title: 11 Individuals in Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- 11 individuals have been sentenced for their roles in an armed drug trafficking ring responsible for trafficking hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine into Central Indiana. The individuals were sentenced as follows: Defendant Charge(s) Sentence Christopher Miller, 29, Indianapolis Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property 26 years’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Jamie Sullivan, 22, Indianapolis Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Distribution of controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances 24 years’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Tameico Johnson, 22, of Fishers, IN Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Distribution of controlled substance. 20 years, 10 months’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Jayden Bertram, 22, Carmel, IN Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances 20 years, 10 months’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Courtlin Moncrief, 29, Avon, IN Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances 20 years’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Camonte Miller, 21, Indianapolis Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substance. 20 years’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Jordan Sumner, 22 Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime 16 years, 8 months’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Afrika Railynne Williams, 29, Indianapolis Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments 13 years, 4 months’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Monica Sumner, 20, Indianapolis Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances 12.5 years’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Dewell Simpson, 18, Indianapolis Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession of a machine gun 11 years, 8 months’ imprisonment 5 years’ supervised release Regina Weatherford, 60, Indianapolis Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. 5 years’, 5 months’ imprisonment 4 years’ supervised release According to court documents, Jaraughn Bertram led a drug trafficking organization in Central Indiana that trafficked significant quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Arizona to the Indianapolis, Anderson, and Muncie areas. Bertram and Christopher Miller utilized multiple couriers to obtain the drugs from Joaquin Carranza in Arizona and fly them to Indianapolis, concealed in their checked baggage. Drugs were also shipped to Indiana using U.S. mail. The drugs were then distributed to the other defendants for storage, packaging, and selling to individuals. Multiple members of the organization possessed and used firearms, including weapons than had been converted into fully automatic firearms (a/k/a machineguns), to further their drug trafficking activities, despite previous felony convictions. Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell without a special license. In addition to dealing controlled substances, Christopher Miller, Afrika Williams, and Jamie Sullivan also laundered the proceeds of the criminal organization using CashApp transactions, structured bank deposits and currency exchanges, and the purchase of vehicles. While the case was being investigated, Jaraughn Bertram fled Indianapolis to Mexico. After federal charges were announced in June of 2023, Joaquin Carranza also fled to Mexico and remains a fugitive. Jaraughn Bertram was killed in September of 2024 in Mexico. This case was part of a long-term investigation which resulted in multiple federal indictments. In total, the investigation recovered the following contraband and proceeds of the criminal activity: 128 firearms 61 machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) $722,626 currency 22 vehicles 118 pounds of methamphetamine 78 kilograms of fentanyl 501 pounds of marijuana 315 grams of cocaine 216 grams of heroin “This was not just a drug bust- it was a takedown of a massive, highly organized criminal enterprise flooding Central Indiana with poison on an industrial scale,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Dozens of law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels worked tirelessly together, coordinating for years across jurisdictions to take down this operation. Thanks to their extraordinary partnership, these dangerous traffickers are behind bars, and our communities are safer.” "This extraordinary investigation, made possible through the collaboration of numerous law enforcement partners, underscores our commitment to justice. We believe the sentences imposed on these violent offenders will have a lasting positive impact on the communities they targeted," said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge, John Smerglia. “The defendants profited by flooding our neighborhoods with deadly drugs, leaving devastation in their wake—shattered families, lost lives, and communities in crisis,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “Today’s sentences send a clear message: if you exploit our communities and profit from their pain, we will come for you. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will be unrelenting in hunting down these traffickers and driving them off our streets.” “Drug traffickers don’t just flood communities with narcotics—they disguise their profits through complex laundering schemes,” said Jason Bushey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents used forensic accounting to expose how this network tried to wash its money clean. By seizing their drugs, firearms, and illegal assets, we’ve cut off both the poison and the profits. IRS-CI will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to keep our neighborhoods safe.” “US Postal Inspectors are dedicated to maintaining the sanctity of trust placed in the US Mail. We will aggressively pursue anyone who uses the US Mail to transport and distribute deadly drugs which impacts the safety of postal employees and postal customers,” said USPIS Detroit Division Acting Inspector in Charge Felicia George. “The Postal Inspection Service is proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these drug tracking organizations which endanger our communities.” “The Indiana State Police actively collaborates with various law enforcement partners at all levels (local, state, and federal) to combat criminal enterprises involved in illicit narcotics and firearms. This collaborative approach aims to enhance public safety by disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and firearms and bringing those involved in their trafficking to justice,” said Indiana State Police Captain, Ron Galaviz. The following agencies investigated this case: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation- Indianapolis Drug Enforcement Administration United States Marshals Service U.S. Postal Inspection Service Homeland Security Investigations The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force Indiana State Police Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Fishers Police Department Carmel Police Department Boone County Sheriff’s Department Zionsville Police Department Anderson Police Department Lawrence Police Department Muncie Police Department Fort Wayne Police Department Avon Police Department The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle P. Brady and Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought in conjunction with the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms. This case was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: Livingston man indicted for impersonating FBI agent in nearly $100,000 scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 35-year-old East Texas man has made his initial appearance in federal court on charges of attempting to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and impersonating an officer or employee of the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Previously in custody on related charges, Daniel Ricardo Field was transferred to federal authorities and made his initial appearance bef0re U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray. He is set for a detention hearing at 2 p.m. The three-count indictment, returned Aug. 13, alleges Field impersonated an FBI special agent in an attempt to defraud Ally Bank of $93,462.56. On or about April 22, he also allegedly used another individual’s personal information such as name, birthdate and Social Security number in an attempt to execute the scheme. If convicted of bank fraud, Field faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine, while impersonating a federal officer carries a maximum three-year sentence and up to $250,000 as a potential fine. He also faces another two years if convicted of the identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Harris County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Act

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NIROKO JOHNSON “Ro,” (“JOHNSON”), age 29, of New Orleans, was sentenced on August 14, 2025, by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to possessing over seven hundred grams of fentanyl, and two firearms. As to the charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, JOHNSON was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As to the charge of felon in possession of firearms, JOHNSON was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. All sentences are to run concurrently with each other. According to court records, on March 18, 2022, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at JOHNSON’s home and recovered 747 grams of fentanyl and two firearms. JOHNSON admitted he possessed the fentanyl with intent to distribute same. He also admitted that he possessed the firearms knowing he had prior felony convictions that prohibited him from possessing a firearm. This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the New Orleans Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Former Chief Financial Officer of Staffing Firm Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $510,000

