title: Dallas Federal Jury Convicts Four Deuce Oakland Crips Gang Member of Multiple Drug Trafficking and Firearms Crimes

body_text: A Dallas federal jury convicted a Four Deuce Oakland Crips gang member of multiple drug trafficking and firearms crimes, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Following a four-day trial, the jury convicted Jamarian Augustus Hewitt (a.k.a. “Zillionaire JJ”), 40, of Dallas, Texas, on Thursday, April 9, 2026, of trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, two counts of firearm possession in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, one count of using a cell phone in furtherance of a drug offense, and one count of illegal firearm possession by a convicted felon. “The residents living and working in the Malcolm X Boulevard neighborhood had been living in fear due to the havoc wreaked by the Four Deuce Oakland Crip gang members’ criminal activities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “With this verdict, Hewitt has been held accountable and faces a potential lifetime sentence, which should restore a sense of peace to the Malcolm X Boulevard neighborhood.” “Today’s verdict sends a clear and unequivocal message: those who choose to flood our neighborhoods with drugs and arm violent criminal enterprises will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner of ATF Dallas. “By dismantling this trafficking network, Operation Blue Laces reflects the power of intelligence-driven investigations and strong law enforcement partnerships. ATF remains committed to targeting the most violent offenders and working alongside our partners to protect the citizens of Dallas.” Court records reveal that Hewitt was one of several Four Deuce Oakland crip gang members charged as part of “Operation Blue Laces.” Additional gang members were charged with numerous drug and firearm offenses, as well as carjacking. According to court documents, in January 2024, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents initiated “Operation Blue Laces” to identify gang members who were engaged in criminal conduct along two main intersections within the Malcolm X Boulevard corridor of Dallas, Texas. The operation, in part, addressed numerous complaints from residents living and working in the neighborhood who advised that Four Deuce Oakland Crip gang members had taken over the area and had created an environment of fear and lawlessness. Evidence at Hewitt’s trial demonstrated that the gang members were using multiple storefronts and residences along the Malcolm X corridor to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, PCP, marijuana, codeine and prescription drugs to customers daily. Hewitt, a convicted felon, operated Zillionaire Exotic Pop, a storefront located at 3401 S. Malcolm X Blvd. in South Dallas, from which Hewitt sold quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and 200 to 300 pounds of marijuana per week. He also sold codeine that was mixed with premium sodas referred to as “purple drank.” Social media posts on an account linked to Hewitt were also presented to the jury. Those posts contained images of Hewitt and a caption that read “I am a drug lord.” Other posts advertised the sale of marijuana from his shop and promoted the activities of the Four Deuce Oakland Crip gang. The jury also heard evidence that during a search of Hewitt’s business, agents recovered one kilogram of methamphetamine pills, distribution quantities of marijuana that Hewitt marketed as “Zillionaire Marijuana,” as well as multiple firearms. Searches of other storefronts and gang member residences revealed multiple pounds of marijuana, kilogram quantities of PCP, distribution quantities of cocaine, more than two dozen firearms, and a live alligator. Among other exhibits, the government introduced at Hewitt’s trial photos of pills and a firearm found during the investigation: Hewitt is set for sentencing on August 12, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, who presided over the trial. Hewitt faces a sentence of at least 20 years to life in federal prison on the drug trafficking and firearms charges and a $10 million fine. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas includes agents and officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Dallas Field Division and the Dallas Police Department, who conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Calvert and Ashley Koos of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes Report

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending April 10, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 106 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 8 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 84 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) 87 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for second degree murder, aggravated assault, drug trafficking, vehicle theft, immigration documents fraud, possession of a firearm by an alien, and prior immigration offenses. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Two Sentenced to Over 46 Years for Drug Murder

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Florida woman and California man have been sentenced to 230 months and 330 months in prison, respectively, for the 2022 killing of a man in relation to a drug trafficking conspiracy. Both defendants had pleaded guilty to using a firearm to cause death and conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Tsvia Kol, 37, of Hallandale, Florida, and Jimmy Sanchez, 38, of Spring Valley, California, murdered a Miami man (the victim) in connection with a missing package containing about 11 pounds of methamphetamine, the street value of which totaled approximately $90,000. Kol and Sanchez believed that the victim stole the package of drugs, but in fact the drugs had been seized by law enforcement. Kol and Sanchez confronted the victim in a hotel room that they had rented, and Kol provided Sanchez with a firearm. While inside the room, the victim called 911 and attempted to provide his location. The recorded 911 call captured the sounds of a physical altercation and gunshots. Hotel security footage revealed Kol and Sanchez fleeing the property after the shooting, and the victim’s body was not discovered in the hotel room until the day after. Sanchez admitted that he shot and murdered the victim and Kol admitted that she had been an accomplice. “Suspecting that the victim had stolen drugs from them, these defendants committed a callous murder,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The drug business is a dangerous game that results in death, ruined lives, and torn families. The Criminal Division prioritizes prosecuting drug crimes, especially those involving violence.” “This started as a drug deal gone wrong and ended in an execution,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendants armed themselves, set up the victim, and carried out a killing over a missing drug package that had already been seized by law enforcement. The prison sentences, over 19 years and over 27 years, reflect the seriousness of that violence. As a career prosecutor and former trial judge, I’ve seen how often drug trafficking turns deadly. In South Florida, we pursue long federal sentences that keep violent criminals off the streets and protect our community.” “These defendants ruthlessly murdered someone whom they thought had stolen from their own illegal drug trafficking network. Today their sentence ends this cycle of violence,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The FBI, with our federal, state and local partners work around the clock to ensure these destructive criminals with no regard for a human life are found and held accountable with the goal of making our communities safer and free from drug-related crimes like this.” “Drug trafficking and violence unfortunately go hand-in-hand,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division. “DEA Miami Agents are working tirelessly to bring justice and safety to our community.” “In this case the defendants decided the contents of a package were worth more than the victim’s life. It’s a decision they will pay for,” said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “The Postal Inspection Service works tirelessly to eliminate narcotics from our postal system, working with our federal, state, and local partners to make sure those who profit from violence, drug sales, and the abuse of the postal system feel the full weight of the law.” In January 2026, Kol and Sanchez each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and using a firearm to cause death during a drug trafficking offense. The DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Miami Dade Sherriff’s Office, the Hialeah Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Trial Attorney Jessica A. Massey from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence.


