title: Defense Contractor Executive Sentenced in Bribery Scheme

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Russell Thurston, a former executive vice president at Cambridge International Systems, Inc., a defense contractor headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, was sentenced in federal court today to 18 months custody, followed by 12 months home confinement, after admitting that he participated in a bribery scheme with other Cambridge employees and former Naval Information Warfare Center employee James Soriano. According to Thurston’s plea agreement, Cambridge – acting through Thurston and multiple other Cambridge employees – gave various things of value to Soriano, including expensive meals at restaurants in San Diego; a ticket to the 2018 Major League Baseball All Star Game held at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.; and a job at Cambridge for Soriano’s friend, Liberty Gutierrez. According to Gutierrez’s plea agreement, Gutierrez did minimal work at Cambridge and gave Soriano $2,000 a month from her Cambridge salary. In return, Soriano, acting in his position as a contracting officer’s representative at Naval Information Warfare Center, influenced the procurement process to ensure that Cambridge was awarded two large task orders. Soriano further ensured that Cambridge was able to capture a steady stream of government funds by influencing a series of projects on those task orders to be approved. According to Cambridge’s plea agreement, as a result of the conspiracy, the government obligated more than $32 million on one of the task orders and over $100 million on the other. Soriano also allowed Cambridge employees to draft various procurement documents for him, even when Cambridge was competing for contracts against other bidders. Thurston and Soriano also worked together to remove document properties so that other government employees would not know of Cambridge’s involvement in drafting the documents. Cambridge was separately charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in 24-cr-00759-TWR. Cambridge was ordered to forfeit the $1,672,102.23 in profits it obtained from the bribery conspiracy and pay a $2.25 million fine. According to Thurston’s plea agreement, Thurston received periodic pay bonuses from Cambridge – which totaled between $150,000 and $250,000 – based on the profits Cambridge received from the bribery conspiracy. “Defense contracting is built on trust, integrity, and a solemn duty to protect the nation, but this defendant and his accomplices shattered that trust,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Today’s sentence makes clear that those who corrupt the system for personal gain will face decisive consequences.” “The sentencing of Mr. Thurston for his role in subverting the Department of Defense’s (DoD) procurement process should act as a deterrent to those seeking to enrich themselves through fraudulent contracting practices,” said John E. Helsing, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “DCIS remains committed to working jointly with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate public corruption affecting the DoD and the American taxpayer.” “Today’s sentencing of Russell Thurston is a reminder that corruption in the federal contracting process carries serious consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “By conspiring to bribe a government official, Mr. Thurston not only violated the law - he also undermined the integrity of a system meant to serve our military and protect taxpayer dollars. IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to expose and dismantle these schemes, and to ensure that those who abuse positions of trust are held fully accountable.” “Through his misdeeds, Mr. Thurston undermined the integrity of the Department of the Navy’s procurement process in order to line his own pockets with millions of dollars in contract awards,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS remains steadfast in our commitment to work with our partners to investigate and deter public corruption that would bring discredit to the Navy and Marine Corps.” “This case demonstrates our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to root out fraud and corruption in government contracting,” said Tim Larson, SBA OIG Western Region Acting Special Agent in Charge. “By exploiting the 8(a) program this scheme not only defrauded the government but also compromised the integrity of the program designed to uplift deserving entrepreneurs. I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners for their continued pursuit of justice and holding accountable those who engage in fraudulent schemes.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Swan and Carling E. Donovan. DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-0341-TWR-2 Russell Thurston Age: 52 Mt. Pleasant, SC SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Commit Bribery - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371 Maximum penalty: Five years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest; and a term of supervised release up to three years. INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Defense Criminal Investigative Service Naval Criminal Investigative Service Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General If you have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense personnel or operations, please contact the DoD Hotline at 800-424-9098


title: Former attorney sentenced to prison for stealing over $500,000 from disabled client

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A former Tacoma lawyer was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 18 months in prison for wire fraud, for his embezzlement from a vulnerable client’s trust account, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Colby Parks, 65, stole more than $530,000 from a client who received about$1.66 million due to significant permanent injuries she suffered as a passenger in a motorcycle accident. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “At some point your ethical barometer had to go off over the ten years that you were stealing from a disabled elderly person… You transitioned from need to greed and that transpired into entitlement.” “Not only did this defendant betray the trust of his client, he repeatedly lied about it to her and to those who investigated his financial abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Only after Mr. Parks was indicted and pled guilty did he settle the civil suit and agree to pay restitution to the victim. My office is committed to seek out and fully prosecute those who prey on vulnerable victims.” “The cruelty in this case is astounding,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “For more than a decade, Mr. Parks abused the trust of a vulnerable client who thought he was her friend. He lied to her, stole hundreds of thousands of dollars, and ultimately left her with a drained account. To those fraudsters who believe they can successfully embezzle from others, the FBI and our partners will show that financial crimes have consequences, including a prison sentence.” According to records filed in the case, in 2010 Parks became the trustee for a living trust designed to pay the victim’s expenses after she was severely injured as a passenger on a motorcycle. Initially, the victim’s trust account contained approximately $1.66 million. However, over the first seven years that Parks was the trustee, he siphoned the funds for his own personal use in such large amounts that only $20,000 was left. In 2018, Parks had the victim take out a reverse mortgage on her home and used the proceeds to fund the trust account. He continued to make transfers from the account for his own use. Records from the account show that Parks repeatedly transferred funds to his own bank accounts and then, on the same day or soon thereafter, Parks would make a payment for a personal credit card for the same amount as the transfer. In all Parks made more than 600 transfers of the victim’s funds to accounts he controlled. In October 2017 he made 13 different transfers from the victim’s account to the ones he controlled. In all, over ten years, Parks transferred more than $880,000 from the victim’s accounts to ones he controlled. He paid himself at least $530,000 more than he was entitled to receive as his fees for trustee services. By the end of 2019, the victim’s accounts held only $15. She was forced to sell her home. And even then, Parks diverted proceeds from the sale by claiming the victim owed him money he had advanced to her. Parks repeatedly told the victim she was spending too much money, when in fact, the amount that the victim received as cash disbursements was a fraction of the amount that Parks secretly siphoned for himself. When Washington State’s Adult Protective Services investigated Parks’ representation of the victim, Parks initially claimed he was only paid a flat rate of $24,000 per year. After Adult Protective Services requested supporting documentation, Parks revised his statement and said he was paid varying amounts that averaged over $54,000 per year. However, Parks collected well over $80,000 per year from the victim. The Washington State Bar also investigated the matter, and Parks resigned his law license instead of discipline, which could have been disbarment. Speaking in court today, the victim said to Parks, “For ten years I asked for printed statements. I never reviewed one invoice…. You were the person I trusted with my funds for ten years. You have devastated my life.” In asking for the 33-month prison sentence Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang wrote to the court, “What Parks did was not a mistake. It was not sloppy accounting. It was not an ‘unfortunate’ civil matter that can be resolved by money. Victim 1 is a victim, not a ‘complaining party.’ And Parks’ conduct is not, as Parks references in his letter, merely a ‘fireable offense.’ What Parks did was a knowing, willful crime with devasting impacts on a vulnerable victim.” The case was investigated by the FBI with cooperation from the Washington State Bar and Adult Protective Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang.


