title: Justice Department Moves to Denaturalize 12 Individuals for Concealing Terrorist Support, War Crimes, Espionage, Sexual Abuse, and More

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Department of Justice announced today that it filed denaturalization actions in various U.S. district courts against 12 individuals accused of serious offenses—including providing material support to a terrorist group, committing war crimes, and sexually abusing a minor. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship may be revoked, and certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. “Individuals implicated in committing fraud, heinous crimes such as sexual abuse, or expressing support for terrorism should never have been naturalized as United States citizens,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Trump administration is taking action to correct these egregious violations of our immigration system. Those who intentionally concealed their criminal histories or misrepresented themselves during the naturalization process will face the fullest extent of the law.” “This Department of Justice continues to file denaturalization actions at record speeds to restore integrity in our naturalization process,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The disturbing criminal histories confirm these individuals should have never received the privilege of U.S. citizenship. We remain committed to leveraging every tool available under the law to pursue those who obtain their U.S. citizenship unlawfully.” Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri (Age 48/Iraq): On Friday, May 8, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and the United States Attorney for the District of Arizona filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the United States District Court in Phoenix, Arizona, against Ali Yousif Ahmed, a native of Iraq. Ahmed entered the United States in 2009 based on a claim that he and his family were attacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists in Iraq. In 2019, the Republic of Iraq requested that the United States extradite Ahmed to Iraq to face criminal charges for the premediated murder of two Iraqi police officers in 2006. Iraq claims that Ahmed murdered the police officers as a leader in the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization. Upon further investigation, United States learned that, in 2015, Ahmed illegally procured his naturalization, which warrants his denaturalization, because he lied under oath about his criminal and family history when he sought admission to the United States and naturalized as a U.S. citizen. Oscar Alberto Pelaez (Age 75/Colombia): The United States has also brought a denaturalization action against Oscar Alberto Pelaez, a Colombian Roman Catholic priest, who, from 1998 to 2000, sexually abused a child on multiple occasions from the time that child was 14 until he was 17 years old. In 2002, Mr. Pelaez pleaded guilty to and was convicted of thirteen counts of sexual assault against a child, including two counts of oral copulation with a person under eighteen years of age, and two counts of sodomy of a person under eighteen years of age. Mr. Pelaez lied about the commission of these crimes in connection with his naturalization application. The United States has brought four claims against Mr. Pelaez seeking his denaturalization, including claims that he lacked the good moral character to become a U.S. citizen and that he knowingly lied to immigration authorities. Khalid Ouazzani (Age 48/Morocco): When Khalid Ouazzani, a native of Morocco, applied for U.S. citizenship in 2005 and again when he naturalized in 2006, he swore to his attachment to the principles of the Constitution of the United States. Those oaths were false because as early as 2003, Kahlid was planning—with two men later convicted of trying to bomb the New York Stock exchange—ways to support Al‑Qaida. By 2007, just one year after he naturalized, he sent Al‑Qaida tens of thousands of dollars in financial support with money that he had fraudulently obtained, and in 2008, he took an oath of allegiance to that terrorist organization. In May 2010, Ouazzani pleaded guilty to bank fraud, money laundering, and providing material support to Al-Qaida. The denaturalization complaint filed against Ouazzani alleges that he gave false testimony during his naturalization proceedings about his attachment to the Constitution and because his affiliation and membership with Al-Qaida within five years of his naturalization constitutes prima facie evidence that when he naturalized, he lacked the requisite attachment to the Constitution. Salah Osman Ahmed (Age 43/Somalia): Ahmed was not attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution when he naturalized in 2007. Just months after he naturalized, Ahmed began providing material support to terrorists. Ahmed traveled to Somalia to fight and kill Ethiopians and joined the terrorist group al-Shabaab. On July 28, 2009, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, he pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339A(a). Ahmed joined al-Shabaab, and his membership of, or affiliation with al-Shabaab within five years of naturalization would have precluded him from citizenship. Ahmed procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentation, for joining al-Shabaab shortly after his naturalization. Baboucarr Mboob (Age 58/Gambia): On November 11, 1994, Baboucarr Mboob, a native of The Gambia, while serving as a military police officer in the Gambian army, participated, along with fifteen other soldiers, in the execution of six officers following the orders from his commanding officer who believed the victims were plotting a counter-coup against then President Yahya Jammeh – all without giving their victims the benefit of a trial. Mboob concealed his involvement in war crimes and acts of persecution throughout his immigration and naturalization proceedings after entering the United States 2002, naturalizing as a U.S. citizen in 2011. But, in testimony before a hearing of The Gambian Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) held on April 9, 2019, Mr. Mboob admitted to executing his six fellow officers. The Unites States is seeking to revoke his certificate of naturalization because he obtained his U.S. citizenship illegally by concealing material fact and willfully misrepresented his military