title: Three-Time Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 5 Years

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: Madison, Wis. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Rodney L. Roach, 44, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 71 months in federal prison for distribution of cocaine. Roach pleaded guilty to this charge on January 21, 2026. Roach distributed what he believed to be heroin to a police informant on four occasions. After the last drug sale, police seized a large amount of suspected heroin/fentanyl and cocaine from his home. Crime laboratory testing revealed that the suspected heroin/fentanyl was in fact Metonitazene. Metonitazene is an extremely dangerous synthetic opioid like fentanyl but with a slightly greater potency. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson stated that Roach distributed dangerous drugs that harmed his community. He further stated that Roach had two prior drug trafficking convictions and was an elevated risk to reoffend upon release. Judge Peterson ordered six years of supervision to follow Roach’s prison term to further protect the community. The charge against Roach was the result of an investigation conducted by the Beloit Police Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case. Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Hallandale woman and California man have been sentenced to 230 months and 330 months in prison, respectively, for the 2022 killing of a man in relation to a drug trafficking conspiracy. Both defendants had pleaded guilty to using a firearm to cause death and conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Tsvia Kol, 37, of Hallandale, and Jimmy Sanchez, 38, of Spring Valley, California, murdered a Miami man in connection with a missing package containing about 11 pounds of methamphetamine, the street value of which totaled approximately $90,000. Kol and Sanchez believed that the victim stole the package of drugs, but in fact the drugs had been seized by law enforcement. Kol and Sanchez confronted the victim in a hotel room that they had rented, and Kol provided Sanchez with a firearm. While inside the room, the victim called 911 and attempted to provide his location. The recorded 911 call captured the sounds of a physical altercation and gunshots. Hotel security footage revealed Kol and Sanchez fleeing the property after the shooting, and the victim’s body was not discovered in the hotel room until the day after. Sanchez admitted that he shot and murdered the victim and Kol admitted that she had been an accomplice. “Suspecting that the victim had stolen drugs from them, these defendants committed an execution-style murder,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The drug business is a dangerous game that too often results in death. The Criminal Division will continue to prosecute drugs crimes, especially those involving violence.” “This started as a drug deal gone wrong and ended in an execution,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendants armed themselves, set up the victim, and carried out a killing over a missing drug package that had already been seized by law enforcement. The prison sentences, over 19 years and over 27 years, reflect the seriousness of that violence. As a career prosecutor and former trial judge, I’ve seen how often drug trafficking turns deadly. In South Florida, we pursue long federal sentences that keep violent criminals off the streets and protect our community.” “These defendants ruthlessly murdered someone whom they thought had stolen from their own illegal drug trafficking network. Today their sentence ends this cycle of violence,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The FBI, with our federal, state and local partners work around the clock to ensure these destructive criminals with no regard for a human life are found and held accountable with the goal of making our communities safer and free from drug-related crimes like this.” “Drug trafficking and violence unfortunately go hand-in-hand,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division. “DEA Miami Agents are working tirelessly to bring justice and safety to our community.” “In this case the defendants decided the contents of a package were worth more than the victim’s life. It’s a decision they will pay for,” said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “The Postal Inspection Service works tirelessly to eliminate narcotics from our postal system, working with our federal, state, and local partners to make sure those who profit from violence, drug sales, and the abuse of the postal system feel the full weight of the law.” In January 2026, Kol and Sanchez each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and causing the death of a person during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. The DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Miami Dade Sherriff’s Office, the Hialeah Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jessica A. Massey from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20264. ###


