title: GAINESVILLE FELON CHARGED WITH ARMED DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Eddie Jerome Scott, 38, of Gainesville, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance over 50 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl, possessing a firearm in connection with drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Scott appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 25, 2026, at 8:30 am before Chief District Court Allen C. Winsor. If convicted, Scott faces a minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, for each distribution of methamphetamine count; a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment, up to life imprisonment, on the possession with intent to distribute count; a minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment, up to life imprisonment, on the possessing a firearm in connection with drug trafficking count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon count. The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Bangor Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor woman pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to court records, between July and October 2024, Nichole Kelley , 46, conspired with others to fraudulently obtain money by entering banks, impersonating legitimate bank account holders, and using fictitious identification cards to gain access to their bank accounts and withdraw funds. During a search of a coconspirator’s residence, investigators seized two fictitious driver’s licenses in other people’s names but with Kelley’s images on them. Kelley also agreed with coconspirators to travel to banks outside of Maine to impersonate customers and withdraw funds from their accounts. Kelley faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bangor Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Enforcement Services Division. ###


title: Financial Advisor Convicted Of Scheme To Defraud Professional Basketball Players

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the conviction of DARRYL COHEN for defrauding three professional basketball players who were among his former financial advisory clients, following a five-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick. “Financial Advisor Darryl Cohen built trust with successful pro athletes—then betrayed it, stealing their money to fund personal luxuries, including a state-of-the-art gym in his own backyard,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers deserve honest financial advice—not advisors who scheme to steal clients’ funds, rather than protect their financial interests—and this Office is committed to removing bad actors from our markets.” According to the charging documents, statements made in public filings, and public court proceedings, including evidence presented at trial: From at least in or about 2017 through in or about 2020, COHEN, a registered investment adviser, orchestrated a scheme to defraud three different professional basketball player clients—Chandler Parsons, Courtney Lee, and Jrue Holiday—of a total of over $5 million by taking advantage of his advisory and fiduciary relationships with them. First, COHEN and accountant BRIAN GILDER fraudulently induced Parsons, Lee, and Holiday to purchase viatical life insurance policies at massive markups. COHEN did not disclose that GILDER had arranged for a law firm (“Law Firm-1”) that he controlled to purchase the policies and then to sell them to the athletes at markups of 222%, 310%, and 244%, respectively. Indeed, Law Firm-1 made approximately $4.5 million in profit from the sale of the policies to COHEN’s athlete clients. COHEN and GILDER used a substantial portion of these illicit proceeds to pay their own personal expenses. In particular, COHEN: (i) used approximately $178,462 of the funds to renovate his home and to perform work on his pool; (iii) used approximately $67,500 of the funds to pay off his personal credit card bill; and (iv) transferred approximately $200,000 of the funds to an individual with whom he was in a romantic relationship. Second, COHEN directed that $500,000 be transferred from the accounts of Parsons and Lee as purported donations to a non-profit organization, Beast Basketball. COHEN then used approximately $238,000 of the funds purportedly donated to the non-profit to build a state-of-the-art athletic gym in the backyard of his home. Parsons and Lee never, in fact, authorized any transfers of their funds to Beast Basketball. When Parsons confronted COHEN about the donations, COHEN told Parsons in a text message, in substance and in part, that Parsons’s money had “[h]elped a lot of future prospects and a lot of underprivileged kids.” COHEN did not disclose to Parsons that a substantial portion of Parsons’s donations had, in fact, been used to build a state-of-the-art athletic gym in COHEN’s backyard. Third, COHEN used a sports agency and another law firm to channel approximately $328,125 of Parsons’s money to repay a former professional baseball player, Nyjer Morgan, who was a disgruntled client of COHEN’s. Morgan had expressed concern to COHEN about investments and loans that COHEN made on Morgan’s behalf and demanded to be repaid. On or about February 19, 2020, in the midst of making the payments of Parsons’s money to Morgan, COHEN messaged GILDER, “We gotta send [Morgan] more to get rid of him.” Parsons did not authorize COHEN to use of funds from his account to pay off Morgan. * * * COHEN, 52, of Chatsworth, California, was convicted of one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, as well as one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. COHEN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Broderick at a date to be determined. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California, the Northern District of Georgia, and the Southern District of Texas for their assistance in the investigation. Mr. Clayton further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a parallel civil action against COHEN, for its assistance and cooperation in this investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Brandon Thompson, and William Kinder are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Man Charged with Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer and Damaging Government Property

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Providence man has been charged for forcibly resisting, opposing, and impeding federal officers and willful depredation of government property, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Alfredo Nufio Marroquin, 39, made an initial appearance in federal court on February 10, 2026. According to charging documents, on January 22, 2026, agents and task force officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement attempted to conduct a vehicle stop of Marroquin, who is allegedly unlawfully present in the United States. As agents approached, the defendant allegedly failed to comply and fled in his vehicle. Officers followed and attempted a second stop, at which time Marroquin allegedly placed the vehicle in reverse, striking a law enforcement vehicle and causing damage. It is alleged that Marroquin then turned the vehicle sharply toward officers and fled. Federal criminal charges are merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julianne Klein. The matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Justice Department Reaches $668M Settlement Agreement for Continued Cleanup of Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund Site in Seattle Area