background. Kevin Robin Suarez (Age 31/Bolivia): Beginning in May 2016, and continuing for ten months after his January 2017 naturalization, Kevin Robin Suarez engaged in a conspiracy to purchase firearms through straw purchasers for the eventual exportation of the firearms to Bolivia and other Latin American countries. Working with his sister, Suarez solicited individuals to purchase firearms on their behalf from licensed federal firearms dealers and provided those firearms to Suarez’s father. These firearms were part of a larger network of gun trafficking from South Florida to Bolivia by Bolivian nationals in the United States. Once in Bolivia, the guns were often sent to drug trafficking organizations in Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru, fueling drug violence there. Suarez pled guilty to conspiracy to cause false statements to be made to federally-licensed firearms dealers, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(1)(A), in February 2020. Suarez illegally procured his naturalization as a United States citizen because his crime precluded the required good moral character to naturalize. Also, SUAREZ falsely testified under oath and misrepresented and concealed facts that were material to determining his naturalization eligibility. Abduvosit Razikov (Age 46/Uzbekistan): In 2005, Abduvosit Razikov, a native of Uzbekistan, paid a U.S. citizen to enter into a sham marriage with him so that he could procure permanent residency in the United States. Then, in 2007, Razikov paid another U.S. citizen to enter into a sham marriage with Razikov’s actual romantic partner so she could enter the United States from Uzbekistan. In 2010, Razikov divorced his U.S. citizen “wife,” and in 2012, he naturalized. Months later, Razikov engaged in a third sham marriage, this time marrying another Uzbekistani woman (not his own romantic partner) so she could obtain immigration benefits. The denaturalization complaint filed against Razikov alleges that he never lawfully acquired the permanent resident status required to naturalize because of his sham marriage and immigration fraud, that his unlawful acts and false testimony about those acts precluded him from establishing the good moral character required for naturalization, and that he obtained his naturalization by concealment or willful misrepresentation of materials facts. Abdallah Osman Sheikh (Age 28/Kenya): Abdallah Osman Sheikh, a resident of Fairdale, Kentucky, unlawfully procured his naturalization and obtained his naturalization by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. Specifically, in July 2019, before he naturalized, but while he was in the Marines, Sheikh possessed indecent digital images of two minor individuals and posted an indecent digital image of one of them to his social media account. Those crimes and his efforts to hide those crimes from the government throughout his naturalization proceedings warrant Sheikh’s denaturalization pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1451(a). In addition, Sheikh naturalized based on his military service, but received an other than honorable discharge (for misconduct) from the U.S. Marines after failing to serve honorably for five years, warranting his denaturalization under 8 U.S.C. § 1440(c). Debashis Ghosh (Age 62/India): Before Debashis Ghosh naturalized, he conspired to defraud investors of $2.5 million intended for the construction of an aircraft maintenance facility. After naturalizing, Ghosh, a native of India, continued the fraudulent scheme, misrepresenting the location and safekeeping of the investor funding. But in his 2012 naturalization application and interview, Ghosh claimed that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not arrested. The denaturalization complaint against Ghosh alleges that he is subject to denaturalization because during the period in which he was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, he committed a crime involving moral turpitude, committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on his moral character, and falsely testified about his crime. Additionally, Ghosh willfully misrepresented the material fact of his crime during his naturalization proceedings. Pin He (Age 53/China): After he was ordered removed under the name Chun Di He in 1992, Pin He applied for an immigration benefit the very next year under a different identity. That application was granted, and in 2007, Mr. He obtained permanent residence. In 2013, Defendant naturalized under the identity and immigration history of Pin He, without ever disclosing his prior removal order under the Chun Di He. Because Mr. He obtained his citizenship after concealing his prior identity and misrepresenting his eligibility for citizenship, the United States is seeking to revoke his certificate of naturalization. George Oyakhire (Age 66/Nigeria): Mr. Oyakhire naturalized under a false identity. Mr. Oyakhire , who was born in Nigeria, first entered the United States on October 18, 1986, using a visa issued in his true name, George Ofuan Oyakhire. Approximately two years later, on September 2, 1988, Mr. Oyakhire obtained temporary resident status using a false name, “Oliver Bennett Oyakhire,” and a false date of birth. On December 1, 1990, Mr. Oyakhire adjusted his status to that of a lawful permanent resident using the false Oliver Bennett Oyakhire identity. On September 12, 1995, again using the false Oliver Bennett Oyakhire identity, Mr. Oyakhire filed an application for naturalization, which was approved on March 22, 1996. On April 22, 1996, Mr. Oyakhire became a naturalized citizen, under the false name Oliver Bennett Oyakhire. Victor Manuel Rocha (Age 75/Colombia): Mr. Rocha is a native of Colombia who was convicted of serving as an unregistered agent for the Republic of Cuba. The U.S. seeks an order revoking Rocha’s naturalization based on his admission in criminal proceedings that he began spying for Cuba in 1973 before he naturalized in 1978. When he applied for naturalization, Rocha represented under penalty of perjury that he had not committed crimes for which he had not been arrested; he was not affiliated with the Communist Party of Cuba; he had not advocated, believed in, or knowingly supported and furthered the interests of Communism; and he believed in the U.S. Constitution and the form of government of the U.S. None of these were true. These cases were prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from USCIS, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Arizona, Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of California, District of Minnesota, Middle District of Florida, Western District of Kentucky, District of Columbia, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Southern District of Iowa, and Northern District of Illinois. The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Former NFL Player Sentenced to Over 16 Years in Prison for $197M Medicare Fraud

