title: Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 20 years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced on March 18, 2026, for transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and online enticement of a minor. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. Bailey Michael Stouter, 23, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and online enticement of a minor. The Court ordered Stouter to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim. Stouter used a social media application to meet a 14-year-old girl. He arranged to pick the girl up from her home in Bullitt County, Kentucky, to drive her to Pennsylvania for a sexual encounter. A missing person report was issued for the child. A few days later, Stouter was located with the young girl in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Online predators are a plague. They manipulate, exploit and abuse our children. Law enforcement will leave no stone unturned in searching for these predators. The United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute these deviants! Stouter’s deviance cost him 20 years in federal prison and his entire life on supervised release after he completes his 20-year sentence.” There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Yannelli prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Pakistani National Residing in Southern California Charged with Fraudulently Billing Medicare Plans

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— The owner of Oregon Clinical Laboratory in Klamath Falls, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with healthcare fraud after allegedly participating in a scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare Advantage insurance plans for laboratory testing services never performed. Jahangeer Ali, 34, a citizen of Pakistan, made his first appearance on February 27, 2026, in the Central District of California. A detention hearing was held on March 4, 2026, in the Central District of California and Ali was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. According to court documents, from June 2025 through January 2026, Oregon Clinical Laboratory submitted more than $46 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage plans. However, no providers actually ordered testing services and none of the Medicare Advantage beneficiaries on the claims actually received testing services from the company. As a result of the fraud, Medicare Advantage plans paid out over $28 million on the fraudulent claims. On February 26, 2026, Ali was arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport prior to boarding a flight to Turkey with an ultimate destination of Pakistan. A detention hearing was held today in the District of Oregon and Ali was ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew T. Ho is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Kyle Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for  Assault on Pine Ridge Reservation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on March 23, 2026. Oliver Brown Bull, 38, was sentenced to five 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. Brown Bull was indicted for two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He was found guilty of one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury following a federal jury trial in December 2025. On January 31, 2025, in the Pine Ridge Reservation, Brown Bull assaulted another man by pushing him to the ground and punching him multiple times in the face. Brown Bull then kicked the victim in the face. As a result, the victim suffered several injuries, including a broken eye socket, a laceration around his eye, two broken bones in his nose, and severe bruising. At the time of trial, the victim was still suffering from the assault, including continued pain and disfigurement. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Brown Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: De Smet Man and Woman Each Sentenced to Terms in Federal Prison and Home Confinement for Willful Failure to Collect or Pay  Over $600,000 in Employment Tax

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a De Smet, South Dakota, man and woman convicted of Willful Failure to Collect or Pay Over Employment Tax and Aiding and Abetting. The sentencing took place on March 18, 2026. Michael Wiese, 66, was sentenced to three months in federal prison, followed by three months of home confinement, and three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Audrey Saylor, 65, was sentenced to three months in federal prison, followed by three months on home confinement, and three years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Wiese and Saylor were also ordered to jointly pay over $610,000 in restitution. Wiese and Saylor were indicted for multiple counts of Willful Failure to Collect or Pay Over Employment Tax and Aiding and Abetting and Filing False Tax Return and Aiding and Abetting by a federal grand jury in June 2024. Wiese and Saylor pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025. Wiese and Saylor were co-owners and operators of American Engineered Products, LLC (“AEP”), which is based in De Smet, South Dakota. AEP is in the business of designing and manufacturing items such as bases for casino slot machines and cash kiosks. They exercised control over every aspect of AEP’s business affairs, including preparing AEP’s month-end report, providing information to AEP’s corporate tax return preparer to file AEP’s corporate federal income tax returns, managing AEP’s day-to-day bookkeeping, issuing paychecks to AEP’s employees, and providing the year-end Forms W-2 to AEP’s employees. Throughout calendar years 2017 through 2020, Wiese and Saylor, on behalf of AEP, withheld taxes from its employees’ paychecks, including federal income taxes, Medicare, and Social Security taxes (collectively referred to as “payroll taxes”), knowing that they had the responsibility to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over AEP’s payroll taxes. Beginning in January 2017, Wiese and Saylor made no payments of the payroll taxes to the IRS by the required due dates. Beginning in 2017, AEP also failed to file required forms with the IRS. In sum, Wiese and Saylor willfully failed to truthfully account for and pay over to the IRS all of the payroll taxes withheld and due and owing to the United States on behalf of AEP and its employees. Their conduct continued until about January 2021, adversely impacting AEP’s employees’ accrual of future federal benefits. “This is a form of theft from the government,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Our Financial Litigation Unit will do its best to recover these stolen funds on behalf of the American taxpayer.” “Failure to collect and pay over employment taxes is a serious criminal offense,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “It harms the future Social Security and Medicare benefits of the employees. Business owners have a responsibility to withhold the taxes from their employees’ pay and remit them to the IRS.” This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri prosecuted the case. Saylor will report to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service in late March 2026 to begin serving her sentence, while Wiese will report in early July 2026.


title: United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda Announces Leadership Team

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda today announced the appointment of Dulce Donovan to First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island. A veteran federal prosecutor, Ms. Donovan will serve as the office’s second-in-command and oversee day-to-day operations, including criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, and administrative functions across the district. Ms. Donovan succeeds Assistant United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom, who served as First Assistant United States Attorney and Acting United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from February 2025 to March 2026. “I would like to thank Sara Bloom for her outstanding service to this office and the people of Rhode Island,” said United States Attorney Calenda. “Her leadership, professionalism, and commitment to justice have had a lasting impact, and we are grateful for her many contributions.” Ms. Donovan has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Rhode Island since 2001 and brings more than two decades of experience prosecuting complex criminal matters, including fraud and other white-collar offenses. She currently serves in the Criminal Division and has led significant investigations and prosecutions involving financial crimes, health care fraud, and public corruption. From 2023 to 2025, she served as Assistant General Counsel in the Executive Office for United States Attorneys in Washington, D.C., advising United States Attorneys offices nationwide on employment, ethics, and compliance matters. Leadership Team Stacey A. Erickson will continue in her role as Criminal Chief. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in August 2019 and has prosecuted violent crime, human trafficking, complex fraud, and narcotics trafficking cases. She has also served as the office’s Homeland Security Lead Task Force Attorney, the former Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator and Human Trafficking Coordinator. She was named Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in 2022. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Erickson served as a state prosecutor in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office for 25 years. John P. McAdams has been appointed as Deputy Criminal Chief. He has served as a federal prosecutor since 2002 and most recently served as the Senior Litigation Counsel (SLC) for the District of Rhode Island. He has previously served in senior roles with the Department of Justice’s Tax Division. Mr. McAdams also served as a Trial Attorney and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. Former Criminal Division Chief Lee Vilker will assume the role of Senior Litigation Counsel, where he will assist prosecutors with complex investigations and cases, and provide training and mentorship to attorneys within the Criminal Division. A federal prosecutor for more than two decades, Mr. Vilker has handled complex white-collar cases and prosecuted a wide range of criminal conduct. He was recognized with the Attorney General’s Director Award for his work on a high-profile multimillion dollar fraud prosecution. Kevin M. Bolan will continue to serve in his role as Civil Division Chief, overseeing the United States’ civil litigation, including defensive matters and affirmative civil cases. Prior to joining the office in 2023, Mr. Bolan was a partner at White & Case, LLP, where he handled complex civil and criminal matters. Lauren S. Zurier continues to serve as Chief of Appeals, a position she has held since December 2019. Ms. Zurier litigates the district’s criminal cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She previously served as an appellate prosecutor for over two decades in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office. “This leadership team is defined by experience, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to justice,” said United States Attorney Calenda. “I am confident they will continue to lead this office with strength and purpose as we confront complex criminal activity, protect our communities, and carry out our mission on behalf of the people of Rhode Island.”