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and State of Washington reached agreement on a proposed settlement with more than 100 responsible parties to address hazardous substances released into the Lower Duwamish Waterway in Seattle. Cleanup work is estimated to cost $668 million and take at least 10 years to complete. Under the settlement, the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group — which consists of the Boeing Company, the City of Seattle and King County — agreed to design and perform the cleanup plan EPA selected for the in-water portion of the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site. The cleanup plan requires Boeing, Seattle, and King County to conduct dredging and capping and take other measures to clean up the most contaminated parts of the Waterway. To help fund the required work, the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group will receive about $130 million from other responsible parties and about $140 million from federal agencies. “The Duwamish is a vital asset to Seattle and the surrounding community. By lodging this settlement with the court today and seeking public comment, we take a big step toward restoring the Lower Duwamish,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Justin Heminger of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We are proud to play an integral role in negotiating with more than one hundred other parties to achieve this milestone agreement.” “This settlement finally ensures full-scale cleanup of the Lower Duwamish Waterway,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The cost-sharing agreement resulting from negotiations among many parties shows that this Administration will make good on its promise to expedite cleanup of hazardous pollutants while ensuring responsible parties are held accountable and the public is not left with the bill for the cleanup.” “This settlement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to protecting public health, cleaning up contaminated sites, and advancing cooperative federalism with our state partners,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Emma Pokon. “Cleaning up this waterway will enhance residents’ use, support safer fishing, protect wildlife, and foster a vibrant industrial core in the heart of Seattle.” The Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site is a five-mile segment of Seattle’s only river, the Duwamish. The Waterway has served as Seattle’s major industrial corridor since the early 1900s, hosting industries such as airplane manufacturing, timber operations, cement and brick manufacturing, steel mills and foundries, marine construction and repair, drum recycling and chemical production. Discharges from these industries, and combined sewage and stormwater systems and stormwater systems, contributed to sediment contamination within the waterway. EPA identified 41 hazardous substances in sediments that pose significant risks to human health and the environment in the Waterway; these include polychlorinated biphenyls, arsenic, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, and furans. This settlement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to protect public health, clean up contaminated lands, and advance cooperative federalism with our state partners. Cleaning up this vital waterway will enhance existing residential and recreational uses, support safer fishing and fish habitats, protect wildlife and foster a healthy, vibrant industrial core in the heart of Seattle. The settlement is authorized under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (commonly known as Superfund) and Washington State’s Model Toxics Control Act for releases of hazardous substances. More information is available on EPA’s Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site webpage . For more on this settlement, visit EPA’s settlement summary webpage . Attorneys with Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section filed the settlement in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. It is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval. The proposed consent decree and information on submitting comments is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees .


title: Former Carlyle Police Chief accused of embezzling more than $100,000

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The former police chief of the Carlyle Police Department is facing several federal charges for allegedly embezzling more than $100,000 for his personal benefit. A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Mark A. Pingsterhaus, 52, of Carlyle, with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of theft of government funds. “We strongly support law enforcement because the overwhelming majority of officers serve with dedication, honor, and courage. But when any officer, especially a chief, betrays the community they are sworn to protect we will take decisive action,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “I appreciate our partnership with the Carlyle Police Department and city officials, who have fully cooperated in good faith during the investigation.” According to the indictment, Pingsterhaus is facing charges for allegedly embezzling funds from at least January 2017 to November 2025 as police chief for the City of Carlyle and as the chief financial officer for the Carlyle Fire Protection District. Pingsterhaus is accused of using City of Carlyle and Carlyle Fire Protection District funds for unauthorized and personal expenses like travel, entertainment, goods and services. In two examples, the indictment states he used the City of Carlyle’s bank card to purchase WNBA tickets and the Caryle Fire Protection District’s bank card to purchase jewelry from Zales. “Our partnership to combat violent crime and drug trafficking with the Carlyle Police Department and surrounding agencies has led to results that have undoubtedly made the region safer. That being said, our mission is to not only combat violent crime, but to protect against the exploitation of the very systems designed to help our communities,” said FBI Springfield Field Office’s Special Agent in Charge Ruben Marchand-Morales. “When resources meant for community elevation are diverted for personal gain, it undermines the safety we work so hard to build and harms the community we swore to protect.” He is also accused of using funds from the Carlyle Police Department’s Drug and Education Fund for personal expenses. An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Convictions for wire fraud are punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and theft of government funds can earn up to 10 years in federal prison. The FBI Springfield Field Office is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed is prosecuting the case.


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for Federal Hate Crime Violation

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Springfield, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for a federal hate crime after assaulting a victim on the basis of their sexual orientation. Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. “The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “The District of Oregon remains committed to combatting hate crimes and protecting that right for all. While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.” “Hate crimes impact not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI works together with our partners to prevent hate crimes from impacting our communities, and every attack on someone because of who and what they are deserves to be acted on by the full extent of the law.” According to court documents, on the evening of July 5, 2021, McGee met the victim at the victim’s apartment after communicating on the dating application Grindr, an application originally designed for, and primarily used by, gay men. McGee assaulted the victim over the course of several minutes, striking the victim on the head with a wooden tire thumper and using his hands to try to gouge the victim’s eyes out. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries during the assault, including serious head wounds. The investigation revealed McGee had been researching and planning the attack for weeks. For at least one month prior to the attack, McGee searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay material. McGee planned for the attack by purchasing the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searching the internet for suggestions on how to get away with murder. On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill. On Nov. 25, 2025, McGee pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Green Bay Landlord

