title: Auburn, Washington man who converted garage to a fentanyl pill manufacturing lab sentenced to 11 years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 59-year-old Auburn, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 11 years in prison for his fentanyl trafficking activities, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Johnny Elias was arrested in November 2024. Earlier in the year, law enforcement learned that Elias was purchasing drugs including fentanyl from another target of investigation and later determined he had purchased an industrial pill press, intending to manufacture fentanyl pills for greater profit. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “You were a counselor to at-risk youth and at the same time were engaged in a practice that was killing one to two young people each day…. These are not recreational drugs. They are basically – in the case of fentanyl – a murder weapon.” “This defendant claimed to be operating a vitamin manufacturing business, when in fact he was manufacturing potentially deadly fentanyl pills,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “To protect his drug business, he possessed two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle. Those firearms and his $16,000 pill manufacturing machine are being forfeited to the government.” “The deadly nature of the four kilograms of fentanyl powder that Mr. Elias was manufacturing into pills is easy to count: It could have yielded over 300,000 lethal doses,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Mr. Elias clearly knew the dangers of his scheme and took steps to protect himself from overdose and violence, callously disregarding these dangers he foisted on others. I am proud that DEA and our partners could protect our community from him and this sentence ensures that he will not threaten our health and safety for a long time.” According to records filed in the case, from at least October 2023 to September 2024, Elias was on the radar of law enforcement as a drug trafficker. The investigation revealed that he had set up a company called ‘Bodacious Vitamins LLC’ out of his Auburn address. Using some of his drug dealing proceeds, Elias purchased an industrial grade pill press for over $16,000. On November 18,2024, Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided Elias’s residence and found the garage had been converted to a pill manufacturing lab. In addition to the pill press, agents found four kilograms of blue fentanyl powder as well as manufactured pills containing fentanyl and heroin. The lab contained items such as scales and baggies for packaging drugs for sale. Elias also had Narcan – an overdose reversal medication – indicating he knew the danger of the fentanyl he was processing into pills. In March 2025, Elias pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture and distribute, unlawful possession of firearms, and money laundering. In asking for a 15-year prison sentence, Prosecutor Max Shiner wrote to the court, “Johnny Elias distributed kilogram quantities of fentanyl pills and worked his way up to having a functioning pill press operation in which he could use fentanyl powder and cutting agents to produce thousands of counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl for distribution throughout Western Washington…. The possession of firearms in connection with his drug trafficking greatly increases the severity of the offense. Like his possession of Narcan at his basement drug lab, Elias’ possession of firearms shows his awareness of the dangerousness of his drug dealing.” Judge Robart ordered Elias to be on four years of supervised release following sentencing. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.


title: Scott E. Bradford Appointed to Serve as U.S. Attorney

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that Scott E. Bradford has taken the oath of office—administered by U.S. Circuit Court Judge Danielle J. Forrest on Monday—to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. On July 28, 2025, United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Bradford to serve as interim U.S. Attorney. The District of Oregon serves approximately four million people and covers more than 98,000 square miles. Our expansive region hosts a wide variety of cultural and geographic diversity and is home to nine federally recognized Tribes. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon has approximately 100 employees, with the main office located in Portland, where nearly half the population of the state lives, and two branch offices in Eugene and Medford, Oregon. “I am honored to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon and thank Attorney General Bondi for placing her trust in me. It is a privilege to lead this great office, serving alongside such dedicated public servants. I look forward to working with our federal, state, and local partners to protect the public and defend the interests of the United States,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Bradford is an 18-year veteran of the Department of Justice, joining the Department in 2007 through the Attorney General Honors Program and the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an Assistant United States Attorney in 2009. He has held several leadership positions in the office, including Chief of the White Collar Unit, Chief of the Economic, National Security, and Cyber Crimes Unit, and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division. In 2022, Bradford was the Department’s Regional Cybercrime Attaché in Southeast Asia. Bradford returned the Department of Justice in 2024 in Washington, D.C., most recently serving as the Acting Chief of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Bradford clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman. Bradford received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and his law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law.


title: Illegal Re-Entrant With Prior Murder And Narcotics Convictions Sentenced To 100 Months In Prison

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel, announced that JUAN CARLOS PADILLA SANTOS was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick to 100 months in prison for illegally re-entering the U.S. after having been previously deported twice and having been the subject of a third removal order. In connection with the instant illegal re-entry offense, PADILLA SANTOS made false statements to immigration authorities and on a green card replacement form he had submitted. “Juan Carlos Padilla Santos was previously deported after he committed multiple serious drug offenses in the U.S.,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Like so many, Santos then deceitfully and illegally exploited our immigration system. Dangerous felons who return to this country illegally after being deported will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We thank the women and men of Homeland Security Investigations for their commitment to these matters.” “Juan Carlos Padilla Santos exhibited time and time again his disregard for our immigration laws needed for public safety,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “With a history that includes murder, narcotics possession, and even apparently faking his own death, this defendant took repeated steps to illegally enter and re-enter the United States. Padilla Santos now faces a significant sentence for his actions.” According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made in court: PADILLA SANTOS was deported from the U.S. for the first time in 2010, after he was convicted of conspiring to distribute narcotics and sentenced to nearly seven and a half years in prison. Less than a year after being deported, he re-entered the U.S. illegally and was again ordered to be removed, in absentia. In 2016, PADILLA SANTOS was convicted of murder in the Dominican Republic and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Instead of serving that sentence, PADILLA SANTOS again returned to the U.S. illegally, where in 2018 he was convicted of possessing cocaine and bail jumping, and ultimately deported for a second time. In 2019, PADILLA SANTOS appears to have falsified his death in the Dominican Republic and, in 2021, he illegally re-entered the U.S. for a third time. In doing so, he made false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection claiming to be a valid lawful permanent resident of the U.S. and subsequently submitted a U.S. green card replacement form in which he stated under penalty of perjury that he had never previously been deported or ordered to be removed. * * * In addition to his prison term, PADILLA SANTOS, 50, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI New York and thanked Enforcement and Removal Operations and its Criminal Prosecutions Unit, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Fraud Detection and National Security, and HSI Santo Domingo International Operations for their assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Cheng is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

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

body_text: HAMMOND- Ranferi Cruz-Diaz, 33 years old, of Mexico residing in Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to being an unlawful or illegal alien in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Cruz-Diaz was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on January 31, 2025, Cruz-Diaz pointed a firearm at his roommate’s head while illegally in the country. He had previously been removed from the United States on two occasions. “Cruz-Diaz ignored federal law by entering the country illegally, and he ignored it again by acquiring a gun that he was not permitted to have,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “His actions showcase why Congress barred unlawful or illegal aliens like him from possessing firearms. I thank all the investigators, prosecutors, and support staff who brought him to justice.” This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force and the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ambris Saravanan. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Nurse Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Tampering with and Stealing Lorazepam Vials

