title: U.S. Citizens and Chinese Nationals Arrested for Exporting Artificial Intelligence Technology to China

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: Two U.S. citizens and two nationals of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)—all residing in the United States—have been charged with a conspiracy to illegally export cutting-edge NVIDIA Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), which have artificial intelligence (AI) applications, to the PRC, announced Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg for the Justice Department’s National Security Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. Those arrested include Hon Ning Ho, aka “Mathew Ho,” a U.S. citizen born in Hong Kong, 34, residing in Tampa, Florida; Brian Curtis Raymond, U.S. citizen, 46, Huntsville, Alabama; Cham Li, aka “Tony Li,” PRC national, 38, San Leandro, California, and Jing Chen, aka “Harry Chen,” PRC national on F-1 nonimmigrant student visa, 45, Tampa, Florida. On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Ho and Chen were arrested and appeared in court in the Middle District of Florida, while Raymond was arrested and appeared in the Northern District of Alabama. Li was also arrested yesterday and is scheduled to appear today in the Northern District of California. “The indictment unsealed yesterday alleges a deliberate and deceptive effort to transship controlled NVIDIA GPUs to China by falsifying paperwork, creating fake contracts, and misleading U.S. authorities,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “The National Security Division is committed to disrupting these kinds of black markets of sensitive U.S. technologies and holding accountable those who participate in this illicit trade.” “As demonstrated by this indictment, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida is firmly committed to safeguarding our country’s national security,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the dedicated investigative work by our law enforcement partners, these defendants who wrongfully exported this sensitive technology are facing justice.” According to the indictment, the PRC seeks to become the world leader in AI by 2030 and seeks to use AI for its military modernization efforts and in connection with the design and testing of weapons of mass destruction and deployment of advanced AI surveillance tools. The PRC seeks cutting-edge U.S. technology in furtherance of that goal, including NVIDIA GPUs. To protect U.S. national security, beginning in October 2022, the Department of Commerce implemented new license requirements for the export of these technologies to the PRC. As alleged, from September 2023 to November 2025, Ho, Raymond, Li, and Chen conspired to violate these critical U.S. export controls, by illegally exporting advanced GPUs to the PRC through Malaysia and Thailand. In furtherance of the conspiracy, the conspirators used Janford Realtor, LLC—a Tampa, Florida-based company owned and controlled by Ho and Li—as a front to purchase and then illegally export controlled GPUs to the PRC. Despite its name, Janford Realtor, LLC, was never involved in any real estate transactions. Raymond, though his Alabama-based electronics company, supplied NVIDIA GPUs to Ho and others for illegal export to the PRC as part of the conspiracy. As further alleged in the indictment, the conspiracy encompassed four separate exports of NVIDIA GPUs to the PRC. The first and second exports resulted in 400 NVIDIA A100 GPUs being exported to the PRC between October 2024 and January 2025. The third and fourth exports to the PRC were disrupted by law enforcement and therefore not completed. These attempted exports related to ten Hewlett Packard Enterprises supercomputers containing NVIDIA H100 GPUs and 50 separate NVIDIA H200 GPUs. Despite knowing that licenses were required to export these items to the PRC, none of the conspirators ever sought or obtained a license for any of these exports. Instead, they lied about the intended destination of the GPUs to evade U.S. export controls. The indictment further alleges that the conspirators received over $3.89 million in wire transfers from the PRC to fund this unlawful scheme. As set forth in the indictment, the United States will also seek forfeiture of 50 NVIDIA H200 GPUs, which are property constituting an item or technology that was intended to be exported unlawfully. The chart below summarizes the charges against each defendant: Name and Nationality Age and Residence Charges Max. Term of Imprisonment Hon Ning Ho, aka “Mathew Ho,” U.S. citizen born in Hong Kong 34, Tampa, FL Conspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), ECRA violations (4 counts), smuggling (3 counts), conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering (9 counts) 20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering count Brian Curtis Raymond, U.S. citizen 46, Huntsville, AL Conspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), ECRA violations (2 counts), smuggling (1 count), conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering (7 counts) 20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering count Cham Li, aka “Tony Li,” PRC national 38, San Leandro, CA Conspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), ECRA violations (1 count), smuggling (1 count), and conspiracy to commit money laundering 20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering count Jing Chen, aka “Harry Chen,” PRC national on F-1 nonimmigrant student visa 45, Tampa, FL Conspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), ECRA violations (1 count), smuggling (1 count), and conspiracy to commit money laundering 20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering count This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph K. Ruddy and Lindsey N. Schmidt of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. An indictment is merely an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty in a court of law.


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Colorado man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for his role in an online forum that worked to sexually exploit dozens of minor victims. According to court documents, Steven Glenn Christiansen, 69, of Fort Collins, Colorado used a mobile messaging application with end-to-end encryption to access “invite only” group chats in which users exchanged images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The members used these groups to share livestreams and save files on third party platforms, typically of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct at the members’ behest. Christiansen communicated directly with other users to request and exchange CSAM. After executing a residential search warrant at the defendant’s residence, several digital devices were seized containing images and videos of CSAM, and the defendant admitted to possessing thousands of images. Christiansen pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of possession of child pornography. He was previously convicted in the state of Colorado in March 2000 for sexually assaulting a child. Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Hindman for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Marvin Massey of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement. 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Emmanuel Covington, 34, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2025, Covington sold approximately 19.7 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley. Covington admitted to the transaction as part of his guilty plea. Covington further admitted to selling a mixture containing methamphetamine and fentanyl on April 16, 2025, a quantity of fentanyl on May 6, 2025, and a mixture containing methamphetamine on June 4, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Charleston. On June 5, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Covington’s Charleston residence and seized quantities of fentanyl and a mixture containing methamphetamine and a Ruger pistol. Covington is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-110. ###


title: New Jersey man sentenced to more than 8 months in prison for sexual assault on airplane