title: Man Indicted for Importing Protected Parakeets in his Pants

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO –Jesse Agus Martinez was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally importing two sedated orange-fronted parakeets in his pants. Martinez, a U.S. citizen residing in Tijuana, attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on October 23, 2025, at approximately 12:50 p.m. Martinez was diverted to secondary inspection after a Customs and Border Protection officer noticed a bulge in Martinez’s groin area. Customs and Border Protection records indicated that Martinez had previously smuggled birds into the United States. Martinez claimed several times that the bulge was his “pirrin,” a Spanish word for penis. When a CBP officer further inspected Martinez, the officer found two brown sacks, each containing one orange-fronted parakeet, in Martinez’s underwear. The birds were apparently unconscious but breathing and heavily sedated. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents and inspectors responded to the scene. A wildlife inspector identified the birds as protected juvenile orange-fronted parakeets ( Eupsittula canicularis ). The birds were initially cared for by Veterinary Services at the southern border, before being transferred to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. The birds are now reported to be in stable condition. Orange Fronted Parakeets are native to Western Mexico and Costa Rica. The Orange Fronted Parakeet is protected and has been listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 2005. Martinez’s concealment of the parakeets would have resulted in their entering the United States without any quarantine period or process. To import many types of wildlife, the wildlife must be subject to quarantine before it can be introduced into the United States. Many animals have diseases that can be transferred to humans (zoonotic diseases) or other animals that can have disastrous health effects to human or animal populations. For example, birds can carry and spread Avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmos. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including the United States poultry farms. There are many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and have disastrous effects, that is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Rookard. DEFENDANT Case Number 25MJ6054-BLM Jesse Agus Martinez Age: 35 SUMMARY OF CHARGES Importation Contrary to Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Former VA Employee Charged with Running Criminal Scheme to Obtain VA Benefits for Others

body_text: SAN DIEGO –Daniel Rikkels of Chula Vista was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges that he helped veterans fraudulently obtain disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) while he was a department employee responsible for reviewing and approving disability claims. According to the 33-count indictment, since 2020, Rikkels knowingly and intentionally instructed veterans to provide false, exaggerated, and misleading claims of service-related injuries to support their disability claims. Rikkels also instructed veterans to alter documents submitted during the claims process. Through these false claims, the indictment said, veterans fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in VA disability payments and backpay, and Rikkels received millions of dollars in payments from the veterans in return for his work on their behalf. Until June of 2025, Rikkels was employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and was responsible for reviewing and approving VA disability claims from veterans. During this time-period he negotiated with veterans for assistance in their VA claims and demanded payment from them, all while he was taking official action on their claims in violation of government ethics laws. The indictment also alleges that Rikkels frequently requested that veterans who lived in the local area meet him to make payments in cash to minimize what he would have to pay in taxes. According to court records, the investigation revealed that during just a three-month period between February and May of 2025, Rikkels met with at least four local veterans and received a total of $57,000 in cash payments from them. On November 13, 2025, agents searched Rikkels, his vehicle, and residence and seized a total of over $280,000 in cash. “The Department of Veterans Affairs and the VA disability system serve a crucial role in providing support and care to those who have served and sacrificed in defense of our country,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We will zealously safeguard the integrity of the VA disability program and will investigate and prosecute those who attempt to undermine the system to their own financial advantage.” “Daniel Rikkels is accused of using his trusted position at the VA for personal gain at the expense of taxpayers and the integrity of the VA as an institution,” said Mark Dargis, Special Agent in Charge of the San Diego Field Office. “He allegedly manipulated the system by imposing a fraudulent fee onto veterans in exchange for favorable disability ratings. FBI San Diego is grateful for the invaluable partnership with the VA OIG during this investigation and ensuring that defendants are held accountable.” “This indictment and arrest demonstrate the VA OIG’s steadfast commitment to protecting the integrity of VA programs and taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Heddell with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Western Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone who tries to illegally circumvent the law, will be held accountable.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph S. Smith and Daniel F. Casillas. DEFENDANT Case Number 25-cr-4276-H Daniel Rikkels Age: 55 Chula Vista, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine Wire Fraud - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine Bribery of a Public Official - Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 201(b)(2)(A) and (B) Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine Willfully Engaging in Acts Affecting a Personal Financial Interest - Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 208(a) and 216(a)(2) Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine Laundering of Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(a)(1)(B) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine Money Laundering - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957 Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General Federal Bureau of Investigation *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Anyone with information about allegations of unlawful activity; fraud, waste and abuse; violations of VA policy; or gross mismanagement involving VA programs and operations can report it by calling the VA Office of the Inspector General Hotline at 800-448-8244 or at www.va.gov/oig/hotline.


