title: Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: A man who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty March 24, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. Miguel Lopez, 31, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. At the plea hearing, Lopez admitted to possessing a 9mm pistol on August 7, 2025, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Law enforcement located the firearm after they observed Lopez dumping it outside his car window during a traffic stop. Lopez has four prior drug-related felony convictions. As a felon, Lopez is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Lopez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Lopez faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-3045. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Guatemalan Man Guilty of Illegal Reentry and Failure to  Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Sergio Niz-Mendez, age 27, from Guatemala, pled guilty to illegal reentry and failure to register as a sex offender on March 23, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. At the plea hearing, Niz-Mendez admitted he was a citizen of Guatemala, that he had previously been removed from the United States in 2018, and that he had not sought permission to legally be in the United States. He further admitted that due to a 2016 rape of a child with force conviction in Massachusetts, he was required to register as a sex offender which he failed to do. Niz-Mendez was found in O’Brien County, Iowa, after he was arrested for operating while intoxicated and eluding. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is complete. He remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. For the illegal reentry conviction, he faces a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release. For the failure to register conviction, he faces a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years to life of supervise release. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-4065. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Rapid City Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison  for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 23, 2026. Alice High Rock, 33, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. High Rock was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May 2025. She pleaded guilty on December 8, 2025. On April 9, 2025, Rapid City Police Department received reports that High Rock was driving a vehicle while intoxicated and discharging a firearm. Law enforcement tracked the vehicle to a residence where High Rock was located and found her in possession of a stolen pistol. High Rock was previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in custody. It is a federal crime to possess a firearm after such a conviction. 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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. High Rock was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Carroll Iowa Man to Federal Prison for Meth Conspiracy

body_text: Paul Diamond Sanchez, 52, from Carroll, Iowa, was sentenced on March 23, 2026, to 78 months’ imprisonment. Sanchez pled guilty on November 20, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in federal court in Sioux City. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from July 2024 through May 2025 Sanchez and others distributed at least 35 grams of pure methamphetamine in the Carroll, Iowa area. On two occasions in the summer of 2024, Sanchez distributed a total of over 25 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. During a traffic stop in October 2024, Sanchez had over 9 grams of pure methamphetamine in his pants pocket which he admitted he obtained to sell to another person or persons. United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Sanchez to 78 months’ imprisonment, and a term of four years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Sanchez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Manning Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa DCI Laboratory. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-3022. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: H Block Gang Member Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for drug conspiracy charges. Eric Celestino, 31, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2025 , Celestino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Celestino is one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation. Since the investigation began in 2021, law enforcement attributed 12 incidents of gunfire involving H Block gang associates. Six H Block members and associates were arrested and charged with drug dealing in Boston and surrounding communities. Four additional H Block members and associates were already in state custody at the time of the arrests. Additional drugs and four firearms were seized during the subsequent arrests. From 2022 through 2023, Celestino, a long-time H Block gang member, participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, in particular, powdered cocaine and cocaine base (crack). According to court filings, Celestino was a supplier of cocaine to his co-conspirators, who engaged in various drug deals with an undercover officer. According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation. Celestino is the 6th defendant to be sentenced in the case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Randy Maloney of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Anthony D’Esposito, Inspector General of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Cuba man pleads guilty to operating a marijuana grow operation

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Daniel S. Ackerman, 59, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute 50 or more marijuana plants, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna M. Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that Ackerman operated and maintained a marijuana grow and distribution center on Farnsworth Road in Cuba. On October 10, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant, seizing 475 growing marijuana plants, 124 dried marijuana plants, approximately 2,097 grams of processed marijuana, 10 glass jars containing liquid concentrated cannabis, three tubes of concentrated cannabis, psilocybin mushrooms, scales, and multiple cell phones. In addition, investigators seized a 9mm pistol and ammunition. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, the Cuba Police Department, under the direction of Chief Dustin Burch, the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Scott Cicirello, the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler. Sentencing is scheduled for September 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.


title: Philadelphia-to-Butler Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison on Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine Convictions

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, on his conviction of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine trafficking, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Qureem Overton, 43. Overton was convicted by a federal jury in October 2024 of conspiring to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl and quantities of heroin and cocaine, and of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute those substances between January 2017 and June 2020. According to information presented to the Court, Overton was the leader of a multi-year Philadelphia-to-Butler pipeline for fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Overton moved to Butler following his release from state prison sentences for aggravated assault, robbery, and drug trafficking. He then recruited drug dealers, many from the Philadelphia area, to work for him in Butler, and attempted to hide behind those dealers by having them complete drug deals he repeatedly orchestrated. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig W. Haller and Jacqueline C. Brown prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Butler County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Overton.


title: Former wrestling coach indicted for child pornography production

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with creating child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The former high school wrestling coach was initially charged through complaint on three criminal counts then prosecutors pursued an additional count at indictment after the discovery of a fourth alleged victim. According to court documents, Ryan Brungardt, 37, of Salina is charged with three counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography. Brungardt is a former wrestling coach for Salina Central High School in Salina. Brungardt is accused of clandestinely using a cellphone to record minors while they showered in a locker room during the Tournament of Champions, a wrestling tournament which was held at Newton High School in Newton, Kansas, in January 2024. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), Salina Police Department, and Newton Police Department are investigating the case. Investigators are reviewing additional seized cellphone videos suspected to have been recorded at wrestling meets and tournaments in Newton, Hays, Garden City, and Salina, Kansas during the 2023-2024 wrestling season. Anyone who believes they witnessed crimes or suspicious activity at these events is asked to contact the KBI at (785) 600-8790 or report at www.kbi.ks.gov/sar. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Pryor Man Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: A Pryor man was sentenced today for Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Aaron Douglas Brixey, 27, to 72 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2025, Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers responded to a multi-car crash. Two motorists rear-ended by a silver car called 911 to report the accident and said the driver who caused the wreck drove from the scene. Moments later, the same silver vehicle rear-ended a third car, causing it to roll, ejecting and killing Matthew Gatewood. Troopers located the silver car emitting smoke and assisted Brixey from the driver's seat. Court documents show that Brixey smelled of alcohol, was unsteady on his feet, and beer cans were visible in the vehicle. When medical personnel attempted to treat Brixey, he became combative. He was detained by troopers and placed in a patrol unit, where Brixey yelled and banged his head against the window. A warrant for Brixey’s blood was obtained. His blood alcohol concentration was 0.171, more than twice the legal limit. Toxicology further revealed that THC was also detected in his blood. Forty-five days prior to causing the death of Matthew Gatewood, Brixey was accused of driving while intoxicated, causing another accident that hurt two people. The charges related to that incident are pending in the Cherokee Nation District Court. Brixey is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and he will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn prosecuted the case.