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MISSOULA – A New Jersey man who sexually assaulted another passenger while flying from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas was sentenced today to more than 8 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 40, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Shukla, an Indian citizen, likely will be deported to India following his release from custody. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that on January 26, 2025, Shukla was flying from Bozeman to Dallas on American Airlines. He was seated next to Jane Doe and Doe’s daughter. Jane Doe had a coat on her lap because she was cold. Shukla also placed his coat on his lap and initially acted as if he was sleeping but began using his right hand to rub Jane Doe’s left leg near her pocket on her hip. Jane Doe initially thought Shukla was trying to pick her pocket, so she and her daughter got up and went to the restroom to diffuse the situation. Shukla continued rubbing Jane Doe’s inner and outer thigh throughout the flight. Doe was scared and firmly told him to “stop touching me.” Shukla said he was sorry and attempted to offer her something out of his bag. He also tried to talk to Jane Doe’s daughter, and Doe responded, “she’s fine. Don’t talk to my daughter.” As the flight continued, the plane hit some turbulence, and the flight crew remained seated. Shukla continued to rub Jane Doe’s thigh and, frightened, she turned her back to him, at which point he started rubbing her lower back and buttocks. A witness seated in the row behind Shukla and Jane Doe confirmed that Shukla inappropriately touched Jane Doe for a large portion of the flight. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, ICE, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation.


title: Federal Inmate Indicted For Possession Of Methamphetamine With The Intent To Distribute

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Billy Boortz (43, Duval County, TX) for one count of possession of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possession of contraband by a federal prisoner. If convicted, Boortz faces a minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, on the drug distribution count and up to 20 years for the contraband offense. According to the indictment, on July 18, 2025, Boortz was a federal inmate in the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. On that date, Boortz possessed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. The methamphetamine possessed by Boortz is also a prohibited object in federal prison. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.


title: Lake County Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Kevin Eugene Leeks, Jr. (34, Leesburg) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Leeks faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the court records, Leeks has been a convicted felon since 2013. His prior felony convictions include robbery with a deadly weapon. As a convicted felon, Leeks is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. On July 13, 2019, a deputy from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office stopped an automobile driven by Leeks. During the traffic stop, Leeks had a passenger toss a loaded firearm out of the car window. Leeks subsequently confessed that he had stored the firearm under his seat in the automobile. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. 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: San Antonio Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding COVID Relief Program

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay $492,841.78 in restitution for wire fraud. According to court documents, Leticia Arceneaux, 48, worked full time from home as a human resources supervisor for an agency within the Department of Energy. Beginning in or around August 2020 and continuing through on or around April 2022, Arceneaux unlawfully enriched herself by applying for and receiving Covid relief loans in the amount to $480,100 and converting the funds to her own personal use. In August 2020, Arceneaux submitted an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application on behalf of a volleyball club, claiming she needed the EIDL proceeds to continue operating the volleyball club. Later that month, the Small Business Administration funded an EIDL in the amount of $149,900 to Arceneaux. Instead of using the EIDL funds for volleyball related expenses, Arceneaux utilized the funds for her own personal expenses, including a golf cart and the installation of a swimming pool at her primary residence. In May 2021, Arceneaux submitted a loan modification request to the SBA seeking additional funds for the volleyball club. Relying on Arceneaux’s false representations, the SBA disbursed $91,000 on or about Aug. 9, 2021. On Aug. 11, 2021, Arceneaux transferred approximately $31,000 of the EIDL funds from the volleyball club’s business account to her personal account. In April 2022, Arceneaux applied for a second loan modification seeking additional funds to operate the volleyball club. Relying again on the false representations, the SBA disbursed $239,100 to Arceneaux on or about April 29, 2022. Arceneaux converted the funds for personal use, using approximately $72,000 of EIDL funds to pay down personal credit card debt. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Department of Energy Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Playton prosecuted the case. ###


title: Sharon Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Grenade Detonating Fuses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal explosives laws and has been sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Paul Lyn Graves, 47. Graves, a convicted felon, admitted to illegally possessing explosive materials. According to information presented to the Court, in January 2022, Graves began working at a manufacturer of military equipment despite his previous felony conviction. In April 2022, he was tasked with assembling the detonators on M213 grenade detonating fuses. These fuses contained Royal Demolition eXplosives, which are explosive materials under federal law. On April 14, 2022, members of the Pennsylvania State Police executed a search warrant at Graves’ residence and recovered three M213 grenade detonating fuses that were between the detonator assembly step and the sealing step, the same assembly state that Graves was tasked with completing. In imposing the sentence, Judge Bissoon referenced the inherently dangerous nature of the offense and Graves’ prior conviction. Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Graves.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Israel Chaires-Villa, 23, a Mexican national, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an administrative detainer on Chaires-Villa so deportation proceedings can occur once Chaires-Villa serves the sentence imposed in this case. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 6, 2024, Chaires-Villa drove to Cross Lanes, West Virginia, from Houston, Texas, with approximately 22 lbs. of methamphetamine in his possession that he intended to deliver to another person in Cross Lanes. Chaires-Villa was arrested as part of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston. The joint investigation also resulted in the indictment of three additional Mexican nationals, on charges alleging they conspired to distribute quantities of methamphetamine in the Charleston area from in or about March 2024 to in or about October 2024. Defendants Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 32, and Silvester Barcenas, 23, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and are scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2026. The indictment remains pending against German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 41. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-175. ###


title: Middletown man who pretended to be teenage boy sentenced to 26 years in prison for coercing, exploiting minor girls online