title: Antifa Cell Members Indicted in Prairieland Shooting

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

body_text: A federal grand jury in Fort Worth, Texas indicted nine North Texas Antifa Cell operatives, and seven more were charged by information, with offenses including rioting, using weapons and explosives, providing material support to terrorists, obstruction, and attempted murder of an Alvarado police officer and unarmed correctional officers at the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4, 2025, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. Yesterday’s twelve-count indictment charges Cameron Arnold, a/k/a Autumn Hill, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, a/k/a Meagan Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada with multiple offenses for their roles related to the Prairieland attack. The defendants are set for arraignment on December 3, 2025, in front of a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of Texas. An information also filed yesterday charges Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp, and John Thomas with one count of providing material support to terrorists. A sixteenth defendant, Seth Sikes, was charged by information in late October with one count of providing material support to terrorists. Guilty plea hearings for Baumann, Gibson, Thomas, Sharp, and Sikes will be held in front of a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of Texas next week, with Morgan set to plead guilty the following week. The indictment and informations follow on the heels of federal complaints brought against the defendants in July soon after the July 4 attack. According to the charges, the defendants were members of a North Texas Antifa Cell, part of a larger militant enterprise made up of networks of individuals and small groups primarily ascribing to an ideology that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and the system of law. Antifa’s coordinated efforts involve obstructing Federal law through organized riots, violent assaults, and armed confrontations with law enforcement officers, increasingly targeting agents and facilities related to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement in opposition to the agency’s deportation actions. The indictment alleges that most of the Antifa Cell involved in the Prairieland attack looked to Benjamin Song as a leader. As alleged, Song acquired firearms that he distributed to co-defendants and recruited members at gun ranges and combat sessions he conducted, as well as from various ideologically aligned groups. For example, defendants Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, and Savanna Batten are alleged to have been part of a group that created and distributed insurrectionary materials called “zines.” The charges reflect that, late at night on July 4, at least eleven of the defendants rioted and attacked the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was using to house illegal aliens awaiting deportation. The defendants dressed in “black bloc”—dark clothing with head and face coverings that concealed their identities—designed to hide each individual’s identity but also to aid and abet those members engaged in illegal acts by making members indistinguishable from one another to law enforcement. According to the charges, after Antifa Cell members arrived at Prairieland, they began shooting off and throwing fireworks at the facility and vandalizing vehicles and a guard shack on Prairieland property. According to the charges, an Alvarado police officer responded to the scene after correctional officers called 911. When the officer began issuing commands to defendant Nathan Baumann, Benjamin Song allegedly yelled, “get to the rifles!” and then opened fire on the officers, striking the Alvarado police officer in the neck as the unarmed correctional officers ducked and ran for cover. Police arrested most of the Antifa Cell shortly after the attack, many near the scene. Benjamin Song escaped and remained at large with the help of others until his capture on July 15, 2025. Collectively, the Antifa Cell allegedly acquired over 50 firearms in the Fort Worth/Dallas area prior to July 4. As alleged in the indictment, members used an encrypted messaging app to coordinate with each other that had auto-delete functions, permanently deleting some Antifa Cell members’ communications. They also used monikers in group chats to hide their identities, and some of the planning chats included only trusted participants. Members in this limited group allegedly conducted reconnaissance and discussed what to bring to the riot, including firearms, medical kits, and fireworks. The nine individuals indicted yesterday are charged with the following offenses: Riot , with the intent to commit an act of violence, involving conduct such as shooting and throwing fireworks and explosives, slashing tires on a government vehicle, spraying graffiti on property and vehicles, destroying a closed circuit camera, shooting at officers, and dressing in black bloc. Defendants charged: Cameron Arnold, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto Providing Material Support to Terrorists , including property, services, training, communications equipment, weapons, explosives, personnel (including themselves), and transportation. Defendants charged: Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, E. Soto, and I. Soto Conspiracy to Use and Carry an Explosive , and Using and Carrying an Explosive , during a riot. Defendants charged: Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, E. Soto, and I. Soto Attempted Murder of Officers and Employees of the United States , involving the unlawful attempt to kill with malice aforethought Correctional Officers-1 and 2, and an Alvarado Police Officer. Defendants charged: Song, Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda Discharging a Firearm During, and in Relation to, and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence , i.e., the attempted murder of two correctional officers and an Alvarado Police Officer. Defendants charged: Song, Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda Corruptly Concealing a Document or Record , by transporting a box containing numerous Antifa materials, such as insurrection planning, anti-law enforcement, anti-government, and anti-immigration enforcement documents and propaganda from Sanchez Estrada’s residence to a location in Denton, Texas, intending to conceal the box’s contents and impair its availability for use in a federal grand jury and federal criminal proceeding. Defendant charged: Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada Conspiracy to Conceal Documents and other objects that would implicate Maricela Rueda in the riot and shooting at the Prairieland facility. Defendants charged: Sanchez Estrada and Maricela Rueda If convicted, Song, Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda each face a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Batten, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto each face a sentence ranging from a minimum of ten years up to fifty years in federal prison. Sanchez Estrada faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. The sole count of providing material support to terrorists brought in the information against Baumann, Gibson, Kent, Morgan, Sharp, Thomas, and separately, Sikes’s information, mirrors the material support offense charged in yesterday’s indictment. If convicted, each of these defendants face a sentence of up to fifteen years in federal prison. Charges brought by indictment and information are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. “This is the first indictment in the country against a group of violent Antifa cell members,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “The charges the Grand Jury has leveled against these defendants, including material support for terrorists, address the vicious attack perpetrated by an anti-ICE, anti-law enforcement, anti-government, anarchist group. I applaud the tenacious work of the FBI, ICE, our state and local law enforcement partners, and the prosecutors and staff in my office. They have tirelessly pursued justice in this case, and will continue to pursue justice in any cases like it. We are firm in our resolve to protect our law enforcement officers and federal facilities against organized domestic terrorist cells.” “The updated charges in this case underscore the seriousness of the crimes committed at the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4. We would like to thank our law enforcement partners for assisting us with this investigation. This collaborative effort reflects our collective commitment to holding these individuals accountable for this coordinated attack,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “Four months ago, in an attempt to sow anarchy and chaos and to undermine the rule of law, a coordinated attack was carried out on the Prairieland Detention Center, leaving one of our local law enforcement officers injured and a community in disarray,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Acting Field Office Director Robert Cerna. “In response, the law enforcement community banded together to expose the cowardly thugs responsible for that heinous attack and hold them accountable. Yesterday’s indictments are a first step in that process, as we continue to work collectively to ensure that justice is served.” The investigation was conducted by the FBI—Dallas, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Gatto and Shawn Smith are prosecuting the case.


title: Contra Costa County Woman Indicted On Charges Of Assaulting Crew Members During Flight And Assaulting Federal Officer And Security Personnel At SFO

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Reshma Kamath on two counts of interference with flight crew members and attendants, one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer, and one count of interference with security screening personnel. According to an indictment filed on November 5, 2025, and unsealed yesterday, Kamath, 40, of Bethel Island, California, was a passenger on board Air India flight 173 flying from Delhi, India, to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on June 28 and 29, 2025. During the flight, Kamath allegedly assaulted and intimidated two flight crew members, including by verbally abusing, threatening, and striking them. Upon landing at SFO, Kamath allegedly assaulted an SFO employee with security duties and resisted arrest by and struck a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. Kamath made her initial appearance in district court on November 13, 2025. She is next scheduled to appear in federal court on January 7, 2026, before Senior U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Kamath faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of interference with flight crew members and attendants in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 46504, eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a), and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the count of interference with security screening personnel in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 46503. Any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only upon consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Yeh is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the San Francisco Police Department Airport Bureau, and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Mexican national sentenced for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Mexican drug trafficker was sentenced to over 26 years in federal prison for importing fentanyl for distribution in the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Juan Manuel Navarette Robles, 49, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 315 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Richard Schell on October 1, 2025. According to information presented in court, Robles was a high-level source of supply for narcotics, mainly fentanyl and methamphetamine, from Mexico to the United States. Robles trained others and directed them in the distribution of drugs in the United States, primarily by using the mail and various “hubs” to receive packages for distribution into Texas and elsewhere. Robles eventually traveled to the United States where he was found in possession of large amounts of fentanyl. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Eastern District of Texas Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America . HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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 FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Tatum. ###


title: Lafayette man sentenced to federal prison in connection with armed bank robberies in Texas and Louisiana

