title: Leeton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Leeton, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm. William N. Brown, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Brown was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions. On Feb. 13, 2025, Brown pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm as an armed career criminal. Brown admitted he was in possession of a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun with the serial number filed off, on Feb. 26, 2024. The shotgun was modified with both the barrel and butt stock sawed off. Brown was arrested on Feb. 26, 2024, after witnesses reported seeing Brown walk to a neighbor’s house carrying a machete and a shotgun. Deputies of the Johnson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office were granted a search warrant to search Brown’s residence and located the shotgun in a seating bench with a storage location. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown has two felony convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, two felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon – exhibiting, two felony convictions for tampering, two felony convictions for driving while revoked or suspended, as well as felony convictions for assault, arson, burglary, stealing, possession of a controlled substance, and damage to jail property. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Johnson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Illegal Alien and Mexican National Sentenced to 215 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Kilograms of Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Defendant possessed over four pounds of 100% pure Methamphetamine BRUNSWICK, GA: On August 28, 2025, in Brunswick, Georgia, the Honorable Lisa Godbey Wood sentenced the defendant, Ismael Delgado-Celis, 37, a Mexican national illegally living in Hazlehurst, Georgia, to a term of 215 months of imprisonment for Possession and Attempt to Possess with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine. The sentencing followed a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, where the Defendant was found guilty of possessing and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute over four pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system. During testimony and evidence presented during the trial, the Government established that on September 12, 2024, the Defendant attempted to receive a package directly from Mexico containing what was described as a horse saddle. Upon further inspection, law enforcement found methamphetamine hidden inside. Before the package was delivered, law enforcement agents removed the saddle and the over two kilograms of pure methamphetamine that had been hidden inside. The evidence revealed that this horse saddle seemed to have been constructed around the package of drugs, a sophisticated method of importing illegal drugs into the United States. The package was then delivered to the Defendant by law enforcement under the ruse of an actual package delivery by the United States Postal Service. The Defendant accepted the package from law enforcement, brought it inside his residence to store before distributing, and was subsequently arrested by law enforcement. “Methamphetamine destroys lives, families, and communities. This amount of methamphetamine could have devastated the community. I am pleased to work with such great law enforcement partners. It takes a network of law enforcement professionals to dismantle a network of criminals,” stated United States Attorney Margaret E. Heap. “The sentencing of Delgado-Celis underscores the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to protect our communities from the devastating impact of drug trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “Smuggling pure methamphetamine hidden in a horse saddle and shipping it across the country is not only brazen but deeply harmful to the safety and well-being of our communities. This case is a testament to the tireless efforts of HSI and our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who seek to flood our streets with dangerous drugs are held accountable. We will continue to pursue justice and dismantle criminal networks wherever they operate.” “Using a shipping service to traffic dangerous drugs not only threatens our communities but also places unsuspecting workers at risk,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA investigators remain committed to intercepting these packages and stopping the poison before it reaches the streets.” “Postal Inspectors will continue to support our law enforcement partners in the removal of lethal and dangerous drugs to keep communities safe,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigation, Customs and Border Protection, and the Jeff Davis Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura and Deputy Criminal Chief E. Greg Gilluly, Jr.


title: Lebanon Man Indicted For Attempting To Possess Precursor Chemical To  Manufacture Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Charles Adams, age 40, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of attempted possession of a listed chemical with intent to manufacture a controlled substance. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about November 19, 2024 and November 22, 2024, Adams attempted to possess methylamine with the intent of unlawfully manufacturing methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offenses is 40 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: NEW JERSEY MAN CHARGED WITH IDENTITY THEFT AND BANK FRAUD FOR FRAUDULENT TRANSACTIONS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA AND SOUTH CAROLINA

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michael Scott Hillwig, 58, of Camden, New Jersey, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with two counts of bank fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of false use or forgery of a passport. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Hillwig appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his arraignment in federal court on August 27, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is set for October 27, 2025, before United States District Judge Mark Walker. If convicted, Hillwig faces up to thirty years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count, a minimum mandatory two years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count, and up to ten years’ imprisonment for the false use or forgery of a passport count. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and Holmes County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Harley W. Ferguson is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Stockton and Napa Residents Indicted for Drug and Gun Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO , Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment Thursday against Cruz Tinajero, 25, of Napa, and Ashan Naeem, 24, of Stockton, charging them with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm without a serial number, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, between April 11, 2024, and Nov. 13, 2024, Tinajero and Naeem conspired to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl. Tinajero and Naeem also possessed a semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle manufactured without a serial number. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Taskforce (METRO), and the Stockton High Intensity Narcotics Enforcement (SHINE), which is part of the Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (CVC HIDTA). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura is prosecuting the case. If convicted, the defendants face a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of up to life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This investigation and prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The specific mission of the OCDETF Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, and prosecute the most significant criminal organizations operating in the Eastern District of California. OCDETF Sacramento Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from DEA, FBI, HSI, IRS-CI, USMS, ATF, USPIS, BLM, USFS, Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, California National Guard, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, and Central Valley CA HIDTA. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California with the assistance of the Yolo County and Placer County District Attorney.


title: Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor in Key West

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A man has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child after communicating online with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles imposed the sentence on Clifford Frederic Lind, 41, who used the online alias “it is what it is.” Lind pleaded guilty in April to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor and attempting to entice a minor. According to court documents and statements made in court, between May 29 and June 4, 2024, Lind exchanged messages through a social media application and text with someone he believed was an underage girl. During those exchanges, which took place while Lind was in Key West, he sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself and requested images from the individual he believed to be a minor. Lind also discussed plans to meet the purported 13-year-old in person to engage in sexual activity, including details about picking her up and where they would stay. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement. FBI Miami, Key West Resident Agency investigated the case. The Key West Police Department provided invaluable assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Maultasch prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-10008. ###