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SEAN FALZARANO, 39, of Southbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 16 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for tampering with and stealing Lorazepam vials at the hospital where he was employed as a nurse. According to court documents and statements made in court, Falzarano was employed at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) as a Registered Nurse. As part of his employment, Falzarano was granted access to secure locations used by YNHH to store controlled substances, including Lorazepam. On January 31, 2022, Falzarano took vials containing Lorazepam solution that he knew were intended to be dispensed to patients. He removed a portion of the Lorazepam solution from at least one of the vials, replaced the contents with an inert solution, and returned the vial to the secure location where it was available for distribution to patients. Falzarano was confronted on that date by YNHH employees who were investigating drug tampering. A search of Falzarano’s backpack revealed vials, crimping tools, saline, vial caps, and syringes. On December 11, 2024, Falzarano pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product, and acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge. Falzarano, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 21. Falzarano’s nursing license is currently suspended. This matter was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.


title: Second Man Involved in Alien Kidnapping Conspiracy Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A second man involved in a conspiracy to kidnap and transport aliens and hold multiple victims for ransom before instigating a deadly shootout in a quiet, Charlottesville neighborhood, pled guilty today to federal charges as part of Operation Take Back America. Jordan Perez, 21, of Lockhart, Texas, pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of transporting an alien resulting in death. “Over the last four years, we have seen millions of people illegally cross the southern border, leading to chaos, heartache and tangential crimes like human trafficking, human smuggling, and kidnapping,” United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert said today. “Far too often, as in this case, individuals take advantage of those who illegally enter the country, and the results are tragic. Through Operation Take Back America, this Department of Justice aims to bring the rule of law back to our country.” “Jordan Perez, and his co-conspirator Ricardo Ordaz, not only victimized families, they terrorized an entire town by initiating a shootout in one of our peaceful Virginia communities,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “We will not tolerate such actions from those who seek to bring violence upon our neighbors. ICE HSI Washington, D.C. will continue to investigate and apprehend anyone who threatens the safety of our Virginia neighborhoods.” According to court documents, in early January of 2023, Perez and co-defendant Ricardo Ordaz, and other co-conspirators, kidnapped multiple victims and held them for ransom, knowing these individuals had entered the United States illegally. As part of the scheme, Ordaz arranged to pick up two victims from an area near the United States-Mexico border and bring them to a house near Austin, Texas. Once there, Perez, and others, held both victims against their will and under armed guard. Ordaz then called and messaged the victims’ families and friends demanding cash ransom in exchange for their release. Ordaz exchanged one of the victims in Texas for $5,000 cash, and on January 8, 2023, Perez and a co-conspirator transported another victim to Charlottesville, Virginia, where they arranged to exchange that victim for $10,000 in cash. During the exchange, when it was revealed that the full $10,000 ransom was not available, an argument and shootout ensued, during which Perez, and another co-conspirator, brandished firearms that led to the shooting death of one of the kidnappers. 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). Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Harrisonburg investigated the case with assistance from the Charlottesville Police Department, Albemarle County Police Department, and HSI Austin, Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan is prosecuting the case.


title: Salvadoran National Charged with Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Salvadoran national residing in Lynn has been indicted for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Emelio Neftaly Pineda, 46, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Pineda was arrested on June 12, 2025 and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, Pineda was deported on or about July 20, 2016 after having been convicted of a felony. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien, having previously been convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: West Wareham Man Sentenced for Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: BOSTON – A West Wareham man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Joshua Roe, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to five years in prison and five years of supervised release. In January 2025 , Roe pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant has remained in federal custody since his arrest in September 2024 . On Sept. 6, 2024, during a search of Roe’s home, approximately 11 electronic devices belonging to Roe were recovered. While on site, a forensic examination was conducted on at least one device, which revealed images and videos depicting CSAM. At a later date, further forensic examinations of the seized devices were conducted and CSAM was found on seven of those devices, including deleted CSAM files. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations; and Chief Walter Correia of the Wareham Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to over 18 Years for Carjacking and Shooting of 60-Year-Old Victim

body_text: A federal judge sentenced a Memphis man to over 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release today for carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during the carjacking. “This was a calculated and brutal act of violence against an unsuspecting man in his own front yard in broad daylight,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their swift response and commitment to public safety. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute armed offenders who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.” “The premeditated and horrendous acts of violence that this individual committed demonstrates a blatant disregard for human life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “The ATF along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, remains committed to combatting violent crime and swiftly bringing these individuals to justice before they commit other senseless acts of violence.” According to court documents, on May 16, 2024, at around 7:45 a.m., Jaylen Simpson, 23, of Memphis, shot a 60-year-old victim in the stomach as the victim stepped outside his home to mow the lawn. Simpson, who had been hiding in the victim’s backyard, then stole the victim’s car keys and fled in his vehicle. Home surveillance footage from the victim’s home, showing the defendant entering the victim’s vehicle with a black handgun after shooting the victim in the stomach. After pursuing him for nearly three hours by car and on foot, Memphis Police apprehended Simpson, who was carrying inside his backpack a loaded Walther Creed 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen days before. In an interview later that day, Simpson admitted to waiting outside the victim’s home, discharging the firearm, and stealing the victim’s car. The victim was hospitalized for four weeks and underwent multiple surgeries to treat the gunshot wound. Before any evidence was presented at trial, Simpson pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of the crime. The ATF and the Memphis Police Department Violent Crime Unit investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.


title: Frederick Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Trafficking and Machinegun Possession Charges

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Jonathan Drew Bartgis, 26, of Frederick, Maryland, pled guilty to one count of firearms trafficking and one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Jason Lando, Frederick Police Department (FPD). According to the guilty plea, the USPIS and ATF began investigating a channel on the social media application Telegram that advertised the sale of firearms and machinegun conversion devices. These conversion devices, also known as “Glock switches,” are designed to convert semi-automatic Glock-style pistols into fully automatic firearms. Through the investigation, postal inspectors identified a parcel inbound to Frederick, Maryland, that investigators believed contained a firearm sold on the social-media channel. After obtaining a search warrant to search the parcel, postal inspectors recovered a Glock 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition. The parcel was addressed to Bartgis’s residence. After executing a search warrant on Bartgis’s residence, postal inspectors and FPD officers recovered an additional Glock 29, 10mm semi-automatic firearm, and three machinegun conversion devices, or “Glock switches.” Inside of Bartgis’s bedroom, postal inspectors and FPD officers uncovered more than 400 rounds of ammunition, multiple Glock handgun cases, numerous unloaded and loaded firearms magazines, assorted firearm parts, accessories, and manufacturing tools. Law enforcement also found empty boxes for privately made firearms, which are referred to as a “ghost guns,” as there is no serial number on the firearm. Additionally, postal inspectors and FPD officers located $21,660 in United States currency and Bartgis’s cell phone. On the cell phone, postal inspectors discovered conversations between Bartgis and others in connection with the illegal purchase of the recovered firearms and trafficking firearms and Glock switches. Bartgis has a prior felony conviction, so he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, ATF, and FPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Multi-Time Convicted Burglar Sentenced To Prison For Illegally Reentering The United States