title: Russian cybercriminal sentenced to prison for  using a “botnet” to steal millions from American businesses

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A Russian national was sentenced yesterday to twenty-four months in prison after having pleaded guilty to managing the operation of a botnet (a network of computers infected by malware and controlled remotely by cybercriminals) that was used to launch ransomware attacks on the networks of dozens of U.S. corporations, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Division. Ilya Angelov, 40, of Tolyatti, Russia was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Edmunds, who also fined Angelov $100,000 and entered a money judgment against him in the amount of $1.6 million dollars. According to court records, between 2017 and 2021, Angelov — who used online monikers including “milan” and “okart” — co-managed the Russia-based cybercriminal group designated by the FBI as Mario Kart. Private security researchers have used other designations for this group, including TA-551, Shathak, GOLD CABIN, Monster Libra, ATK236, and G0127. Angelov’s group built a network of compromised computers (a “botnet”) through distribution of malware-infected files attached to spam emails. Angelov and his co-manager then monetized this botnet by selling access to individual compromised computers (“bots”). This access was sold to other criminal groups, who typically engaged in ransomware extortion schemes: locking victims out of their computer networks and demanding extortion payments — commonly in cryptocurrency — to restore access. The FBI has identified over 70 U.S. corporations that were infected with ransomware by one organization linked to Angelov’s group, resulting in over $14 million in extortion payments. Another group that distributed ransomware paid Angelov’s group over a million dollars for access to the Mario Kart botnet. “Foreigner cybercriminals like this defendant target American citizens and corporations. Their methods grow in sophistication. But their motive remains the same — to rip-off and harm us. We are grateful to the FBI and our other partners for their continued vigilance,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon. “May this sentencing serve as a strong message to cyber criminals who believe they can hide behind screens and false identities: you cannot escape the FBI’s reach. You will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “This successful investigation reflects the FBI’s ongoing commitment to identifying, tracking, and dismantling the criminal networks that financially exploit individuals and U.S. corporations. I would like to thank the FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force for their exceptional work in this investigation and to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for ensuring justice was achieved.” This case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force with the assistance of the Dutch and German authorities whose collaborative efforts resulted in the successful prosecution of this case. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in this investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Wyse.


title: Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Methamphetamine

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Francisco Castro Jr., 27, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, between March 2022 and June 2022, Castro distributed 3 pounds of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration is conducting the investigation with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case. Castro is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Castro faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Southwest Ohio man sentenced to 30 years in prison for child pornography crimes including secretly recording young girls, filming sex with teenager

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Hamilton, Ohio, man who secretly recorded young girls nude and committed hands-on offenses of a teenager was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 360 months in prison. Johnathan Brown, 34, hid outside bedroom windows and placed cameras inside a laundry basket to record minors after they exited from showers. He told victims he needed to see their bodies for “medical reasons.” According to court documents, Brown also groomed a teenager, starting when she was 15 years old, eventually soliciting pictures and sexual behaviors from the victim. The defendant used emotional ploys of suicide or self-harm to manipulate the teenager. He also filmed himself having sex with the victim. In August 2024, when he was discovered at a Dayton hotel with the teenaged victim, Brown led law enforcement on a prolonged, multi-jurisdiction, high-speed chase that required the deployment of stop sticks, the Ohio State Patrol Aviation team and SWAT. Brown drove his truck into a moving train and, even then, did not surrender to authorities but engaged in an hours’ long standoff with law enforcement until he was forced to exit his vehicle due to the deployment of tear gas and a K9 officer. Brown pleaded guilty in October 2025 to producing and attempting to produce child pornography. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Danielle E. Margeaux are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Four Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in the Northern Panhandle

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Four Wheeling, West Virginia residents were sentenced today for selling fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced. Tyshaun Johnson, 30, was sentenced to 115 months. Johnson sold fentanyl near Jensen Playground in Wheeling. Investigators also determined Johnson was selling cocaine base in the area. Johnson has prior convictions for fraud, assault, domestic battery, malicious assault, and theft. Harold Wayne Nice, 42, was sentenced to 60 months today. Nice was responsible for selling more than 30 grams of methamphetamine, along with nearly 2 grams of fentanyl, and one gram of cocaine base. Nice has previously been convicted for domestic battery, destruction of property, assault, breaking and entering, and drug crimes. Cephus Andrews, 33, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring with others to sell fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Ohio County. Andrews, one of nine defendants in a drug conspiracy, allowed his residence to serve as a stash house for the drugs. Investigators seized 7.5 grams of a fentanyl/heroin mixture and 3.35 grams of cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia and $1,095. The other eight defendants are awaiting trial currently scheduled to occur in April 2026. Alyssa Marie Abrigg, 34, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Abrigg sold nearly a gram of fentanyl and half a gram of methamphetamine in the Warwood section of Wheeling. She has prior drug convictions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. Investigative agencies include the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Wheeling Police Department. Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Former St. Louis Area Pediatrician Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Exchanging Prescriptions for Sex Acts