title: Lakeland Man Sentenced To 11 Years For Distributing Methamphetamine And Possessing A Firearm And Ammunition As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle has sentenced Moreno Fenelus (44, Lakeland) to 11 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Fenelus pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025. According to court documents, between January and March 2023, Fenelus sold various narcotics to a confidential source (CS) working for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. In January 2023, Fenelus sold cocaine and para-fluorofentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl, to the CS. In February 2023, Fenelus sold a mixture of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl to the CS, and in March 2023, Fenelus sold methamphetamine to the CS. In July 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Fenelus’s home and located cocaine, para-fluorofentanyl, six firearms, and various ammunition, which belonged to Fenelus. At that time, Fenelus had been convicted of a prior felony offense. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Arrest in Southeast

body_text: WASHINGTON – Mustafa Wright, 32, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in an indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Wright is charged federally with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Jessica M.E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police. This prosecution comes as part of the "Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful" initiative, which is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. According to court documents, on August 17, 2025, members of the United States Park Police were on patrol near Poplar Point and Anacostia Drive SE, when they noticed Mustafa Wright driving a vehicle with expired tags. Officers impounded the vehicle after Wright was unable to provide valid registration or insurance. Upon a routine search of the vehicle, officers discovered a Glock 17 9 mm pistol, loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition in the chamber and 22 additional rounds in the 31-round capacity magazine. Wright is prohibited from possession of a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2014 burglary conviction and a 2019 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the United States Park Police. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 25cr255


title: Orange County Man Sentenced to One Year in Federal Prison for Running Illegal Sports-Betting Business and Cheating on Taxes

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison for running an illegal gambling business that took in unlawful sports bets, including from then-current and former professional athletes as well as a now-imprisoned former Major League Baseball (MLB) Japanese-language interpreter. Mathew R. Bowyer, 50, of San Juan Capistrano, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb, who also ordered him to pay $1,613,280 in restitution. Bowyer pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of operating an unlawful gambling business, one count of money laundering, and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. Bowyer operated an unlicensed and illegal bookmaking business that focused on sports betting and violated a California law that prohibits bookmaking. Bowyer’s gambling business remained in operation for at least five years until October 2023 and at times had more than 700 bettors. “[Bowyer’s] crimes were not a single indiscretion, but instead a multi-year operation that raked in millions of dollars for [Bowyer] and his associates to gamble and live an extravagant lifestyle, often through the exploitation of people [Bowyer] recognized were addicted and extending themselves beyond their means, money that was routed through multiple accounts and ultimately not reported to the government on [Bowyer’s] taxes,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. Bowyer operated this business out of various locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties as well as in Las Vegas. Bowyer also employed agents and sub-agents – including casino hosts – who worked for his illegal gambling business who were paid a portion of the losses that bettors incurred and paid. His unlawful business used several Costa Rica-based websites and a call center so agents and customers could place and track bets. At times, Bowyer operated his illegal business while gambling at a casino – identified in court documents as “Casino A” – and sometimes paid his agents commission in Casino A chips. One of Bowyer’s clients was Ippei Mizuhara, who is serving a 57-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty in June 2024 to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. Mizuhara was the Japanese-language interpreter and de facto manager of MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani. Mizuhara admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts and failing to pay tax on his gambling income. From September 2021 to January 2024, Mizuhara placed at least 19,000 bets with Bowyer’s illegal gambling business through one of the betting websites Bowyer used for it. During this period, Mizuhara had total winning bets of at least $142,256,769, and total losing bets of at least $182,935,206, leaving Mizuhara owing approximately $40,678,436. On a regular basis during this period, Bowyer would increase Mizuhara’s betting limits. From February 2022 to January 2024, Bowyer directed Mizuhara to make payments of at least $16.25 million to Bowyer-controlled bank accounts, all of which were proceeds of Bowyer’s illegal gambling business. Of these illegal proceeds, Bowyer transferred or directed the transfer of least $9.3 million to a casino in the form of wire transfers as payment for markers for Bowyer and his associates. Other Bowyer gambling business customers included “Individual B,” a professional baseball player for a Southern California-based baseball club, and “Individual C,” a former minor-league baseball player. Bowyer knowingly and willfully falsely reported his taxable income to the IRS on his tax return for the year 2022. On that year’s tax return, Bowyer reported $607,897 in total income. His unreported income for that year was $4,030,938, which was income from his illegal gambling business, including $3.8 million in wire transfers into one of his bank accounts, which he did not declare on his tax return. As a result of the false information Bowyer provided, he owes additional taxes of $1,613,280 for the tax year 2022, not including interest and penalties. As part of his plea agreement, Bowyer agreed to forfeit $257,923 in U.S. currency and $14,830 in casino chips seized by law enforcement in October 2023. IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section and Jonathan S. Galatzan of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section prosecuted this case.


title: Florida Man Indicted for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl into Federal Prisons via Drone

body_text: FRESNO , Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against James Key III, 45, of Eustis, Florida, charging him with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, between Dec. 16, 2024, and Aug. 17, 2025, Key conspired with Federal Bureau of Prisons inmates to introduce fentanyl and contraband cellphones into BOP facilities in Atwater, California, Florida, and South Carolina. Key and his conspirators applied fentanyl onto paper, bundled that paper, wrapped it in synthetic grass, and then delivered it by drone into the prisons. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Key faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Palm Harbor Man Sentenced To More Than Six Years In Prison For Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced George Puskas, II (66, Palm Harbor) to six years and six months in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Puskas was also ordered to pay $46,000 in restitution and will be required to register as a sex offender. Puskas pleaded guilty on March 27, 2025. According to court documents, between December 2022 and August 2023, the FBI used a file-sharing program to connect to one of Puskas’s electronic devices and download from it several files of CSAM. In September 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Puskas’ home and seized several electronic devices. A forensic search of those devices revealed hundreds of photos and dozens of videos of CSAM, including images that depicted minors under the age of 12 and sadistic or masochistic conduct. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Largo Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 102 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 102 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On August 22, Juan Nunez-Bravo was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Nunez-Bravo tried to enter the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry by telling a Customs and Border Protection officer that he was a U.S. citizen who had lost his documents. The officer discovered through fingerprints that Nunez-Bravo was, in fact, a Mexican citizen who had been previously deported in 1996 and 2012. On August 27, Jose Alfred Vasquez-Garcia, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, the defendant was aboard a 20-foot white boat with other undocumented immigrants when it was intercepted by a Customs and Border Protection vessel. Vasquez-Garcia had been previously deported on May 6 from the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On August 27, Luzbelen Gonzalez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain and Aggravated Identity Theft. According to a complaint, the defendant attempted used a bogus birth certificate to smuggle a child into the United States through the San Ysidro Port of Entry pedestrian lanes in a stroller. The woman claimed the child was her two-year-old daughter. A Customs and Border Protection officer asked the defendant to remove the blankets obscuring the child in the stroller and discovered a nine-year-old girl from Oaxaca. On August 27, Jonathan Gomez Rangel, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Gomez attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry when Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 51 packages weighing 120 pounds of cocaine concealed in the roof of the vehicle. Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases: On August 25, Mirhzan Javier Roa-Gomez, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of misdemeanor illegal entry in March, was sentenced in federal court to 66 days in custody for again entering the U.S illegally. On August 29, Hector Armando Ibarra Mendoza, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony stalking and injury to a spouse/cohabitant, was sentenced in federal court to 12 months in custody for again entering the U.S illegally. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Citizen Of Mexico Sentenced On Illegal Reentry Charge