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former NFL player who owned a marketing company and was the beneficial owner of eight durable medical equipment (DME) companies was sentenced yesterday to 196 months in prison for his role in a yearslong scheme to bilk Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) out of nearly $200 million by selling patient information and sham doctors’ orders for orthotic braces that patients did not want or need. In addition to the prison sentence, the defendant, Joel Rufus French, 47, of Armory, Mississippi, was ordered to pay $110,753,619 in restitution and to forfeit approximately $17 million that the government seized from bank accounts and other assets. “Fueled by lies, bribes, and overseas telemarketers, this corrupt scheme preyed on senior citizens and disabled veterans to flood the country with unnecessary medical devices — and then billed the taxpayer for it,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Today’s sentence makes clear that if you target America’s elderly, sick, or vulnerable — and rob America’s purse doing so — you will be targeted and brought to justice.” “The defendant orchestrated a brazen, yearslong scheme that preyed on elderly patients and the families of disabled and deceased veterans to steal millions from Medicare and CHAMPVA,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “By hiding behind overseas call centers, sham telemedicine companies, and straw‑owned DME suppliers, he exploited some of the most vulnerable people these programs were created to protect. This lengthy sentence underscores the seriousness of his crimes and sends a clear message: HHS‑OIG and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in safeguarding taxpayer‑funded programs and ensuring those who seek to defraud them will be found, stopped, and held accountable.” “Schemes such as these compromise the integrity of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) programs and services and divert funds from our nation’s deserving veterans and their families,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Wentz of the VA Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out fraudsters and hold them accountable.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, French worked with overseas telemarketing call centers that pressured elderly Americans to provide their personal and health insurance information and agree to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces. In certain instances, the call centers altered call recordings to make it seem like Medicare patients agreed to the braces when they did not. French paid sham telemedicine companies kickbacks to obtain signed doctors’ orders from doctors and nurse practitioners who never examined, and often never even spoke to, the patients. He sold the orders to marketers and medical supply companies, which then submitted claims to Medicare. French also defrauded Medicare and CHAMPVA, the health care program for spouses and children of veterans who have or had a permanent and total service-connected disability or who died from a service-connected condition, by billing the programs for orthotic braces through eight DME supply companies that he owned and managed, using straw owners and false documents to hide his connection to the companies from Medicare. French also laundered approximately $225,000 in cash from a bank in Mississippi, over $10,000 of which was placed in a bag and driven to Orlando to pay accomplices who sold him beneficiaries’ personal and insurance information. After a six-day jury trial ending in February, French was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to offer, pay, solicit, and receive kickbacks. HHS-OIG, FBI, and VA OIG investigated the case. Acting Assistant Chief Catherine Wagner and Trial Attorney William Hochul III of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Med Spa Owner Pleads Guilty to Performing Illegal Injections Using Unapproved Prescription Drugs

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Quincy, Mass. man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to injecting clients of his business, Rodrigo Beauty Inc., with unapproved botulinum toxin obtained from illegitimate sources outside the United States, resulting in numerous severe cases of botulism. Rodrigo de Medeiros Siqueira, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Aug. 12, 2026. Medeiros Siqueira was arrested and charged by complaint in October 2025 . Beginning in or around August 2022, Medeiros Siqueira offered various cosmetic injection procedures, including the injection of botulinum toxin prescription drugs, to clients of Rodrigo Beauty, despite not being licensed to prescribe, dispense, or administer prescription drugs or perform injections. Medeiros Siqueira falsely represented to clients that he was a licensed medical professional authorized to perform injections and made false statements to clients regarding the identity and source of the botulinum toxin products he was using for their injection procedures. Beginning in or around late May 2025, numerous Rodrigo Beauty clients were diagnosed with botulism as a result of injections Medeiros Siqueira performed using unapproved botulinum toxin. Botulism is a rare and dangerous illness that can result from, among other things, the injection of botulinum toxin. Iatrogenic botulism is caused by botulinum toxin circulating in the blood and spreading beyond the injection site, potentially resulting in life-threatening symptoms, including blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, and/or difficulty swallowing or breathing. While botulinum toxin is generally safe when administered by trained medical professionals, improper dosing, administration technique, or use of non-FDA-approved products can result in severe cases of botulism. If you or a family member believe you received services involving illegal injections and/or unapproved drugs or devices from Medeiros Siqueira or Rodrigo Beauty, please complete the questionnaire located on the FDA’s website at: https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/criminal-investigations/oci-vw-assistance-rodrigo-beauty . Information about the status of the case is located on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-rodrigo-de-medeiros-siqueira . The charge of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health also provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Wright of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Colin Jackson Convicted of Participating in Scheme to Defraud Automobile Insurance Company