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuersday sentenced a former St. Louis County, Missouri pediatrician to 20 years in prison for prescribing pain pills and other controlled substances in exchange for sex acts, nude photos or cash. From at least 2014 through May of 2023, Craig A. Spiegel, now 70, exploited his position to obtain cash, sexual acts or sexual photographs from at least 19 patients, many of whom he began treating as children. Spiegel illegally distributed an “astronomical amount of drugs,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric said in court. Rather than referring patients with a substance use disorder to treatment, Spiegel exploited their disease for his own gratification and prescribed dangerous combinations of addictive drugs to those vulnerable victims. Spiegel pressured and harassed reluctant patients via text messages and became sexually violent with at least one victim, Sestric said. Spiegel met one of his victims when she was only about seven or eight years old and initiated sexual contact years later by preying on her vulnerability when she was going through a divorce, a sentencing memo filed by Sestric said. Spiegel admitted prescribing controlled substances to his co-defendant, April Bingham, in exchange for sexual favors. He knew that she was selling some of the drugs, and that she was addicted. He prescribed drugs to Bingham using the names of friends and relatives in part to take advantage of their insurance benefits. Bingham then introduced Spiegel to others who paid him or performed sex acts in exchange for controlled substances. Spiegel’s crimes were only thwarted by an investigation that began with the Bridgeton Police Department. After his indictment, Spiegel lied in an April 2025 hearing in U.S. District Court in St. Louis while accusing police officers of illegally searching his cellular phone. Spiegel falsely claimed, in court and under oath, that he had not signed a consent form authorizing the search of his cellular phone until after the cellular phone data had been extracted by investigators. The Bridgeton Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the FBI, and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Sestric and Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case. “Dr. Craig Spiegel is no better than a street-level drug dealer. He knowingly exploited individuals struggling with addiction, not to treat them, but to keep them dependent,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “For years, he fueled that addiction to ensure a steady stream of victims for his own sexual gratification. Spiegel didn’t just violate his oath as a physician, he preyed on vulnerable women and put their lives at serious risk of overdose.” “Today’s sentencing marks an important step toward justice for the individuals harmed by Craig Spiegel’s criminal conduct,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “This doctor – a pediatrician – deliberately and callously abused his medical position to abuse and exploit his vulnerable patients and manipulate federal health care programs. The outcome in this case underscores HHS-OIG’s strong, longstanding commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to hold such fraudsters responsible for their crimes.” “Acts such as those performed by this individual cannot and will not be tolerated,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “This man took advantage of his position and in the process, harmed countless individuals who filled prescriptions that he wrote, for a medical condition they didn’t have. Spiegel not only hurt those who trusted him, he destroyed his reputation and because of his actions now faces a significant time in federal prison.” Spiegel pleaded guilty in December to one count each of illegal distribution of controlled substances, making false statements related to health care matters and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The Medicare, Missouri Medicaid and Illinois Medicaid programs suffered losses totaling $114,480 because of Spiegel’s illegal prescription practices and Judge Ross ordered Spiegel to repay that amount. Bingham, 48, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and was sentenced in 2024 to 21 months in prison. Individuals with concerns about Dr. Spiegel should call the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) at 800-447-8477.


title: Former Escrow Officer Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Cameron, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to bank fraud. Tracy L. Kellerstrass, 51, former escrow officer for Cameron Title Company, waived her right to grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to an information charging her with one count of bank fraud. According to court documents, Kellerstrass was employed by Cameron Title Company from 2018 to February 2024. In her capacity as an escrow officer, Kellerstrass had access to Cameron Title’s bank accounts and ledgers and was only authorized to use the accounts for business purposes. However, as part of a scheme and artifice to defraud, Kellerstrass forged the signature of another employee on company checks and presented them for payment. By pleading guilty today Kellerstrass admitted that she presented forged checks drawn on Cameron Title’s bank account and deposited them into her personal account. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Kellerstrass will be subject to a forfeiture money judgment and restitution in the amount of $460,415.84. Under federal statutes, Kellerstrass is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole on the bank fraud charge to which she has pleaded guilty. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 22, 2026. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Brown and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Escape

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Escape from Custody. The sentencing took place on March 23, 2026. Lawrence Oakie, 44, was sentenced to one year in federal prison and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Oakie was indicted for Escape from Custody by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025. In May 2025, Oakie left the Community Alternatives of the Black Hills, where he was finishing the remainder of his federal prison sentence, without permission and did not return. Oakie was arrested after law enforcement located him at an apartment complex in Rapid City after responding to a call for service related. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. Oakie was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: California man pleads guilty to role in narcotics conspiracy involving 300 pounds of methamphetamine

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Los Angeles man admitted in federal court here today that he took part in a narcotics conspiracy involving more than 300 pounds of methamphetamine shipped to the greater Cincinnati area in 10 pallets of paver stones. Jontah Jackson, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents, in January 2025, DEA agents in Cincinnati received intelligence regarding a potential shipment of methamphetamine awaiting delivery in West Chester. Law enforcement conducted surveillance of the shipment and observed Jackson parked in the vicinity and observing the delivery as others loaded up the pallets onto a box truck and a flatbed trailer. When all the vehicles began to depart the delivery area, law enforcement converged on the vehicles. Jackson fled from the police, collided with a law enforcement vehicle, crashed into a tree line and fled on foot before being apprehended on a nearby highway. Law enforcement discovered fake paver stones of methamphetamine interspersed among real paver stones. Jackson and co-defendant Ramiro Mendoza, 30, of Santa Maria, California, were indicted by a grand jury in April 2025. Jackson faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit; Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles A. Jones; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Middletown Police Chief Earl Nelson announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Blue Springs Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: ABERDEEN– A Blue Springs, Mississippi man was sentenced today to ten years in prison and ten years of supervised release for distributing child sexual abuse materials over an Internet application. According to court documents, Kristopher Brandon Holcomb, 44, was uploading child pornography on a popular mobile application from July 2024 to May 2025. Holcomb was communicating with others he believed to be minors on the application and sending them child sexual abuse material. The investigation revealed over 60 videos and 192 images on his electronic devices. In addition to 120 months in prison, Holcomb was also sentenced to ten years of supervised release and will have to register as a sex offender after release from prison. In addition to the sentencing, Judge Sharion Aycock awarded restitution for the victims identified in the images and videos that requested compensation. This investigation was started by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force through the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and continued to be investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. “Your government has many priorities, but chief among them is keeping our citizens safe. And the most important aspect of community safety is keeping our children safe,” stated Scott F. Leary, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi. “A society that cannot protect its kids is failing in its most important responsibility. Tragically, we live in a world where child exploitation is prevalent. Please join us in combatting these crimes. When citizens notice something improper concerning children, we urge you to report this to law enforcement. In this case, ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) was notified of suspicious material. Our partners at the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and HSI conducted an investigation and apprehended this criminal. Parker King, the Project Safe Childhood lead prosecutor in our office, successfully prosecuted the case. In this one case children are no longer being victimized. Let’s keep this going.” “The possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material is a heinous crime that inflicts lasting harm on the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Matthew Reidell, Homeland Security Investigations. “HSI is committed to protecting children and bringing offenders to justice. Today’s sentence reflects our unwavering dedication to safeguarding children from exploitation and ensuring that those who commit these offenses are held accountable.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc