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Luis Miguel Alvizures (33, Guatemala) to two years in federal prison—the statutory maximum sentence—for illegally reentering the United States following deportation. Alvizures pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025. According to court documents and information presented during the sentencing hearing, Alvizures, an alien and citizen of Guatemala, was deported from the United States in 2017. Following his deportation, Alvizures illegally reentered the country. While unlawfully present in the United States, Alvizures committed a string of burglaries of local businesses for which he was later convicted in state court. Should he return to the United States illegally in the future, Alvizures could face up to 10 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced To 19 Years In Federal Prison For Dealing Methamphetamine And Cocaine

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced Augusto Rene Reyes-Gonzalez (37, Orlando), a/k/a “Zorro,” to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and illegal reentry after prior deportation. Reyes-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to illegal reentry on April 18, 2025. Three days later, on the first day of trial, he pleaded guilty to the remaining charges. On May 21, 2025, co-conspirator Calos Grijalva-Garcia was sentenced to 18 months and co-conspirator Brandon Charod Smith was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months. According to court documents, from August through December 2023, Reyes-Gonzalez served as a connection for a law enforcement confidential informant, offering “[w]hatever drug you want I can get it, whatever you ask for. If you want fentanyl I can get it. . . I get whatever nasty thing you want.” In five separate transactions, Reyes-Gonzalez helped the law enforcement source purchase cocaine through Grijalva-Garcia. On four separate occasions, Reyes-Gonzalez facilitated the sale of several pounds of methamphetamine sold by Smith, along with a firearm sold by another supplier. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, with assistance from the FBI, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rockledge Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Cruz, Megan Testerman, and Dana E. Hill.


title: Honduran National Pleads Guilty To Aggravated Identity Theft

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Elmer Modesto Rodriguez Amador (41, Honduras) today pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Amador faces a penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. E-Verify is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The SSA and USCIS verify the submitted information against the records of actual persons who are authorized to work in the United States. E-Verify is a voluntary program for employers and requires documents such as a Social Security card and photo identification of a prospective employee. From 2019 through at least 2022, Amador used the means of identification of other persons to defeat the E-Verify system, obtain employment at the Joint Venture, and to commit the felony offenses of misuse of a Social Security number and false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.


title: Farrell Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession of Drugs and Firearm

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking and firearm crimes, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Daniel George, 36, pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak to committing two crimes on July 7, 2022: (1) possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, along with quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, and (2) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $5,250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Mercer County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of George. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: 53 Defendants Convicted in Federal Prosecution of Brooklyn-Based “Bully Gang”