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury convicted Colin Jackson of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. The jury’s verdict followed a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson. The jury found that Jackson conspired with others, including a previously convicted defendant, Kirill Afanasyev, to defraud an automobile insurance company concerning the submission of a fraudulent insurance claim on an already-wrecked car in 2018. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Jackson, 39, of San Francisco, obtained an insurance policy on an undrivable car in June 2018. He made a number of misstatements in his application for that policy, including regarding his estimated annual mileage on the car. Five months later, in November 2018, Jackson and Afanasyev worked together to submit a fraudulent claim concerning a fake accident to the insurer. Unaware it had insured a wrecked car, the defrauded automobile-insurance company approved the claim and paid Jackson about $27,000—the insurer’s estimate of the replacement value of the car, which had been titled in Jackson’s name. The 2018 fraud followed a similar scheme in 2017, when Jackson and Afanasyev obtained a payout from the insurer of approximately $30,000 on another already-wrecked car titled in Jackson’s name. United States Attorney Craig Missakian, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Cobo, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement. Jackson is next scheduled to appear before Judge Thompson for sentencing on September 25, 2026. With the jury’s verdict against Jackson, more than a dozen defendants have either pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial as part of an ongoing federal investigation into automobile insurance frauds and an unrelated arson conspiracy involving an overlapping defendant, Jose Badillo, who previously pleaded guilty to participating in both parts of the scheme. * * * Operation Hammer Down Operation Hammer Down was a federal investigation into automobile-insurance frauds orchestrated by Afanasyev and Badillo, the former owner of Jose’s Towing, Auto Towing, and Specialty Towing. In total, Afanasyev, Badillo, and others submitted and conspired to submit more than 50 fraudulent insurance claims that caused in excess of $1.5 million dollars in losses to automobile insurance companies. Operation Hammer Down also concerned arsons orchestrated by Badillo, who sought to impede his competitors’ business prospects to exact revenge against them for perceived wrongs. For his role in the arson campaign, Badillo was sentenced in February 2026 to 60 months in custody by U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin. The cases that resulted from the investigation include the following, among others: Defendant Case Number(s) Statute(s) Status Kirill Afanasyev 3:23-cr-00042-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud),18 U.S.C. § 1341 (Mail Fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) (Money Laundering), 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud), and 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Money Laundering) Sentenced on November 7, 2025. 3:24-cr-00471-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud),18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (Mail Fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud), and 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Money Laundering) Jose Badillo 3:24-cr-00471-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud), and 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud) Sentenced on February 13, 2026. 3:25-cr-00062-RFL 18 U.S.C. § 844(i) and (n) (Conspiracy to Commit Arson) Sentenced on February 12, 2026. Colin Jackson 3:23-cr-00236-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud),18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud), and 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Money Laundering) Convicted following a trial on May 6, 2026. Jason Naraja 3:24-cr-00471-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud) Sentenced on September 12, 2025. Deshaun Loggins 3:23-cr-00042-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud) and 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (Mail Fraud) Sentenced on April 19, 2024. Vladimir Sarser 3:23-cr-00042-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud) and 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Money Laundering) Sentenced on March 29, 2024. Jay Yoon Song 3:23-cr-00270-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Money Laundering). Sentenced on April 25, 2024. Sergey Kravchenko 3:24-cr-00049-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud) (2), 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (Mail Fraud) (2), and 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Money Laundering) (2). Pleaded guilty on November 5, 2024. Jessica Najarro 3:24-cr-00382-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Money Laundering) Pleaded guilty on February 21, 2025. Jamie Respicio 3:24-cr-00471-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1957 (Money Laundering) Sentenced on June 27, 2025. Boris Meleshinsky 3:24-cr-00483-TLT 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud) Pleaded guilty on September 27, 2024. These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Francisco comprises agents and officers from FBI and IRS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Galen A. Phillips and Nicholas M. Parker are prosecuting these cases with the assistance of Lance Libatique, Andy Ding, Carolyn Jusay, and Yaqiong Fan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI thank the San Francisco Police Department for its assistance with the investigation.