title: District of Arizona Charges 171 Individuals for  Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from April 4 through April 10, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 171 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 99 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 62 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 10 cases against 10 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Cesar Arturo Herrera-Moreno, Ernesto A. Vargaz-Ramirez . Herrera-Moreno and Vargaz-Ramirez were charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens, on April 4, 2026. On April 2, a Pinal County Sheriff’s sergeant observed a vehicle driving near mile marker 214 on I-10 that had multiple items hanging from the rearview mirror. The sergeant ran a search on the vehicle’s license plate, which indicated the vehicle did not have insurance. The sergeant initiated a vehicle stop, approached the car and observed a driver, Herrera-Moreno; a front seat passenger, Vargaz-Ramirez; and three males in the backseat of the car. When Border Patrol agents arrived on the scene, they noticed camouflage clothing and carpet shoes on the backseat floorboard. Immigration checks confirmed that the passengers were citizens of Mexico and Guatemala, all unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-5144] United States v. Ernesto Carrillo-Gonzales. Carrillo-Gonzales was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit on April 8, 2026. On April 7, Border Patrol agents conducting surveillance in Nogales, Arizona, observed a subject concealed in the brush less than a mile north of the border. Agents watched the subject run from the brush and get into a vehicle. They followed the vehicle to a Motel 6 and observed both the subject and the driver, later identified as Carrillo-Gonzales, enter a motel room. An hour later, Carrillo-Gonzales drove to an area just north of the border and then returned to the motel room with a second individual. After another hour, Carrillo-Gonzales left and returned to the same motel room with two additional subjects. Twenty minutes later, Carrillo-Gonzales left again and was observed picking up another individual from the brush. He drove briefly before coming to a stop, and the individual got out of the vehicle. Agents apprehended both Carrillo-Gonzales and his passenger and learned that the passenger was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Finally, agents conducted an immigration inspection at the motel room and determined that the individuals inside were citizens of Mexico and Guatemala, all illegally present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-07395] These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-060_April 10, 2026 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Grand jury indicts Jamestown man and Buffalo woman on narcotics conspiracy charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Brandon Murray, 41, of Jamestown, NY, and Latika Saintkitts, 35, of Buffalo, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. In addition, Saintkitts is charged with distribution of crack cocaine and fentanyl. According to the indictment, between 2021, and September 2024, Murray and Saintkitts conspired with others to possess and distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. In addition, on April 3, 2024, Saintkitts possessed and distributed crack cocaine, and on June 14, 2024, she possessed and distributed fentanyl. 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). Murray and Saintkitts were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer. Murray was detained pending a detention hearing on April 13, 2026, and Saintkitts was released on conditions. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Forster. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Grand jury indicts Buffalo man on multiple COVID related fraud charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 10-count indictment charging Brandon Millender, 24, of Buffalo, NY, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and concealment money laundering, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine up to $500,000. According to the indictment, between April 2021, and August 2025, Millender conspired with others to defraud financial institutions, financial service companies, and the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting fraudulent Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and PPP loan forgiveness applications. The applications contained information regarding non-existent businesses, including payroll expenses and revenue. Millender carried out the scheme by: creating, using, and maintaining numerous e-mail addresses using the names, or variations of the names, of other individuals without knowledge or permission. In addition to names, he used social security numbers, addresses, and other personal information of these individuals. creating bank accounts, credit card accounts, on-line profiles, and CashApp/Block accounts, which he then used to receive proceeds of the scheme, conceal proceeds of the scheme, and spend proceeds of the scheme. Affected financial institutions included Key Bank, Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC, Benworth Capital Partners, CashApp/Block, and the Small Business Administration. In addition, between June and August 2025, Millender sought to obstruct the federal investigation of the conspiracy by attempting to influence an individual to provide false and misleading information to federal investigators. Between April 21 and May 11, 2021, Millender conducted financial transactions involving property, which included the proceeds of some of the unlawful activity. Millender did so knowing that the transactions were designed to conceal and disguise the nature, ownership, and the control of the proceeds. In total, the scheme involved over $140,000 in PPP loan proceeds. The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Millender was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and released on conditions. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SUBORNING PERJURY IN FEDERAL COURT

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: FLINT — During the second week of his federal trial on several witness tampering and perjury charges, Omar R. Pouncy, 38, of Flint, pleaded guilty to suborning perjury, U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office. U.S. District Court Judge F. Kay Behm accepted Pouncy’s guilty plea to suborning perjury and scheduled sentencing for July 14, 2026. Pouncy faces up to five years in federal prison. According to court documents and the testimony and evidence elicited at trial, Pouncy was convicted of committing multiple carjackings and armed robberies in Genesee County in 2005. The trial court sentenced Pouncy to a lengthy term of incarceration. After exhausting all of his appeals in state court, Pouncy filed a federal habeas corpus petition in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in 2013. During the federal habeas proceedings, Pouncy alleged, among other things, that he was actually innocent of the carjackings for which he had been convicted, and that another man, Jaakawa McGruder, had committed the carjackings instead of Pouncy. On May 22, 2018, the U.S. District Court conducted an evidentiary hearing on Pouncy’s actual innocence claims. During the hearing, Jaakawa McGruder testified falsely that he, not Pouncy, committed the carjackings. During the hearing, McGruder also testified falsely that he had not been offered and was not receiving any money for his testimony or his presence at the hearing, when in fact, Pouncy paid McGruder $10,000 to testify. Pouncy’s scheme nearly worked: the district judge released him on bond and subsequently ruled in his favor. But Pouncy’s scheme was uncovered when employees of the Michigan Department of Corrections found, and later searched, two cell phones that Pouncy was using from inside prison. Text messages on the phones revealed that Pouncy coached McGruder on how to testify, providing him with details of the carjackings and robberies that only the perpetrator would know. The text messages also revealed Pouncy’s directives to others to ensure payment to McGruder in order to secure his testimony in the habeas proceeding. McGruder and another person who assisted Pouncy in his scheme were previously convicted for their roles. “This violent criminal lied his way back into our community. He endangered the public and directly attacked our justice system. But we uncovered his perjury scheme. And now the same courts he undermined will serve him justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Gorgon. "Attempting to manipulate the justice system by orchestrating false testimony is a serious crime, and those who engage in schemes to obstruct the truth will be held accountable,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The defendant’s actions were a deliberate effort to undermine the integrity of the judicial process. Due to the diligent work of our partners at the Michigan Department of Corrections in uncovering key evidence, members of the FBI Flint Resident Agency were able to thoroughly investigate this case. FBI Detroit will continue to prioritize public safety, keeping violent offenders off the streets and ensuring our communities remain safe.” This investigation was conducted by special agents of the FBI’s Flint Resident Agency and officials with the Michigan Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jules DePorre and Ann Nee.


title: Illegal Alien from Guatemala and Prior Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Illegally Returning to U.S. and Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: DETROIT - Joel Martin Mendez, 33, a Guatemalan illegal alien, pleaded guilty today to illegally re-entering the United States and failing to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Acting Chief Patrol Agent Javier Geronimo, Jr., U.S. Border Patrol. According to court records, sometime prior to 2023, Martin Mendez unlawfully entered the United States. While here illegally, Martin Mendez communicated via texts and phone calls with who he thought was a 15-year-old female—but was an undercover agent. Martin Mendez responded to a “Skip the Games” online classified website known as a platform for advertising escort services and adult entertainment. This site is often used for illegal prostitution and is frequently monitored by law enforcement to combat sex trafficking. Martin Mendez discussed prices for various sex acts and arranged to meet the girl at a hotel in Monroe County, Michigan. But law enforcement arrested him. Martin Mendez pleaded guilty to two state felonies (children-accosting for immoral purposes and attempted computer-internet communication to do a crime) but was sentenced to only 17 days’ incarceration and 5 years’ probation. He was also ordered to register on the sex offender registry. Martin Mendez failed to register as a sex offender prior to his removal to Guatemala. Detroit Sector Border Patrol identified that Martin Mendez thereafter illegally returned to the U.S. and arrested him in February. “Joel Martin Mendez is another reminder of how illegal immigration endangers Americans. This illegal alien broke into our country and tried to sexually abuse one of our children,” said Gorgon. “I am incredibly proud of the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by our Detroit Sector agents and our law enforcement partners in apprehending this convicted child predator, who had previously been removed from the United States and illegally returned,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Javier Geronimo Jr., U.S. Border Patrol Detroit Sector. “This case underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities. Through their vigilance and teamwork, this dangerous offender has been taken off our streets, making our neighborhoods safer for the families we are sworn to protect.” This case was investigated by the special agents of the U.S. Border Patrol and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Fairchild. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Sioux City Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Possession