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Leonardo Mendoza-Zavala, age 44, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment yesterday by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson on a charge of illegal reentry. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, following convictions in Texas for attempt to take a weapon from an officer, resisting arrest, and terroristic threats, Mendoza-Zavala was removed from the United States on January 6, 2020, through Laredo, Texas. Thereafter, he reentered the United States without obtaining legal permission to do so. On June 21, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Mendoza-Zavala in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, in the parking lot of a motel. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiate that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). # # #


title: Louisiana Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison for Various Internet Sex Crimes Involving a Martin County Minor

body_text: MIAMI – A registered sex offender from Destrehan, Louisiana, has been sentenced to life in federal prison, followed by a consecutive 10-year term, for multiple child exploitation crimes, including attempted enticement of a minor, attempted production of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of a minor, transfer of obscene material to a minor, and offense by a registered sex offender. In addition to the prison sentence, Nicolas James Palmisano, 45, was ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release, upon release from custody, and to pay restitution. U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez imposed the sentence on August 25 after a federal jury found Palmisano guilty in May following a two-day trial. According to court records and evidence introduced during the trial, in 2019, Palmisano was convicted in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana for sexual offenses involving a juvenile. Upon the completion of his four-year prison sentence, Palmisano registered as a sex offender with the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office in the town in which he resided. In May 2024, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) learned that a minor had images of sexually explicit activity on her cellular phone. An MCSO computer forensic examiner recovered messages, images, and recordings from the minor’s cellular phone that were sent from Palmisano’s cellular number. Despite acknowledging that the minor was 15 years old, Palmisano wrote thousands of sexually explicit messages and sent multiple sexually explicit images, as well as audio and video recordings, of himself between February 22 and May 6, 2024. Palmisano also solicited, and obtained, sexually explicit images from the minor. In August 2024, members of the FBI and MCSO arrested Palmisano at the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, after he arrived for his annual Sexual Offender Registration review and update. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Palmisano’s residence and recovered his cellular phone, which was found to contain the sexually explicit material that Palmisano and the minor exchanged. FBI Fort Pierce investigated the case, with assistance from MCSO, FBI New Orleans, and St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. Fort Pierce Branch Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Kahn Obenauf 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 the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . To report online child sexual exploitation, visit https://report.cybertip.org/ or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in partnership with HSI and other law enforcement agencies. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-14044. ###


title: Sacramento Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Children

body_text: SACRAMENTO , Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday against Roland Edward Bain, 40, of Sacramento, charging him with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, Bain sexually exploited two minors, one between 2021 and 2023, and another in 2024. Bain is currently in state custody on related charges. This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Sacramento Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Harman is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Bain faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison on each count and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case 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: 234 Immigration Cases Added in Western District of Texas This Week

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 234 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 22 through 28. Among the new cases, Mexican national Joel Guerrero-Sanchez was arrested in Medina County on Wednesday and charged with alien smuggling. Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) conducted a traffic stop on a tractor-trailer allegedly driven by Guerrero-Sanchez along I-35. The criminal complaint alleges that a search of the tractor and trailer revealed two illegal aliens hidden in a compartment inside the sleeper cab. If convicted, Guerrero-Sanchez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. A Mexican national was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody on Aug. 22 after being arrested in San Antonio for evading arrest with previous conviction. Juan Moreno Lopez faces an illegal re-entry charge after being previously removed from the U.S. four times in addition to four voluntary returns to Mexico. His extensive criminal record began with a burglary in 1988 and includes multiple convictions for evading arrest in San Antonio and Williamson County. In Midland, Mexican national Orlando Everado Aguirre-Barra was federally charged with illegal re-entry. He was initially arrested by DPS on July 25 and had been previously removed from the United States in 2019 following a conviction for illegal re-entry. Aguirre-Barra was also convicted in Phoenix, Arizona in 2014 for criminal trespass and possession of a controlled substance, and in 2015 for burglary. Samuel Josias Ruiz-Diaz , also a Mexican national, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Del Rio. He’s charged with being an alien illegally present in the U.S., having been previously removed to Mexico in April. In 2022, Ruiz-Diaz was convicted for two separate DWI charges in Minnesota. Also in Del Rio, a Fijian national in the U.S. on an immigration visa was arrested on an alien smuggling conspiracy charge. Viliame Fonolahi Ralulu was pulled over on Highway 277 south of Brackettville when U.S. Border Patrol agents allegedly observed a subject in the back seat look up then duck down in an attempt to conceal themselves. During an immigration inspection, two passengers were allegedly discovered in the back seat and determined to be illegally present in the U.S. A Mexican national with a violent criminal record was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol and charged with illegal re-entry in El Paso. Frederico Bedolla-Bedolla has been removed from the U.S. four times and has been convicted in Arizona for two disorderly conduct charges for fighting and assault causing fear of physical injury, as well as domestic violence. Justin Ross Meunier , a U.S. citizen with multiple felony convictions, was arrested for allegedly transporting three illegal aliens near the Tornillo Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that U.S. Border Patrol agents observed Meunier’s vehicle stop near an orchard before three individuals emerged from hiding and boarded the vehicle. The agents approached and Meunier allegedly yelled in Spanish for the suspected aliens to get out and run. Meunier has been convicted for alien smuggling twice before, leading to 18 months of probation in 2019 and 21 months in prison in 2021. U.S. Border Patrol agents also arrested Francisco Vidales-Aldaba for alien smuggling near the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry. An agent allegedly observed two individuals, appearing wet and muddy, exit a residence and flag down a vehicle, which they boarded. Vidales-Aldaba was identified as the driver, and all three individuals were found to be illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges that Vidales-Aldaba had been a foot guide to five illegal aliens on Aug. 23 and had smuggled in four to five illegal aliens at a time on 15 occasions between 2022 and 2024. Immigration records indicate he’s been granted 15 voluntary departures through El Paso, the last being on Dec. 11, 2023. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Repeat Sex Offender from California Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child Exploitation