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Romeo Gonzalez was the 53 rd and final defendant to be convicted in the prosecution of members and associates of the Bully Gang, a violent street gang based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. With Gonzalez’s conviction, all of the defendants charged in the case—across a series of Indictments and Criminal Informations—have been found guilty of their criminal conduct. Forty-eight defendants, including Gonzalez, pleaded guilty, and five defendants were convicted in two separate trials before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan. The defendants were convicted of crimes including racketeering, murder, murder conspiracy, assault, gun trafficking, robbery, arson, extortion, using a gun during a crime of violence, drug trafficking, money laundering, and bribery. Gonzalez pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess cocaine and heroin with intent to distribute for his participation in the gang’s Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak. Jospeh Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF New York), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the convictions. “These prosecutions have decimated a violent gang that engaged in drug trafficking on a massive scale, shootings, murder, bribery of corrections officers, and other crimes from New York to Maine,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The convictions of 53 Bully Gang members and associates were the result of a years’ long investigation and prosecution, and demonstrate our Office’s steadfast commitment to dismantling violent street gangs through our partnership with federal and local law enforcement.” “This conviction demonstrates the strength of our collaborative efforts to dismantle violent criminal organizations that threaten our communities. Through the use of Crime Gun Intelligence, the ATF/NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force and the Eastern District of N.Y. have remained committed to holding armed gang members accountable and to restoring peace in the communities they seek to harm,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge Miller. As proven during the two trials in this case and set forth in court documents, the Bully Gang was a violent criminal organization that ran several complex and long-running illegal drug trafficking schemes. These schemes included a multistate drug and money laundering conspiracy involving dozens of stash houses located in Maine, and a conspiracy to smuggle drugs into Rikers Island jail facilities (Rikers), including by bribing prison guards. The illicit money generated from these schemes was used to benefit the gang by enriching its members and funding its operations to commit more crimes. To advance the gang’s operations and reputation, and to retaliate against rivals, members and associates of the gang also committed numerous acts of violence, including shootings, arson, and murder, and purchased illegal firearms to protect the organization and its members. Since 2020, 53 defendants have been charged with a variety of crimes in connection with this investigation and, with today’s guilty plea by Gonzalez, all have been convicted. Gonzalez, who was charged in 2020, was a fugitive for nearly five years before he was apprehended in June 2025. With the government’s consent, two defendants are participating in the Special Options Services program for juvenile and young adult offenders. Over a dozen defendants who were members and associates of the gang were convicted of racketeering. These defendants included Derrick Ayers, Bermon Clarke, Franklin Gillespie, Moeleek Harrell, Demetrius Johnson, Latrell Johnson, and Anthony Kennedy. Members and associates of the Bully Gang were convicted in connection with violent crimes, including: Ayers was convicted of murdering Jonathan Jackson, an associate of the rival “Stukes Crew.” Ayers shot Jackson multiple times at a gender reveal party for Harrell’s child on March 3, 2018, in Brooklyn. Gillespie was convicted of conspiring to murder Mike Hawley in Queens on April 15, 2020 to prevent him from informing authorities about the murder of Paul Hoilett in Brooklyn four days earlier. Ayers and Harrell were convicted of conspiring to murder the leaders of the Stukes Crew, whom they stalked by aggregating information from public databases, including the locations where their cars were ticketed. That stalking led to the Bully Gang carrying out at least three shootings in Crown Heights in October 2017 and June 2018. Ayers and Harrell were convicted of conspiring to murder Christopher King and assaulting King. They stalked King and ultimately shot him and an innocent bystander outside of a restaurant in Queens in October 2017. Gillespie was convicted of two gun-point robberies in Manhattan in August 2020. Latrell Johnson was also convicted of committing one of those two robberies with Gillespie. Latrell Johnson was convicted of an armed extortion of a store owner in Bedford-Stuyvesant, which lasted for several months in 2020. He was sentenced to more than 11 years’ imprisonment. Bermon Clarke was convicted of racketeering and arson. He set fire to one of the gang’s drug stash houses in Maine in 2017 while two people were inside. He was sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment. Demetrius Johnson was convicted of attempting to murder Michael Reid, whom he shot over a drug debt related to the gang’s drug dealing in Maine. Over 40 defendants, including Gonzalez, were convicted in connection with the Bully Gang’s Maine drug trafficking scheme. Ayers, Clarke, Holt, Gillespie, Harrell, and Kennedy had leadership roles in the years-long scheme to transport large quantities of drugs, including cocaine base, heroin and fentanyl, from New York and New Jersey to Maine, where members and associates of the Bully Gang sold the drugs out of stash houses. The narcotics were transported in vehicles equipped with concealed compartments, or “traps,” that were professionally installed. In addition to selling drugs in Maine, the defendants bought numerous firearms in Maine and brought those weapons to New York to further the gang’s violence. Participants in this gun trafficking scheme included Clarke, Janet Blood, Keon Grant, Nadine Heath, Amanda Huard, and Joanne Lydem. Eleven defendants were convicted in connection with the gang’s scheme to smuggle drugs into Rikers Island. The organizers of this scheme included Harrell, Nehemie Eril, Paul Harris, and Kennedy. From 2019 to 2021, members and associates of the Bully Gang arranged for papers and comic books soaked in synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “K2,” to be delivered to Rikers. Once inmates received the K2-soaked papers, they sold smaller quantities to other inmates at a substantial profit. Some of the drug-soaked papers were mailed to inmates and some were smuggled inside the jail through visitors. Harrell and Kennedy were also convicted of bribing prison guards to smuggle drugs into Rikers. When sentenced, the defendants convicted of violent crimes face mandatory minimum prison terms ranging from 5 years to 55 years with a maximum of life imprisonment. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow, Lindsey R. Oken, Joy Lurinsky, Victor Zapana, and Michael J. Castiglione are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Lead Legal Administrative Specialist Samantha Ward and Paralegal Specialist Paul Padilla. The Defendants: JESSICA ALMEIDA Age: 37 Detroit, Maine KASSIN APPLING (also known as “Killa” and “Kassim”) Age: 37 Brooklyn, New York DERRICK AYERS (also known as “Dee” and “Mel”) Age: 38 Rahway, New Jersey TYRONE BANKS (also known as “Ty Hitta”) Age: 28 Brooklyn, New York JANET BLOOD Age: 52 Troy, Maine DAYVON BOSTICK-SAMUELS (also known as “Daytoe”) Age: 27 Brooklyn, New York TIRI BROWN Age: 40 Brooklyn, New York JOHNNY CHILES Age: 40 Brooklyn, New York BERMON CLARKE (also known as “G” and “Blue”) Age: 33 Rahway, New Jersey MIKE GUSTAVO CONNOR (also known as “Gus”) Age: 26 Brooklyn, New York RASHAAD CRAIG (also known as “Skeeno”) Age: 29 Brooklyn, New York RONALD DAVIS (also known as “Ronno”) Age: 33 Brooklyn, New York QUINTEN DELVALLE (also known as “Q”) Age: 28 Brooklyn, New York ELIZABETH DUECASTER Age: 41 Searsport, Maine BRITTANY DUNCAN Age: 30 Bayonne, New Jersey NEHEMIE ERIL (also known as “Poca”) Age: 28 Orange, New Jersey CHRISTINA ESTEVEZ Age: 36 Queens, New York LARON ESTRADA (also known as “Yetta”) Age: 31 Brooklyn, New York ERICA FAGGIOLE Age: 48 Maine COURTNEY FOSTER Age: 30 Brooklyn, New York ANTONIO FULTON (also known as “Tone”) Age: 28 Brooklyn, New York FRANKLIN GILLESPIE (also known as “Spazz” and “Frankie Gino”) Age: 34 Newark, New Jersey ROMEO GONZALES Age: 27 Brooklyn, New York AVERY GOODLUCK Age: 35 Brooklyn, New York NIA GOVAN (also known as “Cam” and “V”) Age: 34 Boston, Massachusetts KEON GRANT (also known as “Keys”) Age: 39 Brooklyn, New York MOELEEK HARRELL (also known as “Moe Money”) Age: 35 Brooklyn, New York PAUL HARRIS (also known as “Baldhead”) Age: 36 Brooklyn, New York NADINE HEATH Age: 58 Troy, Maine ROBERT HOLT (also known as “Ricky” and “Ghost”) Age: 38 Brooklyn, New York AMANDA HUARD Age: 43 Raymond, Maine DEMETRIUS JOHNSON Age: 29 Brooklyn, New York LATRELL JOHNSON (also known as “Barlie Buckz”) Age: 30 Brooklyn, New York ANTHONY KENNEDY (also known as “Biggie”) Age: 39 Queens, New York TYQUAWN LANE (also known as “Bicks” and “Tah Tah”) Age: 32 Brooklyn, New York JOANNE LYDEM Age: 53 Garland, Maine TANEJIA MOORE Age: 30 Brooklyn, New York DARIUS MURPHY Age: 28 Brooklyn, New York JESSICA PELKEY Age: 31 Presque Isle, Maine CHRISHAWN PENN (also known as “Prince”) Age: 31 Brooklyn, New York MICHAEL PEREZ (also known as “White Mike”) Age: 34 Brooklyn, New York JOELLE POCHE (also known as “Rico”) Age: 25 Brooklyn, New York TERRELL RATLIFF (also known as “Rello”) Age: 34 Brooklyn, New York MICHAEL REID (also known as “Half”) Age: 44 Brooklyn, New York ISAIAH TERRY SANDIFORD Age: 25 Brooklyn, New York JAMEL SMITH Age: 28 Bronx, New York AMY SONNENBLICK Age: 53 Brooklyn, New York CHINASA STRACHAN Age: 37 Brooklyn, New York NICOLETTE TOMPKINS Age: 26 Westfield, Maine AMANDA WALTON (also known as “A”) Age: 36 Portland, Maine DANIELLE WHITE Age: 52 Swanville, Maine DEVIN-JOHN JASON WILLIAMS (also known as “Pun” and “Fat Boy”) Age: 32 Brooklyn, New York DEMETTRIUS WRIGHT (also known as “Clean” and “Meexhi Brim”) Age: 27 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-239 (S-8) (BMC)


title: Richmond Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Richmond, Ky., man, Derek Hahn, 37, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 330 months in prison, for the production of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, on October 2, 2024, law enforcement reviewed a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that reported an incident of child sexual abuse material being uploaded and shared with another user or group of users on the Kik platform. Through an investigation, law enforcement determined that the IP address was associated with Hahn’s home and place of employment. Hahn was taken into custody, and two phones were seized from his person and searched, where multiple images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit activity were found. Additionally, multiple videos were also found depicting a minor undressing and completely nude. In the videos, the victim does not appear to know they are being recorded, and the camera is recording from a hidden location. Hahn admitted that he produced the videos and images. Under federal law, Hahn must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. In addition to his prison sentence, Hahn was also ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Derrick Napier, Frankfort Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the HSI, KSP, Frankfort Police Department, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. – END –


title: Jefferson County drug dealer sentenced to federal prison for firearms violation

