar conduct to affect at least 95 additional individuals, including adults and minors. Ollila was indicted on March 20, 2024, and pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography and two counts of cyberstalking on Nov. 7, 2024. In handing down the sentence, the Court recognized the 16 victims who bravely came forward during the hearing to share their stories and the weight they held in deciding an appropriate sentence. “Kaden Ollila used technology to harass, stalk and terrorize victims across Alaska, California and elsewhere and reveled in the torture he caused. Now, he will spend 20 years behind bars—the statutory maximum penalty for the crimes he committed,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “I want to thank the HSI investigators and our prosecutors for diligently seeking justice for the victims in this case by holding Mr. Ollila accountable for his disturbing conduct.” HSI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting children from predators who exploit technology to harm them," said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin Jackson. "Ollila targeted dozens of victims across multiple states, and thanks to the diligent efforts of our agents, he is now being held accountable for his actions." The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Reed prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: Sacramento Woman Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Benefit Fraud Scheme During Pandemic

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Tabitha Leigh Markle, 53, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. “Today’s sentencing highlights the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continuing efforts to actively prosecute fraud against the unemployment insurance program that served as a lifeline for millions during the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “We are committed to ensuring unemployment benefits go to the unemployed who need the assistance, not to thieves who believe they are above the law.” “Tabitha Markle unlawfully obtained over $2.5 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits by using the personal identifying information of other people, including several inmates in California state prisons, to file fraudulent claims. She falsified employment records to make it appear that the claimants were eligible for benefits when, in fact, they were not. Many of these individuals were unwitting participants in her scheme. The illegally obtained unemployment insurance funds, which Markle used for personal gain, were intended to support American workers facing economic hardship during an unprecedented public health crisis,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. According to court documents, between April 2020 and January 2021, Markle defrauded the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the United States out of unemployment insurance benefits. Markle collected personally identifiable information (PII) including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other information, and submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to EDD. Markle and her associates caused the UI debit cards to be mailed to addresses she listed in the fraudulent applications. They used the cards that were issued in the names of the supposed beneficiaries to withdraw cash from ATMs throughout California. Markle and her associates often appeared in ATM surveillance photos taking out large amounts of cash from the cards. Markle and her criminal associates obtained approximately $2,599,038 from the fraud. Markle also used the means of identification of various victims, including one victim, who was a resident of Oakland. Without the victim’s knowledge or permission, Markle filed a false unemployment insurance application with California EDD using the victim’s true name and other identifying information, but using a false email address, phone number and mailing address. Markle’s associates withdrew thousands of dollars of unemployment insurance benefits from the card issued to the victim. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, California EDD – Investigation Division, and the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv Sharma prosecuted the case. This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.


title: Honduran Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ABRAHAM RAMIREZ-CANTOR (“RAMIREZ-CANTOR”) , age 40, a native of Honduras, pleaded guilty today to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to court documents, RAMIREZ-CANTOR was previously removed from the United States on November 21, 2005. He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on April 3, 2025, and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to re-enter the country. United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo accepted the guilty plea and sentenced RAMIREZ-CANTOR to time served. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. 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: Bakersfield Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of Explosives and Ammunition and Manufacturing Methamphetamine

body_text: A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Matthew Henry Jacober, 43, of Bakersfield, charging him with being a felon in possession of explosives and ammunition and manufacturing methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. According to court documents, Jacober possessed and improperly stored 50 pounds of dynamite and 25 rounds of shotgun shells. He was also in the process of manufacturing crystal methamphetamine at his residence in a remote area of Bakersfield. Jacober had previously been convicted in Kern County Superior Court of making a destructive device without a permit, a felony. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing explosives and ammunition. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kern County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad, and the Kern County Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. If convicted of the drug offense, Jacober faces a mandatory minimum prison term of five years in prison and a maximum term of 40 years, along with a $5 million fine. If convicted of being a felon in possession of explosives, he faces a 10-year prison term and, if convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition, he faces a 15-year prison sentence. Both of these offenses also carry a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty 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).


title: Albanian Woman Indicted for Willfully Refusing to Depart the U.S. after Receiving Final Removal Order

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – On August 5, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment against Anxhela Spahi, 43, a citizen of Albania, for willfully refusing to depart the United States within 90 days of when her order of removal became final. A conviction for willful failure or refusal to depart carries a maximum penalty of a $250,000 fine, up to four years in prison, and up to one year of supervised release. 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). U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01106-KML RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-131_Spahi # # # 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: KC Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced to four years of imprisonment in federal court today for conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and illegally trafficking firearms. Antonio Manning, Sr., 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. The court also ordered the defendant to pay a criminal forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $11,260. On April 14, 2025, Antonio Manning admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law. According to the plea agreement, the defendants trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Antonio Manning admitted that he was personally involved in illegally selling at least nine firearms and one of those firearms was an unregistered machinegun. On Jan. 22, 2025, co-defendant Sheron Manning, the brother of Antonio Manning, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun. On May 21, 2025, Sheron Manning, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 57 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. On April 07, 2025, co-defendant Michael Dewayne Hardy, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons, to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun, and one count of knowingly being a felon in possession of firearms. On June 26, 2024, Michael Dewayne Hardy, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 70 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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).