body_text: MIAMI –A registered sex offender from Escondido, California, has been sentenced to life in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Michael Gordon Douglas, 48, was sentenced on August 25, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon to life in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervision as a sex offender. Douglas was also ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution. A federal jury convicted Douglas in May, following a five-day trial, of seven counts of CSAM distribution and one count of attempted enticement of a minor. According to court records and evidence introduced during the trial, in 2023, Douglas communicated with an undercover agent who he believed was the mother of an eight-year-old girl. During the conversations, Douglas distributed CSAM to the undercover agent and arranged to meet the eight-year-old girl to have sex with her. On the day of a planned meeting in California, Douglas spotted law enforcement and attempted to flee in his vehicle. Agents stopped Douglas, and a female passenger jumped out screaming, “He’s got a grenade, he’s going to kill us!” Douglas then displayed what appeared to be a real grenade—later determined to be a replica—and engaged in a brief standoff with a SWAT team before being taken into custody. Prior to his conviction in the instant case, Douglas was convicted in California in 2011 of distribution of matter depicting a minor in sexual conduct, possession of matter depicting a minor in sexual conduct, and attempt to distribute harmful matter to a minor. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, and Special Agent in Charge Shawn S. Gibson of HSI San Diego announced the sentence. The case was investigated by HSI agents located in West Palm Beach, Florida and Oceanside, California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chapman and Adam McMichael prosecuted the case. The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-80219. ###


title: Venezuelan Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Immigration and Firearms Crimes

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 27, 2025, Julio Cesar Romero-Paredes, 47, of Venezuela, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 24 months’ imprisonment. Romero-Paredes previously pleaded guilty to illegally entering the United States and possessing a firearm as someone who had illegally entered the United States. According to court records, just before 1:00 am on November 7, 2024, Romero-Paredes drove his motorcycle around the barriers near the Haskell Library in Derby Line, Vermont. United States Customs and Border Protection Officers thereafter stopped Romero-Paredes riding the motorcycle southbound on Interstate 91. In a search of Romero-Paredes’s person and the motorcycle, law enforcement found: a Walther .22 caliber pistol, multiple firearm magazines, a suppressor, approximately 50 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, approximately 30 rounds of 9mm ammunition, multiple knives, handcuff keys, and a collapsible baton. Romero-Paredes, who is a citizen of Venezuela, later admitted to law enforcement that he was illegally in the United States. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of United States Customs and Border Protection and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Cate and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn. Romero-Paredes was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Carmen Brooks.


title: Carjacker Gets 14 Years in Prison for Two Carjackings Committed Days Apart

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Erick Alvarenga, 19, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for his participation in two separate carjackings committed in December 2024 and January 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Alvarenga pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025, in D.C. Superior Court, to one count of carjacking (unarmed) and one count of possession of a firearm during crime of violence for the December 28, 2024, offense, and to one count of carjacking (unarmed) and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for the January 3, 2025, offense. His co-defendant, Malik Kearney, 20, who also pleaded guilty on June 23 rd , is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2025. The Honorable Judge Andrea Hertzfeld ordered Alvarenga to serve 60 months in prison on each count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and 84 months in prison for each count of unarmed carjacking. Both charges in the December 28 th offense will run concurrent to one another but consecutive to the charges for the January 3 rd offense. According to the government’s evidence, at around 4:45 a.m., on December 28, 2024, Alvarenga and Kearney approached the first victim while he was parked in a Jeep SUV in the 6100 block of Eastern Avenue, Northeast, one of whom was armed with a black handgun. The defendants ordered the victim out of the car and to hand them his car keys. The defendants then drove away from the scene. Days later January 3, 2025, the second offense, occurred around 3:00 p.m., in the 4200 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, Northeast. The second victim was at a gas station and had finished putting gas in his Dodge sedan. Alvarenga used the Jeep which had been stolen on December 28, 2024, to block in the victim’s car, while Kearney approached the victim with a handgun. After ordering the victim out of his car, Kearney got behind the wheel of the Dodge, and both vehicles then fled in the same direction. Alvarenga and Kearney were arrested later that evening and have been in custody since. At the time of their arrest, officers recovered two firearms from the location where the defendants were detained -- one had the serial number removed and the other was a PMF ghost gun. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Special Agent Nelson Rhone, Jr.. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Randle Wilson and Amanda Hoover, who prosecuted the case.


title: Violent Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: JOSHUA GILBERT, also known as “Lor Heavy,” 24, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 480 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang. Today’s announcement was made was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and Acting Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal John Iverson. According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder, and other acts of violence. Gilbert was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, a West End gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers, and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities. In November 2019, O.N.E. members stole a Lexus Rx350 from Rye, New York. In early December 2019, O.N.E. members were involved in multiple shots-fired incidents in Bridgeport. In one incident, the mother of rival gang members was shot outside of her Bridgeport home. In another incident, on December 8, 2019, O.N.E. members used the stolen Lexus in a shooting incident at the P.T. Barnum Housing Complex, damaging several cars, and then drove it to Newfield Avenue in Bridgeport where Gilbert and other O.N.E. members shot and killed Ty’Quess Moore, also known as “Breezo,” 18. Gilbert and other O.N.E. members posted videos to social media in which they and others brandished firearms, celebrated violent gang culture, and referenced rivals who were killed. Gilbert has been detained since his arrest on July 19, 2021. On November 21, 2023, a jury found him guilty of racketeering conspiracy. Approximately 47 members and associates of multiple Bridgeport-based gangs were convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders. This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the police departments from Norwalk, Stamford, Fairfield, Stratford, Ansonia, Monroe, Waterbury, Naugatuck, Eastchester (N.Y.), Rye (N.Y.), and Newburgh (N.Y.). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, and Rahul Kale. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.