title: Serial Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm

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

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – Curtis Lee Smith-Carter, 28, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Removing this serial felon from our streets achieves one of the key goals of Operation Take Back America , which devotes the full might of the Department of Justice toward protecting our communities from violent criminals. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute and seek maximum punishments for repeat offenders, like this defendant, to deliver the safe streets and neighborhoods the citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve!” Court documents reflect that on November 8, 2025, shortly after midnight, the defendant attempted to flee from police as they approached him behind a Gainesville convenience store near an open fire. At that time, the defendant was in possession of a loaded .32 caliber pistol, which he threw over a fence. The defendant has been convicted of nine prior felony offenses, including possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Smith-Carter faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. Sentencing is scheduled for July 21, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before United States Chief District Judge Allen C. Winsor. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Newport News woman sentenced to over seven years in prison for COVID era unemployment insurance fraud scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman was sentenced today to seven years and four months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft involving the filing of unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of prison inmates and others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government expanded and extended UI benefits for impacted workers. The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) administers unemployment compensation in Virginia. According to court documents, from May 2020 to October 2021, Lakeia Simone Grant, aka Lakeia Shepperd, Lakeia Williams, Lakeia Miles, or Chris Lover, 40, schemed to defraud the expanded unemployment eligibility by using the personal identifying information or prison inmates and others to file fraudulent claims for UI benefits, falsely attesting that the beneficiaries were ready, willing, and able to work and that they lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Grant filed fraudulent claims with VEC for inmates and coordinated to obtain, transfer, and expend proceeds. Grant conspired with inmate recruiters to obtain the personally identifying information of inmates to file such claims. She also filed fraudulent UI claims for non-inmates either by using stolen personally identifying information or in exchange for a percentage of money obtained by the applicants. Grant and her co-conspirators filed approximately 38 successful UI claims in the names and information of inmates, resulting in payments totaling approximately $546,576 in benefits. VEC was able to recover some of the funds, resulting in an actual loss to VEC of approximately $480,392.76. Grant and her co-conspirators also applied for at least four successful UI claims for non-inmates resulting in an additional fraud loss of approximately $107,670. Grant is a five-time convicted felon. In November 2005, Grant was convicted of obstruction of justice and petit larceny in Newport News Circuit Court after she was caught shoplifting, attempted to hit the loss prevention officer, and threatened to burn down the business and blow it up. In July 2008, Grant was convicted of unlawful wounding for attacking a victim at a night club. Grant was convicted in April 2010 and again in October 2014 in Chesterfield Circuit Court for conspiring to obtain money by false pretense and obtaining money by false pretense. In April 2019, she was convicted for conspiring to commit financial card fraud in Wake County District Court in Raleigh, North Carolina. In December 2019, she was convicted for failing to return a rental car from Enterprise. The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mack Coleman prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-80.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 83 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 83 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On May 1, Alexis Rios, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found two unauthorized immigrants from Guatemala concealed in a non-factory compartment beneath the spare tire wheel well of the defendant’s car at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On May 4, Juan Manuel Quintana Amador, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found more than 25 pounds of cocaine concealed in the bathroom wall of a commercial passenger bus applying for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On May 5, Jose Miguel Carcamo Maradiaga, a citizen of Honduras, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found the defendant hiding in the brush approximately one mile north of the border and six miles west of the Tecate Port of Entry He was previously deported to Honduras in August 2024 through Alexandria, Louisiana. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Gaffney Woman Sentenced to More than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Angela Upchurch, 38, of Gaffney, has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for her role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Upchurch conspired with Mikayluh and Mikenzi Walker, Jonathan Sarratt, and others to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Upstate. Sarratt coordinated the distribution of drugs while serving a sentence at the South Carolina Department of Corrections, and the Walker twins funneled the drugs to sub-distributors, including Upchurch. Upchurch was held accountable for distributing 15 pounds of methamphetamine from 2023 through 2024. Upchurch has a prior conviction for accessory after the fact to trafficking from 2017. “This drug conspiracy funneled pounds upon pounds of dangerous methamphetamine into the Upstate,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Our office is proud to work with our law enforcement partners to remove these drug dealers from our streets and keep our community safe.” “Methamphetamine trafficking devastates families and communities, fueling addiction and violence across our nation,” said Mark M. Zito, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North and South Carolina. “This sentence reflects the unwavering commitment of HSI and our law enforcement partners to disrupt criminal networks and protect the homeland. Through collaboration and determination, we are holding traffickers accountable and making our communities safer.” United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Angela Upchurch to 130 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Coggins had previously sentenced Jonathan Sarratt to 300 months imprisonment, Mikayluh Walker to 276 months, and Mikenzi Walker to 180 months. This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Greenville comprises agents and officers from state, local, and federal agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville Police Department, Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General, and Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Three Men Charged With Attempted Smuggling Of 89 Firearms