title: Cape Cod Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening Violence Against a Federal Official and Their Relatives

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A South Dennis, Mass., man pleaded guilty to threatening to murder a prominent federal official, their relative and the relative’s spouse. Michael P. Mahoney, 62, pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting interstate threats to injure another person. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Oct. 29, 2025. In April 2025 , Mahoney was arrested and charged. On March 28, 2025, the relative of a prominent federal official was having dinner with two other individuals at a location outside of Massachusetts. At approximately 10:15 p.m. the relative received a phone call with “No Caller ID.” Upon answering the phone, the caller, later identified to be Mahoney, confirmed the relative’s full name. Mahoney then started to scream and stated that he was going to murder the relative, their spouse and the federal official –referring to the spouse and federal official by their first names – and said, “Die you f*****g c**t mother f****r.” The relative hung up while Mahoney, was yelling. The call lasted approximately 12 seconds. Mahoney then called back immediately, but the relative did not answer. Call records obtained from the relative’s phone service provider indicated that the originating number for the threatening call, as well as the subsequent unanswered call, belonged to Mahoney. When approached by law enforcement at his South Dennis residence on March 29, 2025, Mahoney refused to answer the door or his phone. The charge of transmitting interstate threats to injure another person provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Dennis Police Chief John Brady made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini, Chief of the National Security Unit, is prosecuting the case.


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Arvil W. Bryant, Jr., 32 years old, of Litchfield, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Bryant was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on May 14, 2024, Bryant was apprehended on a motorcycle in Fremont, Indiana, for warrants out of Michigan. During a search incident to arrest, Bryant was found in possession of a firearm that was reported stolen. As a convicted felon, Bryant was prohibited from possessing the firearm. State and local bomb squads were also called to the scene to secure an improvised explosive device affixed to the handlebars of Bryant’s motorcycle. “On May 14, 2024, Arvil Bryant was a felon,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “He should not have possessed any firearm; let alone one reported as stolen. He especially should not have possessed that firearm while riding an explosives-laden motorcycle. Thanks to the excellent team that investigated and prosecuted the case, both he and those items are off the streets.” This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Michigan State Police 1st District Fugitive Team, United States Marshals Service, Fremont Police Department, Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, Fort Wayne Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Forensic Science Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa L. Ashcraft. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Tonia Haddix Sentenced for Lying Repeatedly to Court About Death of Tonka the Chimpanzee