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that David Jones and D Jones Properties LLC have agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that Jones sexually harassed a female tenant in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The Justice Department’s lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on July 24, 2025. The complaint alleges that Jones — who manages multiple rental properties in Green Bay, Wisconsin — engaged in severe, pervasive, and unwelcome sexual harassment of a female tenant by, among other things, making unwelcome sexual comments, grabbing the tenant without her consent, entering the tenant’s home without her permission, and moving to evict her when she asserted her rights under the FHA. “Women should never feel unsafe in their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously protect the rights of vulnerable tenants subjected to sexual harassment and hold housing providers accountable when they violate the law.” “This settlement sends a clear message that sex discrimination in housing will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “No one should have to endure sexual harassment to keep a roof over their head.” “As the Trump Administration’s top fair housing official, I am committed to ending the scourge of sexual harassment in housing and obtaining compensatory justice for the victims who have had to endure it,” said Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig W. Trainor of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “This settlement makes clear that Secretary Turner’s HUD will aggressively pursue Fair Housing Act violators while ensuring women feel safe and secure in their homes.” Under the settlement agreement, Defendants must pay $50,000 to the tenant. The agreement also requires Jones to attend fair housing training and provides for a two-year monitoring period by the Justice Department. The case was referred to the Division after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, completed an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. If you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online to the Department of Justice or to the Department of Housing and Urban Development . More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative . The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered more than $19 million for victims of such harassment.


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition By Convicted Felon

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man is headed to federal prison for more than a decade for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. U.S. Chief District Judge George L. Russell sentenced David Funderburk, 47, to 125 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. A federal jury convicted Funderburk of the firearm-related offense, his fourth federal felony conviction, in September 2025. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD). On November 3, 2023, BPD Southwest District Action Team detectives conducted routine patrols in the 1500 block of W. Baltimore Street. While patrolling the area, detectives observed Funderburk on the street exhibiting characteristics of an armed person. Law enforcement then saw him enter a local eatery. As the detectives watched Funderburk through the front window, they saw him bend down around a corner, pull a firearm out of his pocket — a FN Five-seven 5.7x28mm handgun — and then place it on the floor in the corner of the restaurant. The detectives then immediately entered the eatery and detained Funderburk. They also recovered the firearm from the corner of the restaurant, which was loaded with 18 rounds of 5.7x28mm ammunition. This is Funderburk’s fourth federal felony conviction. Because of his prior felony convictions, Funderburk was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sippel who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: United States Leads Dismantlement of One of the World’s Largest Hacker Forums

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools. According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information. On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom. LeakBase Splash Page “The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.” “This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.” “The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.” “Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.” The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023 , in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025 . The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically. Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at FBI-SU-Leakbase@fbi.gov .


title: Maryland Man Sentenced for Passport Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Gwynn Oak, Maryland, man received a federal-prison term today after pleading guilty to committing identity theft crimes. U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Beautiful Life Allah aka “Tezelle Miller,” aka “Tezell Miller,” 66, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, to three years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, false statements, and false representation of a social security number. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with David M. Richeson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) –Washington Field Office, and Michael McGill, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) – Philadelphia Field Division. According to court documents, Allah used someone else’s social security number to submit a passport application; submitted a fraudulent custody order to apply for a passport for his minor child; and made false statements on passport applications from August 2022 through February 2023. In August 2020, Allah received a legal passport after he submitted an application. After he received his passport, law enforcement charged Allah with an unrelated criminal offense and issued a warrant for his arrest in Hampton County, Virginia. Law enforcement also listed the warrant in the National Crime Information Center. As a result, if Allah attempted to travel using the passport, he likely would have been arrested due to the outstanding warrant notification. Then in 2022, Allah started using the identity of Victim 1, an adult male incarcerated in New York. In August 2022, Allah used fraudulent loan documents, a fraudulent birth certificate, bank records, and a W-2 statement — that contained Victim 1’s social security number — to apply for a driver’s license at the Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles. In February 2023, Allah continued using Victim 1’s identification, as he submitted a fraudulent U.S. Passport application in the victim’s name, along with a picture of himself. After Allah submitted the fraudulent application, DSS flagged the application due to fraud indicators. As a result, DSS, with assistance from the SSA-OIG, began investigating Allah. Through its investigation, law enforcement discovered that Allah submitted a second fraudulent passport application in the name of his minor son. In the application, Allah included a fraudulent New York custody order, falsely claiming he had full physical and legal custody of the minor child. But the child’s biological mother had sole custody. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DSS and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who prosecuted the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Turtle Creek Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Minors

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Robert Bookshar, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV on March 3, 2026. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around September 2021 through in and around June 2023, Bookshar communicated with an online criminal organization that offered child sexual abuse material in the form of “Ultimate Packages”—which investigation determined consisted of seven videos and 30 images of a nude minor female engaged in sexually explicit conduct—as well as a “menu” of minor females who were available for the creation of child sexual abuse material during live video calls. Bookshar requested images, videos, and live video calls depicting child sexual abuse from the criminal organization on a social media app, participated in the live video calls through a second social media app, and paid for the material with gift cards or through various mobile payment apps. Specifically, Bookshar pleaded guilty to the inducement of two minors, one on August 23, 2022, and the other on May 12, 2023, for the purpose of creating child sexual abuse material during a live video call. Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Bookshar remains in custody pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, Tampa (Florida) Police Department, and Colorado Springs (Colorado) Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Bookshar. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against  Green Bay Landlord