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — The former Chief Financial Officer of a staffing firm has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for embezzling more than $510,000 from the firm. CHARLES NELSON misappropriated the money in 2018 and 2019 while working in the firm’s Chicago office. Nelson made a series of unauthorized credit card purchases for his personal benefit, initially on meals and travel and later on jewelry, gold, and renovations of his personal residence. Nelson used the fraud proceeds to purchase many extravagant items, including Cartier and Rolex watches, a gold and diamond bracelet, and high-end appliances for his home. Nelson executed the fraud scheme by circumventing multiple corporate controls over expenditures. Nelson, 67, of Valparaiso, Ind., pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. On Aug. 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed a 27-month prison sentence and ordered Nelson to pay $510,319 in restitution. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Dai Tran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. “Defendant squandered the company’s money on extravagant items, such as gold, coins, jewelry, trips, and meals,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “His offense was not an isolated lapse in judgment or simple mistake. It was a carefully orchestrated pattern of theft from a company that trusted defendant to serve as CFO, and his offense took a financial and emotional toll on the honest, hard-working employees left in its wake.”


title: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES RESULTS FROM COORDINATED OPERATIONS AIMED AT REDUCING VIOLENT CRIME

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis, together with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, announced the successful outcomes of recent multi-agency operations aimed at reducing violent crime in Baton Rouge and surrounding communities. Over the past several months, these coordinated efforts have resulted in 52 federal indictments charging 68 defendants in connection with drug trafficking, illegal firearm and other violent crime offenses, and the seizure of illegal firearms, narcotics, and other contraband that contribute to the cycle of violence. Agencies announcing the results are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshal’s Service, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Probation and Parole, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, and East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office. Acting U.S. Attorney Ellison Travis stated, “These initiatives underscore the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies. Enhanced information-sharing and resource allocation among participating agencies are instrumental to effectively combat violent crime. I would like to thank the Department of Justice and Governor Landry for surging federal and state resources to help fight crime in Baton Rouge.” “From the very beginning, I made a commitment to reduce crime across our state. We started that mission in New Orleans and achieved remarkable success. Now, thanks to the strong collaboration between our federal, state, and local partners, we are taking down violent criminal networks throughout the Capital Region,” said Governor Jeff Landry. “Operation Violent Crime Takedown was a huge success, made possible by the unwavering dedication of our law enforcement officers. This is just the beginning. Together, we are ushering in a new era of safety and opportunity for Baton Rouge and for communities across Louisiana.” “The FBI was proud to be part of this mission, and we brought Agents and intelligence personnel from our Violent Crime Rapid Deployment Team from offices across the country, to Baton Rouge,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI is committed to crushing violent crime across Louisiana and looks forward to working with our partners and the public to achieve that goal.” “This summer surge operation to address violent gun and narcotics crime demonstrates ATF’s expertise and shows ATF’s collaboration with federal, state and local partners to have meaningful impact on combating crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “Working in coordination with law enforcement partners to meet the collective objectives of political leaders, community leaders, and citizens to enhance public safety is the priority of ATF.” “Today isn’t about one agency; it’s about a united front against crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Division. “We fully support Governor Landry’s efforts to ensure those who pose a threat to our communities are held accountable. The DEA will continue to bring its resources to bear in support of this vital mission.” “The Louisiana State Police is proud to have played a key role in this summer’s crime reduction operations, working closely with our local, state, and federal partners to target gangs and violent offenders in Baton Rouge,” said Colonel Robert P. Hodges, Louisiana State Police Superintendent. “Our collaborative efforts have contributed to a measurable reduction in violent crime in targeted areas, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to keeping our communities safe and holding offenders accountable.” East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux stated, “The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office is proud to continue working hand-in-hand with our local, state, and federal partners in the fight against violent crime. This summer, our deputies worked tirelessly to make our community safer, focusing our efforts on taking high-level violent offenders and drug traffickers off our streets. We are especially grateful for the federal support that provided the financial resources necessary to sustain these operations and maximize our impact. Collaboration and shared commitment are key to protecting our citizens, and we remain steadfast in doing our part to ensure the people of East Baton Rouge Parish can live in a safer, stronger community.” “A large-scale warrant apprehension operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies has led to numerous arrests, narcotics and firearms being recovered from Baton Rouge streets,” said Gary Westcott, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. “I’m proud of the Department’s 41 Division of Probation and Parole (P&P) officers and Bravo Special Response Team members from five (P&P) district offices and headquarters who participated in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Gun Reduction and Interdiction Program. This strategic partnership was able to yield results that help make communities safer.” Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse stated, “The Baton Rouge Police Department is grateful for the federal, state, and local partners that all came together to combat violent crime through shared resources, technology, and targeting of serious felon offenders over the last several months. Our department committed countless hours of manpower and professional work to this initiative in the efforts of public safety and strive to make the city of Baton Rouge a safer community. With more than a dozen officers assigned to federal task forces, we look forward to the ongoing partnerships and cooperation in future operations.” The federal cases stemming from these investigations are being prosecuted by a team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys. This initiative is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . 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). An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.


title: St. Bernard Parish Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TERRY BAHAM, JR. (“BAHAM”) , age 37, a resident of St. Bernard Parish, pled guilty on August 12, 2025 before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to possession with intent to distribute forty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and quantities of mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D), and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, in October 2021, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s deputies received information regarding the drug trafficking activities of BAHAM at his residence in Chalmette, Louisiana. Deputies obtained a search warrant for the residence. Inside the residence, deputies located and seized approximately 112 grams of fentanyl, 74 grams of cocaine, 14 grams of methamphetamine, 405 grams of marijuana and 112 THC cartridges. Also seized from the residence were four firearms: a Beretta Model BU9 Nano, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, a Glock Model 27, 40 caliber. semi-automatic pistol, a Zastava Arms Model PAP M85 NP, .223 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Sharps Bros. Model Warthog, .223 caliber rifle. For the drug count, BAHAM faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of forty years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. For the firearm count, BAHAM faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000.00, five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Children