title: St. Clair County tax preparer accused of submitting false returns

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A tax return preparer who worked in St. Clair County is facing several federal charges for allegedly making intentional false statements on tax return forms to defraud the Government. A federal grand jury returned a nine-count superseding indictment charging Dormeshia A. Haire, 38, of St. Charles, Missouri, with three counts of fraud and false statements on tax returns, three counts of wire fraud and three counts of aiding and abetting in submitting false and fraudulent return. “The American tax system depends on everyone doing their part to follow the law. Cheating the tax system is no victimless crime because honest taxpayers are left to pay the price alone," said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Our office will make sure everyone lives up to their obligations, so the system works as intended.” Charged originally in April 2024, Haire was accused of underreporting her personal employment income in her tax returns for 2019, 2020 and 2021. The superseding indictment alleges Haire also committed wire fraud and submitted false information to the Government by reporting fraudulent business expenses on behalf of her tax clients. IRS-Criminal Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Melissa McFadden said, “The majority of return preparers provide great service to their clients and prepare honest, accurate returns. But there are dishonest tax preparers who file fraud-filled and false returns to steal from the government and defraud their own clients. Avoid shady tax preparers at all costs because when they get caught, you could be on the hook for the damage they cause.” An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. If convicted, Haire faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. IRS Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.


title: Illegal Alien from Mexico Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Federal Fraud Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Wilmar Aristo Pablos-Miguel, also known as “Ariosto Pablos-Miguel,” 42, a Mexican national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty today to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to time served. Pablos-Migue will be subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro and encountered Pablos-Miguel working there. Investigators determined that Pablos-Miguel used a counterfeit Immigration Form I-551, also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to obtain employment at the restaurant from on or about June 28, 2025, to on or about January 16, 2026. Pablos-Miguel is among six illegal aliens indicted following the execution of the January 16, 2026, search warrant, each on charges alleging they were working at the restaurant without legal status. Restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., 65, and his son, manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, 43, both of Nitro, were indicted on charges alleging each harbored aliens, while aiding and abetting each other, and aided and abetted fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. The indictments against Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., Miguel Angel Aguirre, and the remaining defendants are pending. 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. These cases are the result of Operation Country Roads . Conducted by ICE with state and local law enforcement partners, the January 2026 immigration enforcement operation yielded over 650 arrests throughout West Virginia. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Nitro Police Department, and the St. Albans Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is 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. 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. 2:26-cr-11. ###


title: Louisiana Woman Charged and Agrees to Plead Guilty in Pandemic Relief Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Louisiana woman has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to her alleged involvement in a multi-state scheme to obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for herself and others by submitting fraudulent applications to PPP lenders. Lisa Lemoine, 38, of Bossier City, La., was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging document, Lemoine allegedly conspired with Sniders Jean-Jacques, Lorne Johnson, Tanya Pierre, Ashley Spike and others to submit fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of borrowers and to collect up to 30 percent of the loan proceeds as a fee for securing the loans. Beginning in March 2021, Lemoine and others allegedly recruited borrowers who were ineligible for PPP loans, claimed the borrowers operated businesses that qualified them for loans and created fake tax forms to backstop the borrowers’ fraudulent applications. As a result, Lemoine and others allegedly obtained PPP funds to which she and the borrowers were not entitled. The indictment also alleged that the borrowers who received PPP funds based on these fraudulent applications paid kickbacks to Lemoine and others, commonly in an amount equal to 30 percent of the loan proceeds. Jean-Jacques, Johnson, Pierre and Spike were charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to this scheme. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. 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; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . 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 the court of law.


title: Boston Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

body_text: BOSTON – A self-admitted member of the Bailey Street gang in Boston pleaded guilty today to illegal possession of five firearms and ammunition. Kenneth Bigby-Williams, 29, of Hyde Park, pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2026. Bigby-Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. On Aug. 7, 2025, a series of search warrants were executed on Bigby-Williams and his residence. As a result of those search warrants, five firearms, approximately 73 rounds of various caliber ammunition, along with numerous high-capacity magazines and other firearms accessories were seized. Due to a prior conviction in 2019 for possession of a firearm without a permit in Suffolk Superior Court, Bigby-Williams is prohibited from possessing firearms. The charging statute for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime and 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Five Repeat Felons Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Firearm Possession As Part Of Operation Take Back America