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl was sentenced today to over 12 years in federal prison. Alfredo Soberanes, Age 31, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 4, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. In a plea agreement, Soberanes admitted that around midnight on August 31, 2023, in Sioux City, Iowa, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on his vehicle but he drove away as officers approached. Law enforcement did not pursue the vehicle but went to the address in Sioux City associated with the vehicle registration. Law enforcement were given permission to search the residence where they located Soberanes hiding in the basement. Found in Soberanes’ possession at arrest was methamphetamine, a stolen firearm, a digital scale, and over 2,500 pills marked “M-30” which contained fentanyl. For possessing the methamphetamine, defendant was charged by the State and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment but ultimately served a total of 620 days before he was federally indicted for possession with intent to deliver fentanyl. Soberanes was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Soberanes was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment but was given credit for 620 days he had served on the related State conviction. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-04046. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Illegal Alien With 8 Prior Removals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering United States

body_text: A man who illegally reentered the United States from Mexico was sentenced April 9, 2026, to 54 months in federal prison. Julio Cesar Moreno, age 47, a citizen of Mexico, received the prison term after a November 24, 2025, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry as a felon. At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on September 15, 2025, Moreno was arrested in Britt, Iowa, for speeding and not having a valid driver’s license. While in custody, officials determined he was a citizen of Mexico and had previously been removed from the United States to Mexico on eight previous occasions. Moreno admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission and was previously convicted of four aggravated felony offenses while in the United States. Additionally, Moreno had been convicted of two counts of felony deadly conduct in the discharge of a firearm in Hidalgo, Texas, in 2005. Moreno was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Moreno was sentenced to 54 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. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-03047. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: U.S. Attorney, ATF Offer Law Enforcement Training on Firearms Trends

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey will open a one-day training about firearms intelligence and trends offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Eastern Panhandle today. “I commend the ATF for keeping our law enforcement partners on the cutting edge of firearms tracing and technology that is critical to solving gun crimes and preventing further violence,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “With effective firearms investigations, we can ensure that those committing violent crimes are held accountable.” “This eight-hour training course is designed to enhance the capabilities of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting firearm-related violent crime” said ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes. “Participants will receive instruction on the latest crime gun investigative tools and techniques, including firearms tracing, emerging firearm and 3D-printing technologies, and advanced resources such as ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).” ATF Crime Gun Intelligence-Building a Bulletproof Case will include crime gun trends, effective firearms tracing, and offer a demonstration of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) machine. NIBIN offers national tracing of expended shell casings and ammunition, connecting crimes across the nation by an individual firearm. The training is free and open to law enforcement, offering 8 hours of education credits through LEPS. It will be held at Jefferson High School in Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia Thursday, April 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.


title: Tennessee man who was found in Florida with missing Ohio teen charged with transporting a minor to engage in sexual activity

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Charges have been filed in the Southern District of Ohio against a Tennessee man with whom a previously missing Colerain teenager was found in Florida on March 13. Stephen L. Negron, 42, of Rogersville, Tennessee, is charged federally with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, a federal crime punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. “I want to commend the excellent work of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, recovery, and prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “My office is proud to partner with these outstanding public servants to ensure that our children remain safe from those who seek to prey upon them.” According to charging documents, cell phone data revealed the victim’s cell phone was powered off on Feb. 13. Just prior to being turned off, cell site data placed the phone at an intersection near the victim’s home. Subsequent review of area security cameras showed a silver Chevrolet pickup truck with a Tennessee license plate number registered to Negron in the vicinity at the same time. Investigators used license plate readers to track the truck’s previous travel southbound through Kentucky and into Tennessee. Further investigation into Negron revealed an ongoing protective order issued out of Texas regarding an 18-year-old female who allegedly met Negron online in 2023 when she was 16 and Negron was 41. According to documents related to that matter, Negron traveled from Florida and Tennessee to meet up with the teenager and brought her back to Tennessee. He allegedly drugged her, sexually assaulted her and threatened violence to her and her family. On March 12, FBI agents in Tennessee executed a federal search warrant at Negron’s home and found evidence of a new cell phone number. GPS pings on that cell phone number led agents to the Quality Inn & Suites Palatka Riverfront Hotel in Palatka, Florida. Court documents detail that Negron had driven to Florida in a work truck, a White Dodge Ram, with a Virginia license plate. On March 13, law enforcement officials located Negron and the victim in Florida and arrested Negron on charges out of the Eastern District of Tennessee related to the former Texas victim. Negron will be transferred to the Southern District of Ohio to face his charges here. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (Florida), Palatka Police Department (Florida), FBI Jacksonville, FBI Nashville, the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee have all played integral parts in this investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Former Austin School Bookkeeper Sentenced for Embezzling Over $1M