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a Chicago man to 45 years in prison for sexually exploiting and receiving child sexual abuse material from at least 14 children with whom he communicated on social media. In 2019 and 2020, ARMANDO TORRES used social media to contact and persuade young girls, most of whom were younger than ten years old, to create and send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. Torres sought out children on popular applications, including Snapchat and Instagram, and his social media screennames were designed to appeal to them. Torres often pretended he was a child in order to gain his victims’ trust. He provided graphic step-by-step instructions to his victims, including how to pose their bodies, the sexual language to use, and how to film and send the images and videos. Torres, 35, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to exploitation and child pornography charges. On Aug. 11, 2025, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger imposed the 45-year prison sentence. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. “Children are the most vulnerable members of our community,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Their innocence and trust in others make them defenseless to predators like Torres, who easily manipulated them online. Torres’s sexualization of the victims deprived them of their childhood and inflicted significant trauma on them, as well as their families, that will continue to impact them long after the experience is over.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims. If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to https://www.missingkids.org/ or calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


title: Jamestown sex offender pleads guilty to child pornography charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Timothy Douglas, 65, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to possession of child pornography by person having prior conviction related to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual conduct involving a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prsion, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who is handling the case, stated that in August 2023, Douglas knowingly possessed a cellular telephone that contained images of child pornography. The images depicted prepubescent minors or minors under 12-years-old. Between July 2022 and August 2023, Douglas produced images of three minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. One of the children was five years old and the other two children were approximately 10 years old. Some of the images sadistic in nature. In 2003, Douglas was convicted in New York State of Possessing an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child less than 16 years old, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the 2nd Degree. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm. Sentencing is scheduled for November 25, 2025, before Judge Arcara. # # # #


title: Clarksville Woman Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Child Neglect

body_text: NASHVILLE – Lyndsey T. Bustamante, 29, of Clarksville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for aggravated child neglect, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “The victim in this case was a two-month-old child who was horribly neglected by the Defendant and barely survived,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “The child is now in a loving home but will face lifelong struggles because of the Defendant’s choices. This case shows that we will not hesitate to prosecute those who hurt children and, if they are convicted, we will seek long sentences in federal prison for them.” “This sentencing reaffirms our steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Andrew Garasich and his wife, Lyndsey Bustamante, thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong. Let this serve as a warning: if you harm children in any way, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find you and ensure you face the full consequences of your actions.” “This sentencing marks another significant step towards justice for the victim in this horrific case,” said Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Midcentral Field Office. “Army CID remains dedicated to the safety and well-being of our communities.” On December 30, 2022, Bustamante’s husband Andrew Garasich burned their two-month-old baby by giving him a bath in water that was too hot. Although Bustamante was away from home with her five-year-old son when Garasich burned the baby, Garasich notified her on December 30 about having burned their baby. Neither parent sought medical attention for the baby until January 4, 2023. When interviewed by the FBI on May 3, 2023, Garasich told Agents he noticed the baby’s butt was “beet red” when he was drying him off after the bath. He reported he noticed some of the baby’s skin was peeling before he left the home with the baby to go to Edible Arrangements to pick up chocolate-covered strawberries for Bustamante. After he returned home with the baby, he began to remove skin from the baby’s body. Garasich told the Agents that when Bustamante came home on December 31, 2022, parts of the baby’s body were already peeling, and Garasich had already pulled some of the baby’s peeling skin off. After Garasich burned the baby in the bath, Bustamante bathed the baby again between December 31 and January 4 and attempted to treat the baby’s burns with soap, diaper rash cream, aloe, and baby ibuprofen. Although Bustamante did not take the baby to the hospital until January 4, 2023, Bustamante sent a Facebook message to a friend on January 1, 2023, about the possibility of taking the baby to the hospital because the baby’s skin was “peeling really bad.” In a Facebook voice memo to this friend, she described using a wet cloth to pick off all the loose skin because the baby “had skin everywhere.” She also texted another friend that the baby’s skin was peeling “really bad” and that she was taking him to the hospital because his skin looked terrible. When that friend later asked about the baby, Bustamante lied and told her that she was at the hospital with the baby. Finally, on January 4, 2023, the day before the baby was scheduled for a doctor’s visit at the Young Eagle Clinic on Fort Campbell, Bustamante, accompanied by her five-year-old son and a friend, took the baby to Houston County Community Hospital. Garasich did not go with them to the hospital. Medical personnel at Houston County immediately determined that the baby needed to be life flighted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to the severity of his injuries and contacted the Erin Police Department, who dispatched officers to the hospital. When the baby was assessed at Vanderbilt, in addition to partial to full thickness burns on the baby’s buttocks, perineum, lower extremities, and left elbow, medical personnel also noted a left parietal skull fracture. The baby remained hospitalized at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for almost two months before being discharged. Both children are now in the custody of DCS. Following her term of imprisonment, Bustamante will be on supervised release for 4 years. Bustamante’s co-defendant, the child’s father Andrew J. Garasich, was sentenced on July 14, 2025, to 14 years in federal prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI Nashville Field Office, Clarksville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Morrison and Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal Officer

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a woman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025. Michaela Big Eagle, age 27, was sentenced to time served in custody through August 25, 2025, equal to approximately six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Big Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025. She pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025. The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on February 14, 2025, in Rosebud, South Dakota, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that date, Big Eagle was involved in a traffic stop and was questioned by a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Officer regarding methamphetamine use while Big Eagle was pregnant. While Big Eagle was in the officer’s patrol vehicle, she was informed that she was under arrest for Child Endangerment. Big Eagle got out of the patrol vehicle and ran to her own vehicle. She attempted to lock the vehicle doors, but the officer was able to get into the backseat of Big Eagle’s vehicle. Big Eagle ignored commands from the officer and fought with him over the keys to the vehicle. Big Eagle then started her vehicle and drove away at a high rate of speed. The officer fell out of Big Eagle’s vehicle as she drove away. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case. Big Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Waterloo Man to Federal Prison for Gang-Related Shooting