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), Bryan DiGirolamo, announced today the arrest of MALIK BROMFIELD, FAIZAN ALI, and KAMAL SALMAN, who are charged with multiple offenses relating to the transporting of 89 firearms, including at least 17 that were reported stolen, and attempting to smuggle those firearms to Canada. BROMFIELD, ALI, and SALMAN were presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court, and detained. “As alleged, Malik Bromfield, Faizan Ali, and Kamal Salman were caught transporting more than 80 guns, including short-barreled rifles and stolen firearms, to smuggle them out of the country,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “It is critically important to New Yorkers and Americans to keep illegal weapons out of the hands of criminal actors. The trafficking of dangerous weapons will be relentlessly pursued by this Office.” “These three defendants, including two foreign nationals, allegedly endangered our communities as they attempted to smuggle 89 firearms—17 of which were stolen—into Canada,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI is committed to working with our federal and state law enforcement partners to take illegal guns off our streets.” “Illegal firearms trafficking threatens the safety of our communities and fuels violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “ATF New York’s Hudson Valley personnel were proud to assist the FBI-led investigation alongside the New York State Police to help prevent dozens of firearms, including stolen weapons, from reaching the streets.” As alleged in the Complaint: [1] On or about May 7, 2026, personnel with the New York State Police (“NYSP”) initiated a traffic stop of a white Ford Explorer (the “Subject Vehicle”) after observing the vehicle commit traffic violations while driving on State Route 17 near exit 90. Upon approaching the Subject Vehicle, troopers encountered BROMFIELD, ALI, and SALMAN. After asking the occupants to exit the vehicle, the troopers observed that the occupants gave inconsistent and evasive accounts in response to NYSP questioning. During the interview, ALI consented to a roadside search of his person, during which a trooper recovered an expired Pakistani National Driving Permit issued to an Afghan national in another name concealed in ALI’s buttocks. An NYSP canine conducted a sweep of the exterior of the Subject Vehicle and alerted to the potential presence of narcotics. During a preliminary search of the Subject Vehicle, the troopers observed an unusually heavy suitcase, which was found to contain a large cache of firearms: Additional firearms were recovered in the backseat area of the Subject Vehicle: * * * BROMFIELD, 22, a citizen of Canada, ALI, 25, a citizen of Pakistan, and SALMAN, 22, a citizen of Canada, the United States, and Jordan, are each charged with one count of smuggling from the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of transporting stolen firearms in interstate commerce, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of unlawful possession of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. BROMFIELD is also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The statutory maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the New York State Police - Troop F, Community Stabilization Unit, FBI’s New York Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, and the ATF. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarlitto is in charge of the prosecution. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Vermont United States Attorney’s Office Recognizes National Police Week

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: BURLINGTON – National Police Week will be observed from Sunday, May 10, 2026, to Saturday, May 16, 2026. National Police Week is set aside each year to recognize the significant contributions and extraordinary work by law enforcement in keeping our communities safe. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont thanks all federal, state, county, and local law enforcement officers in Vermont for their service and sacrifice. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “Police officers are vital guardians, essential to maintaining the thriving communities within which we live. Over 1,000 police officers, sheriff’s deputies, troopers, and agents work tirelessly across Vermont to prevent the victimization of the vulnerable and apprehend those who commit crime. These law enforcement officers face dangerous and challenging situations on a daily basis, and their commitment to serving and protecting our community is truly inspiring. I invite all Vermonters to honor the courageous law enforcement professionals who serve the public and call on good men and women to join them in the ranks of this noble profession.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Based on data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 109 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2025. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages Vermonters and citizens across the country to remember and honor those who gave their lives so the rest of us can live safely. As stated on NLEOMF’s website, the names of all officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. and will be read aloud during the annual Candlelight Vigil on the National Mall, on May 13, 2026. This year, U.S. Border Patrol Agent David “Chris” Maland’s name will be added to the Memorial. Agent Maland was shot and killed in the line of duty on January 20, 2025, in Coventry, Vermont. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website . ### Reference to any specific organization or service(s) offered by an organization is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Department of Justice.