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A Leander woman was sentenced in a federal court in Austin to 33 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion, said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents, Alysa Dietz Gisser, 56, was employed as a bookkeeper and accountant for a non-profit private school in Austin for children with special needs and learning disabilities. Beginning in or around 2018, she began embezzling money from the school, directing parents to make tuition and other payments to a PayPal account connected to her consulting business. Gisser had renamed her business PayPal account to reflect the name of the school to misdirect the school’s funds. Additionally, she modified the school’s accounting files to reflect that funds had been paid to the school, when in reality the funds had been transferred to her personal bank account to make credit card and mortgage payments, and install an in-ground swimming pool at her residence. In total, between the PayPal payments and the checks deposited into her personal bank account, Gisser embezzled more than $1 million from the school. She also underreported her income by $863,963.32 between 2018 and 2021. Gisser was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion on Dec. 15, 2025. She pleaded guilty to both counts on Jan. 13. In addition to the prison sentence, Gisser was ordered to pay $1,318,684.34 in restitution and had a money judgment imposed against her for $1,049,012.34. IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke prosecuted the case. ###


title: Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Federal Prison for  Brutally Assaulting Another Woman in the Pine Ridge Reservation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault Resulting in Sioux Bodily Injury – Aiding and Abetting. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026. Jessie Sutton, 37, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Sutton was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury – Aiding and Abetting, as well as Assault with a Dangerous Weapon – Aiding and Abetting by a federal grand jury in November 2024. She pleaded guilty on December 22, 2025. The charges stem from an incident in which Sutton and her sister, Joann Sutton, brutally attacked another woman about her body and head necessitating emergency surgery to address resultant brain injuries. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case. Sutton was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Miramar Man Indicted for Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – Arthur Gabriel Young, 23, of Miramar, Florida, has been federally charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of children producing child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Young appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. His jury trial is scheduled for May 27, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. If convicted, Young faces a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, on the production of child pornography counts. Young also faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the receipt and possession counts. The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Gainesville Police Department, and the Westminster Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Management Company Agrees to Pay More Than $2 Million to Resolve Improper Paycheck Protection Program Loan

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – An automotive management company, Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc., agreed to pay $2,106,927 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, a federal law that prohibits the submission of false or fraudulent claims. Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to provide emergency financial assistance to small American businesses struggling to pay employees and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Borrowers were required to certify in their applications that they were eligible for the requested loans and that the information they provided was true and accurate. Regulations provided various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of employees and exceptions for certain types of businesses operating as franchises, such as automotive dealerships. The settlement resolves allegations that Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. falsely certified it was eligible to apply for and receive forgiveness for a first-draw PPP loan. Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. served as the management company for a network of automotive dealerships. Under the PPP, automotive dealerships were not required to count affiliates’ employees in their PPP applications if the dealerships qualified for the PPP’s franchise exception. Although Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. managed automotive dealerships, it did not operate as a franchise and thus was required to include its affiliates’ employees when considering PPP eligibility. The Government contends that, together with its affiliates, Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. had more than 500 employees and was therefore ineligible for its first-draw loan. The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by a private citizen under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file a civil action on behalf of the United States, thereby bringing allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention, and share in any financial recovery. As part of this resolution, the individual who filed the qui tam complaint is eligible to receive a portion of the settlement proceeds. The civil case is captioned United States ex rel. David Reed v. Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. , Case No. 2:25-CV-00084-SCM. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Stubblebine, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability. – END –


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to  Federal Prison for Firearm Offense

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

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Ernest Lee Thomas II, 35, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “With yet another successful prosecution under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America , we are fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump that we will stop at nothing to keep our citizens safe and dangerous, armed felons like this defendant locked away in prison. Sheriff Chip Simmons and his deputies continue to set the standard for investigative excellence in law enforcement, and my office will back up their hard work with aggressive prosecutions to keep our community safe.” Court documents reflect that on May 31, 2025, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by the defendant. During the traffic stop, a search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded .45-caliber Taurus handgun with a round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine. While speaking with law enforcement, the defendant made statements indicating the firearm belonged to him. The defendant had previously been convicted in the Northern District of Florida of distribution of cocaine and possession of stolen firearms. The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson prosecuted this case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Cedrick Campbell, 36, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of possession of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office will continue to prioritize the aggressive prosecution of predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize our kids. Viewing and distributing child porn has the effect of re-victimizing the innocent kids who have been sexually exploited each and every time one of those horrific images or videos is shared. My office will hold accountable those who peddle child porn to the greatest extent possible.” Court documents reflect that the Tallahassee Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information that the defendant was possessing and viewing child pornography. Further investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and a search of his cell phone, which revealed that he had also used an overseas server to access and store child pornography. Campbell faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on each count, and a lifetime of supervision upon release. Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2026, at 10:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Ravelo and Meredith Steer are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Seven Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Operating a Multistate Burglary Ring