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced a woman to forty-six (46) months in prison for repeatedly lying in U.S. District Court and in court filings about the death of “Tonka,” a chimpanzee that once starred in Hollywood movies such as Buddy and George of the Jungle, and was the subject of a long running federal civil suit. Tonia Haddix, 55, pleaded guilty on March 31 to three felony charges: two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. She admitted making repeated false statements that influenced and obstructed the administration of justice in a pending civil suit. Haddix repeatedly falsely claimed that Tonka died to avoid complying with a number of court Orders in the underlying suit, originally filed in 2016 by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) over the care of Tonka and other chimpanzees at a facility operated by Haddix near Festus, Missouri. Over a period of years, the District Court issued a number of Orders in that civil suit requiring Haddix to take steps to improve the facilities where the chimpanzees were housed, and to improve the chimpanzees’ care and feeding. When Haddix repeatedly failed to comply with those Orders, On July 14, 2021 the District Court found Haddix in violation and entered an additional Order requiring that Tonka and six other chimpanzees be transferred from Haddix’s possession to the Center for Great Apes. On July 28, 2021, six chimpanzees were removed by Court Order from the facility with the aid of Deputy U.S. Marshals and taken to the Center for Great Apes, but Haddix had secretly removed Tonka from the facility and transferred him to a facility in Ohio. Over the next many months, Haddix continued to make false representations that Tonka had died. For example, on August 16, 2021, Haddix filed a declaration with the Court, under penalty of perjury, in which she falsely stated that Tonka died on May 30, 2021 and was cremated. Haddix claimed to have possession of Tonka’s remains. On December 27, 2021, Haddix filed a pro se motion to dismiss with prejudice PETA’s fourth motion seeking civil contempt. In that motion, Haddix again made numerous materially false representations that Tonka was dead. Her materially false statements influenced, obstructed and impeded the due administration of justice in that pending civil case. On January 5, 2022, the District Court convened a hearing during which Haddix gave sworn testimony and again made materially false statements, again claiming that Tonka had died and was cremated. “…I wanted to keep trying to save Tonka if I could,” she wrote. “But then he just died on his own, so there was no saving him.” Based upon her false testimony, the District Court denied PETA’s motion for civil contempt. On June 2, 2022, based upon newly discovered evidence presented to the District Court that Tonka was alive, the District Court entered its Order requiring Haddix to cooperate in the transfer of Tonka from her possession to a primate sanctuary. On June 8, 2022, again with the assistance of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Tonka was rescued from where he was being held in a cage in Haddix’s basement and transferred to a Save the Chimps sanctuary, where Tonka continues to live to this date. Haddix subsequently appeared in the documentary “Chimp Crazy,” in which she was shown hiding Tonka while falsely claiming that he was dead. Just two weeks after her guilty plea this year, Haddix concealed a new chimp from United States Pretrial Services officers who were conducting an inspection. That chimp was located in a cage in the basement of her home in Camden County, Missouri and rescued during a July 9 court-ordered search of her home. She was jailed for violating the conditions of her pretrial release and appearance bond, and will remain in jail until she is transferred to federal prison, Judge Clark said Thursday. In the documentary and in media interviews while the civil case was pending, Haddix “repeatedly and publicly disclosed her animosity towards the Court and opposing party PETA, as well as her intent to violate the Court’s Orders requiring the surrender of the chimpanzees,” a sentencing memorandum filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith says. Haddix “challenged the Court’s authority to order her to surrender Tonka and the other chimpanzees, expressly stating her intent not to comply with the Court’s orders, and voicing various implied threats aimed at any law enforcement officers who might approach her business in an effort to execute the Court’s orders,” the memo says. Haddix also claimed she tried to run over PETA’s lawyer. Haddix “reveled in her ability to obstruct justice and delay the civil proceedings, seeking credit and adulation from future viewers for conduct which was portrayed then as akin to a type of David and Goliath situation, with Defendant playing the role of David to the Court’s Goliath,” a separate government memo says. “But the Biblical David never harmed anyone but Goliath, nor sought fame for his acts nor, to put it in context here, ever kept live chimpanzees caged in a basement.” Haddix profited from both her inclusion in the documentary and her “perjurious statements and false representations that allowed her to delay the inevitable and maintain possession of Tonka,” the memo says, through podcasts, media interviews, the operation of her “safari,” the sale of merchandise and drawings and the sale of personal appearances via an online site. “Tonia Haddix’s lies about the death of Tonka were only part of a series of falsehoods that she told the District Court about her plans to properly care for the chimps in her custody,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “She continued to lie, even as she pleaded guilty in March, as she was secretly keeping a new chimp in a cage in the basement of her home where she once confined Tonka. Justice is impossible if participants in the judicial system lie. This case should send a message that those lies will not be tolerated, nor will violations of plea agreements and pretrial release conditions.” “This case is not about Tonia Haddix’s exotic animal business,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Her sentence today reflects her blatant disregard of our judicial process by telling wild lies under oath in front of a federal judge.” The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith prosecuted the case.


title: Three Charged with $2 Million Pandemic Fraud Schemes

body_text: ATLANTA - Salimot Akande, Garey Henderson, and Jacqueline Rollizo were arraigned today on federal fraud and money laundering charges after they allegedly defrauded COVID-19 pandemic relief programs on multiple occasions and then laundered nearly $2 million in proceeds. “The federal government created programs to provide critical relief to small businesses and support our economy during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Unfortunately, unscrupulous fraudsters exploited these programs for personal gain, stealing from taxpayers and legitimate business owners who desperately needed help. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who broke the law to enrich themselves.” “Stealing from pandemic relief programs is a betrayal of the public trust and a direct attack on the businesses that truly needed help during a time of crisis,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit these programs for personal gain.” “These defendants are accused of stealing from programs meant to keep small businesses afloat during a national emergency,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Their alleged fraud not only siphoned off vital resources from those in real need but also undermined public trust. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to ensure that those who exploit national crises for personal profit are held accountable.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Salimot Akande, 41, of Atlanta, Ga., Garey Henderson, 45, of Marietta, Ga., and Jacqueline Rollizo, 52, of Woodstock, Ga., allegedly obtained approximately $1.6 million of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans for seven businesses associated with Akande, Henderson, and others. To obtain the loans, the defendants submitted fabricated tax filings and loan applications containing false information. Akande and Henderson also allegedly obtained fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) for their businesses. Akande’s business received a $48,900 EIDL loan, and Henderson’s two businesses received $299,800. The indictment alleges that, after receiving the loan proceeds, Akande, Henderson, and Rollizo moved the funds through multiple bank accounts to conceal the true source and control of the money. The 38-count indictment charges the defendants with bank fraud, wire fraud, bank and wire fraud conspiracy, concealment and transactional money laundering, and money laundering conspiracy. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove each defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Klapman is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Department of Justice established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the Department’s resources in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Illinois Man Charged in Durable Medical Equipment Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Geneva, Ill., man has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with an alleged fraud scheme to defraud Medicare of over $2 million by submitting claims for durable medical equipment (DME) that was medically unnecessary, not wanted by the Medicare beneficiaries and tainted by kickbacks. Kartik Bhatia, 36, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of making false statements. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging documents, Bhatia allegedly worked with Raju Sharma, and other co-conspirators to own and operate a DME company that paid telemarketing companies for DME orders for orthotics such as ankle, wrist, knee and back braces. Often, the Medicare beneficiaries did not need or want the braces the defendants shipped them and, as further alleged in the information, the doctors whose signatures appeared on these DME orders often did not treat these beneficiaries and did not prescribe the DME. After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a payment suspension to Bhatia’s DME company, Bhatia simply opened a new DME company that engaged in the same conduct. Bhatia has agreed to plead guilty to health care fraud conspiracy for his alleged role in the scheme as well as false statements in connection with a materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statement and representation that he made to law enforcement during the investigation. The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: TWO PENSACOLA MEN CHARGED WITH ARMED DRUG TRAFFICKING