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that David Jones and D Jones Properties LLC have agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that Jones sexually harassed a female tenant in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The Justice Department’s lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on July 24, 2025. The complaint alleges that Jones—who manages multiple rental properties in Green Bay, Wisconsin—engaged in severe, pervasive, and unwelcome sexual harassment of a female tenant by, among other things, making unwelcome sexual comments, grabbing the tenant without her consent, entering the tenant’s home without her permission, and moving to evict her when she asserted her rights under the FHA. “Women should never feel unsafe in their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously protect the rights of vulnerable tenants subjected to sexual harassment and hold housing providers accountable when they violate the law.” “This settlement sends a clear message that sex discrimination in housing will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “No one should have to endure sexual harassment to keep a roof over their head.” Under the settlement agreement, Jones and D Jones Properties must pay $50,000 to the tenant. The agreement also requires Jones to attend fair housing training and provides for a two-year monitoring period by the Justice Department. The case was referred to the Division after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, completed an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. “As the Trump Administration’s top fair housing official, I am committed to ending the scourge of sexual harassment in housing and obtaining compensatory justice for the victims who have had to endure it,” said Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig W. Trainor of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “This settlement makes clear that Secretary Turner’s HUD will aggressively pursue Fair Housing Act violators while ensuring women feel safe and secure in their homes.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nia Schmaltz for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handled the matter. If you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online to the Department of Justice or to the Department of Housing and Urban Development . More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt . This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative . The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered more than $19 million for victims of such harassment. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Convicted Felon with a Machinegun and Fentanyl Pleads Guilty

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A Georgia man with prior drug convictions admitted he was intending to distribute fentanyl and other drugs when officers found him illegally in possession of three firearms, including a machinegun. Rodricas Montreal Jacks, 39, of Sparta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on March 3. Jacks is facing a maximum of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 2. There is no parole in the federal system. “Repeat felony offenders possessing the most dangerous weapons and distributing the deadliest drugs in our communities will be held accountable at the federal level, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We appreciate the dedication of our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer for all residents and working with us to ensure justice.” According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Jacks was on probation for a felony drug distribution conviction when he failed to comply with his community service as directed by the Court and failed two drug tests. As a result, law enforcement conducted a search of his residence on Nov. 3, 2022, and found a machinegun plus two firearms in the house, including a firearm that was stolen. Officers also located fentanyl and marijuana, which he intended to distribute, along with multiple digital scales, small plastic bags and a large amount of cash. Officers also discovered suspected crack inside his car. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The Georgia Department of Community Supervision investigated the case with assistance from the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch is prosecuting the case for the Government.


body_text: WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools. According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information. On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom. LeakBase Splash Page “The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.” “This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.” “The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.” “Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.” The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025. The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically. Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at FBI-SU-Leakbase@fbi.gov.


component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Dominican Drug Trafficking Organization Member Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Narcotics on the Seacoast CONCORD – A citizen of the Dominican Republic, who previously lived in Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in federal court for drug trafficking in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Juan Carlos De Los Santos Romero, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. His sentencing has been set for June 10, 2026. According to court documents and statements made in court, De Los Santos Romero was a member of a Methuen-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the New Hampshire seacoast area. In late 2023 and early 2024, the DTO was involved in ten controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine with undercover law enforcement officers. Four co-conspirators, Jose Luis Guerrero Nunez, Carlos Alejandro Chevalier Santos, Eddy Mendez Carmona, and Luis Guerrero Cabral, have previously pleaded guilty. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Seabrook Police Department, Hampton Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Methuen Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo 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 repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to 2 Years of Federal Probation for  Participating in an Assault within the Pine Ridge Reservation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault by Beating, Striking, or Wounding. The sentencing took place on February 27, 2026. Joann Sutton, 24, was sentenced to two years of federal probation and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Sutton was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury – Aiding and Abetting and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon – Aiding and Abetting by a federal grand jury in November 2024. She pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025. Accompanying her sister, Jessie Sutton, Joann Sutton set upon and attacked another woman beating her about her body with a weapon and kicking her. The woman suffered injuries requiring immediate medical attention. Jessie Sutton, charged with a federal felony assault charge, is scheduled to be sentenced later. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing a Rockford Post Office

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: ROCKFORD — A man has admitted in federal court that he robbed a U.S. Post Office in Rockford last year. On May 27, 2025, ANTHONY JOHNSON walked approximately one block from his residence in Rockford to the Post Office, where he told the clerk to give him all the money in the cash register. After stealing approximately $219, Johnson ran back to his residence, crossing private backyards on his way. Johnson, 59, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of robbing money from the United States. The conviction is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for July 8, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Mary T. Johnson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.


title: Lake County Convicted Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Gregory Coleman III (29, Leesburg) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court records, Coleman has been convicted of four state felonies—aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting a law enforcement officer with violence, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, and possession of cocaine. Following these convictions, on November 4, 2023, Coleman sold a firearm to a confidential source who was working in cooperation with federal agents. Coleman told the source he had more firearms but wanted to keep them for himself. As a convicted felon, Coleman is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eustis Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. 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: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 2, 2026. Donald Hoff, 34, was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hoff was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 30, 2025. Hoff possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol on March 21, 2025, in Sioux Falls, as well as approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine. He was prohibited from possessing the firearm because he had previously been convicted of a felony—possession of a stolen vehicle—under South Dakota law. This case was investigated by ATF and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case. Hoff was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Marion County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Clayton Lee Harris (22, Ocklawaha) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. He pleaded guilty on November 13, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court records, on July 26, 2025, an undercover officer portrayed a 14-year-old female on an online dating website. Harris contacted the undercover officer and, after learning the minor’s age, asked to meet for a sexual encounter. When Harris arrived at the meeting location, he was apprehended by law enforcement. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: International Narcotics And Weapons Trafficker Sentenced To 186 Months In Prison For Conspiring To Import Hundreds Of Kilograms Of Cocaine Into The United States