title: Kansas City Attorney and His Client Found Guilty of Criminal Contempt

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City men have been found guilty of criminal contempt following a six-day bench trial. Charles Floyd Anderson, 81, and his attorney Robert Pete Smith, 80, were found guilty of contempt by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark. The Court found Anderson and Smith willfully violated a court order to provide truthful, accurate and complete financial disclosures in an underlying civil action. The civil action was brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the State of Missouri alleging that consumers paid over $100 million in response to deceptive sweepstakes and prize mailers distributed by a family business enterprise built by Anderson, FTC v. Next-Gen, Inc. et al. , No. 18-cv-00128-DGK (FTC Case). Smith, a partner at McDowell Rice Smith & Buchanan, P.C., represented Anderson and his businesses for over 25 years before the FTC Case. As part of the FTC case, Anderson was ordered to complete certain individual and corporate financial disclosures. The entities, accounts and transactions that supported the criminal contempt proceeding involved Anderson and Smith acting as business partners or close friends, reaching far outside of the typical attorney-client relationship. The criminal contempt case focused on the apparent effort undertaken by Smith to conceal that affiliation and wash himself and his business relationship with Anderson from the FTC disclosures. Anderson, as a lay person, had a duty to provide truthful, accurate and complete information to the FTC. Following the bench trial, the Court found, “Attorney Smith and Anderson willfully violated both the letter and the spirit of the financial disclosure required by the district court in the FTC Case. . . . Orders duly entered by a district court must be followed and respected. Persons or parties who do not do so, and who instead opt for willful deceptive gamesmanship or otherwise act in bad faith in complying with a district court’s orders are subject to criminal sanction.” The Court further found that “Defendants’ conduct illustrates a picture of deception and sanitization of particular relationships and assets from the FTC’s view.” The Court ultimately adjudged Anderson and Smith guilty of criminal contempt as charged. The Court’s order is attached. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and Matthew N. Sparks and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda K. Hanson. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 23-cm-00008-rk.pdf


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Federal Prison  for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 23, 2026. Zachariah Highelk, 35, was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Highelk was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 3, 2025. Between 2019 and 2024, Highelk took trips to Colorado and Washington to meet with his sources of supply to purchase bulk amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl. He would then return to Rapid City, SD, and begin distributing the drugs to others in the community. Highelk was responsible for multiple pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills being distributed throughout the Rapid City community, spreading on to Indian reservations in the State. “This was an incredible takedown by South Dakota and federal law enforcement that we believe put a substantial dent in the drug trade,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “For any methamphetamine or fentanyl ingested in western South Dakota over the past several years, there is a decent chance it passed through this drug dealer’s hands at some point. He will spend the next fifteen years reflecting on that from a federal prison cell. On to the next.” This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case. Highelk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Four defendants sentenced to prison on federal firearms charges

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

body_text: SAVANNAH, Georgia: Four defendants have been sentenced to federal prison on separate charges involving illegal firearms possession. The sentencings before U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker were announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include: Devin Jenkins , 26, of Savannah, sentenced to 103 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Jenkins was charged in March 2025 after a domestic disturbance at a Savannah apartment complex when he fired multiple shots into his girlfriend’s unoccupied, parked vehicle. Anthony Rasheen Greene , 34, of Savannah, sentenced to 60 months in prison, fined $1,200, and ordered to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term after pleading guilty to Carrying a Firearm During, or In Relation To, a Drug Trafficking Crime. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Greene’s possession during a May 2024 traffic stop. Terrance Delan Parker , 26, of Ludowici, Georgia, was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Liberty County sheriff’s deputies found two pistols in Parker’s vehicle during a May 2025 traffic stop. Ronmel Eduardo Garcia-Correa , 33, a citizen of Honduras illegally present in the United States, was sentenced to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien. Police in Garden City found a pistol in Garcia-Correa’s possession in June 2025. Garcia-Correa will be released into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement immediately upon completion of his prison sentence and processed for removal from the United States. “Removing guns from the hands of criminals is a vital part of protecting our community from violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “With our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute individuals whose criminal histories or immigration status makes it clear that they are prohibited from possessing firearms.” Agencies investigating the cases include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Savannah Police Department, the Garden City Police Department, and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. The cases were prosecuted for the United States of America by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Makeia R. Jonese, Timothy P. Dean, and Kelsey L. Scanlon.