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Calvin D. Thomas, Jr., 30, and Satori Ashanti Keys, 45, both of Pensacola, were indicted by a federal grand jury this week. Each man was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, more than 500 grams of cocaine, and marijuana; one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, more than 500 grams of cocaine, and marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Thomas is scheduled for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Hope Thai Cannon on August 12, 2025, at 11:00am in Pensacola, Florida. Keys is scheduled for his initial appearance and arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon on August 12, 2025, at 11:00am in Pensacola, Florida. If convicted, as charged, they face up to life imprisonment. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: SALVADORAN MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY POSSESSING A FIREARM

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Luis Miguel Hernandez-Flores, 37, of the country of El Salvador, has been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge. Hernandez-Flores appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida for his arraignment. If convicted, Hernandez-Flores faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment and deportation proceedings following a term of incarceration. The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Gadsen County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Six Former Cult Members Sentenced for Years-Long Forced Labor Conspiracy  to Compel the Labor of Multiple Minor Victims

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A federal judge in the District of Kansas sentenced defendant Kaaba Majeed, 51, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for forced labor and forced labor conspiracy. The court sentenced co-defendants Yunus Rassoul, 39, to five years of probation; James Staton, 63, to five years in prison and one year of supervised release; Randolph Rodney Hadley, 50, to five years in prison and one year of supervised release; Daniel Aubrey Jenkins, 44, to four years in prison and one year of supervised release; and Dana Peach, 60, to four years in prison and one year of supervised release for forced labor conspiracy. In September 2024, after a 26-day trial, a jury convicted all six defendants of forced labor conspiracy and convicted Majeed of five additional counts of forced labor. Two other co-defendants, Etenia Kinard, 49, and Jacelyn Greenwell, 46 who previously pleaded guilty to the forced labor conspiracy, are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22. “Labor trafficking of children is an egregious crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These sentences reflect our relentless pursuit of perpetrators and our determination to seek justice for survivors of human trafficking.” “The defendants were entrusted to care for and nurture vulnerable children but instead chose to exploit and abuse them,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “Although these crimes were committed many years ago and the children are now adults, the sentences handed down today reflect how the passage of time did not diminish the Department of Justice’s resolve to hold these human traffickers accountable and seek justice for their victims.” “The FBI works closely with numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, as well as non-governmental agencies and other nonprofits on the front lines to combat human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “This case highlights the value of those partnerships. The Kansas City FBI will continue to prioritize the safety of our community and thanks the Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor for their invaluable assistance.” As established at trial, all six defendants were former high-ranking members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI) who assisted UNOI’s late founder Royall Jenkins in managing UNOI operations. Defendant Peach was also one of Jenkins’s wives. Jenkins represented himself as Allah, contrary to principles of the Islamic faith, and demanded compliance with strict UNOI rules. UNOI operated multiple businesses including restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, a laboratory, and a clothing factory. For over 12 years from October 2000 through November 2012, the defendants conspired to enforce rules that required UNOI members to perform unpaid labor, using beatings, threats, punishments, isolation, and coercion to compel the unpaid labor of over a dozen victims, including multiple minors, some as young as eight years old. The defendants required the victims to work up to 16 hours a day performing unpaid labor in UNOI-owned and operated businesses in Kansas City, Kansas; New York, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia, and elsewhere. The defendants also required the victims to perform unpaid childcare and domestic service in the defendants’ homes. The evidence showed that the defendants lived comfortably while housing the victims in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions along with restricting their food and water. As proven at trial, the defendants used false promises of education, life skills training, and job training to induce parents to send their children to Kansas. After isolating the victims from their families and making them wholly dependent on UNOI, the defendants required the victims to attend UNOI’s unlicensed, unaccredited school and used strict rules, isolation, punishments, humiliation, threats, and coercion to compel the victims’ unpaid labor. This included restricting and monitoring the victims’ communications with others along with their whereabouts. The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander, Maryam Zhuravitsky, and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll free at 1-888-373-7888, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Further information is available at www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Paramount Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Throwing Chunks of Cinderblock at and Injuring Border Patrol Officer