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who was one of four shooters who collectively fired thirty-four rounds of ammunition at a residence occupied by eight people, including a child, was sentenced on August 19, 2025, to fifteen years in federal prison. Anthony Kyle O’Donnell, age 37, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 18, 2024 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. Information from sentencing showed that on the afternoon of August 21, 2022, four individuals dressed in all black clothing opened fire at a residence in Waterloo. After the shooting, the individuals fled. Officers located two men dressed in all black outside a residence about five blocks away. Officers found three firearms in a shed near the men. An officer encountered O’Donnell about a block away from the firearms. He was wearing all black clothing and sweating. Officers collected thirty-four shell casings at the scene of the shooting. Eight people, including a two-year-old child, were inside the house when they were fired upon. Bullets penetrated the living room and a bedroom. Four of the occupants suffered bleeding injuries from broken glass, and one had a graze from a bullet. DNA testing showed that O’Donnell’s DNA was on one of the recovered firearms, a stolen Beretta pistol. Ten of the thirty-four rounds were fired from that firearm. Law enforcement identified the shooting as gang-related based on the gang associations of four of the victims and the associations of O’Donnell and the other two men they located. O’Donnell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. O’Donnell was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. O’Donnell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-2019. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty  to Child Exploitation Crimes

body_text: A man who sexually exploited a child pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Kevin Patrick Sullivan, age 43, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Sullivan admitted that between June 2013 and February 2015, he produced visual depictions of a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Between June 2013 and January 2025, on multiple electronic devices, he possessed child pornography that showed a prepubescent child. Between November 2013 and January 2025, he used the Internet to receive child pornography. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sullivan remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sullivan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 70 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $117,300 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-30. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Fort Dodge, Iowa, Man to Federal Prison for Possessing  with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Alan Eugene Beier age 61, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced on August 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on September 14, 2024, an officer with the Clear Lake Police Department was dispatched for a driving complaint. The reporting party advised there was a dark colored motorcycle, dim headlight, and no taillights. The officer located the motorcycle and conducted a traffic stop. Beier was arrested for driving infractions. Beier and the motorcycle were searched and law enforcement recovered $864 cash, 10 grams of cocaine, 82 grams of marijuana, and 235 grams of methamphetamine. Beier further admitted to purchasing the methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana for $2,600 in Minnesota prior to being stopped and had plans to sell the methamphetamine to other persons in Northern Iowa. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Beier was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Beier remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Clear Lake Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Fletcher and Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-3044. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Claremore Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual Contact

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, Ryan Duke Haight, 45, was sentenced after being convicted by a federal jury in May for the Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country. In a post-trial order, the court acquitted Haight of one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Frizzell sentenced Haight to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Haight will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Frizzell further ordered Haight to pay $3,353.70 in restitution. According to evidence presented at trial , Haight made sexual comments to the 14-year-old minor victim, began touching her on the buttocks, claiming it was an accident, and played with the seam of her panties. Haight even told the victim that he preferred “butts” over “boobs,” which was why he liked the victim. In the spring of 2024, Haight’s physical contact escalated. On multiple occasions, while driving the victim home, Haight rested his hand on the victim's leg and touched her underneath her clothing. Then, in July 2024, Haight told the victim he wanted to give her a massage as his “prize” for winning a bet. While massaging the victim, Haight sexually abused her. Haight will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Scaife and Kate Brandon prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: CHINESE NATIONAL INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that a federal grand jury recently returned an indictment charging Shengjie Cheng, age 32, a Chinese national residing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, through a student visa, with attempted enticement of a minor. Cheng appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges. According to the indictment, on or about March 31, 2025, Cheng used social media applications and the name “Marvellous Pirate” to attempt to convince someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to engage in an illegal sexual relationship. If convicted, Cheng faces a minimum of ten years and up to life imprisonment. Cheng also faces a $250,000 fine, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and sex offender registration requirements. He is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing his sentence. This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allen Ross. An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. This case is also 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: Convicted Felon Admits to Illegally Possessing a Firearm

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

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Providence man previously convicted and sentenced on state firearm, robbery, and drug trafficking charges, and a 2013 federal firearm charge, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. According to information presented to the court, on March 30, 2024, a Providence Police patrol officer effected a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Troy L. Antley, 56, for turning at an intersection without signaling. During the subsequent stop, the officer noticed a knife in plain view on the driver’s seat. As the officer went to seize the knife, he noticed a round of ammunition in the driver’s side cupholder in the center console and a gun handle protruding from the space between the driver’s seat and center console. It was later determined that the firearm, a loaded 9mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic pistol, was previously reported stolen out of Alabama. The magazine in the firearm had a 16 round capacity and 14 rounds in it. One round was chambered in the pistol. Antley is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2025. The sentence imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey A. Erickson and Milind M. Shah. The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives and the Providence Police Department ###


title: Big Timber man sentenced to 3 years in prison on drug charges

body_text: BILLINGS – A Big Timber man who possessed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 36 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. James Karl Ellis, 38, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that on or about November 26, 2023, law enforcement received a video that showed the garage of Ellis’s residence located in Big Timber, Montana. The video depicted Ellis obtaining something from a large safe in the garage and then providing a bag containing what appeared to be a white powdery substance to a female. Deputies recognized the female as a known narcotics user. A search warrant for Ellis’s residence was obtained. Ellis’s residence was searched on November 27, 2023. In the safe in the garage as well as in a locked closet in Ellis’s bedroom, law enforcement found approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Sweetgrass County Sheriff’s Office and ATF. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn . XXX


title: Ohio Resident Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of Minor and Coercion and Enticement of Adult Female for Commercial Sex

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Euclid, Ohio, has been sentenced in federal court to 150 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of sex trafficking of a minor and coercion and enticement of an adult for the purpose of commercial sex, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Donte Lashawn Cole on August 18, 2025. Cole also is required to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and register as a convicted sex offender. According to information presented to the Court, Cole transported a female minor from Ohio to a hotel in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, in May of 2023 to engage in commercial sex. Additionally, Cole enticed and coerced an adult female across state lines, also for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex. Cole used online advertisements to market the victims for commercial sex services in Western Pennsylvania and elsewhere from April 2023 to October 2023. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman labeled Cole’s conduct as “evil” and noted that Cole “victimized minor girls, crossed state lines, and treated the girls like property for (his) own gain.” “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to stand against human trafficking and the exploitation of children and hold sex traffickers such as Donte Cole accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “We will remain vigilant in ensuring that anyone seeking to profit through the exploitation of any child or adult is identified, investigated, and brought to justice.” “Human traffickers such as Donte Cole prey on the vulnerable, inflicting unimaginable suffering and robbing victims of their dignity and freedom,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward V. Owens. “This case spotlights the depravity of those who exploit others for profit. Homeland Security Investigations will never stop working to ensure these predators are held accountable. We remain relentless in our mission to rescue victims, dismantle trafficking operations, and bring justice to those who have endured such horrific abuse.” “This predatory trafficker was calculated in how he selected his victims, choosing vulnerable individuals who he then manipulated into situations where their livelihood depended on being at his beck and call,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “Human trafficking is dehumanizing—some of the most egregious conduct we encounter in society. I commend our federal partners for collaborating to reach a resolution that ensures Donte Cole will be far away, for many years, from anyone else he can exploit, manipulate, and abuse.” Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schupansky and Special Assistant United States Attorney Summer Carroll (Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General) prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cole. 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 (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 . If you are the victim of human trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, please call the FBI, local law enforcement, or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year related to potential trafficking victims, suspicious behaviors, and/or locations where trafficking is suspected to occur. To submit a tip to the NHTRC online, please visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/report-trafficking .