title: Former Postal Employee Admits Stealing Checks from Mail, Role in Bank Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KIERRA BLOUNT, 35, formerly of Stamford and currently residing in Plymouth, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to fraud and mail theft offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, Blount, at times while employed by the U.S. Postal Service in Stamford, stole mail and obtained stolen mail for the purpose of obtaining checks that were payable to other individuals. In approximately November 2021, Blount opened a bank account using the name and social security number of an individual without the identity theft victim’s knowledge. Blount and others fraudulently changed the payee names on stolen checks to the name of the identity theft victim, forged the victim’s signature on the back of the checks, and deposited them into the bank account Blount opened. From November 2021 until the account was closed in April 2022, Blount and others deposited approximately $156,000 in fraudulent checks into the account. Some check deposits were reversed by the bank, and Blount and others used approximately $81,000 for their own purposes. On June 20, 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Blount’s Stamford residence and seized a significant amount of stolen mail and other items related to this scheme, including debit cards in the names of other individuals, checks totaling more than $285,000, and sheets of paper containing personal information of other individuals, including names, dates of birth, addresses, email addresses, and security question answers. Subsequent analysis of cell phones seized from Blount on that date revealed images of stolen checks, personal identifying information for more than 50 individuals, and communications using the Telegram app with unknown individuals involved in the scheme. Blount was charged by indictment on March 26, 2024. She was arrested on June 17, 2024. Blount pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of unlawful possession of stolen mail, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for December 9. Blount is released on a $75,000 bond pending sentencing. This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud (CUT OFF) Task Force, which includes personnel from the Stamford, Milford, Westport, Fairfield, West Haven, West Hartford, and Bridgeport Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.


title: Jefferson County Man Admits Recording Sexual Abuse of Two Minors

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A Jefferson County, Missouri man on Friday admitted sexually abusing two girls and recording that abuse. Benjamin F. Sexton Jr., 48, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of receipt of child pornography. In 2023, the grandfather of one victim discovered explicit communications between that victim and Sexton. The victim told investigators that Sexton sexually abused her between the ages of 7 and 14 and recorded some of that abuse, Sexton admitted as part of his guilty plea. He also solicited sexual images via Snapchat and gave her methamphetamine. A second victim told law enforcement that Sexton sexually abused her multiple times when she was 15, and investigators found images of the teen in Sexton’s Google account. Sexton is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson will recommend 27 years in prison for his crimes. The St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anderson is prosecuting 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's 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: Mexican National Charged with Illegal Reentry to the United States

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on August 21, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Samuel Alfaro-Sanchez, 31, of Mexico, with being found in the United States on August 13, 2025, after having previously been removed from the United States. Alfaro-Sanchez entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on August 28, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Alfaro-Sanchez be detained during the pendency of this matter. According to court records, Alfaro-Sanchez, a citizen of Mexico, illegally entered the United States on numerous prior occasions. In 2008, Alfaro-Sanchez voluntarily returned to Mexico after having been apprehended near Tucson, Arizona. In 2018, Alfaro-Sanchez was removed from the United States twice after having been apprehended first near Paso Del Norte, Texas in March and then again near Sasabe, Arizona in July. In 2019, Alfaro-Sanchez was again removed from the United States after having been apprehended near El Paso, Texas. In 2020, Alfaro-Sanchez was expelled from the United States twice in September after having been apprehended on two separate occasions near Douglas, Arizona. In 2021, Alfaro-Sanchez was expelled from the United States after having been apprehended near Douglas, Arizona. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Alfaro-Sanchez is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Alfaro-Sanchez faces up to 2 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol. The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham. Alfaro-Sanchez is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Man Charged with Aiming Laser Pointer at Aircraft

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A North Kansas City. Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Aaron Randall Class, 53, was charged in a one-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 12, 2025. The indictment was unsealed and made public following Class’s arrest. The indictment alleges that on or about Nov. 23 rd , 2024, Class knowingly aimed a beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft that was in the aircraft jurisdiction of the United States at the time of the incident. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, Class is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison. 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. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Branon Chlarson. It was investigated by the North Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.


title: Juvenile Pleads Guilty to Firing Multiple Rounds in an Elementary School Playground

body_text: WASHINGTON – Travis Thomas, 17, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to shooting multiple rounds in an elementary school playground and armed carjacking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Thomas was charged as an adult under Title 16. Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to kill while armed and two counts of armed carjacking. The Honorable Judge Neal Kravitz, of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, scheduled sentencing for November 14, 2025. According to the government’s evidence, on April 20, 2025, Thomas got into an online argument with another individual, whom he believed to be affiliated with a rival crew. Thomas proceeded to travel to the 300 block of 53 rd Street SE, where he exited a vehicle and fired over 15 rounds into the playground of C.W. Harris Elementary School. One victim suffered a gunshot wound to the forehead and was taken to a local hospital, where surgeons had to remove a bullet. The victim suffered a skull fracture. The government’s investigation also revealed Thomas as a suspect from two separate armed carjackings, the first of which occurred on October 30, 2024, in the parking garage of the Safeway grocery store, located at 415 14 th Street SE, and the second of which occurred on November 17, 2024, in the 1300 block of Massachusetts Avenue SE. Thomas was arrested on April 25, 2025, and remains in custody. Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green, who is prosecuting the case.


title: Former St. Augustine Eighth Grade Teacher Pleads Guilty To Attempting To Entice And Use A 14-Year-Old Child To Produce A Sexual Abuse Video