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted a Paramount man on a federal charge that he threw pieces of cinderblock and injured a Border Patrol officer last June when a protest against immigration enforcement turned into a riot, the Justice Department announced today. Jacob Daniel Terrazas, 30, of Paramount, is charged with one count of assault on a federal employee by using a deadly and dangerous weapon resulting in bodily injury. Terrazas is scheduled to go to trial on September 23. “We will not stand by while our brave federal agents and officers get hurt,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If you injure an official enforcing immigration law, you may serve 20 years in a federal prison cell. It’s just not worth it.” According to the indictment returned Tuesday and in other court documents previously filed in this case, a protest occurred on June 7 near a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) facility in Paramount and turned violent. Terrazas was one of several individuals who threw hard objects – including cinderblocks and rocks – at federal agents. Terrazas used both a makeshift shield and nearby trees for cover and repeatedly rushed toward the agents to throw remnants of cinderblock at them. One of the pieces of cinderblock Terrazas threw hit a Border Patrol agent in his left shin, injuring the agent and causing him to bleed. The injured agent removed himself from the front lines to mend his injury but – after realizing he could still walk and stand – returned to the front lines. Another Border Patrol agent was struck by rocks but was uninjured. Terrazas – who wore a dark beanie and black mask covering the lower half of his face – and other individuals threw rocks at Border Patrol agents for approximately three hours. Law enforcement used less-lethal force pepper bells against Terrazas and other rock throwers. Eventually, law enforcement detained, identified, and arrested Terrazas. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, Terrazas would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. HSI is investigating Terrazas. Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Mackie and Brenda Galván of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Raleigh Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Christopher Pacas-Aragon of Raleigh was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). On February 11, 2025, Pacas-Aragon pleaded guilty to the charge. “There is no place in our community for those who distribute child sexual abuse material, which only perpetuates the unspeakable crimes these victims have endured,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of this horrific crime and our continued commitment to pursuing those who exploit children online.” “This sentencing sends a clear message: those who exploit or harm children will be identified, investigated, and held fully accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant who also oversees North and South Carolina. “HSI remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities and working with our law enforcement partners to ensure predators face justice.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, Pacas-Aragon, 27, a registered sex offender, uploaded Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) using the KIK messenger application. Investigators with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), received a lead from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Data System advising that a KIK user (later identified as Pacas-Aragon) uploaded three videos depicting CSAM to the messenger application. Pacas-Aragon was detained on November 1, 2022, after law enforcement executed a warrant at his residence, uncovering over 20,000 instances of CSAM. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. RPD, HSI, and the Wake County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00258.


title: Northfield Man Charged with Possession and Sale of Stolen Firearms

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on July 10, 2025 a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Peter Baez, 41, of Northfield, Vermont with possession and sale of stolen firearms. Baez entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on August 7, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Baez be released on conditions pending trial. According to court records and statements at the arraignment, the allegations in the grand jury’s indictment relate to Peter Baez’ unlawful possession and sale of firearms which had belonged to his father, Pedro Baez. Pedro Baez died suddenly in the fall of 2024, and his will left his home and all property to his daughter. Despite having notice of the terms of his father’s estate, Peter Baez retained possession of Pedro Baez’ firearms, and sold some of them to area gun stores, keeping the proceeds. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Baez is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Baez faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and thanked the Berlin and Montpelier Police Departments for their assistance. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Peter Baez is represented by William Vasiliou, II, Esq.


title: Pennsylvania Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing and Transporting an Explosive Device with Intent to Intimidate and Damage Vehicle and Other Property