title: Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for the Coercion and Enticement of a Child

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: DULUTH, Minn. – Dillon Alvan Reyna, age 33, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan to 264 months of imprisonment followed by 15 years supervised release for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “No parent should have to wonder if their child is safe at a park,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Yet here, a repeat sex offender in his 30s targeted and picked up a vulnerable child from a Duluth park—a child who had already endured abuse. That is beyond appalling. We are seeing a disturbing rash of men in Minnesota attempting to buy or coerce sex from children. Let me be clear: it is predatory, it is criminal, and it will be met with the full force of federal prosecution. We will not allow offenders to turn our parks and neighborhoods into hunting grounds for children.” In October 2022, Reyna, a man in his early 30s and a repeat sex offender, met a minor in a local park in Duluth. The minor victim was under the age of 16 and, as Reyna knew, she was uniquely vulnerable and receiving care for prior sexual abuse. For months, Reyna used all manner of coercive techniques to manipulate the minor victim into having sex with him. Reyna gave the victim gifts and rides that were conditioned on her sexual cooperation. He also used physical force during sex, and filmed the sex without the minor victim’s knowledge. Reyna used social media accounts to communicate with the minor victim. Reyna’s conduct was halted by law enforcement, who tracked the minor victim to Reyna’s apartment building. When confronted by law enforcement, Reyna lied, falsely claiming he had never met the minor victim. Reyna instructed the minor victim to lie to the police. The minor victim bravely disclosed the abuse she suffered at Reyna’s hand to law enforcement. From jail, Reyna later told an associate to delete various social media accounts in an effort to cover up his crimes against the minor victim. Reyna’s attempts to obstruct justice were unsuccessful. Reyna previously admitted guilt for a separate sex offense. In 2021, Reyna admitted guilt in St. Louis County, Minnesota, for Third Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct – Force or Coercion. He was given a stay of adjudication. In handing down the sentencing, United Staets Judge Bryan noted the aggravating circumstances surrounding this case. Hands-on sexual abuse inflicts upon its victim immense and long-lasting harm. That the abuse is inflicted on a child and then recorded and memorialized in child pornography adds devastating dimensions to the harm inflicted on minor victims. As the Supreme Court observed about the victim of a child sexual assault, “the nature of her injuries caused more prolonged physical and mental suffering than, say, a sudden killing by an unseen assassin. The attack was not just on her but on her childhood. . . .” Kennedy v. Louisiana , 554 U.S. 407, 435 (2008); see also United States v. Pugh , 515 F.3d 1179, 1197-98 & n.12 (11th Cir. 2008) (citing extensive congressional findings about the harm caused by child pornography and recognizing that “[i]n light of these detailed legislative findings and numerous legislative enactments, we cannot help but underscore the seriousness of this crime”). “Reyna’s actions were a reprehensible attack on the safety and innocence of a vulnerable child,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Far from rehabilitation, as a repeat sex offender, Reyna chose to again violate and exploit a minor victim in unthinkably heinous ways through coercion, manipulation, and force. This victim, already the brave survivor of abuse, suffered at his hands and again though the filming of the assault. This victim deserves the full weight of justice to be leveraged against Reyna. The FBI hopes this sentence shows our unflinching commitment to pursuing justice for all victims of similar abuse and sends the message to all offenders—you will be pursued, prosecuted, and punished.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends the bravery of the victim in this case. Without her courage, Reyna would still be on the streets, a threat to abusing more children. Now he is where he belongs—in federal prison. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Duluth Police Department, and the Hermantown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David B. Green and Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.


title: Wyoming man sentenced to over 10 years in prison for sexual abuse on the Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLINGS – A Basin, Wyoming man who sexually assaulted a woman on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 125 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,988 in restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Duane Allen Swank, Jr., 36, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to sexual abuse. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that on July 4, 2021, Swank was driving a stolen car with Jane Doe and two other passengers. At some point after Swank dropped off the two individuals, while in Billings, Swank sexually assaulted Jane Doe. They then drove toward the Crow Indian Reservation on back roads. During that drive, Swank stopped the car and raped Jane Doe. Following the rape, Swank fell asleep, and Doe was able to escape. DNA extracted from Jane Doe matched the DNA profile of Swank. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Federal Inmate Charged with Possession of a Weapon in Prison

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Davon Nelson, age 40, of Maryland, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for possession of a weapon in a federal correctional facility. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on October 8, 2024, Nelson, an inmate at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Facility, possessed a prohibited object, a sharpened steel weapon. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Government Employee And Government Contractor Enter Guilty Pleas To Stealing Over $150,000 From MacDill Air Force Base’s Intramural Program

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Keith Pilawski (63, Lutz) and Edwin Ortiz (58, Brandon) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Pilawski and Ortiz each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. As part of their plea agreements, Pilawski has agreed to forfeit $67,183, and Ortiz has agreed to forfeit $163,300, the proceeds of criminal conduct. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreements, from 2009 until 2024, while Pilawski was employed as the intramural sports director for MacDill Air Force Base, he and Ortiz participated in a scheme to defraud MacDill’s intramural sports program. Instead of selecting the least expensive contractor, Pilawski steered all officiating duties to Ortiz’s company, and scheduled games around Ortiz’s schedule. Additionally, Pilawski authorized payments to Ortiz for services that were not covered under the contract and at times not even performed. Ortiz then kicked back a portion of the overpayments to Pilawski. This case was investigated by Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.