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Beaumont drug dealer has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Sterling Van Johnson, 43, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 29, 2025. According to information presented in court, while investigating drug trafficking activity in Beaumont, several controlled purchases of narcotics were made with Johnson. In September 2024, a search warrant was executed at a Beaumont residence Johnson was selling drugs from and officers recovered various narcotics and two firearms. Johnson admitted to possessing the drugs for distribution and possessing the firearm as part of that activity. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James. ###


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Selling Fentanyl, Methamphetamine to Police

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted selling fentanyl and a pound of methamphetamine to an undercover police detective. Stephon Murphy, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. He admitted selling the drugs to an undercover detective with the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force on four occasions. On May 24, 2024, Murphy sold 111.8 grams of meth in the parking lot of an apartment in St. Louis County. On June 13, 2024, Murphy sold 113.6 grams of meth and 8.58 grams of fentanyl to the detective at the same location. On July 11, 2024, outside of an apartment building in St. Louis, Murphy sold 113.3 grams of meth and 3.9 grams of fentanyl. At the final sale, on August 7, 2024, outside of the same building, Murphy sold 112.3 grams of meth and 14.4 grams of fentanyl. He had what appeared to be a pistol with a drum magazine concealed in his pants, his plea agreement says. Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Rebar is prosecuting the case.


title: Three El Salvadoran Nationals Sentenced For $146 Million Construction Payroll Scheme That Defrauded The IRS And Workers’ Compensation Insurers

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Eduardo Anibal Escobar (45), Carlos Alberto Rodriguez (36), and Adelmy Tejada (57), all residents of Orlando, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. Escobar was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison, Rodriguez was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison, and Tejada was sentenced to 18 months in prison plus 6 months of home detention. Each pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025. The court ordered the defendants to pay $36,957,616 in restitution to the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes and a total of $397,895 in restitution to two insurance companies for workers’ compensation claims they paid out. Escobar and Rodriguez are legal permanent residents from El Salvador. Tejada is a naturalized U.S. citizen from El Salvador. According to court documents and information presented in court, from approximately January 2015 through August 2024, the defendants conspired to facilitate the payment of construction workers “off the books” to avoid paying payroll taxes and workers’ compensation insurance premiums. The scheme also facilitated the employment of undocumented workers who were not legally authorized to work in the United States. The defendants, through their companies—T. Escobar Construction and C. Escobar Construction—entered into agreements with hundreds of construction subcontractors to enable the subcontractors to obtain contracts with, and perform work for, construction contractors. In exchange for 6 to 8 percent of the subcontractors’ payroll, the defendants caused certificates of insurance in the name of the defendants’ companies to be sent to construction contractors from which the subcontractors wished to obtain work, representing that the subcontractors worked for their companies and were covered by the companies’ workers’ compensation insurance. In fact, the companies’ insurance policies were based on applications representing that the policies would cover a handful of employees and a minimal payroll. As a result of the defendants’ using their certificate of insurance to represent that the subcontractors worked for their companies, the insurers unwittingly covered hundreds of workers. A total of $146,077,535 in payroll checks were deposited into the bank accounts of the defendants’ companies, from which they withdrew cash to pay the subcontractors’ workers, after subtracting their 6 to 8 percent fee—all without withholding, or paying over, payroll taxes to the IRS. As a result, the U.S. Treasury lost $36,957,616 in unpaid payroll taxes. The defendants’ scheme allowed the construction contractors and subcontractors to disclaim responsibility for paying payroll taxes to the IRS, for ensuring that adequate workers’ compensation insurance was obtained, and for verifying that the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States. “This case highlights how federal and state agencies are working together to successfully investigate and assist in the prosecution of individuals who engage in illegal financial schemes to enrich themselves,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, IRS-Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Department of Financial Services collaborated our resources to bring down a criminal enterprise that facilitated unfair competition by defrauding workers’ compensation insurers and evading their obligation to pay federal taxes.” “These criminals defrauded the government by dodging payroll taxes and exploited vulnerable workers by not carrying proper insurance,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “Unscrupulous and illegal tactics in the construction industry damage the integrity of law-abiding contractors, and that price is eventually passed on to the consumer. These sentences are a testament to the persevering investigative work of HSI special agents and our partners with IRS Criminal Investigation and the Florida Department of Financial Services.” This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It is part of a continuing investigation by these agencies of the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.


title: Three Forks man sentenced to 5 years in prison on drug charges in Gallatin County

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA – A Three Forks man who distributed methamphetamine in Gallatin County was sentenced today to 63 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Anthony Robert Catalusci, 65, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The government alleged in court documents that the Missouri River Drug Task Force identified Anthony Catalusci as a suspect in an ongoing drug distribution investigation in Gallatin County, Montana that began as early as 2021. On April 6, 2021, a confidential informant bought 11 grams of methamphetamine for $500 from Catalusci. Three years later, in April 2024, an informant bought meth from a co-conspirator on three separate occasions and law enforcement later learned the drugs were supplied by “Tony.” The task force investigators interviewed a source of information who said an Italian man named “Tony,” who lived in Clarkston, Montana, asked him to travel to Las Vegas to pick up packages of meth for “Tony.” MRDTF also was working with a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from another dealer. During one of the transactions, the recording captured the dealer stating he got his drugs from “Tony.” The source confirmed “Tony” was Anthony Catalusci. In September 2024, law enforcement searched Catalusci’s house and seized a small quantity of meth. During the search, Catalusci admitted he was distributing methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Missouri River Drug Task Force. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Justice Department Finds the University of California-Los Angeles in Violation of Federal Civil Rights Law