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: Camden, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man was charged with unlawfully possessing and transporting an explosive device with intent to intimidate with a detonation that resulted in significant damage to a vehicle, personal property, and adjacent residential homes in Burlington County, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced today. Michael Patrick Takacs, Jr., 43, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, is charged by complaint with one count of transporting in interstate commerce an explosive with knowledge and intent that it would intimidate an individual and damage and destroy a building, vehicle, and real personal property; one count of unlawfully transporting explosive materials; and two counts of unlawful possession of an explosive device. Takacs had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Skahill in Camden federal court on August 7, 2025, and was ordered detained. “Disgruntled individuals who seek retaliation in such dangerous ways – ways that could have seriously injured not only the victim, but others in the community, cannot be tolerated. We will continue to support and collaborate with our law enforcement partners, who acted swiftly, yet methodically, in this matter. Violent actors will be brought to justice.” - Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba "We learned a bomb was placed under a person’s vehicle and it exploded before dawn on a Saturday in Delran, NJ. Our agents, intelligence analysts, bomb technicians, evidence response team, and task force officers with state and local police agencies rushed to the scene and immediately began searching for a suspect. We worked around the clock and developed evidence in just days to allege Takacs built the bomb and took very specific steps to avoid detection. Our most important mission in these types of investigations is to protect the public from injury or death by preventing additional attacks. The people of New Jersey do not always get to see the swift and incredible work done by the FBI and our law enforcement partners, but this case illustrates what we do and the way we do it is vital to the communities we serve," Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy said. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On or about July 26, 2025, at approximately 2:42 a.m., an explosive device detonated in the vicinity of a silver Ford Explorer owned by Victim-1 and parked in Victim-1’s driveway located in Delran, New Jersey. The explosion caused a debris field extending out approximately 100 feet in diameter, with various nails and bolts lodged in both the body of the Ford Explorer and in adjacent residential homes. Approximately two minutes prior to the explosion, surveillance video reviewed by law enforcement showed a dark-colored SUV, later identified as a Jeep Renegade, park directly across the street from Victim-1’s residence and an individual exit the front driver’s side door of the SUV carrying a black object. The individual approached the vicinity of the driver’s side door of Victim-1’s Ford Explorer and then quickly left the vicinity of the Ford Explorer empty handed, returning to the SUV and departing the area. Shortly thereafter, surveillance video footage showed what appeared to be the same dark-colored Jeep Renegade pass Victim-1’s residence at a high rate of speed, followed immediately by a large explosion that engulfed the vicinity of the Ford Explorer in or near Victim-1’s driveway. Law enforcement believes that the individual driving the Jeep Renegade remotely detonated an explosive device that he had placed near the Ford Explorer while passing Victim-1’s residence. Victim-1 previously worked with Takacs and was one of his supervisors. In or around May 2025, Takacs was terminated from his position at his place of employment. Law enforcement later observed a dark-colored Jeep Renegade – the same make and model of the SUV seen on surveillance footage outside of Victim-1’s residence – parked in the vicinity of Takac’s residential driveway in Warminster, Pennsylvania. Additionally, law enforcement learned that Takacs had purchased detonators consistent with the detonator found on the scene of the explosion from an online website just weeks before the event. Takacs had taken a screenshot, on or about June 4, 2025, of an online map depicting Victim-1’s residence and had conversations with another individual about purchasing a license plate flipper (a device that assists drivers in obscuring or concealing license plates at the press of a button). Takacs did not hold the necessary permits, licenses, or registrations to make or transport explosives. Counts 1 and 2 of the Complaint each carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Counts 3 and 4 of the complaint each carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and a maximum fine of $10,000. Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs in Philadelphia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, under the direction of David Metcalf, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, under the direction of Director Laurie R. Doran, New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of LaChia L. Bradshaw, the Delran (NJ) Township Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Matthew J. Gasper, the Warminster (PA) Township Police Department under the direction of Chief James Donnelly III, the Bucks County (PA) Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Fred Haran, and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Jennifer M. Schorn. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincent D. Romano and Casey S. Smith of the Office’s National Security Unit in Newark, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Thomas Young, Assistant Federal Public Defender takacs.complaint.pdf


title: Burglar Sentenced for Stealing Personal Items from a Woman’s Apartment While She Was Sleeping

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Nathaniel Robinson, 36, of Washington, D. C., was sentenced in Superior Court today for burglarizing a woman’s apartment in the middle of the night on March 6, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Robinson pleaded guilty on June 4, 2025, to one count of first-degree burglary. Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro sentenced Robinson to 70 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, suspended as to all but three years. According to court documents, on the night of March 6, 2025, Robinson broke into the victim’s apartment while she was sleeping. The victim slept through the burglary and when she awoke around 9:00 a.m., the next day after she started to get ready for work, she went to look for her bag but could not locate it. When the victim went to retrieve her cell phone, she discovered that it was missing, along with other personal items such as credit cards and a key fob which belongs to a wine cellar inside the building. The victim called the police using her work phone to report the burglary. Surveillance footage from the apartment building camera showed the defendant attempt to break into the lobby entrance of the apartment building, but he was unsuccessful. The victim’s patio door is adjacent to the lobby entrance, and the defendant later told detectives that he jumped over the victim’s gate and entered through her patio door.. According to the footage, thirteen minutes went by between Robinson trying to break into the lobby entrance from the outside and when Robinson was seen leaving the building through the lobby with a red bag in his possession. That bag was identified as belonging to the victim. Robinson was arrested on March 7, 2025 and has been in custody since. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Skopicki, who prosecuted the case.