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that MITTEL PATEL, a United Kingdom national, was sentenced to 186 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden, before whom he previously pled guilty, for his participation in a conspiracy to import approximately 400 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. “The illicit trafficking of narcotics and weapons poses an extreme threat to all New Yorkers and all Americans—and that threat is real,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Mittel Patel conspired to sell an arsenal of military-grade weaponry to persons he believed to be working for a violent drug cartel so the purported cartel could protect a shipment of hundreds of kilograms of deadly narcotics into the United States. The contemplated weapons and drugs could kill thousands of innocent Americans. Thanks to the extraordinary investigative work of the DEA and our other law enforcement partners, Patel was apprehended before he could make good on his efforts to endanger American lives, and he is now incarcerated. Large-scale drug trafficking and the provision of weapons pose a broad and deadly threat to our safety, security, and freedom. Every American should know: the success of drug and weapons suppliers, and the cartels and other transnational criminal organizations they serve, comes at the cost of innocent American lives.” As reflected in the Complaint, the Indictment, and other filings and information in the public record: PATEL was a narcotics and weapons trafficker based in London, United Kingdom. In 2021, an undercover DEA agent (“UC-1”) began communicating with PATEL about possible narcotics and weapons transactions, including PATEL and PATEL’s U.S.-based co-conspirators illegally providing UC-1 with an assortment of military-grade weapons, including machine guns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, and rocket-propelled grenades (“RPGs”). As the discussions evolved, UC-1 conveyed to PATEL that UC-1 had arranged to purchase approximately 400 kilograms of cocaine from the Sinaloa Cartel, on the condition that UC-1 provide weapons to the Sinaloa Cartel to protect the drug shipment as it crossed the border from Mexico to the United States and in exchange for PATEL providing additional security for future drug shipments. In August 2022, PATEL and his co-conspirators agreed to provide two sample firearms to UC-1, in exchange for $10,000. PATEL and his co-conspirators then executed those sample weapons transactions and sent to an address located in the United States, in five separate packages, the parts for an AR-15 assault rifle and a sniper rifle with a scope, both pictured below: PATEL understood from UC-1 that these weapons would be provided as a sample to the Sinaloa Cartel, as a prelude to the 400-kilogram drug transaction and a larger weapons order. PATEL confirmed that, for the larger order, he and his co-conspirators could provide, in addition to the sample weapons, machine guns and RPGs. On February 14, 2023, PATEL met with UC-1 in Athens, Greece to continue their discussions. PATEL was arrested by Greek authorities following the meeting, and he was extradited to the United States on February 15, 2024. * * * In addition to the prison term, PATEL, 47, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit. Mr. Clayton also thanked the DEA New York Field Office, DEA Athens, the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and our law enforcement partners in Greece for their assistance. The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Jacob H. Gutwillig are in charge of the prosecution.


title: York County Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Production Of Child Pornography And Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Illegal Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonah Allen Sassam Watt, age 32, of Dover, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 3, 2026, by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 30 years in federal prison for charges related to the production of child pornography and for his online enticement of minors to engage in illegal sexual activity. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, over the course of several months in 2022, Watt used various social media platforms to coerce children (ranging between the ages of 12-16) to create sexually explicit content of themselves. In some instances, Watt offered them payment for their images and in others, Watt threatened the children to create the images and videos, or he would “hack” their social media accounts. At the time he was intercepted by law enforcement in this case, Watt was in possession of additional images of child pornography, to include children as young as infants and toddlers being sexually assaulted. In sentencing Watt, Judge Wilson echoed the statements of one of the victim’s mothers who called Watt’s conduct predatory, calculated, and evil. Judge Wilson also ordered Watt to pay $54,710.00 in restitution and following Watt’s period of incarceration, he is to serve an additional 15 years on federal supervised release. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. ###


title: Lake County Felon Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Kevin Eugene Leeks, Jr. (34, Leesburg) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court records, Leeks has been a convicted felon since 2013. His prior felony convictions include robbery with a deadly weapon. On July 13, 2019, a deputy from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Leeks. During the stop, Leeks instructed a passenger to throw Leeks’s loaded pistol out of the car window. The deputy recovered the firearm and arrested Leeks. As a convicted felon, Leeks is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. 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: Georgia Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Bail Bondsman Scheme

body_text: Tampa, Florida– Kimani Brennen Fletcher (26, Covington, GA) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti to 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The court also ordered Fletcher to pay $40,800 in restitution and in forfeiture. Fletcher pleaded guilty in December 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, between April 15 and April 22, 2024, co-conspirators of Fletcher placed telephone calls to victims in which they falsely and fraudulently identified themselves as members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The victims were told they had outstanding warrants and needed to pay money to avoid arrest. Fletcher posed as a bail bondsman and picked up money from victims in the Middle District of Florida. Once Fletcher received the fraud proceeds, he provided the funds to his co-conspirators. In total, Fletcher obtained approximately $40,800 in fraud proceeds. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.


title: Lebanon County Man Sentenced To 138 Months’ Imprisonment For Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Angel Lopez-Guzman, age 38, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 138 months of imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Lopez-Guzman traveled from Lebanon to Scranton, where he purchased a kilogram of cocaine for distribution in the Lebanon area. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop as he returned to Lebanon. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement recovered the kilogram of cocaine and a handgun from the trunk of Lopez-Guzman’s car. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lebanon County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Luzerne County Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison  For Wire Fraud Scheme