title: Denver Man Charged in Armed Carjacking and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that a grand jury has returned an indictment charging Dhal Buk, 18, with carjacking, using a machine gun during and in relation to a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a machine gun. According to the criminal complaint, in the early morning of June 25, 2025, a group of individuals approached a man seated in his car in the Montbello neighborhood, pointed a gun at him, and told him to get out of his car. Fearing for his life, the man got out of the car. The group got into the car and drove away. Buk was later identified as the individual who pointed the gun at the victim, demanded he exit the vehicle, and got into the driver’s seat. After driving off in the stolen car and colliding with another vehicle in the parking lot, Buk and his accomplices abandoned it and fled on foot. That same morning, Denver law enforcement officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert of six rounds of fully automatic gunfire in a nearby park. Officers arrived at the park and detained a juvenile accomplice. Officers also arrested Buk after a foot chase. Officers recovered a modified Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun from the scene of the chase. The Glock handgun was equipped with an extended magazine with multiple live rounds. Investigators confirmed the Glock handgun had been altered to fire automatically and was capable of firing multiple rounds with a single trigger pull. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn. Case Number: 1:25-cr-00237-DDD


title: Troy Health, Inc. Enters Non-Prosecution Agreement and Admits to Fraudulently Enrolling Medicare Beneficiaries and Identity Theft

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Troy Health, Inc. (Troy), a North Carolina-based provider of Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans, has entered into a non-prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice to resolve a criminal investigation into a health care fraud and identity theft scheme involving the use of artificial intelligence and automation software to illegally obtain Medicare beneficiary information and fraudulently enroll beneficiaries into its Medicare Advantage plans. “Troy told low-income Medicare beneficiaries that it would use new technologies, including its proprietary artificial intelligence platform, to improve patient health outcomes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Instead, the company misused patient data to enroll beneficiaries in its Medicare Advantage plan without their consent. Today’s resolution reflects the Criminal Division’s emerging focus on corporate enforcement in the health care space and holding both individuals and companies accountable when they defraud our medical system to enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayer.” "The subjects in this case defrauded not only their own patients, but also the taxpayers who help fund Medicare,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI remains committed to investigating those who would take advantage of American healthcare programs and bringing them to justice." “The defendant’s use of stolen identities to fraudulently enroll individuals in Medicare Advantage plans was a deliberate scheme to boost profits at the expense of vulnerable patients and the integrity of the Medicare program,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to relentlessly pursue those who exploit Medicare and threaten the security of enrollees’ personal health information.” As part of the non-prosecution agreement, Troy admitted that, from approximately October 2020 through the end of 2022, Troy defrauded the Medicare program by enrolling beneficiaries in Troy’s Medicare Advantage plans without their knowledge or consent. Under a Troy executive’s direction, some of Troy’s Territory Managers used proprietary software developed by one of Troy’s executives to unlawfully access pharmacy records and customer lists containing sensitive personal information, including beneficiaries’ names, addresses, dates of birth, Medicare ID numbers, and insurance information. Troy used that information to make unsolicited sales calls to potential beneficiaries. During those sales calls, Troy’s sales personnel provided false and misleading information to Medicare beneficiaries. For example, Troy’s sales personnel told prospective enrollees that they were calling on behalf of the beneficiaries’ pharmacies and representing to beneficiaries that Troy’s Medicare Advantage plan was being offered as a supplement to their existing health care plans rather than as a new plan. Troy also used an artificial intelligence-based health care management platform it developed and made available to participating pharmacies, known as Troy.ai, as part of the scheme. As described by the company, Troy marketed Troy.ai as a product that would leverage data and machine learning to lower the cost of care and improve health outcomes. As part of its effort to obtain new enrollments, however, Troy misused the platform by offering pharmacies kickbacks for enrollment referrals submitted through Troy.ai. Troy also admitted that it used information obtained from the customer lists to enroll beneficiaries in Troy’s Medicare Advantage plan without their consent. At the height of the scheme, during the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period between Jan. 1, 2022 and March 31, 2022, Troy enrolled over 2,700 new Medicare Advantage members, many through automatic or batch enrollments. For example, on March 2, 2022, Troy enrolled over 300 beneficiaries on one day, with the enrollments occurring approximately one minute apart. In addition, some Troy employees manually entered fraudulent enrollments through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website. This conduct followed a Troy executive’s announcement at a 2021 board meeting of an “aggressive but achievable” plan to triple Troy’s enrollment during the 2022 open enrollment period. As part of the non-prosecution agreement, Troy admitted to and accepted responsibility for the acts of its officers, directors, employees, and agents in connection with the scheme. Troy has also agreed to continue cooperating with the Department in any ongoing or future criminal investigation relating to this conduct. As part of this agreement, Troy agreed to pay a criminal penalty of $1,430,008. This penalty has been adjusted based on Troy’s ability to pay. The Department reached this resolution with Troy based on several factors, including Troy’s efforts to provide all relevant facts known to it, acceptance of responsibility for criminal conduct, extensive and timely remedial measures taken, commitment to continuing enhancement of compliance and internal control programs, absence of prior criminal history or regulatory actions, commitment to cooperation with federal agencies in any ongoing investigations, and the nature and seriousness of the offense. Troy did not receive voluntary self-disclosure credit, but did receive credit for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation and affirmative acceptance of responsibility, which included (i) self-reporting its 2022 batch member enrollment issue to CMS before it had come to the attention of the Department; (ii) providing timely updates on facts learned during its internal investigation; (iii) providing all relevant facts known to it, including information about individuals involved in the conduct. However, and particularly during the early phase of the Department’s investigation, Troy failed to preserve and produce certain documents and evidence in a timely manner and, at times, took actions that were inconsistent with full cooperation. The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Clayton P. Solomon of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Armstrong for the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting health care fraud (HCF) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s HCF enforcement efforts can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Drug Trafficking Charnele Dawn Jenkins , 31, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, on Aug. 27, 2024, the defendant sold fentanyl pills to an undercover Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force Agent in Riverton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the crime. Jenkins was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on May 27. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Aug. 15 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00019 Jeramie Russel Makinen , 40, of Evanston, Wyoming, was sentenced to 51 months and 29 days in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, aiding and abetting in the distribution of fentanyl, and distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, Special Agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in Rock Springs were investigating drug trafficking in Sweetwater County. Through the progression of the investigation, the defendant was identified as a person of interest. Agents observed Makinen selling methamphetamine and fentanyl. Deputies with the Sweetwater Sheriff’s Office (SSO) later conducted a traffic stop where the defendant was arrested. DCI, SSO, and DEA investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the crime. The defendant was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on April 22. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Aug. 14 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00007 About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force The Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force is a collaborative law enforcement effort focused on combating violent crime and drug trafficking, especially within Native American communities in the Rocky Mountain region. It unites the FBI with various law enforcement agencies, including tribal police departments, state and local law enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Operation Take Back America Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Victim Witness Program The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect. To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime


title: Two Gang Members of Bronx-Based 5zzly Crew Plead Guilty to Armed Carjacking on Long Island