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lafayette, LA man has been sentenced to federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas for robbing banks in Texas and Louisiana, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Charleston Jamal Washington, 39, pleaded guilty to two separate armed bank robberies and was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on October 2, 2025. According to information presented in court, on June 14, 2024, Washington entered the Home Bank in Welsh, LA, wearing a bucket hat and a mask covering most of his face. Washington pointed a handgun at one of the bank tellers and demanded money from her and two others. The bank employees complied, and Washington placed the money in a draw-string backpack and fled with approximately $11,500 in U.S. currency. On July 18, 2024, Washington, wearing a similar disguise, entered First State Bank in Vidor and pointed a handgun at a bank teller while demanding money. Washington placed the money in a similar draw-string backpack and left with approximately $7,676 in cash. On that occasion, surveillance video revealed that Washington drove off in a distinctive blue, step-side pickup truck. Investigators subsequently connected the truck to Washington and found that he had purchased it with cash the same day as the robbery of the Home Bank in Welsh. Washington was arrested on September 19, 2024, after police in Lafayette stopped him for a traffic violation. At that time, he was found in possession of a firearm that matched the handgun used in both bank robberies. 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 FBI-Beaumont Resident Agency; FBI-Lake Charles Resident Agency; FBI-Lafayette Resident Agency; Vidor Police Department; Orange Police Department; Welsh Police Department; Crowley Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Lafayette Police Department; and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross. ###


title: Frisco woman sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for lying to FBI

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas –A Frisco woman has been sentenced to eight years in prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Kahkashan Haider Khan, 54, pleaded guilty to false statements in relation to international terrorism and was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos, L. Mazzant, III on October 7, 2025. “We will not allow the United States to be a launching point for terrorist attacks abroad,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “Vigilantly protecting the United States and its interests is inherent in everything we do. This includes aggressively prosecuting those who wrongly believe that they can find safe-harbor in the United States while plotting crimes elsewhere.” “The FBI will aggressively investigate individuals planning or taking part in acts of violence in support of terrorism. We take these crimes seriously and will work with our international partners to hold perpetrators accountable,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. According to information presented in court, on February 23, 2023, Khan was interviewed by Special Agents from the FBI regarding her involvement in the planned fire-bombing of two gas stations in Karachi, Pakistan. Khan, a U.S. citizen and immigrant from Pakistan, is a member of a separatist movement in Pakistan known as the Mujahir Qaumi Movement (MQM), which claims grievances against the Pakistani government over the treatment of mujahir immigrants in Pakistan. Khan served as a recruiter and facilitator of terrorist actions in Pakistan by collecting funds, sending them to Pakistan, and arranging and paying for violent actions in Pakistan. In January 2023, Khan recruited an individual in Pakistan to conduct fire-bombings on two Punjabi-owned gas stations in Karachi Pakistan. Khan discussed multiple aspects of the plan with her co-conspirator in Pakistan, including selecting the target locations, discussing which flammable accelerants to use, where to stage before the attacks, how to escape after the attacks, and arranged for the purchase of two firearms to be used by the attackers to ensure their success. Khan collected money from MQM sympathizers in the United States and wired the funds to Pakistan to pay for the attacks. On February 20, 2023, Khan’s co-conspirator in Pakistan sent Khan photos from news coverage of a fire-bombing of a Karachi, Pakistan gas station caused by attackers throwing something from a vehicle, resulting in six people being burned. Khan celebrated the news and told her Pakistani co-conspirator that he would be greatly rewarded for his work. Throughout that day, February 20, 2023, Khan scoured the internet for news in Pakistan regarding the fire-bombing but could find none. After approximately one day of searching, she discovered that the photos her co-conspirator sent were from an event that occurred in October of 2022. Khan was furious and accused her co-conspirator of deceit and being a disgrace to the MQM movement. On February 23, 2024, FBI Special Agents interviewed Khan at her home about these events. During the interview, Khan made multiple false statements about the events and lied about her involvement in the attempted attacks. Khan denied that she wanted a co-conspirator to commit the fire-bombings in Pakistan. Khan denied that she was involved in an action in Pakistan that would possibly result in someone’s harm or death. During her plea hearing in February 2025, Khan admitted that these were false statements made knowing that the statements were material to a terrorism investigation. This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Ryan Locker and Camelia Lopez. ###


title: Port Arthur drug trafficker sentenced to federal prison for dealing methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. James Frank Collins, 45, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 175 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on October 29, 2025. According to information presented in court, in July of 2023, law enforcement began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Collins. The investigation included drug purchases from Collins and the execution of a search warrant at his residence which resulted in the seizure of various narcotics. On November 2, 2023, Collins was stopped for several traffic violations. During the stop, officers detected the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle and a search was conducted resulting in the discovery of a large amount of cash and approximately 800 pills containing methamphetamine. 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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James. ###


title: Gregg County man sentenced to over 17 years for trafficking fentanyl

body_text: TYLER, Texas –A Longview man who sold fake prescription drugs has been sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Desmond Denard Brown, also known as Money C, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 206 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on October 30, 2025. According to information presented in court, on June 20, 2024, Brown received a U.S. Postal Service package in which investigators discovered nearly five and a half kilograms of pills containing fentanyl. The pills delivered to Brown were round and light blue, bearing the markings “M” and “30,” which are the same manufacturer’s markings for 30 milligram tablets of oxycodone. The approximate street value of the seized pills exceeds $500,000. A subsequent search of Brown’s phone revealed numerous text messages discussing the illegal distribution of pills to others. Brown is a three-time felon, with previous convictions for aggravated robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Brown was also on federal supervised release at the time of the offense. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Eastern District of Texas Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America . HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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 Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; Gregg County Sheriff’s Office; and the Longview Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###


title: Longview drug trafficker sentenced to federal prison for dealing fentanyl

body_text: TYLER, Texas –A Longview man who sold fake prescription drugs has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Trevorris Rashomique Woodard, also known as B1, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on October 30, 2025. According to information presented in court, law enforcement stopped Woodard while driving a vehicle for a traffic violation on February 16, 2022. During the stop, officers observed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and conducted a probable cause search, resulting in the discovery of 9.85 grams of pills later analyzed and determined to contain fentanyl. Investigators later obtained a warrant for the content of Woodard’s cell phone and found numerous photographs and text messages related to the illegal distribution of pills. “This case demonstrates what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement work together to protect our communities,” said Acting ATF Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner. “Fentanyl is a deadly threat and removing it from our streets requires the coordinated efforts of every agency involved. We are grateful for the teamwork that brought this trafficker to justice, and we will continue strengthening these partnerships to keep East Texas families safe.” Woodard is a three-time felon, including two prior federal convictions for drug trafficking offenses, which resulted in an enhanced punishment range under the Career Offender provisions of the United States Sentencing Guidelines Manual. Woodard was also on federal supervised release at the time of the offense. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Eastern District of Texas Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America . HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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 Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office; and the Longview Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek. ###