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced John Sebastian Quintero-Herrera, a Colombian national, to serve 70 months in prison. Quintero-Herrera was the leader of a multi-state burglary ring involving six other defendants. All the defendants were in the United States illegally. Quintero-Herrera subsequently pled guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and was the last defendant to be sentenced, with the exception of one additional defendant who has evaded custody thus far. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Beckering expressed dismay over the defendant’s conduct in operating a large-scale burglary operation that spanned most of the continental United States. She described the defendants’ sophisticated operation as “Ocean’s Eleven-style conduct” while being “downright cruel.” When describing how Quintero-Herrera and his co-defendants behaved, Judge Beckering described the burglaries as leaving behind “ransacked houses” producing a “bone-chilling” effect on homeowners. All of this caused the court to exceed the sentence recommended for ordinary theft offenses. U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “This case represents another example of why we are so alarmed by illegal immigration into the United States. When these people sneaked into our country, they weren’t looking for a chance to get a job. Their idea of a better life was to set up a burglary operation targeting the homes of people all over the United States. These professional burglars made over $1,500,000 breaking into people’s homes, but perhaps the most precious thing they stole from their victims was their sense of security and safety. I salute law enforcement’s ability to track down and stop these people men, but the fact remains that they should never have been allowed inside our borders to do this.” Quintero-Herrera and six others engaged in a conspiracy that encompassed much of the United States and involved twenty known residences. The burglary ring was very sophisticated: The conspirators would identify small business owners whom they suspected stored large amounts of cash or other valuables in their homes. The defendants then surveilled their targets, using GPS trackers to monitor their movements and cameras to surveil the homes of the victims. Ultimately, Quintero-Herrera and his co-conspirators broke into the homes of the victims, sometimes cutting off their power, and then ransacking the houses. The group took cash, jewelry, luxury brand purses and shoes, family heirlooms, as well as personal documents, like passports and mortgage paperwork. The houses were often left in complete and total disarray, with mattresses slashed and belongings strewn about. The defendants spent the money they obtained on drugs, nightclubs and extravagant travel. The defendants used hidden surveillance cameras to watch potential victims The defendants put GPS trackers on their victims’ cars to locate their homes The defendants ripped apart their victims’ homes looking for valuables “The defendants’ actions were calculated, invasive, and left lasting harm on their victims,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “HSI is actively targeting South American theft groups that operate sophisticated, multi-state burglary rings like this one, and we are working tirelessly to disrupt their networks and hold them accountable. Through coordinated efforts across multiple states, we were able to bring those responsible to justice and restore a sense of security to the affected communities.” In total, the United States charged seven defendants as part of the conspiracy. Six have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. One defendant remains at large. The Court has imposed the following prison sentences on the convicted defendants: Name Age Count of Conviction Sentence John Quintero-Herrera 29 Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property 70 months Iesua Ramirez-Perez 26 Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property 39 months Ivan Chaparro-Perez 31 Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property 42 months William Villarraga-Joya 33 Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property 90 months Paul Mendoza-Arevalo 39 Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property 48 months Wendy Acosta-Arevalo 31 Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property 24 months This prosecution was made possible only through the inter-departmental cooperation of many law enforcement agencies spanning the country. The agencies that investigated this case include Dearborn (Michigan) Police Department; Greer (South Carolina) Police Department; Union County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Anderson County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Anniston (Alabama) Police Department; Foxborough (Massachusetts) Police Department; Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) Police Department; Hoover (Alabama) Police Department; Spartanburg County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Worcester (Massachusetts) Police Department; Dracut (Massachusetts) Police Department; Farmington Hills (Michigan) Police Department; Mason (Ohio) Police Department; Alexandria (Kentucky) Police Department; Franklin (Wisconsin) Police Department; Wisconsin Department of Justice Criminal Investigations; Sheboygan (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Department; Flint Township (Michigan) Police Department; Kent County (Michigan) Sheriff’s Office. Both the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Department of Homeland Security were involved from the federal side. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Homeland Security Task Force Nets Six Individuals for Trafficking in Fentanyl

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of two indictments charging six individuals, including a federal inmate and a Cuban national, with fentanyl trafficking conspiracies and related charges. If convicted of all counts, each faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. See chart below for details. Name (Age, City of Residence) Charges Theophilus Santroy Williams (43, Tampa) Conspiracy and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl Maurice Labrone Copeland (43, Tampa) Conspiracy and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl Edward Verdi-Bruno (33, FCI Coleman) Conspiracy and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl, attempted distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl Daniel Dayan Hernandez-Hernandez (34, Cuba) Conspiracy and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl Roshard Dawayne Lewis (41, Port Richey) Conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl Journey Lynn Harding (24, Tampa) Conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl According to the indictments, the defendants conspired with one another to distribute fentanyl on various occasions within the Middle District of Florida. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case consisted of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Chang and Samantha Newman. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.


title: Clearwater Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Zachary William Thomas (29, Clearwater) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to seven years and six months in federal prison for distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025. Thomas was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution and will be required to register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, between February 13 and 16, 2024, Thomas chatted online with an individual on a social media application. Thomas sent images and videos of CSAM to that individual and, in exchange, received additional CSAM from that individual. The FBI executed a search warrant at Thomas’s home and seized two cellphones that belonged to Thomas. Both cellphones contained hundreds of images and videos of CSAM. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts. It is another case 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Twin Falls Woman Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Idaho

body_text: BOISE – Elisha Gabrielle Ortiz, 40, of Twin Falls, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. According to court records, in January 2025 investigators learned that Ortiz was trafficking methamphetamine in the Magic Valley area. The investigation revealed that Ortiz sold methamphetamine to another person on two occasions. In July 2025, investigators obtained a search warrant for a storage unit where Ortiz stored drug. Inside the storage unit, investigators found approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and 1,200 fentanyl pills that Ortiz intended to distribute into the community. Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Ortiz to serve five years of supervised release following her prison sentence. U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Idaho State Police, Twin Falls Special Investigations Unit, Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls Police Department, Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Mini-Cassia Drug Task Force, and the Idaho Department of Corrections Probation & Parole, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher A. Booker prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: Career offender sentenced to 20 years in prison for federal drug and firearms charges

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond drug trafficker was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 9, 2024, law enforcement was attempting to locate an individual who was wanted in Chesterfield County. When officers located the individual in Gilpin Court in Richmond, the individual was accompanied by Montrio Santos Neville, 40. When the pair was detained, an officer searched Neville and recovered a firearm, 6.8750 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine powder, and numerous tablets containing methamphetamine. Neville previously was convicted of, among other crimes, forgery of a public record; malicious wounding for an incident in which he shot the victim four times; and possession with intent to distribute heroin. At the time Neville was arrested in this case, he had been released from prison just three months earlier for the heroin conviction and was on active probation. As a previously convicted felon, Neville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. The FBI’s Richmond Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-183.


title: Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of Minor

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor over a four-year period. According to court documents, Brian Begay , 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in a pattern of sexual abuse against Jane Doe between 2015 and 2019, beginning when the victim was 12 and continuing until she was 16. Begay pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact and faces up to life in prison at sentencing. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case 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: Giles County Man Arrested for Importing Powerful Psychedelic