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that five previously convicted felons were sentenced to prison today for illegal possession of firearms. The cases are part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office ongoing efforts under Operation Take Back America to identify and prosecute repeat offenders that violate federal firearms laws. “Those who continually engage in crime using firearms are going to find themselves in the federal system,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “It is illegal for felons to possess a firearm, and my office uses that statute to remove repeat offenders from the streets and reduce violence in our community.” “ATF collaborates with our law enforcement partners to identify those that blatantly ignore our laws and threaten our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “We are proud to be part of a focused effort on stopping gun violence and removing these dangerous individuals from our streets.” “Addressing violent crime requires every partner at the table, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is committed to working side‑by‑side with our federal counterparts to keep our communities safe,” said Chief of Police Estella D. Patterson. “When repeat offenders continue to carry guns and endanger the public, we will act decisively. These cases show what strong collaboration can accomplish, identifying the drivers of violence, removing illegal firearms from our streets and holding those who break the law fully accountable.” The five defendants previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and today were sentenced as follows: Timothy Demetrius Williams , 35, of Mooresville, N.C., was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On August 15, 2024, officers with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) observed Williams in possession of a firearm. The officers found a Glock, Model 43X, 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Williams’ jacket pocket, loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition and a round in the chamber. During the investigation, it was determined that the firearm had been reported stolen. Williams, who has a prior felony conviction in Florida, also pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm. Luther Joseph Weathers , 28, was ordered to serve 57 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. On June 12, 2024, CMPD officers were dispatched to a residence after reports of an individual in a parked vehicle in the driveway. Upon arrival, the officers observed Weathers seated in the front passenger seat, asleep in the vehicle. The officers opened the door of the vehicle and placed Weathers under arrest. During the arrest, Weathers told the officers he had a firearm in his front right jacket pocket. Officers removed a loaded Taurus Magnum .357, firearm and ammunition. Weathers has multiple prior convictions including robbery with a dangerous weapon. During the investigation, it was determined that the firearm had been reported stolen. Damiyus Diamonte Fowler , 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 52 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On February 9, 2025, CMPD officers found a Glock with an extended magazine holding up to 30 rounds during a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Fowler was a passenger. Fowler tried to run after the officers located the firearm in a backpack. The officers caught up with Fowler, and he was taken into custody. At the time, Fowler was on supervised release for a prior federal conviction for illegal possession of a firearm, and the judge sentenced him to an additional 12 months in prison. Jamil Omire Ali , 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 45 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On February 22, 2025, CMPD officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in Charlotte. Ali was seated in the passenger seat. Upon exiting the vehicle, officers observed that Ali was carrying a firearm in his waistband. The officers attempted to place Ali under arrest, but Ali resisted. He was ultimately detained. Ali had several outstanding arrest warrants for assault and weapons-related charges at the time of his arrest. The firearm Ali possessed was a Smith & Wesson, M&P Shield, .40 caliber, pistol, loaded with a live round in the chamber and four additional rounds in the magazine. Ali has prior felony drug and firearm convictions. Dwayne Furlow Chaney , 40, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On January 31, 2025, CMPD officers responded to the Transit Center in Charlotte in reference to an individual observed selling narcotics. The responding officers searched Chaney and found several grams of narcotics on his person, as well as a Smith & Wesson MP40 .40 caliber pistol containing six rounds of ammunition. Chaney was taken into custody. During the investigation, it was determined that the firearm was stolen. Chaney has a prior conviction for felony possession of a firearm and other offenses. In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of these cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecutions. These sentencings are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Massachusetts Man Arrested At Charlotte Airport Sentenced To 15 Years For Transportation Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Massachusetts man arrested at Charlotte Douglas International Airport was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. Jossue Ovidio Tejada, 31, of Nantucket, was ordered to serve 15 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Tejada was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison and to pay $79,300 in restitution. “If you possess child sexual abuse material, you will be caught,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “My office is dedicated to protecting children, and we seek long sentences for those who harm and exploit them.” According to court records, on March 1, 2024, Tejada flew into Charlotte on an international flight from the Dominican Republic. During an inspection at Passport Control, a Customs and Border Patrol Officer conducted a border search of Tejada’s phone. Upon opening one of the messaging apps on the phone, the officer discovered message threads related to CSAM. Court records show that Tejada’s phone was submitted for a forensic examination. The analysis of the phone revealed it contained 4,162 files of CSAM, 7,500 identified as child erotica, 52 files depicting S&M of minors, 418 files depicting sexual abuse of infants or toddlers, 24 files depicting bestiality with minors, and 1,550 files depicting CSAM of children under the age of 12. In addition, court records indicate that Tejada actively chatted with others to solicit, pay for, and distribute CSAM. In sentencing Tejada, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell said, “This is about as serious an offense as it gets. . . . What is depicted in those videos actually happened.” Tejada remains in custody pending placement at a federal facility by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked HSI for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Federal Investigation Leads to Prison Time for Illegal Alien Who Sold Fentanyl

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Mexican national illegally present in the United States was sentenced to prison today for trafficking kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. Luis Fernando Huerta Ayon, 27, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Ayon will also be removed from the United States after he completes his prison sentence. “Eliminating fentanyl is a top priority of my office,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Fentanyl is a poison that has taken too many lives, and we are working hard to put a stop to it.” According to filed documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in early December 2024, law enforcement began an investigation into Huerta for suspected fentanyl trafficking. Investigators conducted at least two controlled purchases of fentanyl from Huerta, tracked his vehicle, and surveilled the defendant. After building their investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Huerta’s residence in Charlotte. Investigators’ extensive efforts led to the seizure of over a kilogram of fentanyl, over a hundred grams of deadly fentanyl analogue, and nearly a kilogram of heroin. Additionally, inside Huerta’s residence, agents found a drug ledger, a digital scale, bulk cash, a vacuum sealing machine, and multiple cellular phones. Some of the fentanyl recovered was already packaged for street-level sales. On November 20, 2025, Huerta pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending placement at a federal facility by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked HSI for their investigation of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Stamford Man Charged with Distributing Crack While Released on Bond in Another Federal Case

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DANNY TURKVAN, also known as “Smooth” 54, of Stamford, has been charged with distributing crack cocaine after he had been sentenced in another federal case and prior to reporting to prison. On August 13, 2025, Turkvan was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 46 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his participation in a southwestern Connecticut narcotics trafficking conspiracy. Turkvan, who was released on a $150,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on October 16, 2025. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Turkvan continued to distribute narcotics after his August 2025 sentencing. Stamford Police arrested Turkvan on state charges on October 11, 2025, and seized crack cocaine that he intended to distribute. On March 3, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Turkvan with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and for committing the offense while on pre-trial release, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of up to 10 years. Turkvan has been detained since his arrest. He appeared yesterday in Bridgeport federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. This investigation is being conducted by the Stamford Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.


title: San Diego Man Sentenced to Three Months for Smuggling 17 Protected Parrots and Parakeets

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Ricardo Alonzo of San Diego was sentenced in federal court to three months in prison for smuggling protected parrots and parakeets into the United States without the required quarantines designed to prevent the spread of diseases. At a hearing yesterday, Alonzo was also ordered to pay $3,262 in restitution to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the care and quarantine of the parakeets. Three of the 17 smuggled birds died. “This defendant used illegal smuggling practices that disregarded the laws of the United States, the lives of the birds he was smuggling, and wildlife within the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Our office is committed to holding accountable anyone who endangers wildlife and the public.” “This investigation highlights the critical work our law enforcement officers undertake to protect wildlife and natural resources from exploitation,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Alonzo undermined the vital conservation of vulnerable populations of Burrowing Parakeets, Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots, and Red-Lored Amazon Parrots by illegally removing them from their habitat and smuggling them into the U.S., circumventing controls meant to prevent the entry of zoonotic diseases and other pathogens into the U.S. This investigation demonstrates the strong collaboration between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of Justice in bringing wildlife traffickers to justice. U.S. Department of Justice According to court records and evidence presented in court, Alonzo crossed the border on May 4, 2025, at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. During inspection, the defendant lied and twice stated that he had nothing to declare. The defendant’s lies were uncovered in secondary inspection, when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer noticed some lunch box-sized bags hidden under the rear seat of the car. The bags contained three chickens and 17 juvenile birds—the birds were later identified by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspector as 10 Burrowing Parakeets (Cyanoliseus patagonus), five Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots (Amazona ochrocephala), and two Red-Lored Amazon Parrots (Amazona autumnalis). The parakeets and parrots were juvenile birds of differing ages, likely between one week and a few months old, some of them appearing young enough that they could not yet fully walk. Burrowing Parakeets (Cyanoliseus patagonus) are local to Chile and Argentina, whereas Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots (Amazona ochrocephala) and Red-Lored Amazon Parrots (Amazona autumnalis) are native to Mexico, the West Indies, and northern South America. All three species are protected and listed under Appendix II to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The lawful importation of these parrots and parakeets requires the importer to follow a process, and the birds must be subject to quarantine before they can be introduced into the United States. Many animals have diseases that can be transferred to humans (zoonotic diseases) or other animals, which can have disastrous health effects. For example, birds can carry and spread avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmos. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including the United States poultry farms. There are many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and have disastrous effects, which is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission. One of the juvenile birds the defendant hid in his car and illegally imported This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabet F. Brown. DEFENDANT Case Number 25CR2234-AJB Ricardo Alonzo Age: 27 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Unlawful Importation of Wildlife – 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A) and 3373(d)(1)(A) Maximum penalty: Five years in custody, $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Law Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations