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gail Nossavage, age 62, of Harding, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, to 15 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick, for one count of wire fraud. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from approximately April of 2020 through December of 2021, Nossavage was employed as an administrative assistant with a church located in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Part of her duties were to manage financial matters for the church, including, but not limited to, management of church monetary collections and deposits of such collections. An investigation by the FBI revealed that Nossavage had made at least 115 deposits into her own bank account that were unrelated to any legitimate funds or checks and were fraudulently obtained. Additionally, FBI learned that Nossavage had charged credit cards in the name of the church without the church representatives’ knowledge or permission and had unlawfully compensated herself with the church’s money for things that she titled, “bonuses,” “miscellaneous,” “vacation,” “travel.” FBI learned that much of the fraudulently obtained monies were paid by Nossavage into online gambling platforms. Judge Mehalchick also ordered Nossavage to pay $184,724.68 dollars in restitution and to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following her incarceration. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case. # # #


title: CaaStle Founder Pleads Guilty To $300 Million Fraud Scheme

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that CHRISTINE HUNSICKER, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of CaaStle Inc. (“CaaStle”), pled guilty to one count of securities fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud hundreds of investors in CaaStle, a retail-technology business. As part of her plea, HUNSICKER agreed to forfeit nearly $300 million in proceeds from her illegal scheme, as well as from a scheme to defraud investors in P180, a related business venture. HUNSICKER pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. “Christine Hunsicker fashioned a massive fraud scheme, built on forged documents, fabricated audits, and material misrepresentations to hundreds of venture capital investors,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message: individuals who exploit investor trust for personal gain will be held accountable. Fraud in the venture capital ecosystem not only harms investors financially, but also undermines innovation and confidence in emerging businesses. We will continue to pursue those who deceive investors and distort our private markets.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings: HUNSICKER, a well-known entrepreneur and successful businessperson in the fashion-tech industry, founded and was the CEO of CaaStle, a clothing technology business. While promoting CaaStle as a rapidly growing business valued at more than $1.4 billion, HUNSICKER knew that CaaStle was in financial distress with limited cash and significant expenses. To raise the capital for CaaStle’s operations, HUNSICKER provided investors with falsified income statements, fake audited financial statements, fictitious bank records, and sham corporate documents that grossly overstated CaaStle’s operating profit, revenue, and available cash. She also misrepresented to investors that their funds would be used to purchase discounted shares from existing shareholders who needed liquidity, when in fact she fabricated the existence of those shareholders and used the money as new capital for CaaStle while concealing the company’s cash needs. When confronted by an audit firm in October 2023 about transmitting a fake audit to an investor, HUNSICKER lied, falsely claiming that she had created the fake audit in connection with a lecture she gave at Princeton University, and that sending the audit to the investor had been a one-time error. In reality, HUNSICKER had provided two fake audits to the investor while soliciting an investment. She later repaid that investor to prevent the public disclosure of her fraud. Undeterred, she continued the scheme, providing an investor with fake bank account screenshots showing nearly $200 million in available cash when CaaStle had less than $200,000. One month later, in October 2024, HUNSICKER provided a different investor with a fake draft audit. In 2024, HUNSICKER also falsified the signatures of two Board directors to make it appear that the Board had authorized the grant of stock options to another investor, raising more than $20 million for CaaStle. In 2024, HUNSICKER extended her fraudulent activities to P180, a new business venture. HUNSICKER intended for P180 to acquire clothing brands. P180 would then pay for and leverage the CaaStle service, which would infuse CaaStle with desperately needed cash. HUNSICKER raised millions of dollars for P180 from existing CaaStle investors. In soliciting these investments, HUNSICKER repeated misrepresentations about CaaStle’s financial performance, and failed to disclose that her prior representations regarding CaaStle had been false. In December 2024, the CaaStle Board removed HUNSICKER as Chair and prohibited her from soliciting investments. HUNSICKER, however, continued her fraudulent activities and raised and attempted to raise new capital for CaaStle and P180. In February 2025, HUNSICKER attempted to sell an additional $19 million of her CaaStle shares to another investor. HUNSICKER persisted in her deceptive practices even after law enforcement agents seized her electronic devices in March 2025, continuing to meet with the investor about a fake audit without revealing its fraudulent nature, her removal from the Board, or the prohibition against her selling shares. CaaStle filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on June 20, 2025. If you believe you have been a victim of the schemes described above, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement in connection to sentencing or to receive additional information, please contact Valeen Defendre, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900 or valeen.defendre@usdoj.gov . * * * HUNSICKER, 48, of Lafayette, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. HUNSICKER is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Oetken on August 5, 2026. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a separate civil action, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation. The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marguerite B. Colson and Alexandra N. Rothman are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Stern Therapy Consultants Agrees to Pay $315,000 to Settle Allegations of Causing False Claims to Medicare

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Stern Therapy Consultants (Stern), a New York long-term care therapy provider, has agreed to pay $315,000 to resolve allegations that, between Jan. 1, 2017 and Sept. 30, 2019, it conspired with RegalCare Management Group, LLC, RegalCare Management 2.0 (together RegalCare), RegalCare’s owner Eliyahu Mirlis and RegalCare executive Hector Caraballo, to cause the submission of false claims to Medicare for unnecessary skilled nursing facility therapy services. The settlement resolves allegations against Stern in a False Claims Act complaint the government filed in February 2025 against Stern, RegalCare, Mirlis and Caraballo. Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are inpatient facilities that provide transitional care to patients following a 72-hour or more hospital stay. Federal healthcare programs, including Medicare, reimburse providers for medically reasonable and necessary services rendered to SNF patients. The False Claims Act prohibits individuals or entities from submitting, or causing the submission of, false claims for payment and false statements material to claims for payment from federal healthcare programs. As detailed in the settlement agreement , Stern admitted that at various times between January 2017 and September 2019, Stern’s therapists provided Ultra High Resource Utilization Group (RUG) SNF rehabilitation therapy services—the most comprehensive and highest reimbursing services—to RegalCare’s Medicare patients after documenting that patients should stop receiving such services, and after patients informed the therapists that they were physically unable to perform and/or refused to perform the services. Stern further admitted that its Senior Regional Director for the RegalCare facilities, who had no clinical experience and no clinical license, certified that a terminated former Stern employee completed Ultra High RUG therapy services for a RegalCare SNF patient without knowing or confirming whether the services were performed by the terminated former employee to justify billing for reimbursement. The settlement resolves the government’s complaint against Stern. That complaint alleged that Stern caused RegalCare to submit false claims to Medicare for medically unreasonable and unnecessary services to patients of RegalCare’s SNFs. The government’s case against RegalCare, Mirlis and Caraballo is ongoing. The claims against Stern were brought under the whistleblower or qui tam provision of the False Claims Act. Under the FCA, private parties may sue on behalf of the government for false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The relator will receive $61,875.00 from the proceeds of the settlement. The lawsuit is captioned United States and Commonwealth of Massachusetts ex rel. McCormick v. RegalCare Management 2.0, LLC, et al., No. 20-cv-11805-IT (D. Mass). United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General made the announcement today. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Sharobem and Olivia Benjamin of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit.