title: Dallas men convicted in East Texas federal drug trafficking conspiracy

body_text: PLANO, Texas – Two Dallas men were found guilty of federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Corey Buchea Grant, 31, and Calvin Autae Thompson, 36, were found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on November 3, 2025. According to information presented in court, Grant worked at a “trap house” in East Dallas, which was managed by Thompson, where multiple types of drugs were sold, to include heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin laced with fentanyl. Drugs supplied by the two were believed to be responsible for a fentanyl overdose death in Lewisville, Texas. According to information presented by prosecutors, drug dealers went to the Dallas “trap houses” to purchase the drugs, which would then be distributed in the Eastern District of Texas. Evidence presented by the court included cell phone messages, social media messages, cell phone location data, financial records, and testimony of cooperating defendants. At sentencing, Grant and Thompson face up to life in federal prison. The statutory maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office. 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). The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Dallas Police Department, U.S. Secret Service’s Dallas Digital Evidence Forensics Lab, Lewisville Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Rattan and Eric Erlandson. ###


title: Cherokee County felon charged with federal firearms violations in relation to the shooting of a Jacksonville police officer

body_text: TYLER, Texas –A Jacksonville convicted felon has been charged with federal firearms violations in connection with the shooting of a police officer in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Bobby Michael Dennis, 64, was named in a complaint in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and while being convicted of a crime of domestic violence. According to information presented in court, on November 2, 2025, Dennis opened fire on a Jacksonville police officer, striking her twice, with an AR-15-style rifle when the officer attempted to identify him pursuant to multiple outstanding warrants. After firing numerous rounds at the officer, her K9, and her car, Dennis fled, leading to a multi-agency manhunt, during which Jacksonville-area schools canceled classes for two days. A search warrant executed at Dennis’ residence in Jacksonville discovered four additional firearms. Dennis was apprehended safely on the evening of November 5, 2025, during the execution of a search warrant at a bunker that Dennis had built near Cuney, Texas. An additional firearm was recovered from the bunker. Dennis is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law as a three-time convicted felon, with previous convictions for aggravated robbery in Smith County and aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance in Pulaski County, Arkansas. If convicted of the federal firearms charges, Dennis faces up to life in prison. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office; Jacksonville Police Department; Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division; and the Texas Rangers. The case is being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Locker and Lucas Machicek. A complaint or grand jury indictment are not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Celina teacher/coach charged with production of child pornography  in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A former Celina ISD teacher and coach has been charged with federal child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. William Caleb Elliott, 26, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand earlier this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. If convicted, Elliott faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the Celina Police Department, Collin County District Attorney’s Office, and the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: ICYMI: Significant federal prosecutions in the Eastern District of Texas during nation-wide shutdown

body_text: PLANO, Texas – During the recent federal government shutdown, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas continued its mission to protect public safety and hold criminals accountable, prosecuting cases involving immigration violations, firearms violations, fraud, drug trafficking, and other federal offenses. “Over the past 43 days, our mission remained the same, the pursuit of justice for the citizens of the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “During the shutdown our prosecutors never stopped. They were in court and on the job every day pursuing justice and protecting our communities as a part of Operation Take Back America.” Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The following is just a glimpse of some of the many cases handled during the shutdown: Corey Buchea Grant, 31, and Calvin Autae Thompson , 36, both of Dallas, were convicted by a jury of conspiring to distribute heroin and crack cocaine following a six-day trial in Plano. William Caleb Elliott , 26, a former Celina ISD coach and teacher, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury charging him with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Bobby Michael Dennis, 64, of Jacksonville, was charged with firearms violations related to the shooting of a Jacksonville police officer. A complaint or indictment is not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. John Prentice Robertson, 65, of Aubrey, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for paying women in the Philippines to sexually abuse their children and make custom ordered child pornography for him. David Valdez, 45, and his son, Abel Valdez, 28, both Mexican naturalized citizens living in Dallas, were each to sentenced to 324 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Juan Manuel Navarette Robles , 49, a Mexican national illegally in the United States, was sentenced to 315 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Rolando Alberto Vindas Abarca, 45, a Costa Rican national, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison after being extradited to the United States for conspiring to manufacture and distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States. Trevorris Rashomique Woodard , 37, of Longview, was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess fentanyl. Ashley Blaine Brooks, 57, of Plano, a convicted sex offender, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for child pornography violations. Desmond Denard Brown , 39, of Longview, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Frank James Collins , 45, of Port Arthur, was sentenced to 175 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Trinity Snow Cassels, also known as Dustin Joseph McDuffie, 34, of Denton, was sentenced to 170 months in federal prison for posing as a teen boy online to communicate with minors and distribute child pornography to them. Charleston Jamal Washington , 39, of Lafayette, LA, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for robbing a Vidor bank. Kahkashan Haider Khan , 54, of Frisco, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for making false statements to federal agents in relation to international terrorism. Dominique Keyrel Carr, 37, of Grapeland, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. Daniel Nichols Corbin, 36, of Beaumont, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for carjacking. Eric Andrew Wara, 29, of Beaumont, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bradley Morgan Holts, 54, of Orange, a former financial advisor and stockbroker, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $186,381.64 in restitution for using interstate wire communications to defraud three of his investors. Juan Colorado-Jimenez, 30, a Mexican national illegally living in Nacogdoches, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Linda Burrell, 51, of Farmers Branch, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, for a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fraud scheme. Antonio Hernandez-Perez, 48, a Mexican national illegally living in Nacogdoches, pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Joshua Deshon Scott, 18, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen firearms following the burglary of a Beaumont pawn shop. James Christopher Moffett, 55, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Carlton Hollins, 55, a Longview tax preparer, pleaded guilty to making false statements on federal tax returns. Bradley Broussard, 38, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm while robbing a tobacco store. A federal grand jury returned a 19-count indictment charging five Beaumont men with drug trafficking and firearms violations related to a marijuana conspiracy. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt, and the defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Man Sentenced to 189 Months after Firing on Law Enforcement in Winston-Salem

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A Forsyth County, North Carolina, man was sentenced in Winston-Salem to a total of more than 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to felon in possession of a firearm, announced Dan Bishop, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). Cortez Desean IRELAND, age 24, pleaded guilty on May 6, 2025, to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). He was sentenced today to 165 months’ imprisonment plus 3 years of post-release supervision by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. At the time of the incident that led to this charge, IRELAND was on federal post-release supervision for a prior felon in possession of a firearm conviction. For violating the terms of that supervised release, IRELAND was additionally sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment to run consecutive to the other sentence. According to court records, in the early hours of June 25, 2024, officers with the Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD) were called to a domestic disturbance with a report of shots fired. A woman reported that her ex-boyfriend IRELAND had pointed a gun at her and her cousin, demanded their cellphones, and then discharged a single shot into the wall over the women’s heads. IRELAND left the apartment shortly after and the women called police. WSPD officers responded and began searching the area. As Officer-1 approached the apartment complex, she observed IRELAND and another man walking down the street and observed that IRELAND had a gun in his right hand. As Officer-2 began to slow down and put his patrol car in park, IRELAND fired at him, shattering the back driver’s side window. Officer-2 exited his vehicle and returned fire. IRELAND and the other man fled, but IRELAND was found a few minutes later, less than half a mile away. When officers frisked IRELAND for weapons, they found a Taurus 9mm in his front pants pocket loaded with 10 live rounds. Following his arrest, IRELAND told Officer-2, “I’m going to kill you next time.” The case was investigated by the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Martin. ###