title: Russian Citizen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Hacking into U.S. Companies and Enabling Major Cybercrime Groups to Extort Tens of Millions of Dollars

component: Criminal - Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section

body_text: SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA- Aleksei Volkov, 26, of St. Petersburg, Russia, has been sentenced to 81 months in federal prison for assisting major cybercrime groups, including the Yanluowang ransomware group, carry out numerous attacks against U.S. companies and other organizations. Volkov facilitated dozens of ransomware attacks throughout the United States, causing over $9 million in actual losses and over $24 million in intended losses. Volkov was indicted for this activity in both the Southern District of Indiana and Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Police in Rome, Italy arrested Volkov and he was extradited to the United States, where he pleaded guilty to unlawful transfer of a means of identification, trafficking in access information, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft; as well as two counts from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania indictment, namely, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after the two cases were consolidated in the Southern District of Indiana. According to court documents, Volkov was an “initial access broker,” that is, a person who specializes in gaining unauthorized access to computer networks and systems of corporations and organizations and selling that access to other cyber threat actors such as ransomware groups. Volkov scoured computer networks and systems for vulnerabilities, identified ways to access those networks and systems without authorization, and sold that illicit access to conspirators who were also cybercriminals. Volkov’s conspirators then infected computer networks and systems to which Volkov had given them access with malware. This malware encrypted the victims’ data and prevented the victims from accessing it, damaging their business operations. The conspirators then demanded that the victims pay them a ransom in cryptocurrency—sometimes in the tens of millions of dollars—in exchange for restoring the victims’ access to the data and promising not to publicly disclose the hack or release victims’ stolen data on a “leak” website. In some cases, the victims paid the ransom and in others the conspirators posted the victims’ confidential data on the leak site. If the victims paid the ransom, Volkov received a share of the money. As part of his plea, Volkov admitted that he and his co-conspirators hacked into numerous victims’ computer networks, stole their data, deployed ransomware, demanded payment in cryptocurrency to exchange for restoring access to the data, and divided the ransom payments among themselves. In fact, they demanded tens of millions of dollars in ransom and received millions. Volkov agreed to pay full restitution to victims including at least $9,167,198.19 to known victims to compensate them for their actual losses as well as to forfeit equipment he used for his crimes. “This case shows the strength and determination of our federal prosecutors and partners to protect American companies from global cybercriminals. If you assist ransomware groups in targeting our businesses, we will use the vast resources of the federal government to ensure you face the full force of the United States justice system,” Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This conviction sends a strong message: the FBI will relentlessly pursue cybercriminals who target U.S. companies and consumers,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “We are taking these criminals off the streets, disrupting global extortion networks, and defending American businesses and citizens from cyber threats.” “The defendant in this case helped set in motion cybercrime attacks targeting dozens of U.S. companies and organizations, including ones by the notorious Yanluowang ransomware group,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant thought he could hide behind a keyboard and evade justice, working with others to extort tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments. The Department of Justice will continue to pursue cybercriminals like Mr. Volkov wherever they operate and ensure that they face consequences for their actions.” The FBI investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and law enforcement authorities in Italy. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and Matthew B. Miller, as well as Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Edward Chang (on detail to CCIPS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wolfe for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. ###


title: Wichita man recently released from state prison sentenced to federal prison

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for selling methamphetamine to an undercover police officer. According to court documents, Wayne F. Fleming, 41, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. In May 2021, Fleming sold drugs multiple times to an undercover officer with the Wichita Police Department. Testing by the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center showed the total amount Fleming sold to the officer to be more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine. “Mr. Fleming was federally indicted in 2021, but before a plea agreement was reached, Mr. Fleming went to state prison to serve time for offenses unrelated to the federal case,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Department of Justice doesn’t forget. Not long after his release from a state prison, Mr. Fleming is now an inmate in a federal prison.” The Wichita Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case. ###


title: Texas Man Sentenced for Damaging Bluefield Federal Building

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Will Adrian Samuels, 48, of Jefferson, Texas, was sentenced today to time served and ordered to pay $1,990.84 in restitution for destruction of government property. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 19, 2023, Samuels repeatedly threw objects at two glass exterior doors located at the front of the Elizabeth Kee Federal Building in Bluefield, West Virginia, causing more than $1,000 in damage. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the assistance provided by the Mercer County Sheriff's Office and the Wytheville, Virginia, Police Department. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-195. ###


body_text: Felon Gun Store Employee Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm After Warning Targets of Investigation: “ATF is watching u.” CONCORD – Massachusetts man Doug Mulligan, 80, pleaded guilty today in federal court to the possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for July 7, 2026. “Despite knowing that he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms, the defendant chose to disregard federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Even more troubling, he used his position at a licensed firearms business to tip off individuals about federal law enforcement activity, undermining an active investigation into transnational, illicit firearms trafficking. Our office will continue to prosecute those whose actions enable criminals’ access to guns, and those who seek to interfere with law enforcement efforts to protect public safety.” “Doug Mulligan repeatedly disregarded warnings he was prohibited from possessing a firearm and therefore could not work in a gun store. Mulligan used his association with a federal firearm licensee to not only evade restrictions on his own possession of firearms, but to obstruct a federal investigation into other guns being trafficked to prohibited persons. This conduct undermines both public safety and the diligent, responsible work of countless law-abiding firearm licensees across the country who endeavor to play by the rules and keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Greco. According to the court documents and statements made in court, a federal investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in coordination with Canadian law enforcement partners Sûreté du Québec, Ontario Provincial Police, and other U.S. law enforcement agencies, uncovered a transnational firearms trafficking operation responsible for smuggling dozens of weapons from New Hampshire into Canada. As part of the investigation, Doug Mulligan, an employee of American Trikes & Motorsports, admitted that he warned suspected traffickers of federal law enforcement activity by leaving a note on their car stating “ATF is watching u.” A subsequent federal search warrant and review of surveillance footage revealed that Mulligan also unlawfully possessed a firearm when he handled and purchased a firearm from a customer on behalf of American Trikes & Motorsports despite having a prior felony conviction. The charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person provides a maximum prison term of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and not more than 3 years of supervised release. 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. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. The Keene Police Department and other law enforcement agencies provided valuable assistance. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasir Sadat prosecuted the case.


title: Nigerian citizen sentenced for his role in a multimillion-dollar wire fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON - A 26-year-old man who was in the United States on a Green Card has been sentenced for laundering fraud proceeds through an unlicensed money transmitting business, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Ayobami Omoniyi pleaded guilty Aug. 19, 2024. U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Omoniyi to serve 32 months in federal prison and pay $202,273.80 in restitution. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to be removed from the country following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional information that Omoniyi had been committing crimes since arriving in the United States and that he had been a recruiter for the scheme. In 2021, Omoniyi and others operated an unlicensed money transmitting business that received and transferred funds from business email compromise victims, including a fishing company in Australia. Victims received spoofed emails that appeared to come from legitimate businesses and were tricked into sending payments to accounts conspirators controlled. As part of his plea, Omoniyi admitted he moved money through multiple bank accounts. The funds originated from fraudsters involved in a business email compromise wire fraud scheme. Omoniyi also acknowledged receiving victims’ funds and, for a fee, transmitting the fraud proceeds to others. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the hear future. FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Australian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.


title: Jury Convicts D.C. Man of Kidnapping, Strangling and Assaulting His Romantic Partner