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Middletown man was sentenced in federal court here today 312 months in prison for coercing minor victims online into creating nude images and videos that involved sexual conduct. William Scott Elam, 53, pleaded guilty in July to 10 counts of coercion and enticement and one count of sexual exploitation of children. “There are real-life consequences to actions taken online,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Predators like Elam hide behind a computer screen while preying on vulnerable children. But the harm they cause is real, and so is the significant amount of time they will spend in federal prison to account for those actions.” According to court documents, for approximately four years, Elam began online relationships with numerous minor females in at least seven states, particularly with vulnerable minors who had previously engaged in self-harm, had body issues or other social issues. He connected with girls between the ages of 10 and 16 on various online chatting apps and pretended to be a 14-year-old male. Elam coerced victims into masturbating on live video calls with him. For example, he manipulated at least one victim into complying by threatening to harm himself if she did not do as he asked. He instructed another victim to self-harm via cutting on live video after learning the victim had a history of self-harm. Elam also coerced victims into sending him live sexual material by threatening to leak naked images he obtained of them. Law enforcement officers have identified at least 10 victims. The defendant was arrested in October 2023. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Adam Lawson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Texas Businessman Admits $1.9 Million COVID Test Kit Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A Texas businessman on Thursday admitted fraudulently obtaining $1.9 million from Medicare for COVID-19 test kits. Companies owned by Rashid Naqvi, 52, of the Houston area, obtained $1,974,479 through the scheme, which lasted from roughly March 2023 to at least October of 2023. As part of his guilty plea in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud, Naqvi admitted fraudulently submitting thousands of claims to Medicare for the kits. Naqvi operated two laboratories that he used to submit claims to Medicare: Elite Diagnostics Inc. in the Eastern District of Missouri and Astro Diagnostics Inc. in Texas. Naqvi obtained patients’ Medicare numbers and identifiers without their knowledge or consent by paying $488,435 in kickbacks to co-conspirators. He used that information to submit claims to Medicare for test kits that were then sent to patients who had not requested them. Naqvi’s labs billed Medicare a total of 22,898 times for the kits during the scheme. Neither Naqvi nor his labs had any direct contact or relationship with the Medicare patients who were the subject of the claims. Some of the reimbursement claims were for patients who had died before receiving the kits. Naqvi continued his scheme even after patients called to say that they had not requested the test kits. During subsequent audits by Medicare investigators, Naqvi tried to conceal his scheme by producing false records to investigators, including documents which falsely represented that the Medicare patients authorized the kits. He also hid the kickbacks from investigators. Naqvi is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2026. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine. The FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Athens, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Athens, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Juan Saucedo-Espinoza, 53, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that Saucedo-Espinoza was in the Henderson County Jail when it was determined that he was a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally after having been previously deported to Mexico at least twice. If convicted, Saucedo-Espinoza faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation. 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. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Kalamazoo Man Sentenced to 420 Months in Prison for Exploiting a Minor

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Samuel Alexander Kuhl, 33, of Kalamazoo was sentenced to 420 months in prison for the sexual exploitation and coercion and enticement of a minor. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Beckering noted that Kuhl’s conduct reflects a “pattern of angry, defiant, vindictive behavior” and an overall “disregard for the rule of law.” Kuhl first contacted the victim in this case, a fourteen-year-old girl, via Facebook. He engaged in an illegal sexual relationship with her for approximately 18 months. During this time, Kuhl abused the victim physically, emotionally, and psychologically. During his time with the girl, Kuhl repeatedly tried to engage the victim in group sexual activity; when she refused, he threatened her and her family with a gun. Kuhl also convinced the victim to provide him with child pornography. In June, a jury convicted Kuhl of two federal offenses charged as a result of this activity. U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Sam Kuhl devoted his adult life to crime, and part of his criminal lifestyle included tracking down adolescent girls to sexually exploit. My office will never tolerate child exploitation and when it happens, we will bring the people involved to justice. Kuhl earned the sentence he received yesterday.” “Heinous and predatory acts against any child deserve severe punishment and serious consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The actions of this predator included physical, emotional, and psychological abuse and manipulation of a teenager, and I am sincerely grateful for the work of my team at the FBI Kalamazoo Resident Agency, alongside the Wyoming Police Department, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police for bringing this violator to justice. Their tireless work throughout this investigation and trial, along with that of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, clearly demonstrates our joint commitment to doing everything possible to keep our children safe in Michigan.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wyoming Police Department investigated this case. Also supporting the investigation were Indiana State Police, Michigan State Police, and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/PSC .


title: Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Cold Case Murder

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Trendell Walker, also known as “Live Wire” and “Debo,” a Bloods street gang member from Riverhead, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 30 years in prison for his role as a shooter in the August 7, 2007 murder of 15-year old Alvin Brothers. Walker pleaded guilty to firearm-related murder in August 2019. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI) and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence. “Walker’s lethal act of revenge took the life of a 15-year-old child,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The resolve of law enforcement to bring Alvin Brothers’s killer to justice will, we hope, bring some semblance of closure to the victim’s parents and siblings. Gang members cannot escape the reality of today’s sentencing that no matter how long it takes, they will be held accountable for crimes of violence and the rule of law will prevail.” “In 2007, Trendell Walker mercilessly killed Alvin Brothers in retaliation for a previous slight against his branch of the Bloods gang,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “This horrific act demonstrates the gang’s callous attitude towards humanity and the law by deeming murder as acceptable payback. May today’s sentencing offer some justice for Brothers’s family, and emphasize the FBI’s unwavering commitment to holding all gang members accountable for their lawless crimes, regardless of when they occurred.” “Trendell Walker’s sentencing today ensures the removal of another cold-blooded killer from the streets of Long Island. With the continued investigative work of HSI New York’s Long Island office, alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue to combat these senseless acts of violence here on the island and throughout the state. The people of New York deserve to feel safe in their own communities, and today’s sentencing is a step toward securing that reality,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Patel. “The murder of this 15-year-old is a sad example of the senseless retaliation that comes from the vicious cycle of gang violence,” SCPD Commissioner Catalina stated. “This case also highlights the unwavering dedication of law enforcement to bring a killer to justice. A decade after Alvin Brothers was slain in a drive-by shooting, Trendell Walker was charged and today he learned his fate, sending a message to those who choose a life of crime that we will never give up.” According to court filings, in 2007, Walker was a member of the Rolling 20’s gang, a branch of the Bloods criminal street gang. On August 6, 2007, Walker went to Bellport, New York, to purchase narcotics from G-Shine gang members, a different set of the Bloods. Several G-Shine gang members attacked Walker, attempted to rob him and pistol-whipped him. The next day, Walker met with fellow Rolling 20’s gang members and devised a plan to retaliate against his assailants. They drove to Bellport, armed with firearms, where they observed several young people, including Brothers, standing on the corner of Post Avenue and Patchogue Avenue. Brothers was standing near one of the individuals who had assaulted Walker the previous day. The defendant and other Rolling 20’s members opened fire on the group. Brothers was fatally shot in the back. Walker was indicted on drug charges in June 2016; in November 2017, he was charged in a second superseding indictment with Brothers’s murder, more than a decade after the killing. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Misorek is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant: TRENDELL WALKER (also known as “Live Wire” and “Debo”) Age: 34 Riverhead, Long Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-369 (S-2) (JS)


title: Orange County Staffing Company Owner Arrested on Federal Indictment Charging Her with Masterminding $90 Million Tax Fraud