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Jaquell Blackwell pleaded guilty to carjacking. His co-defendant, Abdoul Azika, previously pleaded guilty to carjacking on July 9, 2025. Both proceedings were held before United States District Judge Allyne R. Ross. When sentenced, the defendants each face up to 15 years in prison. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI,) announced the guilty pleas. “Blackwell and Azika, wielding weapons and threats of grievous harm, forced their victims to give up their vehicles and instilled terror in their communities,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “They will now be held accountable for their crimes, and our Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to eradicate gangs responsible for violent crime.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance on the case. “Jaquell Blackwell and Abdoul Azika committed a series of violent carjackings by brandishing weapons to forcibly steal cars from their victims,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “These gang members repeatedly terrorized our communities by threatening violence to ensure fearful compliance. The FBI continues to facilitate successful disruptions via Operation Summer Heat by protecting our citizens from violent offenders.” According to court filings and statements by the defendants at the guilty plea proceedings, Azika and Blackwell were members of the violent “5zzly” crew of the Bronx-based Blood Hounds Brims gang that carried out armed carjackings and robberies across New York City and Long Island. Both defendants pleaded guilty to one such carjacking in the early morning hours of March 19, 2023, during which they snuck up on a vehicle parked in a residential neighborhood in Garden City, opened the doors of a vehicle, pointed a knife and a gun at the driver’s face, and told him to “get the f*** out of the car.” After the driver complied, Blackwell and Azika stole the car. Blackwell also admitted to committing another armed carjacking in Elmont on June 7, 2023, and Azika also admitted to perpetrating two armed carjackings in South Farmingdale and Massapequa on June 5, 2022. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca M. Schuman and Kamil R. Ammari are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants : ABDOUL AZIKA Age: 21 Bronx, New York JAQUELL BLACKWELL Age: 20 Bronx, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 24-CR-483, 25-CR-194 (ARR)


title: Veteran Charged with Defrauding Navy Out of More Than $9 Million by Bid-Rigging and False Billing with Insider Who Was Paid Kickbacks

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Navy veteran has been charged with defrauding the Navy out of more than $9 million through a bid-rigging and contract steering scheme that involved paying kickbacks and other benefits to a co-conspirator, who was a Navy insider at the time, the Justice Department announced today. Cory Taylor Wright, 49, of Columbus, Georgia, is charged in a single-count information with wire fraud. In a separate court filing, Wright agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Wright has agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors in this matter. Wright is expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks. According to his plea agreement, Wright was enlisted in the Navy from February 1997 until his retirement in May 2017. At various points from 2005 to 2017, Wright worked for the Navy’s Mobile Utilities Support Equipment division (Muse), located at the naval base in Port Hueneme in Ventura County. Muse was responsible for providing management, technical, and logistics support for power systems, including large generators, for U.S. Department of Defense operations around the world, including active combat zones. To accomplish its mission, Muse engaged with prime contractors to procure goods and services, typically by tasking orders to subcontractors. When Wright neared retirement in late 2016, he and an individual listed in court documents as “Co-Conspirator 1” agreed to create a Georgia-based company, C&C Power Solutions LLC (CCP). Co-Conspirator 1 was a fellow Navy enlistee who ultimately retired from the Navy in 2021 and held various positions at Muse, including supervisory positions that allowed him to exercise considerable influence over naval contracts. The scheme lasted from December 2016 to August 2022. Wright and Co-Conspirator 1 created the company with the understanding that Co-Conspirator 1 would be a 50% partner in the business once he retired from the Navy. Co-Conspirator 1 told Wright that he would ensure CCP received Navy contracts, including task orders from a prime contractor. In exchange for directing the Navy contracts to CCP, Wright paid Co-Conspirator 1 thousands of dollars in kickback payments and other benefits, including payments to a sporting club operated by Co-Conspirator 1. To provide initial funding for CCP’s business operations, Co-Conspirator 1 caused a prime contractor and subcontractors to issue payments to CCP for products and services that CCP did not provide. Once CCP was operational, Wright and Co-Conspirator 1 engaged in a bid-rigging scheme to ensure CCP received subcontracts from a prime contractor. For example, in connection with a 2017 task order worth approximately $790,496, Wright and Co-Conspirator 1 caused the submission of multiple fake contract bids that contained estimated project costs that were significantly higher than the bid that CCP submitted. Wright also generated false and fraudulent invoices that represented CCP had completed work and delivered products to Muse when, in fact, CCP had not completed its contractual obligations. In turn, this caused the prime contractor to submit invoices containing Wright’s false information, causing the Navy to issue payments on the invoices. Starting in September 2017, Wright and Co-Conspirator 1 conspired to secure CCP as Muse’s next prime contractor, which they knew would be worth tens of millions of dollars to their company. Wright and Co-Conspirator 1 worked together to generate bogus documents – including a fraudulent past performance questionnaire – to obtain the contract. They also hid from the Navy Co-Conspirator 1’s role and financial interest in CCP, including his direct involvement in the company’s successful bid proposal for the prime contract with the Navy. From the time the Navy awarded CCP this lucrative contact in July 2019 until it terminated three task orders awarded to the company in late 2022 and early 2023, Wright continued to submit false documents, including invoices, to the Navy for obtaining money that his company and he were not entitled to receive. In total, Wright and his co-schemers defrauded the Navy out of approximately $9,128,515. The Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Thomas F. Rybarczyk of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.