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Matthew Christopher Yates (30, Hastings) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a 14-year-old child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a video of her own sexual abuse. Yates faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is set for December 18, 2025. At the time of his arrest on March 11, 2022, Yates was employed as an eighth-grade teacher at Veritas Classical School in St. Augustine. According to court documents, on February 11, 2022, an undercover FBI agent in Jacksonville, who was posing online as a 14-year-old child, responded to an online notice posted by the user “English teacher,” who was subsequently identified as Yates, on an online social media application (app). During this online text conversation, the “child” advised that “she” was 14 years old and in eighth grade, and Yates stated that he was a teacher, asking the “child,” “[e]ver fantasize about a teacher?” Yates and the “child” exchanged photos, and Yates stated, “I bet you look hot in a bikini.” Between February 22 and March 11, 2022, Yates and the “child” exchanged more text messages, and Yates sent the “child” several photos, including an explicit photo of himself. On March 8, 2022, Yates asked the “child” to meet in person, and he detailed the specific sexual acts that he intended to perform on the “child.” On March 10, 2022, Yates and the “child” confirmed plans to meet and Yates asked the “child” if “she” wanted to video-record their planned sexual activity so that the “child” “could remember it even better.” Yates told the “child” that he could use his cellphone to record their sexual activity and that he would delete the video later so that no one would see it. On March 11, 2022, Yates drove to a prearranged location in Jacksonville to meet the “child” for sex and was arrested by FBI agents. A search incident to his arrest revealed that Yates brought several condoms and a cellphone with him. Yates later admitted that he was going to meet a 14-year-old girl that he had met online and that he intended to have sex with “her.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Owner of California Blood Testing Laboratory Pleads Guilty to Tax and Health Care Related Crimes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty yesterday to tax and health care related crimes. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from approximately 2015 to 2023, Armen Muradyan, of Burbank, owned and operated Genex Laboratories, a blood testing laboratory. Muradyan paid a nominee to pose as Genex’s owner, even though Muradyan solely controlled all aspects of Genex and the nominee neither owned nor operated Genex. The nominee also held Genex’s bank accounts into which Medicare deposited more than $23 million in reimbursements. Muradyan provided the nominee annual financial summaries purporting to show Genex had little or no income tax liability, and he instructed the nominee to report Genex’s financial activity on the nominee’s personal tax returns. The nominee provided these financial documents to his tax preparer, who prepared the nominee’s tax returns using the false information provided by Muradyan. During these same years, Muradyan submitted his own federal tax returns that did not report any of Genex’s financial activity or the millions Muradyan used from Genex to pay for personal expenses. In total, Muradyan is alleged to have caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $8.5 million, and approximately $2.7 million to the state of California. Finally, in 2020, Muradyan submitted a false COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application. Under the EIDL program — created to aid small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic — a small business could receive a loan of up to $150,000 to cover six months of working capital. Muradyan filed the loan application on behalf of a fictitious company that Muradyan claimed had employees and generated nearly $1 million in income in 2019. In reality, Muradyan knew that the company did not have employees or income that year. As a result of his false application, Muradyan received nearly $100,000 in loans and used the proceeds for personal expenses, which was not permitted under the loan program. Muradyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. Muradyan is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 11. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for conspiring to commit health care fraud, and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion. He also faces 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, the FBI, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Mahana Weidler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Aveis for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case


title: Six Defendants Indicted for Commercial Drivers' License Bribery Scheme

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the August 28, 2025 indictment of six individuals for a bribery scheme that enabled drivers to obtain a commercial driver’s license (“CDL”) without undergoing any of the legally required training or testing. The indictment alleges that a local restaurant owner, MAHMOUD ALHATTAB (“ALHATTAB”) , in exchange for payments from CDL applicants, bypassed each of the three main federally-mandated steps of the CDL qualification process—knowledge testing, entry-level driver training, and skills testing. The knowledge test is a written test that must be passed at an Office of Motor Vehicles (“OMV”) office, and includes questions on vehicle safety systems, emergency situations, procedures for various maneuvers, and extreme driving conditions. Entry-level driver training is required for most CDL applicants, and includes demonstrating proficiency while operating a commercial vehicle on a public road. The skills test, which is administered by state-authorized examiners, requires performing a proper pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control skills, and safety-related maneuvers. To defeat the knowledge test requirement, ALHATTAB allegedly bribed two employees of a Donaldsonville, La. OMV office. These two employees, JENAY DAVIS (“DAVIS”) and SHAKIRA MILLIEN (“MILLIEN”) , are accused of completing knowledge tests for applicants in exchange for payments from ALHATTAB . The indictment alleges that DAVIS and MILLIEN , when taking the applicants’ tests, performed internet searches to find the answers. To defeat the training requirement, ALHATTAB allegedly bribed two men who operated truck driver training businesses. These two business operators, CHRISTOPHER BRYAN BURNS (“BURNS”) and JONATHAN PARSONS (“PARSONS”) are accused of reporting in a federal database that the applicants successfully completed training when, in truth, the applicants did not train. To defeat the skills test requirement, ALHATTAB allegedly bribed BURNS and PARSONS , who, in addition to being trainers, were certified to administer the skills test. BURNS and PARSONS are accused of falsely reporting to the State of Louisiana that applicants had passed the skills test when, in truth, the applicants did not take the test. Additionally, according to the indictment, on some occasions, PARSONS paid another skills test examiner to assist in the scheme. That examiner, MARLINE ROBERTS (“ROBERTS”) , is accused of creating phony score sheets to corroborate the false test reports. All six defendants are jointly charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. ALHATTAB and PARSONS are each charged with two counts of honest services wire fraud. BURNS , DAVIS , and ROBERTS are each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud. ALHATTAB , MILLIEN , and PARSONS are each charged with four counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. BURNS , DAVIS , and ROBERTS are each charged with one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. The conspiracy and wire fraud counts are each punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment. The bribery counts are each punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Each count may also be punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years’ supervised release following imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge, and that each defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson thanked the Louisiana State Office of Inspector General and Louisiana Public Safety Services for their valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Four Hawaii Individuals Convicted of Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – A federal jury convicted four individuals from Hawaii this week for their roles in a tax refund fraud scheme. The following is according to court documents and evidence presented at trial: from at least January 2015 through September 2018, Rosemarie Lastimado-Dradi, Marciaminajuanequita Dumlao, Elvah Miranda, and Daniel Miranda conspired to defraud the United States. As part of their scheme, the conspirators filed fraudulent individual tax returns and other tax documents that reported false withholdings from mortgage lenders and then claimed substantial refunds from the IRS. After processing the false returns, the IRS issued refunds totaling over $1 million. To prevent the IRS from recovering the fraudulently obtained refunds, the conspirators created trusts, opened new bank accounts in the names of business entities and the trusts, and transferred the proceeds between the accounts to conceal them from the government. In addition, Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda laundered the fraudulently obtained refunds through a series of bank transactions. Dumlao and Daniel Miranda also each filed for bankruptcy and made false statements under oath in relation to their respective bankruptcy proceedings. All the defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition, the jury found Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda guilty of money laundering. Daniel Miranda and Dumlao were found guilty of making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Finally, Elvah Miranda was also found guilty of filing a false tax return, and Lastimado-Dradi was found guilty of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Dumlao was acquitted of filing a false tax return and four money laundering counts. Daniel Miranda was acquitted on one count of filing a false return. Dradi and Dumlao are scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2026. Elvah Miranda and Daniel Miranda are scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2026. They all face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda each face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for each count of money laundering. Elvah Miranda faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return. Daniel Miranda and Dumlao each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Lastimado-Dradi faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. 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 Sarah A. Kiewlicz and Meredith Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.