title: Boston Gang Member Sentenced for Trafficking Firearms; Defrauding Federal Credit Union; Hundred-Thousand-Dollar Check Theft Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Mission Hill gang member with multiple prior convictions was sentenced today for a sweeping slate of federal charges – including trafficking firearms, defrauding a credit union of over $130,000 and stealing mail as part of a large-scale “card cracking” scheme that caused up to half a million dollars in losses. Glenroy Miller, a/k/a “Trinny,” 29, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 71 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Miller pleaded guilty in May 2025 to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun; one count of trafficking in firearms; two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; one count of bank fraud and aiding and abetting; and one count of conspiracy to steal and possess stolen mail. In September 2019, Miller was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of possession of a firearm without a permit; carrying a firearm with ammunition; possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number; and resisting arrest. He was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison, followed by two years’ probation. In December 2019, shortly after beginning his state prison sentence, Miller conspired with long-time friend Nadaje Hendrix to defraud a credit union where Hendrix served as a loan officer and assistant branch manager at the time. Specifically, between December 2019 and August 2021, the two defrauded the credit union by obtaining loans in the names of other individuals, including Miller’s fellow inmates, as well as loans under stolen identities. In total, Miller and Hendrix defrauded the credit union of approximately $134,000. The two were indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024 in relation to this conduct. In October 2024 , Hendrix was sentenced to eight months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in July 2024. In the summer of 2023, upon his release from state prison, and prior to his January 2024 indictment, Miller conspired with other Mission Hill members to engage in a mail theft and “card cracking” scheme while on probation. According to court documents, card cracking involves the theft of checks – usually checks stolen from USPS collection boxes – which are chemically washed to remove the payee information. The checks are then rewritten in the names of others who have typically been recruited into the scheme via social media, deposited into their bank accounts and withdrawn or transferred as soon the funds are made available. Miller is responsible for $250,000 - $550,000 in losses or attempted losses via checks that were stolen from the mail, washed and/or deposited into recruited accounts between June 2023 and February 2024. In August 2024 , Miller was indicted by a federal grand jury along with eight other Mission Hill gang members and associates for their alleged roles in the card cracking scheme. Additionally, during the summer of 2023, while on state probation, Miller sold six firearms to a cooperating witness on four separate occasions on Aug. 7, 2023 and Oct. 24, 2023. One of the sales included a firearm with a high-capacity magazine equipped with a machinegun conversion device. Additionally, Miller was aware that the cooperating witness was a convicted felon who was prohibited from purchasing or possessing the firearms. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston and Wellesley Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil, Lucy Sun and Philip C. Cheng of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. The case 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 Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Philadelphia County Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, man was arrested today for various child exploitation offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Bobbyjean Orak, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged in a five-count Indictment with (i) transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a) (Count One); (ii) interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b) (Count Two); (iii) enticement of a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b) (Count Three); (iv) production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a) (Count Four); and (v) possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(5)(B) & (b)(2) (Count Five). Orak was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Skahill in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Beginning at least in or around October 2022, Orak, who was then 27 years old, used a facility and means of interstate commerce to entice a minor (“Victim-1”) to engage in sexual activity, including the production of child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). On or about July 13, 2024, Orak transported Victim-1 from Pennsylvania to New Jersey with the intent to engage in sexual activity with Victim-1. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement recovered the minor in Atlantic County in August 2024. Following Victim-1’s recovery, law enforcement’s investigation of Orak’s cellphone and various of his online accounts revealed that he possessed substantial quantities of CSAM, including CSAM of Victim-1 and others. If convicted, Orak faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on Counts One and Three of the Indictment, a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment on Count Two of the Indictment, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment on Count Four of the Indictment, and a maximum prison sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on Count Five of the Indictment. Each of the offenses carry a maximum fine of $250,000, in addition to restitution and other assessments. “There is no higher responsibility than safeguarding the welfare of our children. According to the allegations in the Indictment, the defendant methodically groomed his victim for years, then transported the minor across state lines to sexually exploit the minor. We will continue to prioritize these cases, pursue aggressive prosecutions, and hold predators to account. I commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners for their tireless work on this investigation.” - Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba Acting U.S. Attorney Habba credited law enforcement members with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Philadelphia, Galloway Township, Evesham, Delran, Waterford Township, and Winslow Township Police Departments for their assistance with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine of the Criminal Division in Trenton. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc . The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Thomas Young, Assistant Federal Public Defender orak.indictment.pdf


title: Russian National Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Submit Over 100 Fraudulent Voter Registrations In Furtherance Of Synthetic Identity Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Dmitry Shushlebin (45, Russia) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit fraudulent voter registrations, wire fraud, false statements, and aggravated identity theft. Shushlebin faces a maximum penalty of 32 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court filings, Shushlebin, a citizen of Russia living in Miami Beach, hired Sanjar Jamilov (32, Uzbekistan) and others to submit more than 100 fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections in February and March 2023. These applications were submitted in the names of fake people, in envelopes with return and address labels that were identically formatted, including containing the same typographical error, and bore various indicia of fraud including, repeating dates of birth and addresses and nearly sequential Social Security numbers. The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections was able to detect the fraud and rejected the fraudulent applications. One purpose of registering these fake voters was to create synthetic, or fake, identities that Shushlebin could use to commit financial fraud. Shushlebin used the fake identities to obtain fraudulent credit cards and loans, among other financial frauds. For example, on January 6, 2023, Shuhslebin used the identity of fictitious voter “Ariel Elston” to apply for a loan with a victim bank. In order to make Elston appear like a real client for a dental loan, Shushlebin hired a Russian actress to hold a photograph of a fake driver’s license in the name of Ariel Elston. The bank approved the loan application and issued a loan in the amount of $3,099 to a bank account controlled by Shushlebin. Shushlebin perpetrated this scheme against the victim bank hundreds of times using hundreds of different synthetic identities. Jamilov previously pled guilty on July 25, 2025, and is pending deportation. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Lindsey N. Schmidt and Trial Attorney Leo Wise from the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section.


title: KC Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Illegal Firearms Trafficking, Drug Trafficking