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Raymond Dodd, 51, of Washington D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury yesterday of charges stemming from an incident where he held his romantic partner captive in his apartment in March 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Dodd was found guilty of one count of kidnapping, one count of strangulation and two counts of simple assault on March 23, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for May 29, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean. According to the government’s evidence, on March 5, 2024, the defendant and his romantic partner were in their apartment at 1300 H Street NE, Washington, DC. Dodd and his romantic partner got into an argument. During the argument, the defendant slapped the victim in the face and ordered her to go into the bedroom. Inside the bedroom, the defendant tied the victim’s hands behind her back and then tied her hands to her ankles and put her on the floor. The defendant also wrapped a scarf around her face so tightly that the victim had difficulty breathing. Dodd struck the victim in the face again and then urinated on her head. After several hours, the defendant fell asleep, and the victim was able to get one leg free. She then hopped to a neighbor’s apartment to seek help with her hands still tied behind her back. Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anne Cotter and Randy Fultz. 2024 FD3 002216


title: Kansas man sentenced to prison for receiving child pornography

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 110 months in prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) images sent to him over the Internet from a man later convicted of child sexual abuse crimes. According to court documents, a federal judge found Frank Castro, 50, of Kansas City, Kansas, guilty of one count of receipt of child pornography after a bench trial. In September 2020, Castro exchanged social media messages with Antonio Galicia in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Galicia offered to send Castro a video himself sexually abusing a young child. Galicia sent Castro a video file containing CSAM which Castro viewed. While the Milwaukee Police Department was investigating Galicia for a series of child sex crimes, officers found evidence of the video transmission to Castro and passed the information on to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). As part of his sentence, a federal judge ordered Castro pay a $10,000 special assessment to a government fund designated to assist victims of CSAM because of the harm done to them. “Predators who molest children inflict further trauma when they capture then share images of the abuse over the Internet, thereby making victims feel repeatedly exploited,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Defined Monetary Assistance Victims Reserve helps victims trying to rebuild their lives, and the money comes from financial penalties imposed by the courts on convicted sex offenders.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey McCormick and Scott Rask prosecuted the case. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Trinitarios Gang Member Sentenced To 27 Years In Prison For Gunpoint Robberies, Including A Robbery That Resulted In A Murder

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that GIBRAN GUERRERO, a/k/a “Cojito,” was sentenced yesterday to 27 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield for participating in several gunpoint robberies as part of his membership in the violent gang known as the Trinitarios, including a robbery that resulted in the murder of Johnny Gaston. GUERRERO previously pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to the robberies. “For too long, the Trinitarios have used intimidation, robbery, and deadly force to terrorize communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The defendant and his fellow gang members carried out a series of brazen, gunpoint robberies and, in December 2022, lured victims into an ambush that left one man dead, and another seriously wounded. He is now where New Yorkers want him—in prison for 27 years. Today’s 27-year sentence sends a clear message that gang violence will be met with significant consequences.” As alleged in statements made in public filings and public court proceedings: From at least in or about 2021 up to and including 2023, GUERRERO was a member of the Trinitarios gang. In order to fund the gang, protect its territory, and promote its standing, members of the Trinitarios, including GUERRERO, engaged in, among other things, robberies, frauds, narcotics trafficking, and other acts of violence, including murder. On December 15, 2022, GUERRERO and other Trinitarios members lured two victims to a location in the Bronx and robbed them. During the robbery, one of the victims, Johnny Gaston, was shot and killed. The other victim was shot but survived. In addition, on or about July 30, 2022, and September 26, 2022, GUERRERO and other Trinitarios members participated in gunpoint robberies of several victims located in the Bronx. * * * In addition to the prison term, GUERRERO, 22, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the New York City Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Ly, with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews and Rushmi Bhaskaran, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Zuni Man Charged with Sexual Abuse

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was indicted on federal sexual abuse charges related to an alleged assault. According to court records, on June 11, 2024, Karl Devain Escobar, 33, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, engaged in a sex act with Jane Doe using force and without her consent. Escobar is charged with sexual abuse and aggravated sexual abuse. He will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Escobar faces up to life in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case. An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Fraudulently Obtain Visas for Alien ‘Victims’ of Staged Crimes

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in federal court before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips for role in a conspiracy to stage numerous armed robberies so that the purported victims of these crimes, who were illegal aliens in the United States, could use their status as crime victims to fraudulently obtain visas. Jose Luis Morales Salgado, 37, residing in Kansas City, Mo., a citizen of Mexico, was charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court on Jan. 30, 2025. The criminal complaint, which was unsealed and made public following Salgado’s arrest and initial court appearance, charged Salgado with participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain immigration visas. On Feb. 6, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Salgado and co-defendant Oscar Gutierrez on the same charges. On March 24, 2026, Salgado pleaded guilty to conspiring to fraudulently obtain immigration visas for aliens. Salgado admitted that immigrants contacted Salgado to arrange for themselves to become “victims” of staged robberies so they could submit applications for U-Visas, which are granted to crime victims. These immigrants, who were either illegally present in the United States or in the United States legally through work visas, paid Salgado thousands of dollars to participate. In exchange, Salgado directed them to the location of a planned staged robbery. Salgado also admitted that he recruited individuals to pose as robbers during the staged robberies and provided directions to those individuals. Salgado admitted that each robbery involved aliens who later told police they had car trouble, pulled over and got out of their vehicle to diagnose the car trouble. Soon after stopping, another vehicle would arrive and park next to, or in front of, the purported victim’s vehicle. The “robber”, wearing a medical mask over his face and brandishing a firearm, would strike the purported victims in the head or face, take their cash and typically fire two rounds into the purported victim’s vehicle. Investigators with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department initially identified 11 incidents in which the reported robberies followed this pattern. These cases were linked to each other, based in part, on leads generated from the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN utilized ballistic imaging technology to compare cartridge case markings on the expended cartridges from each crime scene. Detectives determined there was likely one firearm used in the commission of all the robberies. Detectives gathered information from city cameras and license plate readers to identify the vehicles used in the robberies, the affidavit says, which led them to Gutierrez. Salgado instructed the aliens to falsely report to law enforcement officials how the robberies occurred and advised them how to make these false reports to bolster their applications for U-Visas. The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act was designed to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute certain crimes while also protecting victims of crimes who are willing to help law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. A foreign national is eligible to receive a U-Visa if they were the victim of qualifying criminal activity, suffered substantial physical or mental abuse because of having been a victim of the criminal activity, possessed information about the criminal activity, and was likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. According to court documents, a source told investigators the number of purported victims involved in the scheme was well over 100. Court documents also indicate that investigators identified 11 robberies involving 33 purported victims that occurred as part of the conspiracy between Dec. 29, 2021, and July 13, 2024. Of those 33 immigrants, 18 submitted U-Visa applications falsely claiming to be victims of violent crimes. An undercover federal agent and a law enforcement source met with Salgado on Jan. 22, 2025, and recorded their meeting. The undercover agent planned to pay Salgado $4,000 for a robbery to be staged to fraudulently obtain a U-Visa. Salgado told the undercover agent he would “put on a grand show.” Once the plans were agreed upon, the undercover agent paid Salgado $500 with a promise to pay the balance later. The undercover agent met with Salgado again on Jan. 30, 2025, and Salgado was arrested. Under federal statutes, Salgado is subject to a sentence of up to 5 years in federal prison without parole. 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. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations. 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: Federal Whistleblower Program to Hold Corporations Accountable for Fraud, Material Support of Cartels, and Criminal Aliens