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Ripplemead, Virginia man was arrested recently on charges of attempting to possess with intent to distribute dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and distributing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), powerful psychedelic drugs. Police investigators arrested Charles Herman Aardema III, 28, for these charges as alleged in a federal criminal complaint. According to the complaint, in September 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Miami international mail facility examined a parcel due to suspicious anomalies revealed by X-ray. The parcel was addressed to Aardema’s Ripplemead home and shipped by a “Raul Wictor Silva Batista” of Brazil. Inside the parcel, officers found several plastic bags containing over 11 kilograms of reddish powder, which chemical analysis confirmed to contain DMT, a psychedelic drug known for its fast working and intense effects. Shipments records further revealed that between November 2020 and April 2021, CBP intercepted four other parcels of DMT powder en route to Aardema, totaling approximately 20 kilograms. In October 2021, law enforcement executed a state search warrant on Aardema’s home. During the search, Aardema claimed he ordered DMT because he was “really into tie-dying,” even though he had no tie-dying equipment or tie-dye T-shirts. Aardema admitted that he received packages of Mimosa hostilis powder from Brazil and reshipped it in smaller quantities across the United States, as directed by Batista. Aardema estimated he shipped 10 or 11 kilograms of the powder to as many as six people. While Aardema was still on state bond conditions, officers with the Blacksburg Police Department independently arranged several controlled purchases of LSD and DMT from Aardema in March and April 2025. Aardema directed the undercover police informant to meet him on the campus of Virginia Tech during each drug sale. The case is being investigated by Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Giles County Sheriff’s Office; Pearisburg Police Department; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Blacksburg Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office thanks the Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Offices for Giles County and Montgomery County for their assistance. First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and HSI Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Inman is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Jury Convicts Arsonist Who Threw Molotov Cocktails at a Minneapolis Café

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted Firomsa Ahmed Umar, age 31, of one count of arson and attempted arson on October 19, 2025; possession of an unregistered destructive device on October 19, 2025; attempted arson on October 20, 2025; and possession of an unregistered destructive device on October 20, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. The jury also found that the defendant selected Fletcher’s, which displayed a prominent Pride flag at the time, as the object of the offenses because of actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation. According to court documents and evidence at trial, the defendant twice threw homemade destructive devices at Fletcher’s Ice Cream & Café in Minneapolis: once on October 19, 2025 and again on October 20, 2025. In each incident, the defendant threw glass bottles filled with gasoline. One contained a mixture known as “improvised napalm.” October 19 attack October 20 attack In the first attack on the night of October 19, the defendant lobbed his first Molotov Cocktail at Fletcher’s large front windows, which broke both panes of glass and ignited in a large blast of flame. Fortunately, employees of a nearby business responded quickly and put out the remaining flames. result of October 19 attack The defendant returned the next day, attempted to open the door, found it locked, and again threw a similar Molotov Cocktail at the façade. Because the cloth wick inserted into the mixture fell from the bottle, the device failed to ignite, but did cause further damage to the window. When arrested on October 20, the defendant had a gas can, a lighter, and a third bottle stuffed with a third bottle stuffed with an ingredient for improvised napalm, with other Molotov Cocktail components nearby The jury heard additional evidence that the defendant chose Fletcher’s due to the prominent display of a Pride flag above the façade, and had painted homophobic graffiti outside a local apartment complex four weeks earlier. This case is the result of a joint investigation by ATF, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minneapolis Fire Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Jeanne D. Semivan tried the case.


title: Federal jury convicts Manassas woman for maintaining a property used for drug trafficking

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted Paris Chappe'll Hudson, 35, of Manassas, yesterday on charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on June 12, 2025, Hudson and Khymarr Talib Cooper, 46, were arrested for their roles in a COVID-era unemployment insurance fraud scheme. When law enforcement arrived at the residence where the couple lived to arrest them, Hudson disclosed that she possessed a firearm. Investigators attained a warrant to search the residence and discovered additional firearms and ammunition as well as distribution amounts of marijuana, 161 street-pressed oxycodone pills, narcotics packaging material, two digital scales with narcotics residue, $4,107, a commercial money counter, two cellphones belonging to Cooper, and one cellphone belonging to Hudson. Text messages between Cooper and Hudson on their phones confirmed Hudson knew of Cooper’s drug trafficking. Hudson was the sole lessee of the residence. Hudson faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on July 17. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hudson pled guilty to wire fraud relating to the unemployment scheme on August 5, 2025, and was sentenced on Jan. 21 to six months in prison. Cooper pled guilty to wire fraud relating to the unemployment scheme on Aug. 25, 2025, and was sentenced on Dec. 5, 2025, to one year and eight months in prison. Cooper pled guilty on March 30 to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 2. The Prince William County Police Department; Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 4:26-cr-8 and 4:25-cr-32.


title: Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to Over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in Rapid City and in the Pine Ridge Reservation