title: Ex-Amazon Employee and Associates Sentenced in Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Three Phoenix area men were recently sentenced for their roles in a sophisticated fraud scheme against Amazon. Mughith Faisal, 29, of Glendale, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Tuchi on Feb. 5, 2026, to 18 months in prison. His brother, Basheer Faisal, 28, of Glendale, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa on Feb. 17, 2026, to 18 months in prison. A third defendant, Abdullah Alwan, 28, of Surprise, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich on March 2, 2026, to 6 months in prison. All three defendants previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud. The three defendants were also each ordered to pay $1.5 million in restitution to Amazon. According to court documents and statements made in court, Alwan was an employee of Amazon working in the company’s logistics division. After leaving the company in 2021, Alwan used his knowledge of Amazon's proprietary system that created and tracked transportation loads of Amazon products to increase the standard rates for transportation deliveries assigned to Amazon’s third-party carrier companies. Basheer and Mughith Faisal operated Blue Line Transport, an Arizona based transportation company approved by Amazon as a third-party carrier. Blue Line Transport knowingly received the fraudulently increased transportation rates that Alwan input into Amazon’s system, working with him to defraud Amazon of approximately $4.5 million. FBI Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aron Ketchel and Adriana Genco, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciate Amazon for referring the matter to the FBI and for the company’s cooperation throughout the investigation. CASE NUMBER: CR 25-01048- PHX-SMB, CR 25-01095- PHX-DJH, CR 25-01092- PHX-JJT. RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-043_Mughith Faisal, Basheer Faisal, and Abdullah Alwan # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Orangeburg County Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Gun

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

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kamari Johnson, 26, of Orangeburg, has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety believed that Johnson was selling cocaine in the area. On May 13, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential informant to arrange the purchase of a firearm and cocaine from Johnson. Johnson agreed and sold the informant a gun and a small amount of cocaine. Johnson was prohibited from possessing the firearm based upon prior convictions for burglary and pointing and presenting a firearm. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Johnson to 57 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case. ###


title: Illegal alien from Mexico sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for drug trafficking, sexually exploiting teenager

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 200 months in prison for drug trafficking and child exploitation crimes. Anicleto Olvera-Sanchez, 35, of Columbus, was the target of a drug trafficking investigation. When law enforcement officers searched his residence, they recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and multiple firearms. “Olvera-Sanchez committed a smorgasbord of crimes while illegally present in this country, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of those crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “This is the seventh criminal illegal alien to be sentenced, convicted, or charged in this district during the past two months thanks to the fine work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners.” A search of Olvera-Sanchez’s cell phone revealed evidence that he paid a teenage girl to create and send him sexually explicit videos and images. The defendant continuously requested photos of the minor, often telling her how to pose or what to do in the images. He also asked her to meet with him for sexual acts in exchange for money, but the victim did not comply. According to court documents, the MEGA app on Olvera-Sanchez’s cell phone contained more than 700 images and six videos of child sexual abuse material. A search of the defendant’s Apple account revealed another approximately 990 images and 270 videos of child pornography. Olvera-Sanchez pleaded guilty in October 2025 to sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child pornography, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer M. Rausch and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America and Project Safe Childhood . 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. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. # # #


title: Six Plead Guilty to, and Two Others Charged with, Illegal Re-entry into the U.S.

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) announced immigration enforcement actions in the Northern District of Ohio. These are separate cases and are not related. The following individuals pleaded guilty Feb. 19, unless otherwise noted, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326. Francisco Constancio-Mariscal, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least two occasions with the most recent being April 28, 2011. He was found in Port Clinton, Ottawa County, on Jan. 4. Sentencing is set for April 2. Marcos Alberto Bardales Lopez, 27, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Dec. 6, 2019. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12. Sentencing is set for April 2. Oscar Mendoza, 52, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Jan. 17, 2008. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12. Sentencing is set for April 2. Alvaro Veliz Gonzalez, 35, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions with the most recent being Oct. 11, 2021. He was found in Toledo, Lucas County, on Dec. 8, 2025. Sentencing is set for April 2. Guillermo Gutierrez-Rivas, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being June 29, 2024. He was found in Benton Township, Ottawa County, on Dec. 19, 2025. Sentencing is set for April 2. Juviny A. Sabillon-Fernandez, 38, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Nov. 8, 2016. He was found in Saybrook, Ashtabula County, on Jan. 19. He pleaded guilty Feb. 17 and is scheduled to be sentenced March 23. Federal grand juries also returned indictments charging two individuals with violating Title 8 U.S. Code 1326. They were found in the Northern District of Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission. Jorge Alfaro-Rosales, 34, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being May 31, 2013. He was found in Toledo, Ohio, Lucas County, on Feb. 2. Hugo Hernandez Lopez, aka Pedro Hernandez, aka Pedro Hernandez-Lopez, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions with the most recent being Sept. 22, 2024. He was found in Toledo, Ohio, Lucas County, on Jan. 28. Additionally, on Feb. 19, Jaime Sanchez-Tlehuactle, 37, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being April 21, 2021. He is subject to a detainer from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will be taken into administrative immigration custody for removal from the U.S. following the completion of his sentence. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The investigations in these cases leading to the indictments were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station. Prosecutions are being led by Assistant United States Attorneys Ava Rotell Dustin, Sara Al-Sorghali, Jennifer King, Robert N. Melching, Matthew D. Simko, Alissa M. Sterling , and Tracey Ballard Tangeman for the Northern District of Ohio. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Maryland Man and California Co-Conspirator Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking Charges