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students. The Civil Rights Division’s Notice of Violation finds that UCLA failed to adequately respond to complaints of severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive harassment and abuse that Jewish and Israeli students faced on its campus from October 7, 2023, to the present. “Our investigation into the University of California system has found concerning evidence of systemic anti-Semitism at UCLA that demands severe accountability from the institution,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This disgusting breach of civil rights against students will not stand: DOJ will force UCLA to pay a heavy price for putting Jewish Americans at risk and continue our ongoing investigations into other campuses in the UC system.” “UCLA failed to take timely and appropriate action in response to credible claims of harm and hostility on its campus,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Its inaction constitutes a clear violation of our federal civil rights laws, and the Justice Department will hold UCLA accountable to their legal obligations so that all students can have equal protection under the law.” The Civil Rights Division enforces federal civil rights laws that protect students from discrimination based on religion, national origin, and other protected characteristics. This includes Title VI, which prohibits such discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance.


title: Chicago Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Carjacking and Firearm Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — A Chicago man who carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint on the city’s West Side and fired a handgun while attempting to carjack another vehicle has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. The carjacking and attempted carjacking by KIAR EVANS occurred within minutes of each other on the afternoon of May 20, 2021. Evans first approached a Chevrolet Impala near the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Congress Parkway in Chicago and fired shots through a window while attempting to get inside. The driver of the Impala was able to drive away from the scene. Evans then approached the driver-side window of a Nissan Altima, pointed a firearm at the driver, and demanded that the driver exit the vehicle. The victim complied and Evans drove off in the Nissan. Evans was driving the stolen vehicle a short time later when he was involved in a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Harrison Street and Ogden Avenue in Chicago. Chicago Police officers arrested Evans and discovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his possession. As a previously convicted felon, Evans was not lawfully allowed to possess the firearm. Evans, 26, has remained detained in federal custody since his arrest. Last year, a jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted Evans on all four counts against him, including one count of carjacking, one count of attempted carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold imposed the 18-year prison sentence during a hearing in federal court on July 18, 2025. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. “Defendant wielded a gun that had been rendered fully automatic throughout his spree of violence and did not hesitate to use that gun to intimidate his victims and force his will upon them,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige A. Nutini and Jimmy L. Arce argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “His selfish actions exhibited a total disregard for the safety and well-being of others; and by sheer luck, none of defendant’s victims was seriously injured. Defendant’s conduct is a very serious crime, and the public needs to understand that these crimes justify a substantial sentence.”


component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: WASHINGTON - A federal judge sentenced a Memphis man to over 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release today for carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during the carjacking. “This was a calculated and brutal act of violence against an unsuspecting man in his own front yard in broad daylight,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their swift response and commitment to public safety. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute armed offenders who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.” “The premeditated and horrendous acts of violence that this individual committed demonstrates a blatant disregard for human life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “The ATF along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, remains committed to combatting violent crime and swiftly bringing these individuals to justice before they commit other senseless acts of violence.” According to court documents, on May 16, 2024, at around 7:45 a.m., Jaylen Simpson, 23, of Memphis, shot a 60-year-old victim in the stomach as the victim stepped outside his home to mow the lawn. Simpson, who had been hiding in the victim’s backyard, then stole the victim’s car keys and fled in his vehicle. Home surveillance footage from the victim’s home, showing the defendant entering the victim’s vehicle with a black handgun after shooting the victim in the stomach. After pursuing him for nearly three hours by car and on foot, Memphis Police apprehended Simpson, who was carrying inside his backpack a loaded Walther Creed 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen days before. In an interview later that day, Simpson admitted to waiting outside the victim’s home, discharging the firearm, and stealing the victim’s car. The victim was hospitalized for four weeks and underwent multiple surgeries to treat the gunshot wound. Before any evidence was presented at trial, Simpson pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of the crime. The ATF and the Memphis Police Department Violent Crime Unit investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas. ### CRM 25-797 If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.


title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Rakai Travall Hawkins, also known as “G,” 30, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 7thStreet residence in Huntington and seized approximately 211 grams of fentanyl, 484 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and a loaded stolen SCCY 9mm pistol. As part of his guilty plea, Hawkins admitted that he stored controlled substances at the residence, possessed the seized controlled substances, and intended to distribute the seized controlled substances for money. Hawkins further admitted that he possessed the seized stolen firearm to protect the controlled substances and the proceeds from distributing them. Hawkins also admitted to additional criminal conduct as part of his guilty plea. On July 22, 2024, Hawkins was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by a law enforcement officers in Huntington. Hawkins possessed approximately 7 grams of fentanyl and 7.5 grams of crack found in the vehicle during the traffic stop and intended to distribute the controlled substances. On two occasions between August 24 and September 4, 2024, Hawkins sold a total of approximately 58 grams of methamphetamine in Huntington. On four occasions between August 13 and September 19, 2024, Hawkins sold a total of approximately 7.15 grams of fentanyl in Huntington. During one of the fentanyl transactions, Hawkins received the SCCY 9mm pistol in exchange for the controlled substance. Hawkins is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas. This case is also part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-51. ###


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Willie Roger Davis, 35, of Columbia, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Columbia Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a rental moving truck that was being sought by the owner. Davis immediately exited the driver’s seat and began walking toward police officers. Officers searched Davis and found a .357 revolver in his pants pocket, which he admitted getting from a family member. Davis has prior convictions for armed robbery, strong arm robbery, and burglary. United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Frazier to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Beaumont parolee sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography at halfway house

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont parolee has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. James Richard Rollins, 39, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 29, 2025. According to information presented in court, on October 27, 2023, law enforcement authorities were dispatched in reference to a parole supervisor who was in possession of a parolee’s cellular phone, which contained videos and images of child pornography. Officers spoke with the unit supervisor for the Beaumont halfway house who reported that Rollins, a parolee and resident of the halfway house, was observed by another resident watching child pornography on his cell phone. Further investigation revealed Rollins’ phone contained numerous photos and videos depicting minors in sexually explicit situations, including having sex acts performed on them by adults. Many of those images depicted prepubescent children. Rollins admitted to downloading and viewing images of child pornography on his phone. Based on the investigation, Rollins is responsible for possessing 3,680 images containing child pornography. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Rachel Grove. ###


title: Man Admits Being Caught with Gun and Drugs After Striking City of St. Louis Worker During Chase