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026. Shauntel Shangreaux, 32, was sentenced to 19 years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Shangreaux was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. She pleaded guilty on December 29, 2025. Throughout 2023, Shangreaux distributed multiple ounces of fentanyl and multiple pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Rapid City community and on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Her principal source for the drugs was the drug trafficking organization leader, Juan Sertuche, who was convicted at trial in January 2026. Between 2002 and September 2023, Juan Sertuche led a drug distribution conspiracy and provided hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and tens and thousands of fentanyl pills to multiple sub-dealers, including Shangreaux, to be further distributed in the Rapid City and Pine Ridge areas of South Dakota. “Shangreaux was a key lieutenant in Sertuche’s interstate criminal operation,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI, DCI, Rapid City Police, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the BIA, our federal prosecutors have been dismantling that organization piece by piece.” This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Oglala Sioux Tribe-Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige M. Petersen prosecuted the case. Shangreaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 43 Months for Role in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Abdullahe Nur Jesow of Minneapolis has been sentenced to 43 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release for his role in a $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Jesow was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $866,458. According to court documents, from December 2020 through September 2021, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, 65, purported to operate a Federal Child Nutrition Program meal distribution site from his event space, Benadir Hall, located on Lake Street in Minneapolis. The site was ostensibly operated by a non-profit entity called Academy for Youth Excellence, for which Jesow served as Secretary. Between December 2020 and September 2021, Academy for Youth Excellence claimed to have served over 1.7 million meals to children at Benadir Hall. In reality, Academy for Youth Excellence only provided a fraction of those meals. Based on these fraudulent claims, Academy for Youth Excellence and its alleged food vendor, S&S Catering, received $4,286,088 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Rather than feed children during the pandemic, Jesow misappropriated the funds for his own personal benefit, including for the purchase of a home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. Jesow was one of eight defendants charged in a 23-count indictment in September 2022. On September 18, 2025, Jesow pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel. In imposing sentence, Judge Brasel stated that the defendant’s brazen fraud “severely undermined public trust in government programs and in the government itself.” "The sentence handed down today should be a clear message to those who would seek to enrich themselves by defrauding critical child nutrition programs," said FBI Minneapolis Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "The FBI and our investigative partners have and will continue to direct significant investigative resources to rooting out fraud in the programs that support and sustain our children and our communities." The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Minnesota Rebecca E. Kline and Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.


title: Connecticut Woman Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Obtain U.S. Citizenship After Committing Torture and War Crimes in Bosnia

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Connecticut woman who was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Bosnia and Herzegovina was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for naturalization fraud based on lies about her prior criminal conduct to obtain U.S. citizenship. According to statements made in court and court documents, Nada Radovan Tomanić, 53, of West Virginia, served with the Zulfikar Special Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, during the armed conflict in the region. Along with other Zulfikar Special Unit soldiers, Tomanić participated in the severe physical and psychological abuse of Bosnian Serb civilian prisoners, including torture and inhuman treatment amounting to a war crime. When applying for U.S. naturalization in 2012, Tomanić falsely denied having served in a detention facility or in any other situation involving the detention of others. She also falsely denied having committed a crime for which she had not been arrested — specifically, the crime of inflicting serious bodily harm under the Criminal Law of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. Tomanić’s deception extended beyond her written naturalization application. During her interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer, she was placed under oath and was legally obligated to answer questions truthfully. Despite that obligation, she again lied about her service in a detention facility and her past criminal conduct. “The defendant tortured and abused prisoners in Bosnia and then lied to U.S. immigration authorities to live in the U.S. and become a citizen,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Human rights violators are not welcome in the United States. Thanks to the courage of the victims, and the diligence and dedication of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, the defendant has been held accountable for exploiting our immigration system and evading responsibility for her crimes.” “I sincerely appreciate the investigative work of our law enforcement partners both here in the U.S. and in Bosnia who have disregarded the passage of decades to ensure that justice is served,” said U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan for the District of Connecticut. “There is no statute of limitations for human decency.” “This case has always been about more than lying on naturalization documents,” said Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien of the FBI New Haven Field Office. “Over the course of this investigation Tomanić’s violent history of targeting people based on their ethnicity and religion came to light, and we hope that yesterday’s sentencing gives some measure of justice to her victims. The FBI, along with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Fraud Detection and National Security will continue to investigate crimes of this nature to ensure the sanctity of the immigration process for all who righteously apply for U.S. Citizenship.” Tomanić pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2025, to one count of procuring citizenship contrary to law. The FBI investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit (IHRU). The Justice Department thanks authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to include the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska Ministry of Interior, Serbian authorities, and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, who were instrumental in providing assistance that aided in furthering the investigation. Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anastasia King and Angel Krull for the District of Connecticut prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP historians. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance. Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form at www.tips.fbi.gov/ , or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.


title: Internet Child Predator Sentenced for Exploiting Children as Young  as Twelve Years Old via Instagram, Snapchat, and X.

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Bobby Cyprus Linhart, 24, of Greenfield, Indiana has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material to a minor, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Linhart has also been ordered to pay $68,000 in restitution to the victims. According to court documents, between April 2023 and March 2024, Linhart repeatedly targeted minors between the ages of 12 and 15 through social media platforms including Instagram, Telegram, Snapchat, and X. Using the username “maps.syb,” he contacted at least six identified minor victims and attempted to reach additional children. Linhart employed grooming tactics such as feigning interest in the minors’ activities, complimenting their appearance, lying about his age, and offering narcotics in exchange for sexual acts. Linhart coerced multiple children into producing and sending sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. He later distributed images and videos of children obtained from various victims to attempt to entice other minor victims. He also arranged in‑person meetings with minors for sexual activity. Investigators determined that he traveled to at least two cities, including one out of state, to abuse his victims in person. In one instance, Linhart used Instagram to groom a 12‑year‑old girl, persuading her to sneak out of her home to meet him. During the encounter, he provided her with marijuana and then sexually abused her. On March 19, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Linhart’s home in Greenfield and seized an external hard drive containing thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material. “What makes this case especially disturbing is that Linhart not only targeted children online, but also attempted to, and in least one instance succeeded in, meeting his young victims in person for sexual activities,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Protecting children from predators, particularly those who hide behind screens and operate outside the watchful eyes of parents, remains one of our highest priorities.” “The facts and evidence of this case are deeply troubling, and our priority remains the protection of children and the pursuit of justice for victims. This investigation demonstrates what can be accomplished when local agencies, and federal law enforcement like Homeland Security Investigations, and specialized investigative resources work in close partnership. These cases are labor-intensive and sensitive but coordinated efforts like this are critical to uncovering the full scope of the crime and holding offenders accountable,” said Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force Lieutenant, Doug Baker. Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force (affiliate of the Indiana Crimes Against Children Task Force) and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn A. Haney and Kyle M. Sawa along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston, who prosecuted this case. This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/ to learn more about their efforts. 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###