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegal firearms and drug trafficking. Nathan Caldwell, Sr., a/k/a “Prince Bossalinie”, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to twenty-one years and eight months in federal prison without parole. On April 3, 2025, Caldwell, Sr. pleaded guilty to engaging in firearm sales without a license, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, distribution of cocaine, and trafficking a firearm. Between Dec. 20, 2023, and Apr. 17, 2024, a Confidential Informant purchased 19 firearms, one bulletproof vest, approximately 606.29 grams of methamphetamine, 3.4 grams of powder cocaine, 3.3 grams of crack cocaine, and 9.4 grams of marijuana from Caldwell, Sr. Each of the transactions occurred at Caldwell Sr.’s residence. On May 8, 2024, Caldwell, Sr. sold the Confidential Informant a Glock, Model 19x, 9mm pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch”, on the slide of the pistol. The Confidential Informant also purchased three extra firearm magazines from Caldwell, Sr. The Confidential Informant left the residence, and investigators executed a search warrant on the residence. During the execution of the search warrant, investigators recovered the firearm and magazines the Confidential Informant purchased, along with approximately 14.2 grams of crack cocaine and 15.3 grams of cocaine from Caldwell Sr.’s dining room table. Caldwell, Sr. has two prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and prior felony convictions for aiding a felon, attempted aggravated assault, attempted possession of cocaine, conspiracy to commit robbery, and possessing cocaine. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Fresno Man Indicted for Unlawful Firearms Sales

body_text: A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Bee Her, 20, of Fresno, charging him with unlawful transfer of firearms in violation of the National Firearms Act and dealing and manufacturing firearms without a license, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. According to court documents, Her sold 10 firearms to undercover agents in three different transactions, including multiple short-barreled rifles. Her sold firearms despite being told by the undercover agent that the firearms were going to Mexico. He also possessed 12 privately manufactured firearms receivers and six auto-sear machine gun conversion devices for purposes of sale. This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, and the California Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Her faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty 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). This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: California CEO Sentenced for Role in Covid-19 Relief Fraud Resulting in Millions of Stolen Funds

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced today to 46 months in prison and ordered to pay $6,993,700 in restitution and $535,041 in forfeiture for his role in defrauding the Small Business Administration (SBA) out of millions of dollars in loans through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. According to court documents, from March 2020 through October 2022, Abraham Park, 67, of La Mirada, California, submitted over 120 fraudulent applications to the SBA for EIDL loans on behalf of himself and others which resulted in a total funded and unfunded loss of over $12 million. Park was the owner and CEO of a California financial services company that assisted clients with obtaining financing, including loans, and repairing credit scores. After the Covid-19 pandemic started, Park advised his clients to create fictitious corporate entities so that he could submit fraudulent EIDL loan applications to the SBA on their behalf. In return, his clients paid Park a portion of the funded loans as a kickback. In addition to submitting applications for his clients, Park also submitted several applications for himself and his family members for fictitious entities. In total, 73 fraudulent loans were funded, which resulted in a nearly $7 million dollar loss to the SBA. On March 20, Park pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office; Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office; and Western Region Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Huang of the SBA Office of Inspector General, made the announcement. The IRS-CI, FBI, and SBA-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Andrew Jaco of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.


title: Fresno Man Charged with Offenses Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors

body_text: A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Miguel Angel Dorantes, aka Miguel Castro, 28, of Fresno, charging him with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. According to court documents, between Nov. 6, 2021, and May 7, 2025, Dorantes used three minors to create visual depictions of the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dorantes also provided obscene material to a minor in November 2021. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Dorantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine for each count of sexual exploitation of a minor. If convicted of transferring obscene material to a minor, Dorantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms 228-Month Sentence for Felon Convicted of Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the 228-month federal prison sentence handed down to Jason Autry , 50 , following his conviction on firearm offenses in the Western District of Tennessee. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. Autry, a 16-time convicted felon, was released on September 16, 2020, after serving time for being a felon in possession of a gun and after serving an eight-year state prison sentence for Solicitation of First-Degree Murder and Facilitation of Especially Aggravated Kidnapping that resulted from his role in the kidnapping and murder of Holly Bobo, a Decatur County nursing student, on April 13, 2011. Bobo’s body was found over three years later. Approximately 25 days after his September 2020 release, Autry was found in possession of a gun, which he had stolen. And within 78 days of his release, he possessed other guns and ammunition. In November 2022, he pleaded guilty to three counts of being a felon in possession of guns and ammunition. At the sentencing hearing in 2024, the United States asked U.S. District Judge S. Thomas Anderson to apply an upward departure from Autry’s guidelines range, arguing that Autry had an egregious criminal history that was not sufficiently reflected in that range. Judge Anderson agreed and sentenced Autry to 228 months in federal prison for the gun offenses. The Sixth Circuit upheld the 228-month sentence. It emphasized that Autry had a serious criminal past that included aggravated assault, drug trafficking, burglary, active membership in the violent Aryan Nation gang, and admitted participation in Bobo’s abduction and murder. Furthermore, Autry had a reputation for violence in his community, was violent towards his romantic partners and family members, committed a racially-motivated assault, and was involved in violent altercations and drug trafficking while serving prison sentences and during pre-trial detention. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Benton County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Beth Boswell and Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. AUSA Naya Bedini assisted at sentencing and handled the appeal. ### 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.