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle announced the launch of a modified Eastern District of North Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Office Whistleblower Program to force accountability for corporations that engage in: fraud upon federal government programs, crimes involving criminal aliens, and supporting cartels. “Our office focuses on companies, not just individuals, that steal taxpayer dollars from government programs, help cartels, and aid criminal aliens. Too often, companies that receive government funds are the principal actors of criminal conduct. This EDNC Whistleblower Program makes it easier for insiders, or anyone else who have knowledge of corporate crime, to come forward with that information before it is too late. Folks can win-win by stopping fraud and avoiding prison.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. The EDNC posted the changes to the EDNC’s Whistleblower Program to the district’s website . While the EDNC already had a program that made it possible for whistleblowers to come forward, that program did not provide leniency for individuals with inside knowledge of corporate crimes involving: Fraud upon federal government programs (including those administered by states) International cartels or Transnational Criminal Organizations; Money laundering; Violations of federal immigration law; Violations involving material support of terrorism (including support for cartels) Corporate sanctions Trade, Tarriff, and customs violations; and Procurement Fraud U.S. Attorney Boyle stated, “With these changes, we clearly proclaim that the President’s priorities are our priorities. If you have knowledge of crimes by a company, come forward, give us the information, and earn leniency. Please don’t make us catch you before you come clean, because then we will fully prosecute you to the maximum extent allowed by law.” The EDNC Whistleblower Program provides just one way individuals with knowledge of criminal conduct can help the US Attorney’s Office hold corporate criminals accountable. This program compliments - and does not replace - the ability of an individual to file a private Qui Tam lawsuit on behalf of the United States, against a company that engages in a fraud against the government. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina .


title: Sinaloa Cartel Member Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A Mexican national and member of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was involved in a major methamphetamine and cocaine distribution organization out of Monroe, Georgia, and discussed his frustration with no longer receiving “busloads” of illegal drugs and preparing for a visit by the son of Sinaloa’s leader was sentenced to serve more than 15 years in prison for his crime resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation led by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. Jose Guadalupe Favela, 68, a citizen of Mexico and legally in the United States as a resident of Riverdale, Georgia, and formerly of Monroe, Georgia, was sentenced to 188 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on March 9. Favela pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 22, 2025. "Jose Favela was a significant operative in the Sinaloa Cartel, responsible for facilitating the distribution of massive quantities of deadly drugs into Georgia," said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. "Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI and HSI, we dismantled this cartel pipeline and brought these criminals to justice." "Jose Favela was a key member of the Sinaloa Cartel's drug trafficking operation, responsible for bringing deadly methamphetamine and cocaine into Georgia. His actions fueled a dangerous pipeline, impacting communities across the state," said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Georgia’s Macon office. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of the FBI and HSI, this criminal enterprise has been dismantled, and those responsible for flooding our streets with illegal drugs will face justice." “This sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations and our partners to protect Georgia from the dangers posed by cartels and their drug trafficking operations,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Working alongside the FBI and local law enforcement, HSI agents dismantled a major criminal network, preventing massive quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from reaching our communities. We remain dedicated to safeguarding Georgia’s families and neighborhoods from violent crime and illegal drugs.” Favela’s co-conspirators have all pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison for their crimes: Diego Garcia, 28, of Mexico and an illegal alien, was sentenced to 188 months in prison on Jan. 17, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 7, 2023; Luis Mejina Pina, aka “La Perra,” 32, of Richmond, California, was sentenced to 48 months in prison on Dec. 3, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 18, 2025; and Juan Pablo Torres, 32, of Mexico and an illegal alien, was sentenced to 48 months in prison on July 2, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 15, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents and statements referenced in court, FBI and HSI agents used a confidential informant to engage in consensual monitoring of conversations with Favela at Bold Springs Road in Monroe on Dec. 6, 2021, targeting Favela, who lived at the ranch. Favela was under investigation for distributing large quantities of illegal drugs through his connections with the Durango cartel, an operational arm of the larger Sinaloa cartel, a violent Mexico-based organized crime group. During the recorded conversation, Favela claimed he had stored up to 800 kilograms of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine between the Monroe Ranch and another location known as the Grayson Ranch, located in the Northern District of Georgia. During multiple recorded conversations, Favela discussed his many years of importing controlled substances from Mexico and shared that he was disappointed that he was no longer receiving “busloads” of illegal drugs. Agents understood that this past activity had occurred at a location in Lamar County, Georgia. At one point in late 2021, Favela was recorded saying that he and other cartel members were not actively importing and distributing illegal drugs in his area for a few weeks because they were preparing for the arrival of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, aka “El Raton,” a prominent member of the Sinaloa Cartel and son of Juaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was then a fugitive. Favela suggested that he and others did not want to draw law enforcement attention that might lead to El Raton’s capture while he was visiting them in Georgia. Ultimately, Favela reported that El Raton changed his plans due to a snowstorm in Georgia. At the request of a confidential informant working with federal agents, Favela contacted co-conspirator Pina to order kilograms of “frio,” which is slang for methamphetamine. Favela wanted $1,000 for brokering the deal and future deals between the CI and Pina. As a result, the FBI and HSI conducted three controlled purchases facilitated by Favela for methamphetamine and cocaine on Dec. 19, 2021, Sept. 29, 2022, and Oct. 6, 2022. During the transactions involving Favela and Pina, the other co-conspirators were involved at different times, including Pina instructing the CI to meet with Garcia in January 2022 to purchase a kilogram of methamphetamine at the Grayson Ranch. During that transaction, Garcia agreed to sell the CI up to ten kilograms of methamphetamine and a kilogram of cocaine. Garcia communicated with Torres approximately 158 times between May and September 2022; Torres was taken into custody with Garcia on Oct. 26, 2022, during the controlled purchase of more than four kilograms of methamphetamine at a gas station in Flowery Branch, Georgia. At their arrest, Garcia and Torres admitted they were in the United States illegally, and that they were living and working at the Grayson Ranch. Garcia acknowledged he had a criminal record in California and Torres admitted he was deported approximately three months prior to the arrest. 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. The FBI and HSI investigated the case. Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Castle Rock Woman Sentenced For Defrauding Victims In Romance Scams