title: Ruleville Police Officer Arrested for Extortion During Traffic Stop

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Clarksdale man was arrested yesterday in Gulfport, Mississippi, on criminal charges related to his alleged extortion of an illegal alien. According to court documents, Antonio Artez Wade, 36, an officer with the Ruleville Police Department, conducted a traffic stop of “Victim 1” on September 17, 2025. Upon learning that Victim 1 lacked identification or legal status, Wade indicated that he could “help” the victim in exchange for money. The victim subsequently paid Wade’s demand of $2500. Wade has been charged with extortion under 18 U.S.C. § 1951, blackmail under 18 U.S.C. § 873, and deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. “No traffic stop should ever turn into a shakedown,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Corruption of the kind alleged here undermines public safety and trust in law enforcement, and it will simply not be tolerated.” "Homeland Security Investigations is committed to holding accountable those who exploit their authority and undermine public trust,” stated HIS Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Reidell. “This case involves serious violations, including extortion under the Hobbs Act, blackmail, and deprivation of rights under color of law. Such actions not only harm vulnerable individuals but also undermine the integrity of our immigration system. HSI will continue working with our partners to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law." “The arrest of Ruleville Police Officer Antonio Wade on charges of extortion is deeply troubling and stands in stark contrast of the values and standards expected of those who wear the badge,” said Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “Our agency, in coordination with our federal and local law enforcement partners, will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that any officer who violates the public’s trust is held fully accountable.” “Officer Wade violated the trust between law enforcement and the people they pledged to protect,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “This abuse of power will not be tolerated. Thank you to our federal and state partners for your commitment to restoring confidence in our criminal justice and immigration systems. The Attorney General’s Office looks forward to our day in State court.” If convicted, Wade faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Wade is currently being held without bond pending a detention hearing. Separate state charges may be pending. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Mims is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 82 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – On Friday, November 14, Armon Shannon, 25 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after being found guilty by a jury of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a two-day jury trial in July, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Shannon was sentenced to 82 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, Shannon ran away from police in the parking lot of a gas station in South Bend. After police caught up to him, they found a loaded handgun on the ground along the path that Shannon had run from them. Shannon has multiple prior felony convictions, including two federal convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, any one of which prohibit him from possessing the firearm in this case. “Shannon had already been convicted in federal court twice for illegally possessing a firearm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “Evidently, neither conviction convinced him that he should give up on carrying guns. Thanks to the strong effort of our partner agencies and the excellent work of our trial attorneys, he will have 82 months to learn the lesson that he failed to take on the first two times he went to federal prison. Our office always tirelessly pursues such repeat offenders.” “ATF is proud to work with the South Bend Police Department to take convicted felons who unlawfully possess firearms off our streets. The sentence handed down in this case reflects the seriousness of the conduct and reinforces that repeat violations of the law will be met with significant prison time” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Acting Criminal Division Chief Joseph P. Falvey. 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: Jury convicts Richmond meth dealer of federal drug and firearms charges

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man today on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 9, 2024, law enforcement was attempting to locate an individual who was wanted in Chesterfield County. When officers located the individual in Gilpin Court in Richmond, the individual was accompanied by Montrio Santos Neville, 40. When the pair was detained, an officer searched Neville and recovered a firearm, 6.8750 grams of methamphetamine powder, and numerous tablets containing methamphetamine. As a previously convicted felon, Neville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Neville faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 8, 2026. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-183.


title: Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty To Possession With Intent To Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Adrian Alcantar-Sanchez, a/k/a Pedro Ruiz-Betancur, age 45, and Jorge Luis Mejia-Mejia, age 39, both of Mexico, entered guilty pleas to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, punishable by a term of ten years to life imprisonment. Alcantar-Sanchez also pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000. The Indictment alleged that on March 29, 2025, Alcantar-Sanchez and Mejia-Mejia knowingly and intentionally possessed 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, intending to distribute it. The Indictment also alleged that on March 29, 2025, Alcantar-Sanchez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 19, 2009, and April 6, 2012. The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division. 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). The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the pleas and ordered the completion of presentence investigation reports. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentences to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendants will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.


title: Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Cockfighting Charges

component: ENRD - Environmental Crimes Section

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man who previously admitted to possessing, sponsoring and exhibiting birds in an animal fighting venture was sentenced today in federal court for violating the Animal Welfare Act, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Onill Vazquez Lozada, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to two years’ probation, a $200.00 fine and $200.00 special assessment. Vazquez Lozada pleaded guilty on April 29, 2025 to two counts of possessing, sponsoring, and exhibiting birds in an animal fighting venture in violation of the Animal Welfare Act. Lozada admitted that on April 27, 2021, he possessed roosters for the purpose of having them fight. Lozada also admitted that on March 6, 2022, he sponsored and exhibited, and aided and abetted sponsoring and exhibiting, at least one rooster in a fight against another rooster. Cockfighting is a contest in which a person attaches a knife, gaff or other sharp instrument to the leg of a “gamecock” or rooster and then places the bird a few inches away from a similarly armed rooster. This results in a fight during which the roosters flap their wings and jump while stabbing each other with the weapons that are fastened to their legs. A cockfight ends when one rooster is dead or refuses to continue to fight. Commonly, one or both roosters die after a fight. This case was investigated by the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Rhode Island State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division, Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Providence, Woonsocket, and Attleboro Police Departments. Senior Trial Attorney Gary Donner and Assistant Chief Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John McAdams for the District of Rhode Island prosecuted the case.


title: Jamaican National Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking and Aggravated Illegal Re-Entry Charges