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County staffing company owner and three other defendants were arrested today on an eight-count federal indictment alleging they cheated the IRS out of more than $90 million and defrauded numerous clients by failing to pay employment taxes withheld from the wages of temporary workers – many of them illegal immigrants – and used the unpaid taxes to fund their luxurious lifestyles. Some of the defendants documented their extravagant lifestyles on Instagram and other social media. Lorena Padilla, 49, of Villa Park, the case’s lead defendant, is charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and six counts of failure to account for and pay over employment taxes. She is expected to make her initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana. Also arrested and scheduled for arraignment today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles are: Selina Medina Preciado, 30, of Whittier, Padilla’s daughter; Carlos Padilla, 40, of Chino, Lorena Padilla’s brother; and Pablo Araque, 55, of Downey. Two other defendants charged – Melanie Medina, 31, of Yorba Linda, who also is Lorena Padilla’s daughter; and Susana Cardenas, 45, of Long Beach – are expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks. Law enforcement is looking for defendant Janine J. Garcia, 39, a.k.a. “Janette Ortega,” of Seal Beach. Lorena Padilla controlled several businesses based in Los Angeles and Riverside counties: Platinum Staffing in Montebello, Payroll Staffing Solutions Inc. in Industry, Three Star Global Inc. in Corona, and Next Level Staffing in Maywood. These companies provided workers and human resources services to client businesses in various industries in the Los Angeles area. For all temporary workers staffed with clients, the companies claimed to provide payroll tracking, paycheck preparation and distribution, the withholding and payment of payroll taxes to federal and state authorities, the preparation and filing of quarterly federal employment tax returns, and the maintenance of valid workers’ compensation insurance. According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on November 13, from January 2012 to September 2024, the defendants defrauded the staffing companies’ customers, the IRS, and California’s Employment Development Department (EDD), the California state agency responsible for collecting California employment taxes. To secure business for the companies, the defendants lied to potential customers that the companies would handle all employment taxes and workers’ compensation insurance on all temporary workers that the companies provided. In fact, the defendants caused the staffing companies to continuously fail to pay all applicable federal and state employment taxes. From January 2018 to 2023, the defendants paid workers’ compensation insurance premiums on only a small percentage of the staffing companies’ payroll. To conceal their failure to report employee wages and taxes and pay employment taxes, Padilla, Garcia, Medina, and Preciado caused Next Level Staffing to hire large numbers of illegal aliens as temporary workers. The defendants anticipated the illegal immigrants would be less likely to file federal income tax returns and be less likely to alert the IRS to Next Level’s ongoing failure to account for and pay over employment taxes. From 2020 to 2025 alone, the defendants collectively understated the staffing companies’ federal employment taxes by more than $44 million. Total losses to the United States Treasury from this scheme exceed $90 million. Lorena Padilla and several other defendants used the ill-gotten gains for personal expenses and purchases, including a $3 million ranch in Riverside; a $2.5 million home in Whittier; a $3.5 million home in Yorba Linda; rental properties in Ontario and Corona; luxury family vacations in Hawaii, Tokyo, Paris, Dubai, Italy, and Aspen, Colorado; musical acts to perform at a joint birthday party for Preciado and Medina in October 2021; and luxury cars, such as Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces. 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, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy, and up to five years in federal prison for each failure to pay employment tax count. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys James C. Hughes of the Major Frauds Section and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section, and Trial Attorney Dominick Giovanniello of the Tax Division are prosecuting this case.


title: Lawrence Man Arrested for Conspiring to Manufacture and Distribute Counterfeit Pills in Lawrence

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man was arrested today in connection with an investigation targeting a drug manufacturing ring. Over two kilograms of suspected controlled substances and a pill press were allegedly recovered during related search warrants. Aris Arvelo Gonzalez, 37, was charged today with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute and manufacture controlled substances. Following an initial appearance today in federal court in Boston, Gonzalez was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Nov. 25, 2025. According to the charging documents , Gonzalez and La Culebra controlled a large drug manufacturing location inside an apartment in Methuen. During a search of the Methuen apartment in August 2025, over 18 kilograms of controlled substances and a pill press were allegedly recovered. Gonzalez’s alleged co-conspirators, Joshua Morales , Manuel Santana-Soto and Jose Vasquez Lantigua were subsequently arrested and charged following the search. While on pretrial release following a January 2025 arrest for drug offenses in Salem District Court in New Hampshire, Gonzalez allegedly sold over 1,500 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to a confidential informant and an undercover agent on four occasions between July 2025 and November 2025. At the time of Gonzalez’s arrest this morning, he was allegedly found in possession of thousands of counterfeit pills bundled into smaller bags as well as a large quantity of cash: Following his arrest, search warrants were executed at three locations in Lawrence that were allegedly tied to Gonzalez and the “La Culebra” drug trafficking organization. During those searches, various items and materials used in the manufacturing of counterfeit Percocet containing fentanyl were allegedly recovered – including a pill press and a 25-kilogram bag of pill binding agent. The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute or manufacture provides for sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of manufacturing and possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute or manufacture provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and 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; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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 details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal Correctional Officer Enters Guilty Plea To Bribery And Introduction Of Contraband Into Prison

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Micheal Jason Brooks (37, Citra) has pleaded guilty plea to one count of receipt of a bribe by a public official and one count of providing contraband to a federal prisoner. Brooks faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the bribery offense and up to 6 months’ imprisonment for the contraband offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court records, on June 12, 2024, Brooks was employed by the United States Department of Justice, United States Bureau of Prisons, as a correctional officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. He knowingly and corruptly sought, and agreed to receive and accept, a bribe of $3,000 in return for smuggling 177.1 grams of loose tobacco into the federal prison for an inmate. Federal inmates are prohibited from obtaining and possessing tobacco in prison as it is contraband. Brooks provided the tobacco to the inmate on June 12, 2024. This case was investigated by the United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ALTON TUMBLIN (“TUMBLIN”), age 44, of New Orleans, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jane Milazzo to 175 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of distributing fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), and one count of distributing a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). According to court documents, TUMBLIN distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine during controlled purchases to undercover agents on three separate occasions, including August 7, 2023, August 9, 2023, and August 16, 2023. Also, on August 7, 2023, TUMBLIN distributed a quantity of fentanyl to an undercover agent. This case was part of Operation Big Easy. Operation Big Easy was a National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) enforcement initiative of collected firearm casings for the time period of August 1, 2023 to January 31, 2023 that produced data points of high-density shootings and homicides in seven areas of New Orleans related to individuals engaged in criminal activity. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit. * * *


title: Brookline Man Arrested for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A Brookline man has been arrested for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Ariel Torres, 37, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Torres was arrested yesterday and following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Nov. 25, 2025. According to the charging documents, Torres was identified as an online user of a network used for the dissemination of CSAM. During a search of Torres’ residence in May 2025, multiple electronic devices belonging to Torres were seized. It is alleged that approximately 49 images and 37 videos depicting CSAM were found on two of the devices. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookline and Lawrence Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Des Moines Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Robbery and Firearms Charges