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lori Ann Kimball, 52, Castle Rock, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison and ordered to pay $3,112,990.13 in restitution after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to the plea agreement, from January 2023 through at least February 2025, Kimball conspired with a person to move proceeds of mail and wire fraud to Nigeria. Conspirators other than Kimball engaged in what’s known as a ‘pig butchering scheme,’ in which individuals use a fictitious identity to cold contact a victim, typically via a social media or dating application, where they build trust and then induce the victim to send money in the form of wire transfers, checks, or virtual currency. Kimball was initially a victim of the pig butchering scheme before she began laundering money received from other victims. After being warned by local law enforcement about the nature of her conduct, Kimball continued to carry out illegal financial transactions, including transferring over $3.4 million she received from victims to cryptocurrency accounts in her own name before eventually transferring those holdings to digital wallets being held by individuals primarily in Nigeria. Kimball also provided false information to banks and cryptocurrency exchanges to conceal and disguise her activity. During her involvement in this conspiracy, Kimball utilized at least 20 bank accounts and at least seven cryptocurrency accounts. “Sadly, Ms. Kimball was herself a victim of this malicious scheme, but she then joined those who targeted her to help steal millions of dollars from others. She continued even after local law enforcement warned to stop her criminal behavior,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I urge all Coloradans to use caution when placing their trust in people they meet online, especially when those people ask for money.” “Romance scams leave deep emotional and financial scars, and the bad actors like Kimball, who help launder the proceeds of these scams, cause significant harm to victims and enable criminal networks,” said Amanda Prestegard, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Denver Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to follow the money to expose and disrupt these schemes and hold the network of criminals involved accountable.” United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Fansler. Case Number: 1:25-cr-00054-CNS


title: Philadelphia Man Who Murdered Gas Station Attendant During Armed Robbery Sentenced to Life in Prison

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Chihean Jones, aka “Cha,” 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for two commercial robberies in the city and the murder of a gas station attendant during one of those robberies. Judge Hodge sentenced Jones to life in prison for the murder and 20 years each for the robberies, to be served concurrently. Jones was charged by second superseding indictment in January 2024 with two counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), murder in the course of using and carrying a firearm, and using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In November of last year, a federal jury found him guilty on all counts. As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on August 22, 2022, the defendant drove two other men to a cell phone store on the 100 block of East Olney Avenue. While Jones waited in his Chevrolet Suburban, the two others went inside the store, forced their way into a back room, and stole multiple cell phones. The three men then fled the scene in the defendant’s Suburban. Then, on January 17, 2023, Jones, accompanied by his girlfriend and two other men, drove the Suburban to a gas station on the 7100 block of Torresdale Avenue, which the group intended to rob. They planned to wait for the gas station attendant to leave the store to smoke a cigarette, at which point the defendant would approach with his .45-caliber pistol. The two men accompanying Jones would zip-tie the attendant and force him back into the station to open the safe. When the attendant failed to exit, however, the group sent the defendant’s girlfriend into the store to see what was happening and to determine if the men could kick in the door to the register area. After she reported back, the three men entered the store. Immediately upon entering, Jones pushed his pistol under the protective glass and shot the attendant in the back as the attendant tried to run away. Jones and the two men ransacked the store and stole the attendant’s wallet, as he lay dying on the floor. “The defendant shot an unarmed man in the back because it was easier than chasing after him,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He and his crew then pawed through the victim’s pockets, as he lay dying. In the face of such senseless violence and casual cruelty, this life sentence is richly deserved. We are all safer with Chihean Jones behind bars.” “Chihean Jones committed a horrific and cowardly act when he shot and killed an innocent victim simply trying to make a living,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “In partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the ATF Philadelphia Field Division will continue to work tirelessly to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer from dangerous criminals like Jones.” This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Parisi and Amanda McCool.


title: Larchmont Woman Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Federal Prison for Her Role in Hospice and Diagnostic Testing Fraud that Conned Medicare

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A woman from the Larchmont area of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 35 months in federal prison for defrauding Medicare out of more than $14 million by submitting fraudulent claims for hospice care and diagnostic testing services that were either unnecessary or not provided at all. Sophia Shaklian, 38, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who also ordered her to pay $14,103,043 in restitution. Shaklian pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of health care fraud. From March 2019 to August 2024, Shaklian and her co-schemers – often using aliases – used multiple bogus hospice and diagnostic testing providers enrolled with Medicare and submitted fraudulent claims on behalf of companies she owned. These businesses included a Shaklian-owned hospice company – the Pasadena-based Chateau d’Lumina Hospice and Palliative Care – and several diagnostic testing companies: Saint Gorge Radiology in Sylmar; Hope Diagnostics in North Hollywood; Direct Imaging & Diagnostics and Lab One – both based in Hollywood; and Labtech and Lifescan Diagnostics in Claremont. Shaklian and her co-schemers used the information of Medicare beneficiaries, and checked beneficiaries’ Medicare eligibility to knowingly and willfully submit fraudulent claims to Medicare on behalf of beneficiaries who did not need the services, had never received the services, and were not familiar with the fraudulent hospice and diagnostic testing providers, with the intent to defraud Medicare into reimbursing the sham providers for those claimed services. For example, Shaklian and her co-schemers knowingly and willfully submitted a false and fraudulent claim for $2,000 in November 2022 to Medicare for diagnostic testing purportedly provided to an individual. Shaklian admitted in her plea agreement that fraudulent claims were submitted on behalf of the sham providers, some by herself and others by her co-schemers during and in furtherance of the above scheme. Because Shaklian was involved in the billing and was familiar with the amounts Medicare paid to the fraudulent providers on the types of claims submitted during this scheme, she caused a loss of at least $14,103,043 to Medicare. Co-defendant Alex Alexsanian, 48, a.k.a. “Samvel” and “Samo,” of Burbank, pleaded guilty on January 20 to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. He will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison at his April 28 sentencing hearing. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and the FBI are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin B. Reidy of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice an 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Noel Daniel Simonca (48, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Jordan Emery Pratt to 14 years in federal prison for using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Simonca pleaded guilty on October 28, 2025. He was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents and information presented in open court, on December 10, 2024, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adults who were seeking to contact and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as a person with access to an 11-year-old child, UC posted a short message in a public chat room of a particular online social messaging app. A short time later, a person using the app name “mdesase” contacted UC using a text messaging feature of the app. App user “mdesase,” subsequently identified as Simonca, confirmed that he would “love to see [the 11-year-old child],” and indicated that he had a sexual preference for children aged “8-13.” On December 11, 2024, UC and app user “mdesase” discussed meeting to have a “play date” and to “trade [children].” Simonca sent UC two non-explicit photos of an actual minor child who has since been identified by the FBI. During more text conversations, UC and Simonca discussed meeting in person. Simonca and UC discussed in detail the sexual abuse that Simonca planned to perpetrate against the 11-year-old “child.” On January 10, 2025, Simonca texted that he was “available to help” teach the “child” about sex. The following week, Simonca texted that UC was “supposed to tell [the 11-year-old ‘child’], so she can prepare, it’s a photo shoot.” On January 19, 2025, Simonca drove to a prearranged location in the Jacksonville area where he planned to meet UC and the “child.” When he arrived, Simonca was arrested by FBI agents. Further investigation also revealed that in December 2024, Simonca engaged in online conversation with another adult who was located outside of Florida and who had sent Simonca photos depicting the sexual abuse of an actual minor child. The FBI was able to identify and arrest this individual in February 2025. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local investigative resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Former Army Civilian Employee Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Children