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man who was fleeing from St. Louis police with a gun and drugs in his car when he struck and injured a city employee pleaded guilty Tuesday. Jorden M. Owens, 23, of Florissant, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Owens admitted being spotted by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers on Dec. 12, 2024, near the intersection of Page Boulevard and Vandeventer Avenue in a stolen Lexus RC350 coupe. Officers began following Owens on Grand Boulevard, then used spike strips to try and safely stop him. Owens fled at a high rate of speed. His reckless driving caused about 60 employees of a local business who were crossing the street near Tucker Boulevard and Chouteau Avenue to run out of the way. At the intersection of 7th Street and Cerre Street, Owens struck and injured an employee of the City of St. Louis Traffic Division and then crashed into her work truck. He was arrested after fleeing the crash on foot, despite his violent attempts to resist that arrest. Owens had a Glock .40-caliber pistol equipped with an auto sear, or “switch,” that rendered it into a fully automatic weapon in the bag he carried. The car contained three cell phones and a total of 824.7 grams (1.8 pounds) of methamphetamine and 342 grams of fentanyl. Owens is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3. Each count is punishable by from five to 40 years in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Delworth is prosecuting the case.


title: Hammond Man Sentenced for Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KYLIN SEXTON (“SEXTON”) , age 25, a resident of Hammond, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown on July 24, 2025, to a sentence of time served, for possessing marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Additionally, SEXTON was ordered to serve three (3) years of supervised release following his release from prison. According to court records, on May 18, 2022, the Ponchatoula Police Department was dispatched to a retail establishment after receiving a complaint that SEXTON ’s cousin, Tyshon Coleman, was in possession of a firearm. Upon arriving in the parking lot, the officers located the vehicle and observed Coleman and SEXTON seated inside of the vehicle. Given the nature of the complaint, the officers approached the vehicle and ordered Coleman to show his hands. Coleman refused to comply and refused to place his hands behind his back when the officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle. After finally removing Coleman from the vehicle, officers observed a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter handgun and extended magazine, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, between the passenger seat and center console. The firearm had a machine gun conversion device, a Glock switch, attached to it. Coleman pled guilty to possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a machine gun on September 19, 2024, and was sentenced to 106 months imprisonment on December 19, 2024. The officers also observed a green backpack on the floorboard of the driver’s side where SEXTON was seated. Upon opening the greed backpack, the officers located marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride packaged for distribution. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.


title: Columbia Man on State Probation Sentenced to 5 Additional Years in Federal Prison for Gun Charge

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jackie Jermaine Watson, 30, of Columbia, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a sentence that will run consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving in state prison for violating his probation. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on April 22, 2024, Columbia Police Department officers responded to a motel on North Main Street to investigate a stolen moped. Officers found the moped, and when Watson saw officers inspecting it, he confronted them. Watson eventually admitted to buying the moped on the street from a drug user. Officers obtained a search warrant for the motel room where Watson had been staying and they found a .40 caliber pistol, 62 grams of crack cocaine, 473 grams of marijuana, along with Watson’s driver’s license and court paperwork. Officers also found the key to the moped, which Watson previously denied having in his possession. Watson has prior convictions for assault and battery first degree, possession of a stolen pistol, and burglary. Watson was on state probation for his prior stolen pistol conviction at the time of this incident. Watson was also a prior participant in the City of Columbia’s Project Ceasefire program that calls in certain probationers and provides access to a variety of social service organizations designed to assist the person in staying on the right track and preventing recidivism. Participants are also warned that any future crimes will result in an expedited prosecution. United States District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Frazier to 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. That 60-month sentence will begin after Watson completes the state sentence he is currently serving. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to his role in a racketeering conspiracy to transport aliens, harbor aliens, encourage and induce aliens to reside in the United States, and falsify Form I-9 documentation. Lorenzo Castro-Manzanarez, 43, a Mexican National living in Springfield, Mo., admitted that he was part of a RICO (racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations) conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2018, to Aug. 10, 2021, that, amongst other things, transported and harbored aliens not authorized to live or work in the United States. Castro-Manzanarez admitted that as part of the conspiracy he also encouraged and induced aliens to reside in the United States in violation of the law by providing them with employment and allowing them to work under fraudulent identification documentation. Castro-Manzanarez took these actions in furtherance of keeping multiple Mexican restaurants across the Midwest staffed and profitable, thereby gaining an illegal competitive business advantage. Castro-Manzanarez also admitted that as part of the conspiracy he falsely claimed and attested to be a United States citizen on a Form I-9 and utilized a counterfeit Social Security card as part of the Form I-9 process. Castro-Manzanarez also admitted that after being indicted in this case—and while on bond—he continued to break federal law by employing aliens, providing aliens with housing at residences in his name, and allowing aliens to work at his restaurants utilizing fraudulent identification documentation, including counterfeit Social Security cards. Castro-Manzanarez further admitted that he took these illegal actions to ensure his restaurants in Springfield, Mo., Columbia, Mo., and Jefferson City, Mo., remained staffed and profitable. Castro-Manzanarez was taken into custody at the conclusion of his plea hearing and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Under federal statutes, Castro-Manzanarez is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of Castro-Manzanarez will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, Nicholas P. Heberle, David Wagner, and Leigh Farmakidis. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations; Kansas Bureau of Investigation; Kansas Department of Labor; Missouri State Highway Patrol; Kansas Highway Patrol; and Butler Police Department. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: New Haven Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Possessing Gun While Released on Bond in another Federal Case

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTRUM COSTON, 42, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing a firearm while released on bond in another criminal case. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 18, 2023, Judge Underhill sentenced Coston to 37 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for pandemic relief fraud, money laundering, and drug offenses. Judge Underhill ordered Coston, who was released on bond, to surrender for service of his sentence on November 29, 2023. On October 25, 2023, New Haven Police arrested Coston after they found him in possession of a loaded Taurus G3 9mm handgun with an extended magazine. The 36-month sentence will run consecutively to Coston’s 37-month sentence from 2023. Coston has been detained since his arrest. On October 28, 2024, he was convicted after trial of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possessing it while on federal release. Coston’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including two federal convictions for firearm offenses. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Gentile and Sean P. Mahard through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Wisconsin Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Violating Export Control Reform Act

body_text: Andrew Pogosyan, 68, a U.S. citizen born in Russia and residing in Madison, pleaded guilty today in federal court to a four-count criminal information charging him with conspiracy to defraud the United States and smuggling goods from the United States. The U.S. government regulates the export of goods, technology, and software from the United States. On Feb. 24, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) implemented specific export control regulations in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These regulations prohibit the export of certain items from the United States to Russia without a license from the BIS. The regulations were expanded on Sept. 16, 2022, to include a licensing requirement for items potentially useful to Russia’s chemical and biological weapons production capabilities. Under the Export Control Reform Act, it is a federal crime to willfully violate any export control regulation. According to court filings and statements made during the plea hearing, beginning around September 2022 and continuing until October 2023, Pogosyan through his company, Omega Diagnostics LLC, willfully violated and evaded the export restrictions imposed on Russia by exporting scientific and diagnostic research equipment components to Russia without the required licenses, using transshipment points in third-party countries to conceal the ultimate destination. Specifically, Pogosyan conspired with Russian-based companies and individuals to export controlled items from the United States to Russia through third-party countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Latvia, and Lithuania. Pogosyan exported the controlled items without obtaining a license, despite knowing about the license requirement. Pogosyan faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each of the smuggling violations. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 7. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, Acting U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma for the Western District of Wisconsin, and Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division made the announcement. The FBI, BIS Office of Export Enforcement, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Acting U.S. Attorney Elgersma for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun Possession