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Sarah Maud Jess, 62, a Jamaican national living in Capitol Heights, Maryland, to five years in federal prison for distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl and re-entry of an alien removed after conviction for an aggravated felony. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD). According to her guilty plea, Jess disseminated at least 40 grams of fentanyl in Maryland and elsewhere between at least November 2023 and October 2024. Jess distributed the fentanyl in the form of pressed fentanyl pills – round, light blue pills imprinted with “M30.” As part of the investigation, a DEA undercover (UC) agent purchased fentanyl pills from Jess. Additionally, law enforcement seized fentanyl pills from her vehicle as she was en route to distribute to the UC and recovered additional fentanyl pills and a firearm from Jess’s residence. In total, law enforcement recovered more than 3,000 fentanyl pills, totaling more than 350 grams of fentanyl, from Jess. During the investigation, on June 21, 2024, after coordinating with Jess via text message, the UC conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 600 fentanyl pills from Jess in a Greenbelt, Maryland restaurant parking lot for $3,600. Jess provided the UC with a black sock containing a clear plastic baggie with pills totaling more than 65 grams of fentanyl. Then on September 4, the UC conducted another purchase of approximately 1,000 pills from Jess for $6,000. Jess again met the UC in the Greenbelt restaurant parking lot and provided the UC with a black sock containing a clear plastic baggie with fentanyl pills comprised of more than 100 grams of fentanyl. On September 30, Jess texted the UC asking how many pills he or she wanted to purchase. Jess agreed to sell the UC 700 pills. Then on October 2, Jess and the UC spoke and arranged to meet at a Silver Spring, Maryland mall parking lot. Law enforcement officers surveilled Jess while she drove to the mall. As Jess drove to meet the UC, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop. Law enforcement found the pills Jess intended to sell to the UC and took her into custody. Jess provided the officers with a fake driver’s license with a fake name and an address that was not her actual residence. While searching the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered a black sock with a clear plastic baggie inside containing approximately 700 blue pills — weighing more than 75 grams of fentanyl — that Jess intended to distribute to the UC. Additionally, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jess’s residence. During the search, law enforcement discovered a plastic baggie containing 46 fentanyl pills — weighing more than five grams — and a handgun loaded with nine rounds of ammunition in Jess’s bedroom. Throughout this timeframe, Jess was an alien illegally in the United States. Jess was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Based on the conviction for this aggravated felony, Jess was previously removed from the United States after proceedings before an immigration judge. As part of her removal, Jess was advised that she was permanently excluded from re-entering the United States because of her prior conviction. Following her removal, Jess voluntarily and unlawfully re-entered the United States without inspection or permission. She never sought nor obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for re-admission. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from various federal, state, and local agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Additionally, 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the DEA, FBI, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who prosecuted the federal 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: Heavily Armed Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 91 Months

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Angelo Mark, 31, of Washington D.C., was sentenced Oct. 1, 2025, in U.S. District Court to 91 months in federal prison for his role a prolific drug delivery service that he operated with his brother in the metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Mark pleaded guilty June 18, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute a detectable amount of fentanyl, and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Mark to serve three years of supervised release. Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. According to court documents, between Jan. 10, 2024, and March 13, 2024, undercover agents with the DEA made six controlled purchases of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and suspected MDMA from Angelo Mark’s co-conspirator and brother, Jevaughn Mark. On Mar. 22, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at the homes of Angelo Mark and co-defendant Jevaughn Mark who lived across the street from each other on the 2300 block of Chester Street SE. From Angelo Marks residence, law enforcement recovered four handguns, three assault style rifles with their serial numbers removed, and 954 rounds of ammunition. In addition to the seven firearms recovered in Angelo Mark’s home, law enforcement seized 11.5 grams of cocaine, four digital scales, bulk drug-packaging materials, and $50,663 in cash. On March 14, 2025, co-defendant Jevaughn Mark pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, and to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. As part of his plea agreement, Jevaughn Mark accepted responsibility for causing the drug-related deaths of Brandon Román and Robert Barletta. On June 26, 2025, the Court sentenced Jevaughn Mark to 180 months in prison. This case was investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Dan Seidel of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) section. Law enforcement recovered three assault-style rifles, two pistols, and 954 rounds of ammunition from Angelo Mark’s home on the 2300 block of Chester Street SE, on Mar. 22, 2024. 24cr143 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Felon Sentenced to 33 Months for Possession of Pistol While on Supervised Release

body_text: WASHINGTON– Cedric Carr, 34, a previous convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced to 33 months, on October 7, 2025, for his unlawful possession of a semiautomatic pistol while drinking in public and on supervised release for another felony firearms offense, announced U.S Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. On Feb. 20, 2025, Carr pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 33-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Contreras ordered Carr to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on Oct. 27, 2024, about 8:30 a.m., Carr was drinking from an open bottle of red wine outside of the entrance to the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station. Two Metropolitan Police officers saw the wine bottle, approached Carr, and asked for identification. Officers took the bottle. Carr handed them a bank card, then turned his back to the officers. As Carr reached for his waistband, one of the officers grabbed Carr’s right hand, felt a hard object, and saw the handgrip of a pistol tucked in Carr’s waistband. Officers cuffed Carr and recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson M&P 40, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. The gun had been reported stolen by the Atlanta Police Department. At the time of this offense, Carr was on supervised release for a 2018 conviction for using a firearm during a crime of violence. Carr was sentenced to 84 months in that case. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Michael L. Barclay. Carr’s Smith and Wesson M&P 40, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Police Body-Worn-Camera photo of Cedric Carr holding a wine bottle at the entrance to the Gallery Place - Chinatown Metro station on Oct. 27, 2024. In a body-worn-camera photo, Cedric Carr turns away from a police officer and reaches for a Smith & Wesson pistol tucked in his waistband on Oct. 27, 2024, at the Gallery Place-Chinatown. 24cr497 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Former Colombian Army Officer Sentenced in DC in Scheme to Distribute 10 Kilos of Cocaine in the U.S.

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jairo Aldres Alzate Milan, 36, a former intelligence officer in the Colombian National Army, was sentenced October 8, 2025, in U.S. District Court to 65 months in prison in connection with a scheme to export 9.85 kilograms of cocaine from South America to the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Milan, aka "Llorente" and “Andres Millan,” pleaded guilty on May 13 to an Information charging him with unlawful distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine for importation into the United States. In addition to the 65-month prison sentence, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Milan to serve four years of supervised release. Joining in the sentencing announcement was Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. According to plea agreement, on Jan. 29, 2019, Milan met with an individual to build a drug trafficking relationship. Milan discussed specifics with this individual who asked, “You know that cargo is going to the United States. All of it, yes?” Milan answered, “Yes.” The two also confirmed a price that included the added cost with transporting the “cargo” to the United States. The cargo was to be cocaine. On Feb. 2, 2019, Milan met again with the same individual. Milan and the individual discussed further details about the logistics of and the eventual transportation costs of shipping the cocaine to the United States, including details of cargo planes being used for the transportation. The individual explained that a plane in Santa Marta, Colombia, would be used to transport the cocaine first to Guatemala and then on to the United States. The individual further explained that he would need the details of the weight beforehand to ensure customs manifest forms would match. On Mar. 5, 2019, Milan met with the same individual in Cali, Colombia. The interaction was recorded on audio and video. Milan told the individual that “had the 10,” referring to 10 kilograms of cocaine. Milan confirmed he understood that “this one is going to New York.” Milan provided ten bricks of cocaine weighing a total of 9.85 kilos. In exchange, Milan received 45 million Colombian Pesos valued at about $13,000 USD. The Drug Enforcement Administration Mid-Atlantic Laboratory tested nine of the 10 bricks and confirmed in all nine units the presence of cocaine. Milan was arrested in Colombia on May 22, 2021. He was extradited to the United States on Sept.12, 2024. In his plea, Milan admitted that he was responsible for distributing 9.85 kgs of cocaine and intended that amount to be imported into the United States. This case was investigated by the by the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Peter Roman of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Guilty Plea in Case of Woman’s Body Found in Mall Dumpster