body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sheldon Mays, age 25, of New Jersey, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for possession of a weapon while an inmate in a federal correctional facility. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on July 27, 2024, Mays, an inmate at the Schuylkill Federal Correctional Facility, possessed a sharpened plastic weapon with a cloth handle. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (“FBI”). Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Augusta Man Sentenced to 6 Years  in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: An Augusta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of at least one felony offense. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Raymond Lilly , 41, to 6 years in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Lilly pleaded guilty on May 2, 2025. According to court records, Lilly was encountered by Augusta police officers at an encampment in Mill Park in September 2023. During the interaction, officers observed a bottle of pills within Lilly’s tent, which Lilly admitted he did not have a prescription for. After officers arrested Lilly, they discovered a Smith & Wesson model M&P 15, .22 caliber rifle in his tent. Lilly had previous felony firearms convictions in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, which barred him from possessing firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case in conjunction with the Augusta Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods : This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn . ###


title: Two Defendants Charged on Firearms Violations in Connection with Convenience Store Shooting

body_text: YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Two Trumbull County men have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint for allegedly committing firearms violations in connection with a convenience store shooting Aug. 3, in Warren, Ohio, that left one person dead. The individuals facing federal charges are: Jumal Ellis Rowe, 32, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm; previous convictions for trafficking and possession of cocaine. Rayjon Ray Mcelroy, 25, charged with possession of ammunition by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Both men are from Warren. According to the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, on Aug. 3 the Warren Police Department and the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for service in reference to multiple gunshots and reports of an individual suffering from gunshot wounds at a Convenient Food Mart in Warren. Investigators reviewing footage from the store’s video surveillance found that around 5 a.m., several individuals were loitering and playing a dice game on the walkway just outside the main door. A fight broke out shortly thereafter and eventually escalated into a mass shooting incident in the parking lot between multiple individuals. One individual was later pronounced dead and another injured as a result. Officials with the Warren Police Department were able to identify Rowe and Mcelroy from the store’s surveillance video. Investigators observed Mcelroy in possession of a Kel-Tec Sub 2000, 5.7 caliber folding firearm when the fight broke out. Rowe was also observed in the store’s surveillance video in possession of a firearm that investigators identified as a Glock, Model 23Gen4, .40 caliber, semi-automatic pistol. In the video, Rowe was seen between two parked vehicles, shooting at others. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 15 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio; Acting Special Agent in Charge John Smerglia of the ATF Cleveland Field Office; and Warren Police Chief Eric J. Merkel made the announcement. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Youngstown Satellite Office, Warren Police Department, and the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yasmine Makridis for the Northern District of Ohio. A criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information should contact the Warren Police Department at 330-841-2658.


title: Five KC-Area Individuals Charged in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their alleged roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that involved the sale of drugs to an undercover agent. One man was also indicted on firearm charges. Marcellus W. Anderson, 31, Tyra K. M. McGee, 37, Virgil D. Tillman, 41, and Martin A. Holloman, 40, all of Kansas City, Mo.; and Ricky M. Bowie, 25, of Kansas City, Kan., were charged in a 14-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. That indictment was unsealed and made public earlier this week upon the arrest and initial court appearance of Bowie. Tillman and Holloman were also arrested this week. The superseding indictment replaces the original indictment returned on June 27, which only charged Marcellus Anderson and Tyra McGee, and includes the additional defendants. The federal indictment alleges that all five defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine between Dec. 1, 2023, and June 11, 2025. Additionally, Anderson is charged with three counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Anderson possessed a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber pistol on Jan. 29, 2025. McGee is charged with Anderson in one count of distributing fentanyl and one count of distributing a fentanyl analogue. Bowie, Tillman, and Holloman are charged with Anderson in one separate count each of distributing fentanyl. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint that was filed against Anderson and McGee on June 12, Anderson sold cocaine to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on three occasions, methamphetamine on one occasion, fentanyl on six occasions, and a fentanyl analogue on one occasion. McGee participated in one of the fentanyl transactions and the fentanyl analogue transaction. Additionally, Anderson had a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber pistol in his lap during one of the transactions, which he commented was for protection. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Anderson has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen firearms. 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. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; and the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force. 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: Illinois Doctor Sentenced to 34 Months in Prison for Evading $1.6M in Taxes and Committing Health Care Fraud

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Illinois doctor was sentenced today to 34 months in prison for committing health care fraud and for hiding assets and lying to the IRS about his ability to pay approximately $1.6 million in taxes, penalties, and interest. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from approximately 2011 to 2017, Krishnaswami Sriram, of Lake Forest, Illinois, evaded payment of approximately $1.6 million he owed to the IRS. Among other evasive steps, Sriram transferred ownership, in name only, of two rental properties to his children without their knowledge while he continued to receive income from the properties. He also transferred approximately $700,000 from bank accounts he controlled in the United States to accounts in India. To fraudulently reduce the money he owed, Sriram submitted documents to the IRS as part of an offer-in-compromise that omitted an investment account in the United States, bank and investment accounts in India, and ownership of the rental properties. In total, Sriram caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $1.6 million. Between 2012 and 2022, Sriram also caused false Medicare billings to be submitted for episodes of in-home physician care that did not occur. Specifically, Sriram claimed to provide care for Medicare beneficiaries on dates when those individuals were either deceased or resided at inpatient facilities other than their homes. Sriram’s false statements in medical records relating to these episodes of care resulted in $136,980.36 in false billings to Medicare. In addition to his prison sentence, the court ordered Sriram to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $1.7 million in restitution to the United States. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case with assistance from former Trial Attorney Victor Yanz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.


title: Springfield Man Convicted in Drug Conspiracy

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who was found with a half-pound of methamphetamine was convicted at trial today of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Jeremy Moran Chambers, 47, was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and felon in possession of a firearm. Following the presentation of evidence over three days, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for just over two hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began on Aug. 18, 2025. Beginning as early as Dec. 1, 2020, and continuing through Oct. 12, 2022, Chambers, and others, knowingly conspired and agreed to sell and distribute methamphetamine. On July 22, 2021, members of the Springfield, Mo., Police Department served a search warrant at a trailer occupied by Chambers and located a half-pound of methamphetamine and firearms. When interviewed, Chambers told officers that he was exchanging methamphetamine for firearms. Five other individuals have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Dusty Lescard, Anne Currie, and Tameka Farmer await sentencing. Tilton Tate and Erik Foster have been sentenced and received 146 months and 215 months imprisonment, respectively. Under federal statutes, Chambers is subject to a minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Brown and Special Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Lucas. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.