title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Jersey man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with his operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business, despite his reason to believe that the funds he received were derived from criminal offenses and were intended to be used to promote and support unlawful activity. Shadrach Anapalum, 36, of Newark, pleaded guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2026. Between May and December 2022, Anapalum received approximately $375,000 from at least four victims of online scams. Anapalum generally kept approximately 10 percent of the funds for himself, before transmitting the money elsewhere, including to bank accounts in China and Turkey. In a consensually recorded call with a cooperating witness, Anapalum said he lied to a bank about the nature of the checks he was depositing and agreed that what he was doing was not legitimate. The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Elder Fraud Scheme

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Danxiu Wang, a Chinese national residing in California, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting she participated in an international fraud and money laundering scheme that tricked more than 40 elderly victims out of more than $1.2 million. According to court documents and statements made in court, this case arises from an investigation into a call center scam that targeted elderly individuals in California and elsewhere in the United States in May 2025. According to charging documents, Wang and others used the following methods to defraud the victims: Technical support scam: Scammers pose as legitimate tech support representatives, claiming a victim’s computer or account has been compromised and tricking them into paying for unnecessary or fake repairs. Refund scam: Fraudsters contact victims with claims they are owed a refund, then manipulate them into providing banking information or transferring money under the guise of correcting a supposed overpayment. Bank impersonation scam: Criminals impersonate banks or financial institutions through calls, texts, or emails, creating a false sense of urgency to pressure victims into revealing sensitive information or moving funds to fraudulent accounts. Wang admitted in her plea agreement that she met victims in-person to collect the funds. She kept a percentage of the fraud proceeds before passing the remainder on to other members of the conspiracy. Wang is scheduled to be sentenced June 15, 2026, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez. If you or someone you know is 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov . The FBI requests that victims report: The name of the person or company that contacted you. Methods of communication used, including websites, emails, and telephone numbers. Any bank account number(s) to which you wired funds and the recipient’s name(s). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Brooks. DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr4149-LL-1 Danxiu Wang Age: 30 San Gabriel, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349 Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation


title: Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Salvadoran national has pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously removed following his 2022 conviction for Aggravated Sexual Battery with a Child Under 13. Jose Antonio Del Cid, 54, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of unlawfully returning to the United States after removal subsequent to being convicted of an aggravated felony. Del Cid was previously convicted of Aggravated Sexual Battery with a Child Under 13 in Fairfax, Va., in 2022. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of two years and he was deported to El Salvador in 2023 upon completion of his sentence. On Oct. 11, 2025, Del Cid was arrested in Grandview, Mo., by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations following an arrest for trespassing. Under federal statutes, Del Cid is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole and a maximum fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. Del Cid has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing hearing. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Two Brothers Charged with Firearm Offenses After Federal Agents Seize Cache of 40+ Firearms, Including Uzi Submachine Gun, Fully-Automatic Pistol, Short-Barreled Rifles, and Silenced AR-15 Style Pistol From Kalihi Residence

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that brothers Skyler Supapo, 24, and Sebastian Supapo, 20, of Kalihi, Hawaii, were arrested and charged last Friday for illegally possessing firearms. According to the criminal complaint, following an investigation into online social media accounts and suspicious parcel shipments, federal agents obtained a search warrant for a residence in Kalihi. During the execution of that search warrant, federal agents recovered a total of 44 firearms. Among the 44 firearms, were an Uzi Submachine gun, a pistol with an installed machinegun conversion device, at least two firearms with obliterated serial numbers, two short-barreled rifles, an AR-style pistol with an installed suppressor/silencer, and one firearm suppressor/silencer. Photographs of some of the firearms are included below: The Supapo brothers are charged with possession of a machinegun; possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number; and possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act firearm. If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendants face up to 5 years in prison for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and up to 10 years in prison for the other two charges, as well as a fine of up to $250,000. The charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. The FBI and the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Honolulu Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Eucker and Michael Albanese are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Last Of Former Antioch And Pittsburg Police Officers Sentenced To More Than Four Years In Federal Prison