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced on November 20, 2025, to 21 and a half years in federal prison for conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Jeremiah Kenneth McGregor, 23, robbed four Des Moines area Git-N-Go convenience store locations while armed with a firearm on October 5, 2024, October 7, 2024, October 10, 2024, and October 12, 2024, and attempted to rob a fifth Git-N-Go on October 6, 2024. In each robbery, McGregor entered the Git-N-Go, brandished and threatened a Git-N-Go employee with a firearm, and demanded cash. On October 13, 2024, McGregor, who was in possession of a loaded firearm, ran from the officers during a traffic stop and was subsequently arrested. After completing his term of imprisonment, McGregor will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. McGregor was also ordered to pay $1,346 in restitution. The district court also ordered this federal sentence to run consecutive to a December 2024 state sentence imposed after a parole revocation. McGregor’s co-defendant, Donault Seandrea Logan, 23, of Des Moines, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2026. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.


title: Colombian National Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Colombian national, who was previously unlawfully residing in Everett, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing nearly half a kilogram of cocaine. Juan Restrepo-Madrid, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 34 months in prison. In August 2025, Restrepo-Madrid pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of cocaine distribution. Restrepo-Madrid was arrested and charged in February 2020 along with co-conspirator Sebastian Arbelaez-Perez. In August 2019, a cooperating witness arranged to meet with Restrepo-Madrid and Arbelaez to discuss purchasing cocaine. At the pre-arranged meeting on Aug. 9, 2019, only Restrepo-Madrid was present and provided the cooperating witness with a half-kilogram of cocaine. Restrepo-Madrid was arrested in February 2020 and subsequently released on conditions pending trial. In early 2021, in advance of his scheduled change of plea hearing, Restrepo-Madrid absconded to Colombia in violation of his conditions of release. Restrepo-Madrid was arrested in Colombia in June 2023 and was extradited to the United States in June 2025 to face these charges. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Revere Police Department, Winthrop Police Department, Massachusetts National Guard, U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Massachusetts and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren A. Graber and Jared C. Dolan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury in Chicago Convicts Man of Orchestrating $14 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a Texas man of fraud for orchestrating a cryptocurrency scheme that bilked nearly 1,000 investors out of at least $14 million. ROBERT DUNLAP, 54, of Houston, Texas, was convicted of two counts of mail fraud on Monday after a week-long trial in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The conviction carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt set sentencing for Feb. 17, 2026. From 2018 to 2023, Dunlap worked with others to market and sell a purported digital asset called “Meta-1 Coin” through a “Meta-1 Coin Trust.” Dunlap made numerous false and misleading statements to potential and actual investors, including claims that the Meta-1 Coin was backed by as much as $1 billion in art and $44 billion in gold. Dunlap falsely claimed that an accounting firm had audited the gold and certified its value. The purported art collection was alleged to have included works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, and other acclaimed artists. Dunlap used automated trading bots to cause the market price and trading volume of the Meta-1 Coin to be inflated on the “Meta Exchange,” which was a website created by Dunlap. Dunlap created numerous legal, insurance, and other documents to conceal the fact that he did not possess the gold or art. His fraud scheme caused nearly 1,000 investors to lose at least $14 million. The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Nutini and Jared Hasten.


title: Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Carlos Yuniol Pimentel-Ortiz, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 15 months in prison and one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. On Oct. 14, 2025, Pimentel-Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Pimentel-Ortiz was deported from the United States in November 2023. Prior to his removal, in November 2020, Pimentel-Ortiz was convicted in Essex Superior Court of assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm without a license and possessing ammunition without a license. Additionally, in October 2022, he was convicted in Middlesex Superior Court of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Sometime after his November 2023 removal, Pimentel-Ortiz illegally reentered the United States without permission. In March 2025, agents were executing a drug search warrant at a location in Boston. Pimentel-Ortiz was present at the search location and determined to be unlawfully present in the United States. He was immediately taken into custody. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Illinois Felon Who Distributed Fentanyl and Possessed  a Firearm Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who sold fentanyl and possessed a gun in Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, to 77 months in federal prison. Friday Deel Gardner, age 28, from Markham, Illinois, received the prison term after a June 5, 2025, guilty plea to distribution of a controlled substance near a school or park and possessing a firearm as a felon. Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Gardner sold fentanyl on four occasions, three times while near a school or park. Law enforcement officers then searched where Gardner stayed in Dubuque and located over 275 fentanyl pills, ecstasy pills, marijuana, United States currency, and a stolen firearm. Gardner was previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2017 in federal court. The district court sentenced him to 41 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. While he was on supervised release in 2021 and 2022, the district court found Gardner had violated his conditions of release twice and returned him to federal prison. Gardner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Gardner was sentenced to 77 months imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Gardner is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. 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. 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. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by The Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-1006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Career criminal sentenced to 15 years for illegal possession of firearm

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 48-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison for possessing a firearm after being previously convicted of three serious drug felonies, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jaime Pena pleaded guilty Aug. 26. U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Pena to serve 180 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by a four-year term of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Pena had a lengthy criminal history and committed this crime while out on parole for a previous drug conviction in Harris County. On March 15, 2024, authorities responded to a shooting in progress at a local residence. They learned Pena had fired a gun outside his home during an altercation with Nickie Mendell, who also lived at the location. Law enforcement conducted a protective sweep and executed a search warrant, discovering approximately 33 pounds of marijuana, scales, narcotics bags and approximately $67,000. The investigation determined that one of the firearms recovered inside the home was the same one Pena had discharged outside of the residence. A National Integrated Ballistic Information Network lead matched a shell cartridge located in the driveway to the same firearm inside the residence. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law. Pena will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Mendell, 52, Houston, has also pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing Dec. 4. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Smith prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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: Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy

body_text: Todd Babb, 62, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty November 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea hearing showed that Babb was previously convicted of two prior felony drug offenses, one in Iowa District Court and another in Federal Court. Babb admitted that between 2018 and August 2024, he and others conspired to distribute more than 1500 grams of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. During a search of Babb’s residence, law enforcement seized over $3,000 and ¼ pound of methamphetamine which Babb intended to distribute to others. Approximately one pound of methamphetamine was also seized from a vehicle outside Babb’s residence. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Babb remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Babb faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4068. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Three Indicted in Connection With Seizure of 99 Kilograms of Cocaine in Massachusetts, New York and Puerto Rico

body_text: BOSTON – Three Massachusetts men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with the seizure of approximately 99 kilograms of cocaine in Revere, Mass.; Colton, N.Y.; and San Juan, P.R. Joel Betances, 43, of Revere; Noel Betances, 42, of Chelsea; and Reylin Segura, 31, of Boston, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Joel Betances and Noel Betances were also charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Noel Betances was charged with distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine. Segura was also charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The defendants will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date. Noel Betances and Segura were previously arrested and charged by complaint in August 2025. Joel Betances was arrested in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 19, 2025. According to court records, in 2023, an investigation began into packages sent from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts that were suspected to contain narcotics. One such package intercepted in Puerto Rico in June 2023, allegedly contained five kilograms of cocaine. Between June 2023 and September 2023, it is alleged that Noel Betances and Joel Betances were observed picking up additional suspected cocaine packages from locations in Chelsea, Revere and Boston, and delivering them to different location – including a residence in Revere. It is further alleged that approximately two years later, on July 26, 2025, Joel Betances supplied an individual with 25 kilograms of cocaine to be transported to New York. The cocaine was subsequently seized from a vehicle in Colton, N.Y. Additionally, it is alleged that on Aug. 12, 2025, Betances was observed exiting a residence in Revere with a box, which he transferred to Segura in exchange for a plastic bag. The box was allegedly later found to contain four kilograms of cocaine and the bag allegedly contained approximately $58,000 in bundled cash. A subsequent search of the Revere residence resulted in the seizure of an additional 65 kilograms of cocaine and approximately $341,780 cash. The value of the cocaine seized in the case is estimated to be at least $1.4 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving five kilograms or more of cocaine) and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $10 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 500 grams or more of cocaine), distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $5 million. 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; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere Police Department, the Boston Police Department and the Worcester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ryan Raybould Named United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: Dallas, Texas – Ryan R. Raybould was named the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas on November 17, 2025, by United States Attorney General Pam Bondi. His appointment this week follows President Donald Trump’s nomination of Mr. Raybould on October 21, 2025, to serve a four-year term in this role. The President’s nomination of Mr. Raybould is currently pending United States Senate confirmation. Mr. Raybould is now the chief federal law enforcement officer for the district, which covers 96,000 square miles and a population of approximately eight million, including those in Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls, and surrounding areas. Mr. Raybould oversees roughly 220 attorneys and staff across five division offices and is responsible for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States government in the region. “The opportunity to serve in this role is an honor and a privilege,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I look forward to continuing the tremendous work of those in my Office, partnered with our Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, in pursuing justice and restoring safety to our communities in the Northern District of Texas.” Before his tenure as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Mr. Raybould was a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in the Government, Regulatory, and Internal Investigations Practice Group. Mr. Raybould previously served as a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice for almost seven years, including as Deputy Chief of the White Collar and Public Corruption Unit in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Raybould investigated and tried cases involving public corruption, tax fraud, securities fraud, cybercrime, national security, violent crime, money laundering and other white-collar crimes. Mr. Raybould also served as Chief Counsel to former Assistant Majority Leader and U.S. Senator John Cornyn. As Chief Counsel to Senator Cornyn, Mr. Raybould helped draft and negotiate numerous pieces of legislation that became law on national security, government accountability and drug diversion control. Mr. Raybould also advised Sen. Cornyn’s work on the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control. After receiving his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, Mr. Raybould clerked for Chief United States District Judge Reed O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas. Mr. Raybould is a graduate of Yale University.


title: Miami Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for $40 Million Investment Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Miami man was sentenced on Oct. 2 to 230 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $16 million in restitution for operating an investment Ponzi scheme disguised as a merchant cash advance (MCA) business. Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga imposed the sentence on Pablo Silverio Rebollido, 48, of Miami, who previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud. “This defendant built his fortune on lies while leaving investors in ruin,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to protect investors, safeguard our markets, and ensure that criminals who commit financial crimes face justice.” According to court documents, Rebollido owned and founded two Miami-based companies, E-Card Lending LLC and E-Card Merchant LLC (collectively E-Card). E-Card purported to engage in the business of providing MCAs—a type of short-term financing typically used by small and medium-sized businesses. E-Card claimed to loan money at high interest rates to its clients in the form of lump-sum cash advances in exchange for a percentage of future credit card sales or daily bank deposits. From August 2019 through February 2024, Rebollido fraudulently solicited money from investors under the false pretense that their funds would be used to finance E-Card’s MCAs, promising them regular monthly returns based on company profits. In reality, E-Card had no legitimate clients. Rebollido used new investor funds to make payments to earlier investors and to finance his lavish personal lifestyle. More than 70 investors were defrauded, resulting in losses exceeding $40 million. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Moore and Jon Juenger prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-20127. ###


title: Danville, Illinois, Man Convicted of Multiple Drug Charges, Including Drug-Induced Homicide