body_text: WASHINGTON – Richard Dyson, 57, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty to the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Donnella Bryan, 63, whose body was found in a Hechinger Mall dumpster in Northeast D.C. back in April of 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Dyson pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of second-degree murder. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Dyson is facing up to 24 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for December 12, 2025, before the Honorable Michael Ryan. According to the government’s evidence, on or about April 15, 2025, at the Press House Apartments in Northeast D.C., Dyson murdered the victim by striking her in the head and suffocating her with a sock. Dyson then purchased a large container from Home Depot, and with the help of a now-deceased accomplice, disposed of the victim’s body in that container by sliding it into a dumpster at Hechinger Mall. The decedent’s body was discovered on April 19, 2025, one day before Easter Sunday. Dyson was arrested on June 11, 2025, and has been in custody ever since. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Cocuzza. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Knox Place Narcotics Trafficker Sentenced to 100 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: WASHINGTON – Matthew Green, 31, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced October 7 in U.S. District Court to 100 months in prison in connection with his possession of a Glock 19 pistol as he was distributing narcotics in and around the 2900 block of Knox Place SE in Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Green pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025, to a two-count Information charging him with possession with the intent to distribute phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine base, and marijuana, and to possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the 100-month prison sentence, the Honorable Timothy J. Kelly ordered Green to serve three years of supervised release. Joining in the announcement of the sentencing was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. According to court documents, in the Summer of 2024, FBI agents initiated a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking conspiracy centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE. [1] Law enforcement had identified an alleged fentanyl and PCP trafficker with a stash house in the 2900 block of Knox Place. Over the course of their investigation into the trafficker’s narcotics suppliers, investigating agents determined that Green was a supplier of the trafficker’s PCP. On October 3, 2024, an undercover officer met the trafficker outside a Knox Place apartment building. The trafficker subsequently waved to Green, who stepped into the building and then returned with several vials of PCP. As Green attempted to hand off the PCP to the trafficker, he instead asked Green to “give it to my man, cus,” referring to the undercover officer. In the morning of December 16, 2024, a caller to 911 reported seeing a man pointing a gun at cars near the 2800 block of Gainesville Street SE, approximately a half-mile from the 2900 block of Knox Place. Responding MPD officers saw Green, who matched the caller’s description, and stopped him. From Green’s front jacket pocket, officers recovered a loaded Glock 19, Gen 5 pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber. In Green’s backpack, officers recovered an array of distribution-level quantities of narcotics that included 48 grams of crack cocaine, more than 62 grams of PCP that was packaged in 122 vials, 366 grams of marijuana, and a 20-ounce plastic bottle of pink liquid suspected to be “lean,” a cocktail of prescription cough syrup and soda. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, with assistance from the DEA Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, John Crabb, Jr., and John Parron, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sitara Witanachchi, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Offenses and Federal Major Crimes Sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 25cr0159 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations. [1] Eight members of this drug trafficking conspiracy, including Green’s PCP redistributor, have since been indicted in U.S. v. Hancock, et al. , Case No. 25-cr-241 (TJK).


title: Five-Time Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Pistol

body_text: WASHINGTON – Joshua Calvin Allen, 35, a five-time felon residing the District of Columbia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court on October 15 to 36 months in prison for illegally carrying a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Allen pleaded guilty on June 30, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm. In addition to the prison term, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Allen to serve three years of supervised release. Allen, who is also awaiting trial in a 2021 homicide, has been jailed at the Central Detention Facility since Nov. 2021 for violating the terms of a previous supervised release for prisoner escape and assault with intent to commit robbery while armed. On Nov. 9, 2021, a D.C. Superior Court Judge signed a warrant for Allen’s arrest in the June 2021 slaying of 28-year-old Delonte Johnson. On Nov. 10, 2021, members of the U.S. Marshal’s Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force located Allen using information obtained from his GPS ankle monitor, which he was wearing as a condition of his supervised release resulting from a previous conviction of illegal possession of a firearm. The Task Force apprehended Allen as he was sitting in the driver’s seat of a white Ford Explorer near a Southeast apartment complex. During a pat down, a Task Force officer discovered a Glock 23 pistol with an extended magazine that Allen had secreted between two pairs of compression shorts. This case is Allen’s sixth felony conviction and his second conviction for possessing a firearm in the District of Columbia. His previous convictions in the District of Columbia also include assault to commit robbery while armed, carrying a pistol without a license, and inmate in possession of a weapon. He was also convicted in Maryland for armed carjacking. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah C. Santiago. 25cr139 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: 7-Eleven Robbery Results in Four Year Prison Term

body_text: WASHINGTON – Kevin Bing, 31, of Washington D.C., was sentenced in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the burglary of a 7-Eleven store in March 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. Bing pleaded guilty on August 12, 2025, to one count of second-degree burglary. On October 15, 2025, the Honorable Judge Jennifer Di Toro sentenced Bing to four years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, with which the defendant agreed, on March 19, 2025, Bing and three unidentified accomplices went to a closed 7-Eleven store in the 5200 block of 3rd Street Northeast and used a prybar to force open the front door. They then brought a hydraulic prying tool into the store and used it to force open an ATM machine, from which they stole U.S. currency. The perpetrators also stole a cell phone from one of the store’s employees before fleeing the store. Bing was arrested on March 20, 2025 and has been in custody since. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S Attorney Michael Roberts, who prosecuted the case. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Jury Finds Man Guilty of Stabbing a Tourist in November 2024

body_text: WASHINGTON – Maurice Felder, 54, of Washington, D.C., was convicted of charges stemming from a stabbing on November 10, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Felder was convicted of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a prohibited weapon. The verdict was returned on October 15, 2025, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Felder faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for the crimes. The Honorable Todd Edelman scheduled sentencing for December 12, 2025. According to the government’s evidence and testimony presented at trial, at about 1:00 a.m., on November 10, 2024, the victim and his friends were walking near the intersection of 7 th St N.W. and T St N.W. The victim and his friends were visiting Washington, D.C. for a weekend from Pennsylvania. The defendant followed the victim and his group down the sidewalk and began verbally arguing with the group. The victim got in between Felder and other members of his friend group, telling the defendant to leave. The defendant asked the victim, “do you want to die,” pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in his chest. The victim sustained a stab wound two centimeters from his heart and required urgent medical care. Felder was apprehended shortly thereafter, approximately one block from the location of incident. At the time of arrest, defendant matched the provided lookout for the stabbing suspect. A knife was recovered from the defendant’s pants pocket. Felder has been in custody since his arrest. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valerie Tsesarenko and Randle Wilson. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.