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – In 2023 and 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California charged ten current and former officers and employees from the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments with crimes ranging from conspiracy to violate civil rights through excessive use of force to fraud. The last of the ten defendants, Eric Allen Rombough, 46, of Fairfield, was sentenced today to 50 months of imprisonment. Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White handed down all of the sentences. With Rombough’s sentence, the total sentences for all ten defendants exceeds 21 years. “We entrust law enforcement with vast power, and when they abuse it, they not only betray the oath they took and the community they serve, but they also undermine the public’s trust in our criminal justice system,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “Eric Rombough’s sentencing is an important milestone in our successful, multi-year effort to root out corruption within the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments and we will continue to hold accountable anyone who violates federal law, regardless of their position.” “The sentencing of Eric Rombough marks the culmination of a years-long investigation driven by the relentless work of FBI agents, analysts, and our law enforcement partners who refused to overlook misconduct, regardless of position or authority. This case underscores a fundamental truth: no one is above the law, especially those entrusted to uphold it. When officers abuse their authority, they undermine the very foundation of public trust. The FBI remains steadfast in pursuing those who betray that trust, and we will continue working to ensure accountability and to help restore confidence in the institutions that serve our communities,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo. Case No. 23-cr-269 JSW – Civil Rights Violations and Falsification of Records Rombough, Morteza Amiri, 35, of Antioch, and Devon Christopher Wenger, 33, formerly of Oakley, were charged with conspiring to deprive the residents of Antioch of their civil rights through the use of excessive force, and deprivation of rights under color of law, among other violations. In January 2025, Rombough pleaded guilty to conspiracy against rights and two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and agreed to cooperate with the government. According to Rombough’s plea agreement and the evidence presented during two trials, Amiri, Rombough, and Wenger communicated about actual and intended uses of force, including specific violent acts against individuals in and around Antioch, and agreed to carry out such acts knowing their actions constituted excessive uses of force by a police officer under color of law. In particular, they agreed to and/or did deploy uses of force, including police dog bites, as “punishment” to subjects beyond any punishment appropriately imposed by the criminal justice system, collected physical or photographic “trophies” following such deployments of excessive force, and communicated after the deployments to tout the applications of force with the exchange of messages and photographs of subjects’ injuries. They also authored reports that contained false or misleading statements to suggest that the force used was necessary or justifiable, when in truth and in fact, they willfully used excessive force. In March 2025, following an eight-day trial, a jury found Amiri guilty of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of falsification of records in connection with a July 2019 arrest. Amiri was sentenced to 84 months in prison for these violations and the additional crimes set out below. In September 2025, following a seven-day trial, a jury convicted Wenger of conspiracy against rights. Wenger was sentenced to 90 months in prison for this violation and the additional crimes set out below. Case No. 23-cr-264 JSW – Salary & Incentives Fraud Patrick James Berhan, 33, of Oakley; Amiri; Amanda Carmella Theodosy a/k/a Nash, 35, of Discovery Bay; Samantha Genoveva Peterson, 33, of Fairfield; Ernesto Mejia-Orozco, 37, of Oakley; and Brauli Rodriguez Jalapa, 36, of Clayton, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud related to a scheme to obtain pay raises from the police departments of the cities of Antioch and Pittsburg for university degrees they each paid someone else to obtain in their names. Peterson pleaded guilty to wire fraud in January 2024. Berhan pleaded guilty in March 2024 to conspiracy and wire fraud, and pleaded guilty to an additional charge for possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids. Berhan was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment. In June 2024, Mejia-Orozco and Rodriguez Jalapa pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud. In July 2024, Theodosy a/k/a Nash pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud. Mejia-Orozco, Rodriguez Jalapa, and Theodosy a/k/a Nash were each sentenced to three months of imprisonment. In August 2024, following a four-day trial, a jury found Amiri guilty of conspiracy and wire fraud. Case No. 23-cr-268 JSW – Distribution of Anabolic Steroids and Destruction of Records Daniel James Harris, 38, formerly of Discovery Bay, and Wenger were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids related to Harris’s distribution of anabolic steroids to Wenger and other police officers, and Wenger’s attempt to secure anabolic steroids from Harris for another friend. Based on these same events, Harris was also charged with attempted possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and possession to distribute anabolic steroids, and Wenger was charged with destruction, alteration, and falsification of records in federal investigations, the last of which was based on Wenger’s efforts to delete digital evidence of his discussions of anabolic steroids with Harris and his friend. Harris pleaded guilty to these charges, pleaded guilty to an additional charge for bank fraud, and agreed to cooperate with the government in September 2024. Harris was sentenced to time served for these charges. In April 2025, following a three-day trial, a jury found Wenger guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and destruction, alteration, and falsification of records. Case No. 23-cr-267 JSW – Obstruction of Justice Timothy Manly Williams, 36, of Antioch, was charged with destruction, alteration, and falsification of records in federal investigations, obstruction of official proceedings, and deprivation of rights under color of law. The first two charges were related to a phone call Manly Williams placed while working as a police officer monitoring a wiretap to the subject of the wiretap, and his efforts to destroy or falsify records related to that phone call in the wiretap equipment. The third charge was related to Manly Williams’s knocking a cell phone out of the hand of a citizen who had attempted to record video of a police response at which Amiri deployed his dog to bite a suspect. Manly Williams pleaded guilty to these crimes and agreed to cooperate with the government on November 28, 2023. He was sentenced to 3 years of probation. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo made the announcement. These cases were prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. These prosecutions were the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney. The following table summarizes the outcomes of these related cases, all of which were before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White: Case Name and Number Statute(s) Defendant (Bold: multiple case numbers) Status Fraud 23-cr-00264 18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 1343 (Wire Fraud) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 24-cr-157 on 9/5/24 Morteza Amiri Sentenced to 84 months custody, 3 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-269 on 6/24/25 Amanda Theodosy a/k/a Nash Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release 11/15/24 Samantha Peterson Sentenced to time served, 3 years supervised release on 4/24/24 Ernesto Mejia-Orozco Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 9/19/24 Brauli Jalapa Rodriguez Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 10/25/24 Obstruction 23-cr-00267 18 U.S.C. §§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations); 1512(c)(2) (Obstruction of Official Proceedings); 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Timothy Manly Williams Cooperated with the government; sentenced to 3 years of probation on 1/13/2026 Steroid Distribution 23-cr-00268 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids), 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Daniel Harris Cooperated with the government; sentenced to time served concurrent with 24-cr-502 on 1/13/2026 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids); 18 U.S.C. § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) Devon Wenger Sentenced to 90 months custody, 3 years supervised release, concurrent with 23-cr-269 on 12/2/2025 Civil Rights 23-cr-00269 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law); § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) Morteza Amiri Sentenced to 84 months custody, 3 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 6/24/25 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Eric Rombough Cooperated with the government; sentenced to 50 months custody on 3/24/2026 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Devon Wenger Sentenced to 90 months custody, 3 years supervised release, concurrent with 23-cr-268 on 12/2/2025 Steroid Distribution 24-cr-00157 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 9/5/24 Bank fraud 24-cr-00502 18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) (Bank fraud) Daniel Harris Cooperated with the government; sentenced to time served concurrent with 23-cr-268 on 1/13/2026


title: California Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Production of Child Pornography