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned eight guilty verdicts on November 19, 2025, against Marcus “Slim” McKinney, 49, of Danville, Illinois, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of fifty grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute, maintaining drug-involved premises, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. The jury further found that McKinney distributed drugs that caused serious bodily injury to one woman and the death of another woman, Maggie Avelar. Sentencing for McKinney has been scheduled on March 23, 2026, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois. Over five days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that McKinney was released by the federal Burau of Prisons to 210 South State Street in Danville, Illinois, on April 6, 2023, on conditions of home confinement, including location monitoring with an ankle monitor. From that date until his arrest in Springfield, Illinois, on June 26, 2024, McKinney conspired with others to distribute crystal methamphetamine (“ice”), cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, including exchanging the drugs with women for sex. The jury found that over the weekend of April 15, 2023, McKinney distributed an opioid to a woman who overdosed and would have died if not treated with Narcan, an opioid reversal agent, by the Danville Fire Department and paramedics with Arrow Ambulance. McKinney had falsely told the woman the substance only contained cocaine. The trial evidence showed that same weekend three other people overdosed on drugs provided by McKinney, including the fatal overdose of Christopher “RS” Fields. McKinney continued using 210 South State Street for the use and distribution of illegal drugs until he moved to 111 Kentucky Avenue in Danville later that summer. The testimony established that McKinney used the premises at 111 Kentucky Avenue to continue his ongoing drug conspiracy, including using and distributing drugs from the residence. The jury found that on August 19, 2023, McKinney distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl – a mixture McKinney referred to as a “Hot Shot” – to Avelar, resulting in her death at 111 Kentucky Avenue. The next morning, McKinney and his brother, James “Brownski” Young, lied to the Danville Police Department about the circumstances surrounding Avelar’s death to attempt to avoid law enforcement learning about McKinney’s true involvement in the overdose. In September of 2023, McKinney was required to go to a halfway house located in Springfield, Illinois. McKinney continued his drug distribution conspiracy in Springfield, including distributing over one pound of methamphetamine to a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source on June 20, 2024. Six days later, DEA agents later seized over two pounds of methamphetamine and over five kilograms of cocaine from storage lockers in Springfield that McKinney had opened under the confidential source’s name. The jury further found that McKinney engaged in witness tampering in January of 2025 while his federal charges were pending, when he wrote a letter to a potential witness urging her to contact McKinney’s attorney and falsely say that other witnesses were lying about McKinney’s drug activities and were trying to get her to lie as well. McKinney remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, where he has been since his arrest on June 26, 2024. At sentencing, McKinney, who has two prior federal drug convictions, faces a statutory penalty of mandatory life imprisonment for his various convictions, including distributing the drugs that caused the death of Avelar. The case investigation was conducted by the Danville Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; the Springfield Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugene L. Miller and Timothy J. Sullivan represented the United States at trial.


title: Wapato Man Sentenced to 405 Months Incarceration for Second Degree Murder

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on November 18, 2025, Jason Alexander Logie, age 36, of Wapato, Washington, was sentenced to 405 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release by Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Logie was convicted of Second Degree Murder following a jury trial and guilty verdict August 20, 2025. According to court documents and information presented at trial, while driving under the influence of alcohol, Logie crossed the center line on North Track Road within the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation on the afternoon of September 9, 2023, striking an on-coming vehicle in its own lane of travel. The driver of the vehicle died as a result of the collision. At the time of the collision, Logie was subject to a deferred sentence for driving under the influence of alcohol from the Yakama Nation Tribal Court based upon a December 2022 arrest and was on conditions of release issued by Yakima County District Court for another DUI charge from a September 2022 incident. Logie had several previous convictions for alcohol-related driving as well as completing two separate deferred sentences for similar crimes. He was also subject to an arrest warrant for DUI, Second Offense, issued in 2018 by the city of Lawrence, Kansas. At sentencing, Logie requested a sentence of 66 months in prison. Prosecutors requested a sentence of 405 months in prison. In pronouncing a sentence of 405 months, Chief Judge Bastian noted Logie’s history of DUI prosecutions and that he had over twenty-one failures to appear and several failures to comply before multiple courts. United States Attorney Pete Serrano stated, “One of my top priorities as U.S. Attorney is to continue to strengthen our relationship with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. Partnering with these agencies strengthens our prosecution of cases like this, where a repeat offender will be held accountable for his careless actions that cost an innocent victim their life. Repeat offenders like this are a direct threat to our communities and I am thankful for the efforts of our Tribal, state and federal partners to bring justice to this victim and their family.” This case was investigated and presented for prosecution by the Yakama Nation Police Department and the investigation was assisted by the Yakima County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington State Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Murphy and Courtney R. Pratten. 1:24-cr-02059-SAB


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 94 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 94 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On November 17, Yuvitza ORDONEZ-MARTINEZ and Alexa GARCIA-VALENZUELA, both United States citizens, were arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, ORDONEZ-MARTINEZ and GARCIA-VALENZUELA, arrived in a vehicle at the Interstate 8 Border Patrol Checkpoint in Pine Valley, California. At pre-primary inspection, a K9 Border Patrol Agent alerted that the vehicle’s occupants may have been involved in alien or controlled substances smuggling. Following Border Patrol Agent’s search of the vehicle, agents discovered 23 bundles of white crystalline substance (weighting 71.80 kilograms total). On November 18, Viviana SERRANO, a United States citizen, was arrested for bringing an illegal alien to the United States for the purpose of financial gain. According to a complaint, SERRANO applied for admission into the United States from Mexico via the Tecate, California Port of entry as the sole visible occupant of her vehicle. Upon inspection of the vehicle, Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered one adult male and one minor male concealed within the trunk of the vehicle. Both male occupants were citizens of Mexico without legal authorization to lawfully enter the United States. SERRANO admitted to knowledge of the smuggling attempt and stated she was going to receive $2,000 USD for her smuggling services. On November 19, Abraham Francisco LOPEZ Guitimea was arrested and charged with attempting to bring in illegal aliens for financial gain. According to a complaint, the San Diego U.S. Border Patrol Marine Unit was conducting a pro-active patrol, when they observed a suspicious vessel. After intercepting the suspicious vessel, U.S. Border Patrol Agents conducted an immigration inspection on the vessel’s driver and 16 passengers, who were later identified as non-U.S. citizens. LOPEZ admitted to being captain of the vessel and stated that he was going to earn $1,000 USD per individual successfully smuggled into the United States. The other individuals were arrested and charged with various immigration related offenses. Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases: On November 18, Ahumada Alcaraz, a Mexican national who was previously deported 16 times, was convicted by a jury of Attempted Reentry of Removed Alien. Alcaraz first administrative deportation was from August 27, 2008. On November 19, Mikah Alexandria DOTY, who was convicted of knowingly transporting aliens without legal status within the United States, was sentenced in federal court to 12 months in custody. Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney Capito Commends Office and Law Enforcement Partners for Many Successes During Government Shutdown