title: California Man Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property from Metairie Business

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DEANTHONY BLOCKER (“ BLOCKER”) , a California resident, pled guilty on August 27, 2025, to a two-count indictment for conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and interstate transportation of stolen goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2314. According to the indictment, BLOCKER , and others, conspired to transport cigarettes that had been stolen during a burglary at a Louisiana warehouse facility on November 21, 2024. This group then traveled out of state before being apprehended in Fort Stockton, Texas the following day while still in possession of the cigarettes. The group was further implicated in similar burglaries in North Carolina and Texas in February of 2024. As to Count 1, BLOCKER faces up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. As to Count 2, BLOCKER faces up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Knightdale Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, Rockmart Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Fort Stockton Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Engaging In “Sextortion” Scheme to Produce Sexual Exploitation Depictions of Children as Young as Seven Years Old

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that COLE DIGGS (a/k/a Kevon Godson) (“DIGGS”) , age 31, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on August 28, 2025 before United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to producing files depicting the sexual exploitation of children, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2251(a). According to court documents, on numerous instances between November 2021 and December 2022, DIGGS engaged in a scheme to obtain sexually explicit depictions of at least six minors he met via a multimedia instant messaging application that allows users to exchange pictures and videos. The identified victims varied between the ages of seven years old and fifteen years old. In each case, DIGGS sought, and obtained, the sexually explicit depictions of minors by utilizing a “sextortion” scheme. To implement this scheme, DIGGS claimed to be a minor, sent sexually explicit depictions of adults, engaged in sexually charged communications to these minor victims, directed the minors on how to pose and perform when taking sexually explicit depictions, and, after the minors expressed reluctance to continue sending sexually explicit depictions, DIGGS used extortionate tactics to compel the minors to comply with his demands. Additionally, DIGGS , on multiple occasions, offered to purchase, and did in fact purchase, offered to trade, and did in fact trade, sexually explicit depictions of minors, including some of those he received via his extortionate scheme. DIGGS faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, up to a maximum of thirty (30) years. DIGGS also faces at least five (5) years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. DIGGS may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Ashe has been scheduled for December 4, 2025. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Blood Test Lab Owner Pleads Guilty to Evading Over $11.2 Million in Federal Taxes by Using Shill to Illegally Collect Medicare Payments

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Burbank man has pleaded guilty to evading the payment of more than $11.2 million in federal taxes by using a shill to illegally collect Medicare reimbursement payments made to his blood-testing company, and to fraudulently obtaining nearly $100,000 in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 business relief, the Justice Department announced today. Armen Muradyan, 60, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of tax evasion. According to his plea agreement, Muradyan owned and operated a Burbank-based blood testing laboratory called Genex Laboratories Inc. Medicare and bank records show that Medicare paid millions of dollars in reimbursements to Genex for blood testing. The reimbursements were wired to bank accounts in the name of an individual identified in court documents as “L.S.” – Muradyan’s long-time friend to whom Muradyan had offered to pay $2,000 per month to pretend to be Genex’s owner. Muradyan told L.S. that he needed him to submit Medicare enrollment papers to Medicare on Genex’s behalf because Medicare had banned Muradyan from submitting claims. L.S. and Muradyan opened bank accounts for Genex in L.S.’s name, but which Muradyan controlled. L.S. neither owned nor operated Genex and visited the company’s Burbank office to collect his $2,000 monthly payment and to sometimes sign documents at Muradyan’s direction. Muradyan used the proceeds from the health care fraud conspiracy to pay the mortgage on a property he owned. For the tax years of 2015 through 2020, Muradyan instructed L.S. to report Genex’s financial activity on L.S.’s personal income tax returns using documents that L.S. provided to his own tax preparer. The documents purportedly showed that Genex had minimal net profit or was operating at a loss, meaning the company had little or no income tax liability. For the same period, Muradyan submitted income tax returns that reported none of Genex’s financial activity as his own and that he averaged an income of $40,000 per year. In fact, Muradyan personally received and used millions of dollars in Medicare reimbursements to support his own expensive lifestyle. Muradyan also did not file tax returns for the years 2021 through 2023. In total, Muradyan’s unreported federal taxable income was approximately $23,915,762, resulting in a total federal income tax due and owing by him of approximately $11,236,357. In July 2020, Muradyan wired a false and fraudulent application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) that was funded by federal taxpayers. On the application, Muradyan falsely stated that GenMed employed multiple people and generated $800,000 in income for the year 2019. In fact, Muradyan knew GenMed employed no one and generated zero income for that year. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) wired $99,900 to a bank account Muradyan controlled. He then used the money for personal expenses not permitted under the terms of the EIDL. Muradyan admitted he acted with the intent to deceive and cheat the SBA. United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled a December 11 sentencing hearing, at which time Muradyan will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the health care fraud conspiracy count, and up to five years in federal prison for the tax evasion count. Muradyan remains free on $2.6 million bond. IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Mahana K. Weidler of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division are prosecuting this case. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Honduran Citizen Sentenced For Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced DERY JONCARLOS ZELAYA-ZELAYA a/k/a “DERY ZELAYA,” (“ZELAYA-ZELAYA”) , age 27, on August 26, 2025, to twelve (12) months imprisonment in federal prison after having previously pled guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). The Court also sentenced ZELAYA-ZELAYA to one (1) year of supervised release upon his release from prison and ordered him to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment cost. According to court documents, ZELAYA-ZELAYA , a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the United States on May 13, 2022 and December 4, 2019, respectively and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). * * *