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing two minors while he was employed by the Armed Forces outside of the United States. According to court documents, Thelmo Meneses Santos, Jr., 60, of Merced, sexually abused two minor children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing both of the minor victims when they were 11 years old. Santos sexually abused the two minors in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both minor children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents. After his arrest, Santos attempted to unlawfully influence one of his victims to falsely recant her report of sexual abuse. In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California; and Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office made the announcement. The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI investigated this case. Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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: South Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Kanawha County Drug Trafficking Organization

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Andre Marvin Marneal Jenkins, also known as “Meech,” 28, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jenkins admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. According to court documents and statements made in court, Jenkins arranged to distribute fentanyl pills to a co-conspirator who intended to redistribute those pills to a customer. Jenkins also assisted a co-conspirator in the distribution of fentanyl powder to a customer. On April 10, 2025, law enforcement officers encountered Jenkins when they executed a search warrant at a Charleston apartment and seized a quantity of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 17 9mm pistol from Jenkins’ possession. Jenkins also possessed a key to a storage unit in Dunbar. Officers executed a search warrant on that storage unit and recovered over 5,300 pills containing fentanyl and other substances, along with three additional firearms. Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2,250,000.00 Jenkins is among 16 individuals indicted as the result of a federal investigation on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Seven defendants in the main indictment pleaded guilty including Jenkins. Four additional defendants pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. The indictment against the remaining defendants is 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. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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. 2:25-cr-78. ###


title: Former Army Civilian Employee from Merced Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Children

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Thelmo Meneses Santos, Jr., 60, of Merced, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 15 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing two minors while he was employed by the Armed Forces outside of the United States. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California; and Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office made the announcement. According to court documents, Santos sexually abused two minor children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing both of the minor victims when they were 11 years old. Santos sexually abused the two minors in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both minor children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents. After his arrest, Santos attempted to unlawfully influence one of his victims to falsely recant her report of sexual abuse. In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Sutter Facilities Agree to Pay $3.2 Million to Resolve Alleged Controlled Substances Act Violations

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, and Sutter Fairfield Surgery Center have agreed to pay $3.2 million to resolve allegations that they failed to effectively guard against theft and diversion of controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. This settlement relates to allegations of the entities’ collective commission of at least 628 violations of recordkeeping and security requirements under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The United States contends that these two Sutter-affiliated entities violated the CSA by, among other violations, failing to: notify the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of theft or loss, keep accurate records of controlled substances, complete biennial inventories, maintain complete controlled substance order records, and provide effective controls against diversion. The investigation was initiated following the death of a pediatric anesthesiologist. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to hold health care providers accountable for failing to effectively guard against the diversion of potentially dangerous controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Our community deserves the right to place its trust in health care providers that dispense controlled substances and to know that they adhere to and apply the right safeguards to ensure safety around those products.” “DEA registrants play a critical role in protecting the public and that responsibility starts with strict compliance to the Code of Federal Regulations,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge, Bob P. Beris of the San Francisco Field Division. “If a company chooses to ignore these obligations, it puts communities at risk and undermines the safeguards designed to keep the public safe. DEA holds registrants accountable and in turn, expects them to keep the public safe.” The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Thiess assisted in completing the resolution on behalf of the United States. A copy of the settlement agreement is available here: smcs_and_sfsc_settlement_agreement_executed.pdf The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Uruguayan Man Pleads Guilty to Agreeing to Move Money into the U.S. to Circumvent U.S. Sanctions Relating to Venezuelan Officials

body_text: A Uruguayan man pleaded guilty today to agreeing to use an unlicensed money services business to circumvent U.S. sanctions relating to Venezuela by transferring nearly $100,000 from the Dominican Republic into a U.S. bank account. According to court documents, Irazmar Carbajal De Jesus, 60, agreed to transfer approximately $99,500 delivered in cash in the Dominican Republic to a specified bank account in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The agents told the defendant’s partner that the funds were from a sanctioned person from the Venezuela government who needed help moving them to the United States. Carbajal and his partner advised that the fee would be 20 percent for this service, which included creating fake invoices to justify the transactions to the banks and the use of several accounts to transmit the funds. Carbajal referred to the funds in coded language, identifying them as a “boy who needs to be taken to school.” Carbajal pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Division made the announcement. The FBI International Corruption Unit in Miami investigated the case. Trial Attorney Barbara Levy of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations. MNF’s International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: RENO – A Reno man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Anne R. Traum to 60 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for receiving child sexual abuse material images and videos after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) forwarded a CyberTip to law enforcement. The United States Sentencing Guidelines range for this offense was 151 to 188 months. The government had recommended a 151-month sentence to be followed by Lifetime supervised release. According to court documents, beginning about June 6, 2024, William Alan Barragan Diaz downloaded and possessed images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and found child sexual abuse material files on his cell phones. Some of the images and videos analyzed were of children under 12 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct and intercourse with adults. In total, over 6,200 images and over 400 videos of child sexual abuse material were recovered from the two electronic devices seized from Diaz. “A registered sex offender who received thousands of child sexual abuse images and videos was sentenced to the mandatory minimum penalty,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “As part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative to combat child sexual exploitation, we remain committed to working with the Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force to protect young children and bring child predators to justice.” “Mr. Diaz was a serious threat to children due to his repeated exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office. “This sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the FBI and our partners to justice for vulnerable victims. Few situations are more urgent than when a child is at risk. Those who exploit children cause lasting harm, and possessing and trading child sexual abuse material only continues the abuse.” In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Diaz will be required to register as a sex offender and keep the registration current. This case was investigated by the Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force comprised of the FBI, the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, the Sparks Police Department, and the Washoe County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Randolph J. St. Clair prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report an online child sexual exploitation offense, call 911 or go NCMEC’s CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org . ###


title: Texas Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Tax Crime as Part of False Return Scheme