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man and his California co-conspirator pled guilty in federal court in connection with drug trafficking crimes. Norville Clarke, 56, of Clarksburg, Maryland, and Daniel Cruz, 39, of Los Angeles, California, are both charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Secretary of State Police, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD). According to the guilty plea, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) transporting and distributing large quantities of cocaine from California to Maryland. The investigation began in March 2023, when MSP seized a parcel that contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine. The parcel was mailed from the Los Angeles area and was destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Through investigating the source of the parcel, postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators linked Cruz to the narcotics contained within the parcel. In January 2024, postal inspectors and other investigators identified a freight-shipment container shipped from Los Angeles, destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Law enforcement identified Cruz on surveillance footage dropping off the freight shipment at the shipping company in California. The authorities further observed Cruz traveling to Maryland to follow the shipment for delivery. Postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators observed Cruz and Clarke meeting at Clarke’s auto-repair shop several days after the freight shipment was sent from California. Investigators then located the freight shipment in Dulles, Viriginia, where a law enforcement K-9 officer scanned it. After the K-9 officer indicated the presence of narcotics in the shipment, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the freight container. Then postal inspectors and law-enforcement investigators located two automobile transmissions inside. Law enforcement found 20, one-kilogram bricks secreted in the oil pans of both transmissions that laboratory forensic tests later confirmed were more than 16 kilograms of cocaine. Postal inspectors, DEA agents, MSP officers and other members of law enforcement then executed search warrants at Clarke’s District Heights auto-repair shop, Clarke’s Clarksburg residence, and Cruz’s hotel room in Capitol Heights, Maryland. At the auto-repair shop, law enforcement located an additional 502.4 grams of cocaine and then found two-kilogram bricks of cocaine and $45,730 in U.S. Currency at Clarke’s residence. Investigators later identified an additional nine historical freight shipments that mirrored the original shipment that contained cocaine that Cruz sent to Clarke’s auto-repair shop utilizing the same freight shipping company. In their plea agreements, Clarke and Cruz both agreed that they were involved in possessing almost 22 kilograms of cocaine in furtherance of this drug trafficking conspiracy. Clarke and Cruz face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, followed by up to lifetime of supervised release. Cruz’s sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, at 1 p.m. Sentencing for Clarke is scheduled for Friday, July 24, at 10 a.m. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, DEA, MSP, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Rigney and Michael Jaskiw who are prosecuting this federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: California Man Who Trafficked Narcotics to Connecticut Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JONATHAN GARCIA, also known as “Gordo,” 37, of Long Beach, California, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 78 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking narcotics into Connecticut. In 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began investigating a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was distributing kilogram quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in Connecticut. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical and electronic surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, and other investigative techniques, revealed that the organization was receiving narcotics from sources in California via Mexico. In February 2023, investigators seized two parcels that were mailed by a member of the organization from a post office in West Hartford to addresses in southern California. One of the packages contained approximately $6,500 in cash and two new Apple iPhones, and the second package contained approximately $38,300 in cash. The investigation further revealed that that members of the Loose Cannonz motorcycle club, based in East Hartford, were receiving shipments of fentanyl and cocaine for distribution in the Hartford area. During the investigation, law enforcement learned that Garcia and another individual were coordinating the shipment of kilogram-quantities of narcotics from Mexico to Connecticut. Garcia sometimes traveled to Connecticut to facilitate the transactions and to collect drug proceeds. Garcia was arrested on October 24, 2023. On August 11, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Garcia, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on April 22. Garcia’s criminal history includes a federal cocaine trafficking conviction in the Central District of California in 2017. This investigation has been conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reed Durham and Robert Dearington.


title: Albuquerque Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Threats Against the Former President and Vice President

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – A man convicted of posting threats against then President Biden and Vice President Harris on the social media site X was sentenced March 2, 2026, in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. Michael David Hanson, 44, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hanson previously pleaded guilty to making Threats Against the President and Successors to the Presidency. On December 22, 2023, Hanson, posted “#joeAndKamala I’m asking you to resign on Monday your alternative is death brutally murdered…” on one of his X accounts. Hanson admitted that his threat was directed at President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and that he intended to communicate a threat of violence. “Online death threats made against leaders of the United States are criminal acts, not protected speech,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The U.S. Secret Service and Phoenix Police Department are to be commended for quickly identifying and arresting Mr. Hanson, whose 27-month sentence should serve as a warning that there are real-world consequences for threatening elected officials.” ”The U.S. Secret Service has zero tolerance for threats against our protectees. Let this serve as a warning. If you threaten the President of the United States, we will find you, we will arrest you and you will face justice,” said William Mack, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Phoenix Field Office. “We want to thank the Phoenix Police Department as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona for their assistance in this case.” The U.S. Secret Service and Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-0312-PHX-SPL RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-044_Hanson # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.