body_text: WASHINGTON – Kevin Hopkins, 39, a resident of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty on July 25, 2025, in U.S. District Court, on a firearms charge. The plea, which comes as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative, was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. Hopkins pleaded guilty to the indictment before U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb on count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Cobb set a sentencing hearing for November 7, 2025. As part of his plea, Hopkins admitted to possessing a 9mm handgun, which MPD officers had recovered from the sofa cushions in an apartment during the execution of a residential search warrant. Hopkins also admitted to possessing 14 rounds of ammunition, which had been loaded in the magazine of the 9mm handgun. Hopkins is a previously convicted felon and was on supervised release after being convicted of assault, burglary, and stalking. Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). This case is being investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Levy and Kate Naseef are prosecuting this case.


component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andrew Pogosyan, 68, of Madison, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Madison to a four-count criminal information charging conspiracy to defraud the United States and smuggling goods from the United States. U.S. District Judge William M. Conley accepted the guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2025. Pogosyan is U.S. Citizen born in Russia. “Today’s plea is the culmination of the outstanding work by our law enforcement partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “As part of our on-going commitment to protecting national security, this office will hold accountable those who violate export control laws.” “Mr. Pogosyan threatened the national security of the United States by violating sanctions and illegally exporting scientific laboratory equipment to companies in Russia,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle. “The FBI continues to tirelessly work with our law enforcement partners to investigate anyone who helps foreign adversaries evade sanctions. Pogosyan’s actions undermined the protections put in place to ensure U.S. national security.” The U.S. government regulates the export of goods, technology, and software from the United States. On February 24, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security implemented specific export control regulations in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These regulations prohibit the export of certain items from the United States to Russia without a license from the Bureau of Industry and Security. The regulations were expanded on September 16, 2022, to include a licensing requirement for items potentially useful to Russia’s chemical and biological weapons production capabilities. Under the Export Control Reform Act, it is a federal crime to willfully violate any export control regulation. According to court filings and statements made during the plea hearing, beginning around September 2022 and continuing until October 2023, Pogosyan through his company, Omega Diagnostics, LLC, willfully violated and evaded the export restrictions imposed on Russia by exporting scientific and diagnostic research equipment components to Russia without the required licenses, using transshipment points in third-party countries to conceal the ultimate destination. Specifically, Pogosyan conspired with Russian-based companies and individuals to export controlled items from the United States to Russia through third-party countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Latvia, and Lithuania. Pogosyan exported the controlled items without obtaining a license, despite knowing about the license requirement. When sentenced, Pogosyan faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each of the smuggling violations. The charges against Pogosyan were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry & Security, Office of Export Enforcement; and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. Acting U.S. Attorney Elgersma and Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted this case.


title: Jefferson County couple sentenced to federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery of Nederland convenience store

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

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Jefferson County couple have been sentenced to federal prison for attempting to rob a convenience store in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Cole Ethan Schroeder, 21, of Beaumont pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to a total of 114 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 21, 2025. Carley Melana Fowler, 21, of Nederland, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on July 29, 2025. According to information presented in court, on September 2, 2024, Schroeder and Fowler were captured on surveillance video entering a Citgo Food Mart convenience store/gas station in Nederland wearing face masks. Fowler, who was carrying a bag, positioned an object in the doorway that prevented the door from closing completely. She stood next to Schroeder with the bag held open as Schroeder brandished an AR-style rifle and ordered a store employee to put money in the bag Fowler was holding. A physical struggle began between the store employee and the defendants, resulting in Schroeder striking the employee several times with the rifle, causing injuries. Schroeder and Fowler fled without obtaining any money from the convenience store and were located by law enforcement and arrested at a nearby RV park. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Nederland Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy Coleman. ###


title: Repeat felon illegal alien sentenced to 39 months for unlawful entry into the United States

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 53-year-old man from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison for unlawfully reentering the country for the 4 th time, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Rafael Cortez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty May 1. U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered him to serve 39 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard about Cortez-Gonzalez’s prior criminal record, including three prior felony convictions. In handing down the sentence, the court noted this sentence will hopefully serve as a deterrence. Cortez-Gonzalez had two previous felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as for transporting an illegal alien within the United States. He was first removed in November 2000 and illegally returned three times. Authorities discovered him again Feb. 12 in Kenedy County with no authorization to be there. Cortez-Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine K. Tucker 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Man Who Attempted to Stab Flight Attendant and Open Airplane Door Mid-Flight Sentenced

body_text: BOSTON – A Leominster, Mass. man was sentenced today for attempting to open an emergency exit door while aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston and then attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon. Francisco Severo Torres, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to time served (approximately 26 months in prison) to be followed by five years of supervised release, during which the defendant is prohibited from flying on a commercial aircraft. In May 2025 , Torres pleaded guilty to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. Torres was charged by criminal complaint in March 2023 following his arrest at Boston Logan International Airport. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023 . On March 5, 2023, Torres was a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. Approximately 45 minutes prior to landing, the flight crew received an alarm in the cockpit that a starboard side door located between the first class and coach sections of the aircraft was disarmed. Upon inspection, a flight attendant found that the door’s locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position – approximately a quarter of the way towards the unlocked position – and that the emergency slide arming lever had been moved to the “disarmed” position. The flight attendant reported this to the captain and flight crew after securing the door and emergency slide. In subsequent discussions, a fellow flight attendant reported that he had observed Torres near the door and believed Torres had tampered with the door. A flight attendant then confronted Torres about tampering with the door, to which he responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so. The flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres posed a threat to the aircraft and that the captain needed to land the aircraft as soon as possible. Shortly thereafter, Torres got out of his seat and approached the starboard side door where two flight attendants were standing in the aisle. One of the flight attendants saw Torres mouthing something that he could not hear. Video taken by a passenger depicts Torres yelling at points that he would “kill every man on this plane” and “I’m taking over this plane.” Torres then thrust towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times. Passengers then tackled and restrained Torres with the assistance of flight crew. Torres was immediately taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival to Boston. During subsequent interviews, passengers who were aboard the flight reported that Torres asked a fellow passenger where on the safety card it showed where the door handle was located prior to takeoff and that Torres was seen pacing in a galley before attacking the flight attendant. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.