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A Texas return preparer pleaded guilty today to filing false federal tax returns on behalf of clients. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: From approximately January 2019 to October 2022, Subhala Suresh worked at a tax preparation firm where she prepared false federal tax returns for clients that included false expenses designed to reduce the taxes her clients owed to the IRS. As a result of these false expenses, Suresh’s clients received refunds to which they were not entitled. Based on the false tax returns she filed, Suresh admitted to causing a tax loss to the United States between $250,000 and $550,000. This plea follows recent guilty pleas of three other Texas return preparers . Mathews Chacko, Anish Pillai and Mou Kundu all prepared false federal tax returns as part of the same scheme. Chacko previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and admitted that the conspiracy caused a total tax loss exceeding $3.5 million but less than $9.5 million. Pillai previously pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return and admitted that he caused between $1.5 million and $3.5 million in losses to the United States. Kundu also previously pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return and admitted that she caused between $250,000 and $550,000 in losses to the United States. All four individuals will be sentenced at a later date. Suresh pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Marissa R. Brodney and Michael L. Jones of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Tax Section, are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Ringleader of Fentanyl Trafficking Network Sentenced in Orchestrating Drug Imports from Federal Prison Cell

body_text: WASHINGTON – Samuel Braxton, 57, aka “Fats,” of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today to 162 months in federal prison for leading a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed massive quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and heroin in the Washington metropolitan area — all while he was incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Braxton pleaded guilty Dec. 8, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and 100 grams or more of heroin. In addition to the prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Braxton to serve five years of supervised release. “Braxton’s criminal history spans 36 years and includes four drug trafficking convictions. In his latest offense, he orchestrated an international narcotics pipeline—all while inside a federal prison cell,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Now, Braxton will spend more than 13 additional years behind bars. Together with the DEA and our law enforcement partners, we will hold traffickers at every level of the production and distribution chain accountable.” According to court documents, Braxton was the top and unifying member of a drug trafficking conspiracy involving at least eight individuals that operated from at least July 2021 until November 2023. Using a contraband cell phone from his housing unit at Fort Dix where he was serving a sentence for a prior federal drug conviction, Braxton brokered connections between foreign nationals who supplied kilogram quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and heroin, and co-conspirators Wayne Glymph and Ronnie Rogers, who received, cut, repackaged, and redistributed the drugs throughout the Washington area. Court-authorized wiretaps were placed on Braxton's contraband phone, and the phone was ultimately seized from his housing unit by law enforcement during the investigation. Braxton introduced Glymph to foreign drug suppliers and introduced Glymph to Rogers — a former prison acquaintance — for the purpose of acquiring and redistributing the imported narcotics. Braxton coordinated shipment tracking, communicated with suppliers about drug payments, and arranged for his share of the proceeds to be paid to his daughter. Wiretap recordings captured Braxton complaining to Rogers that Glymph was interfering with his cut of the drug proceeds, asking, "when's my allowance going to get like it's supposed to be?" Over the course of the conspiracy, law enforcement intercepted communications between Braxton, Glymph, and Rogers coordinating the shipment of kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin to addresses in the Washington metropolitan area. Authorities seized or recovered more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl nearly two kilograms of a fentanyl analogue known as p-Fluorofentanyl, and more than 236 grams of heroin. Individual seizures included parcels of about one kilo of fentanyl intercepted at a UPS facility in Landover, Maryland, after investigators tracked the shipments through wiretap intercepts. The drugs traveled from foreign sources through domestic shipping hubs in California, Texas, and Florida before reaching their destinations in the Washington area. In November 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at residences associated with Rogers and Glymph in the District, Charles County, Maryland, and District Heights, Maryland, seizing additional kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin. Braxton's criminal history spans 36 years and includes four drug trafficking convictions, two of them federal. He and Glymph previously were convicted together in the District of Maryland of conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine base, and PCP, for which Braxton received a 24-year sentence. It was while serving that sentence that Braxton organized and directed the instant conspiracy. Co-conspirators Wayne Glymph, 59, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, was sentenced Jan. 14, 2026, to 13½ years in federal prison. Michael Stewart, 61, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Dec. 22, 2025, to 71 months in prison. Kevin Quattlebaum, 59, was sentenced Oct. 21, 2025, to 142 months in prison. Ronnie Rogers, 71, who is scheduled for sentencing on March 31, faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life. Michael Owens, 38, of St. Charles, Maryland, pleaded guilty Dec. 8, 2025; sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2026. Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, Chief Tarrick McGuire of the Alexandria Police Department, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George's County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff's Office, Arlington County Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey. 23cr394


title: Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to Over 4 Years in Federal Prison  for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 9, 2026. Bessie Rose Brewer, 33, was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the Conspiracy charge, to run concurrent to three years in federal prison for the Firearms Possession charge. Brewer was indicted for Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May 2025. Brewer was subsequently charged by Superseding Information for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine & Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person in November 2025. She pleaded guilty to both charges on November 17, 2025. In January 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop finding Brewer in the vehicle. During the stop, law enforcement located and seized a pistol from Brewer’s jacket pocket and located a small amount of cocaine in the vehicle. Through further investigation, law enforcement learned Brewer had been receiving cocaine from others and selling that cocaine in the Pine Ridge Reservation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force, which is comprised of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case. Brewer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who sexually exploited children and received child pornography pled guilty on March 23, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Steven William Acklin, age 28, formerly from Waterloo, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Acklin admitted that between January 2024 and September 2024, Acklin persuaded, induced, and enticed multiple minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Between October 2023 and November 2024, he received child pornography. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Acklin remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Acklin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-2058. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.