title: Six Defendants Indicted for Commercial Driver’s License Bribery Scheme

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the August 28, 2025 indictment of six individuals for a bribery scheme that enabled drivers to obtain a commercial driver’s license (“CDL”) without undergoing any of the legally required training or testing. The indictment alleges that a local restaurant owner, MAHMOUD ALHATTAB (“ALHATTAB”) , in exchange for payments from CDL applicants, bypassed each of the three main federally-mandated steps of the CDL qualification process—knowledge testing, entry-level driver training, and skills testing. The knowledge test is a written test that must be passed at an Office of Motor Vehicles (“OMV”) office, and includes questions on vehicle safety systems, emergency situations, procedures for various maneuvers, and extreme driving conditions. Entry-level driver training is required for most CDL applicants and includes demonstrating proficiency while operating a commercial vehicle on a public road. The skills test, which is administered by state-authorized examiners, requires performing a proper pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control skills, and safety-related maneuvers. To defeat the knowledge test requirement, ALHATTAB allegedly bribed two employees of a Donaldsonville, La. OMV office. These two employees, JENAY DAVIS (“DAVIS”) and SHAKIRA MILLIEN (“MILLIEN”) , are accused of completing knowledge tests for applicants in exchange for payments from ALHATTAB . The indictment alleges that DAVIS and MILLIEN , when taking the applicants’ tests, performed internet searches to find the answers. To defeat the training requirement, ALHATTAB allegedly bribed two men who operated truck driver training businesses. These two business operators, CHRISTOPHER BRYAN BURNS (“BURNS”) and JONATHAN PARSONS (“PARSONS”) are accused of reporting in a federal database that the applicants successfully completed training when, in truth, the applicants did not train. To defeat the skills test requirement, ALHATTAB allegedly bribed BURNS and PARSONS , who, in addition to being trainers, were certified to administer the skills test. BURNS and PARSONS are accused of falsely reporting to the State of Louisiana that applicants had passed the skills test when, in truth, the applicants did not take the test. Additionally, according to the indictment, on some occasions, PARSONS paid another skills test examiner to assist in the scheme. That examiner, MARLINE ROBERTS (“ROBERTS”) , is accused of creating phony score sheets to corroborate the false test reports. All six defendants are jointly charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. ALHATTAB and PARSONS are each charged with two counts of honest services wire fraud. BURNS , DAVIS , and ROBERTS are each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud. ALHATTAB , MILLIEN , and PARSONS are each charged with four counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. BURNS , DAVIS , and ROBERTS are each charged with one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. The conspiracy and wire fraud counts are each punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment. The bribery counts are each punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Each count may also be punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years’ supervised release following imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge, and that each defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson thanked the Louisiana State Office of Inspector General and Louisiana Public Safety Services for their valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Lexington Man Convicted of Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Lexington, Ky., man was convicted on Wednesday, August 27, by a federal jury in Lexington for several firearms offenses. After 40 minutes of deliberation following a three-day trial, the jury convicted 41-year-old Keith Lamont Stallworth of carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; possessing a machine gun; and failing to register the machine gun. According to testimony at trial, in August 2023, Stallworth was arrested in possession of a .57 caliber Palmetto Arms pistol that contained high velocity rifle rounds and an extended magazine capable of holding an additional 29 rounds. A search warrant at Stallworth’s downtown Lexington apartment yielded a large quantity of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hundreds of rounds of ammunition as well as a 9mm handgun and an illegally modified .40 caliber pistol. The pistol was installed with a machinegun conversion device, sometimes called a “switch” or “Glock switch,” that converted the firearm to a fully automatic weapon defined under federal law as a machinegun. Stallworth previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and using a residence for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing controlled substances. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the conviction. The investigation was conducted by DEA, ATF, KSP, Lexington Police Department, Nicholasville Police Department, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. Stallworth is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence. — END —


title: Circuit Court Upholds Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit published an opinion today upholding the Department of the Interior’s 2024-2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The program sets the number and location of offshore oil and gas lease sales that Interior will hold during the ensuing 5-year period. In one of his first actions, President Donald J. Trump signed the Unleashing American Energy executive order. That order sets a policy “to encourage exploration and production on Federal lands and waters, including on the Outer Continental Shelf…” “The court today upheld Interior’s critically important oil and gas leasing program on the Outer Continental Shelf,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The program plays a key part in the development of our nation’s abundant energy resources in the service of economic and national security.” A coalition of environmental groups challenged the program, arguing that Interior failed to account for the effects of offshore oil and gas development on vulnerable communities, violated its own procedures by not modeling the effects of leasing on the endangered Rice’s whale, and inadequately assessed the potential for conflicts between oil and gas drilling and other uses of the sea and seabed. The court rejected those challenges and held that Interior’s rationale for the program was adequately supported by data and analysis and that it reasonably deferred consideration of specific potential conflicts to later stages in the offshore leasing process. On April 18, while the case was pending, Interior announced that it would begin preparing a revised Outer Continental Shelf Program. Attorneys with ENRD’s Appellate Section handled the case in the Court of Appeals.