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jamal Tatum, 45, of Glendale, California, was sentenced on March 18, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for production of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Tatum to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Tatum’s release from prison, he will begin a seven-year term of supervised release. On June 26, 2024, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an online tip regarding a user of the Kik platform soliciting sexually explicit videos from a minor (Minor Victim 1). The tip advised the user was 44 years old and resided in Topanga Canyon, California. Minor Victim 1, who resided in Scribner, Nebraska, indicated she began communicating with “Jamal Mutat” in a Kik chatroom and eventually the two communicated via direct messaging on Kik. Between June 25 and June 28, 2024, Minor Victim 1 and “Jamal Mutat” exchanged 404 messages, which included pictures and videos. “Jamal Mutat” sent Minor Victim 1 pictures of his penis and asked Minor Victim 1 to send pictures of herself. “Jamal Mutat” told Minor Victim 1 he wanted to meet her and have sex with her. Using Kik’s recording option on her cell phone, Minor Victim 1 made two videos showing her vagina and sent both videos to “Jamal Mutat.” Minor Victim 1’s Kik profile indicated she was 16 years old. Based on Minor Victim’s descriptions of pictures and videos sent in the Kik conversation, FBI special agents were able to identify Kik user “Jamal Mutat” as Jamal Tatum of Topanga Canyon, California. On August 1, 2024, FBI agents obtained a search warrant for Minor Victim 1’s Kik account. In those records, agents located the messages exchanged between Minor Victim 1 and Tatum. In one message, Minor Victim 1 tells Tatum she lives in the Midwest, is 16, and provides her date of birth. Tatum describes what he would like Minor Victim 1 to do, and after this message, Minor Victim 1 sends the two videos to Tatum. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Nebraska Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Carlos Lopez Montoya, 32, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 18, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lopez Montoya to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lopez Montoya is released from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. On March 5, 2024, the victim was found unresponsive in an Omaha residence. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s overdose task force investigated the case and was able to track how the fentanyl pills came into the possession of the victim as follows: a co-defendant located in California, sold the pills to Lopez Montoya in Grand Island; who then sold them to co-defendant, Ventura Montoya Gonsalez; who sold them to co-defendant, Asia Blackburn, in Omaha; who sold them to Deyon Downing; who finally sold the pills to the victim before the victim died. The victim’s cause of death was acute acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl fluorofentanyl, paroxetine, and quetiapine intoxication. All the parties were in agreement to distribute fentanyl. Asia Blackburn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 320 months’ imprisonment. Ventura Montoya Gonsalez and Deyon Downing were each sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. An arrest warrant for one co-defendant remains active. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Overdose Task Force.


title: Seattle Man Sentenced for Mailing Fentanyl Pills to Omaha

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Alvin Mitchell, 38, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced on March 20, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Mitchell to 15 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After Mitchell’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. In November 2024, an FBI task force began investigating co-defendant Duane Walker Jr. as a fentanyl pill dealer in Omaha. On February 3, 2025, investigators seized a USPS package destined for an address in Omaha, which was later determined to belong to Walker’s grandmother. Investigators searched the package pursuant to a warrant and found almost 5,000 fentanyl pills inside. A postal inspector determined the package was mailed from Seattle by Mitchell. Postal records uncovered seven earlier packages that were mailed from Seattle to the same address in Omaha dating back to October 2024. Cell phone evidence secured pursuant to search warrants uncovered text message conversations between Walker and Mitchell about the packages. At sentencing, Mitchell was held responsible for a drug weight equivalent to approximately 29,000 fentanyl pills based off the weights of the earlier packages. The cell phone evidence also showed Mitchell had mailed packages of similar weights to Utah and Missouri. Mitchell faced a mandatory minimum sentence enhancement because of a prior federal drug trafficking conviction from 2013 involving thousands of Percocet pills. Walker, 29, of Omaha, was sentenced on March 12, 2026, to 235 months’ imprisonment. Almost $50,000 cash seized from Walker will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug trafficking. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Officer Involving the Intent to Commit Another Felony

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Osmar Lorenzo-Genchi, 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 18, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for assaulting, resisting, or impeding officer involving the intent to commit another felony. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lorenzo-Genchi to 22 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lorenzo-Genchi is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Lorenzo-Genchi was also ordered to pay $2,284.40 in restitution. On June 10, 2025, law enforcement encountered Osmar Lorenzo-Genchi at Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha, while executing a civil search warrant. After accounting for all employees, Homeland Security Investigations special agents interviewed them and collected biometrics to verify their legal work status in the United States. Lorenzo-Genchi was identified as a U.S. citizen, his name logged, photograph taken, and he was escorted off the property and released. Once all identifications were completed, a Deputy United States Marshal driving a law enforcement vehicle, accompanied by two others, attempted to leave the area eastbound on J Street in Omaha. Several members of the public, including Lorenzo-Genchi, obstructed the vehicle’s path by standing in the street and moving in front of the vehicle as it tried to maneuver around them. The Deputy Marshals stopped their vehicle and got out to clear pedestrians from the roadway. One Deputy Marshal pushed Lorenzo-Genchi to the edge, but he quickly returned to the road and struck the driver’s side mirror of the law enforcement vehicle with his fist, damaging it. When the vehicle tried to leave, Lorenzo-Genchi grabbed the rear windshield wiper and bent it, rendering it unusable. A Deputy Marshal then pushed him away. In response, Lorenzo-Genchi turned and spat on the Deputy Marshal. Lorenzo-Genchi walked west away from the Deputy Marshal and toward departing federal law enforcement. He started throwing rocks and debris at law enforcement vehicles, hitting at least seven in total. One rock shattered the rear passenger side window of an occupied vehicle. Officers exited their vehicles to apprehend him, but the increasing crowd of individuals made it unsafe to do so. Lorenzo-Genchi was later arrested on the federal warrant. At the time of the assault, the federal law enforcement officers were doing what they were employed by the federal government to do. U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods said, “Any assault on federal law enforcement officers who are simply carrying out their official duties and following orders to keep our communities safe will result in federal charges. Deputies who serve in the United States Marshals Service like those who were targeted here are an invaluable part of the federal law enforcement community. They apprehend some of the nation’s most dangerous fugitives, and they enforce the federal sex offender registry. These assaults on their deputies cannot be tolerated because it jeopardizes their ability to carry out these critical public safety missions. Justice was done with this conviction and sentence.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.