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The criminal justice mission of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia was undeterred during the recent federal government shutdown, with the office securing 25 guilty pleas, nine grand jury indictments, and 31 sentencings during that time, United States Attorney Moore Capito said. “The Assistant United States Attorneys and the staff in this office did not skip a beat,” Capito said. “They were coming to work without being paid and ensured that justice was done and that the people of West Virginia were safe.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office continued to prosecute criminal cases during the shutdown. More than a dozen criminal cases were brought under Operation Take Back America and involve drug trafficking, firearms, and immigration crimes. Other cases were brought under the Project Safe Childhood initiative and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. Criminal cases that proceeded during the shutdown include: On November 6, 2025, Timothy Ray Gravley , 42, of Logan County, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and his brother Jessie Joe Gravley II, 43, of Logan County, was sentenced to 13 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of fentanyl and heroin. Michael David Barker , 48, of Foster, was sentenced on November 10, 2025, to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,448,571.85 in restitution for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Barker admitted to a scheme to defraud the Boone County Schools system by more than $3.4 million while employed as the maintenance director. Gregory Neal Hager , 40, of Madison, pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025, to possession of child pornography. Paul Charles Clement , 43, of Hillsboro, pleaded guilty on October 28, 2025, to failure to register as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), after relocating from Virginia to West Virginia. Dennis Eugene West , 57, of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, pleaded guilty on October 9, 2025, as an individual and on behalf of his trucking business Gadsden, Gaillard and West LLC, each for negligent discharge of pollutants into United States waters. West was hauling alkyl dimethylamine in a tractor trailer on August 24, 2022, when he crashed onthe West Virginia Turnpike while crossing Skitter Creek Bridge in Fayette County. The crash spilled the pollutants onto the bridge and into Paint Creek. Three Mexican citizens living illegally in West Virginia pleaded guilty to immigration crimes: Alfredo Galaviz-Galaviz , also known as “Alfredo Galaviz”, 28, Bruno Lisandro Pastrano Lopez , 39, and Lazaro Morales-Lauro , 52. They and a fourth Mexican citizen who pleaded guilty earlier to an immigration crime, Federico Montalvo Salas , 22, were sentenced to time served and transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) administrative custody for removal proceedings. Timothy Lane Crowder , 44, of Huntington, was sentenced on November 3, 2025, to five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $24,525.33 in restitution for unlawful receipt of gratuities. Crowder admitted to receiving approximately $24,525.33 from disability benefits awarded to veterans while he was a salaried employee of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Press releases for hearings that occurred during the shutdown are also being posted on the website as they become available. ###


title: Stamford Man Indicted for Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw today announced that RICK MARRO, 44, most recently residing in Stamford, has been charged by indictment with child exploitation offenses. As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, law enforcement began investigating Marro in August 2023 after a 16-year-old male victim reported that he had been sexually exploited by Marro. The victim reported that he met Marro on a dating application, and they then began communicating on Snapchat in April 2023. The victim indicated that they met in person at Marro’s house on multiple occasions, and two of the encounters were sexual in nature. The victim reported that Marro gave him “poppers,” that Marro was “into” asphyxiation, and, on one occasion, Marro strangled him and he passed out “for a minute or two.” A law enforcement review of the victim’s Snapchat account showed that Marro sent him videos that Marro had recorded of them engaged in sexual activity. He also sent the victim a video depicting Marro choking him. It is further alleged that law enforcement subsequently seized and searched Marro’s cell phone. During the examination of Marro’s phone, law enforcement located the same videos that he recorded and sent the victim showing them engaged in sexual activity. Investigators also located text messages that Marro had sent to another individual in which Marro stated that he “choked [the victim] all the way to unconscious today by accident.” Marro was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on January 18, 2024. On October 15, 2025, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Marro with production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; receipt and distribution of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Marro was arraigned on November 6, 2025, and pleaded not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest, and a trial in this matter is scheduled for August 2026. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Stamford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com


title: FIVE MEN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR THEIR ROLES IN SCHEME TO DEFRAUD THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION  AND THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: BAY CITY – Five Michigan men, all former executives of Standish-based Surveying Solutions Inc., or (SSI), were sentenced this week to federal prison for their roles in a scheme to defraud the United States Department of Transportation(USDOT) through the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Michigan Division, and Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge United States Department of Transportation – Midwestern Region. On November 18, 2025, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington sentenced Andrew Semenchuk, 53, of Rives Junction, and Jeffrey Bartlett, 53, of Standish, to 15 months in federal prison following their guilty pleas to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Both will be required to serve two years of federal supervised release following their release from incarceration. On November 20, 2025, Judge Ludington sentenced Adam Ball, 48, of Saginaw and Brian Bartlett, 48, of Standish to one year and one day in federal prison following their guilty pleas to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Both will be required to serve 2 years of federal supervised release following their release from incarceration. Also on November 20, 2025, Judge Ludington sentenced Anthony Thelen, 48, of Pewamo to 6 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Thelen will be required to serve one year of federal supervised release following his release from incarceration. The five defendants will pay a total of $4,571,800 in full restitution to the Michigan Department of Transportation. The court also ordered them to pay forfeitures in the total amount of $4,073,200. According to court records, from approximately February 2011 through July 2019, Andrew Semenchuk, Jeffrey Bartlett, Adam Ball, Brian Bartlett, and Anthony Thelen, owned and operated SSI, a surveying company that was awarded millions of dollars in highway construction contracts by MDOT. Those contracts were funded almost entirely by federal funds through USDOT. In the course of seeking and participating in MDOT contracts, the defendants engaged in fraudulent overbilling scheme resulting in MDOT making millions of dollars of overpayments to SSI, a large portion of which the defendants distributed among themselves. The fraudulent overbilling included reporting false and non-existent employee and information technology costs, claiming improper and inflated equipment and real property lease costs, and concealing the true ownership of and control over the SSI entities to justify the fraudulent overbillings. "FBI Detroit will rigorously safeguard the integrity of government programs and hold accountable those who betray the public’s trust by exploiting the competitive contracting process for personal financial gain,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “These kinds of manipulative schemes defraud not only government programs but Michiganders’ tax dollars as well and place honest, rule-abiding Michigan businesses at an unfair disadvantage. My team at the FBI Bay City Resident Agency, along with our federal law enforcement partners, conducted a meticulous and thorough investigation to uncover this complex financial crime and ultimately ensured justice was served. I am grateful for the partnership and successful prosecutorial work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan in securing this sentencing.” “For nearly a decade, the defendants carried out a scheme that compromised the integrity of transportation projects in Michigan and betrayed the taxpayers who funded them,” said Anthony Licari, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region. “The sentences imposed send an unmistakable message that we will not waver in our commitment to working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to expose corruption and ensure that those who break the law are brought to justice.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karen L. Reynolds, William Vailliencourt, and K. Craig Welkener.