title: Illegal Aliens Arrested for Running Alien Smuggling Operation in Phoenix

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Five illegal aliens were arrested last week for running an alien smuggling operation in Phoenix following an investigation led by agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol Intelligence Unit and Homeland Security Investigations. Rigoberto Rangel-Mora, 40, of Mexico, Jesus Marin-Esquivel, 52, of Mexico, Ingrid Bolanos-Gomez, 41, of Guatemala, Alejandro Ambrocio-Espinosa, 32, of Mexico, and Enrique Cervantes-Barrera, 48, of Mexico, were indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday for Conspiracy to Transport and Habor Illegal Aliens based on their participation in the alien smuggling operation. According to court documents, investigators located a residence in Phoenix being used as a stash house to harbor aliens before members of the conspiracy would transport them throughout the United States. Investigators identified and conducted surveillance on several older model minivans that were observed making trips across the country, often with charity license plates attached. On April 28, investigators conducted a traffic stop on one of the minivans near Cordes Lakes, Arizona, and identified Ambrocio-Espinosa as the driver and Cervantes-Barrera as the front seat passenger. Agents discovered that they were transporting 11 aliens in the minivan, including one individual who was forced to ride in the trunk. On April 30, investigators executed federal search warrants at a residence and two apartments in Phoenix. At the residence, investigators discovered 17 aliens that the smuggling organization was harboring. At another apartment, investigators discovered five additional aliens the organization was harboring. Investigators identified Rangel-Mora as the caretaker of the stash house and the remaining charged co-conspirators as drivers who conduct cross-country trips with smuggled aliens. At the stash house, the harbored aliens told investigators that while at the residence, they were confined to bedrooms, told not to leave the house, and were unable to make calls. They further reported filthy living conditions, not having enough food, and being required to sleep on the floor. A conviction for Conspiracy to Transport and Habor Illegal Aliens carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and a maximum term of three years of supervised release. 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 U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol Intelligence Unit and Homeland Security Investigations, Douglas, Arizona, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Greve and Ryan McCarthy, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecution. An Indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. CASE NUMBER: 26-MJ-5182 and 26-MJ-5192; 26-CR-462 RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-071_ Rangel-Mora et al # # # 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: U.K. Executive Pleads Guilty To Tax Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that RODERIC SAGE pled guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States in connection with a scheme to help high-value U.S. taxpayer-clients conceal more than $60 million in income and assets held in undeclared, offshore bank accounts and evade U.S. income taxes. SAGE was presented yesterday and pled guilty earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods. “As admitted, Roderic Sage helped U.S. taxpayers conceal more than $60 million in offshore accounts through a scheme designed to hide assets from the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “For years, Sage and his co-conspirators used layers of nominee accounts and offshore entities to disguise the true ownership of these funds and evade U.S. taxes. Offshore schemes are not beyond the reach of American law enforcement, and this case shows the strength of international cooperation in identifying and dismantling complex financial fraud schemes. It is straightforward: tax fraud is a fraud on your fellow Americans, and they want tax fraudsters brought to justice.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, court filings, and statements made in Court: SAGE was the founder and CEO of a Hong Kong financial services firm. From in or about 2008 to in or about 2014, SAGE and his co-conspirators defrauded the IRS by concealing income and assets of high-value U.S. taxpayer-clients with undeclared bank accounts at Privatbank IHAG Zurich AG (“IHAG”), a Swiss private bank. In order to assist the U.S. taxpayer-clients, SAGE and his co-conspirators devised and implemented a scheme dubbed the “Singapore Solution” to fraudulently conceal the bank accounts of the U.S. taxpayer-clients, their assets, and their income from U.S. authorities. In furtherance of the fraudulent scheme, SAGE and his co-conspirators conspired to transfer more than $60 million from undeclared IHAG bank accounts of the U.S. taxpayer-clients through a series of nominee bank accounts in Hong Kong and other locations before returning the funds to newly opened accounts at IHAG in the name of a Singapore-based asset management firm that a co-conspirator helped establish. The U.S. taxpayer-clients paid large fees to IHAG and others to help them conceal their funds and assets and evade taxes. SAGE was arrested on May 7, 2025, in the United Kingdom and extradited to the United States. * * * SAGE, 73, of Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. SAGE is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Woods on July 30, 2026. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of IRS-CI. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Interpol, and the United Kingdom’s National Extradition Unit and the Crown Prosecution Service for their assistance in the arrest and extradition of the defendant. Mr. Clayton further thanked the Justice Department’s Criminal Division for their partnership on this case. This prosecution is being handled by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the Tax Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olga I. Zverovich and Matthew Weinberg and Senior Litigation Counsel Mark F. Daly of the Tax Section are in charge of the prosecution. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Marion County Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Frederick Donnell McLean Jr., 39, of Citrus Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This is yet another successful prosecution under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America , which devotes our substantial prosecutorial might toward eradicating drug trafficking from our communities to deliver the safe, drug-free streets our citizens deserve. We will continue sending drug traffickers like this defendant to federal prison until they realize the Northern District of Florida has zero-tolerance for criminality.” On April 28, 2024, the defendant was traveling from Marion County to Okaloosa County with a supply of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. The vehicle was stopped by Florida Highway Patrol in Okaloosa County, and a subsequent search revealed 890 grams of methamphetamine, 27.9 grams of cocaine, and 28.2 grams of fentanyl. The defendant faces at least 25 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Former Catahoula Prison Warden, Assistant Warden, and Other Supervisors Indicted for Abusing 13 Handcuffed Prisoners with an Electric Riot Shield and for Trying to Cover It Up; One Former Officer Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Reports and Related Abuse

body_text: SHREVEPORT– On May 7, a federal grand jury in Shreveport returned a thirty-four count indictment charging several former managers of the Catahoula Parish Correctional Center (“CPCC”) with crimes relating to the use of an electrified riot shield to shock and crush 13 handcuffed, non-resisting prisoners: Jeremy Wiley , 44 of Harrisonburg, the former Warden of CPCC, was charged with 13 counts of abuse of rights under color of law for using the electrified riot shield to shock and crush the 13 handcuffed, non-resisting prisoners. Gary Allen , 57 of Winnsboro, CPCC’s former Assistant Warden, William Savage , 57 of Monroe, CPCC’s former Colonel, and James Wathen , 37 of Jonesville, CPCC’s former chief of security, were charged with 13 counts of abuse of rights for their failures to intervene to stop the assaults. Chad Littleton , 45 of Harrisonburg, a former Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Deputy, was charged with one count of abuse of rights for striking a prisoner in the head and genitals. All five men were also charged with conspiring to violate the rights of the prisoners as well as falsifying reports about the incident. Allen also faces one count of witness tampering. In addition, on April 14, Carl Michael Williamson , 40 of Jonesville, a former CPCC transportation officer, pleaded guilty in a related case to one count of abuse of rights under color of law for striking one of the inmates in the head and one count of falsifying a report which covered up the abuse of the 13 prisoners. The defendants face up to ten years imprisonment on the abuse of rights and conspiracy counts, and up to twenty years imprisonment on the false report and witness tampering offenses. “The facts as alleged dishonor the men and women who put their safety on the line every day to maintain order in our prison system, and they are a disgraceful abuse of the trust that we place in them to treat people in prison with dignity and respect,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “The Department of Justice will zealously investigate and prosecute any officer—no matter their title or rank—who tarnishes the badge worn by the brave men and women of Louisiana’s law enforcement community.” “The FBI will not tolerate law enforcement officers’ criminal abuse and mistreatment of prisoners in their custody,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “We will diligently investigate allegations such as these and hold the perpetrators accountable. The FBI is grateful for its law enforcement partners and especially the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana for its work on this case.” According to court documents, on February 1, 2024, then-Warden Wiley used an electrified riot shield to shock and crush 13 men in the custody of CPCC while they were handcuffed, compliant, and subdued by pepper spray in a CPCC recreation yard. Allen, Savage, and Wathen, who were high-ranking supervisors at the facility, had the means and opportunity to stop the abuse but instead chose not to intervene. Littleton and Williamson continued the assault by also striking prisoners. All six of the men wrote false reports to cover up what happened, and Allen continued the obstructive activity by tampering with a witness. Before the assault, the 13 prisoners had been housed in “Cell 12,” a cell containing six beds, for several days. The prisoners were transported to the rec yard where the assault occurred shortly after they started a non-violent protest regarding their overcrowded living conditions. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Johnson and LaDonte Murphy with assistance from Legal Assistant Tanya Broussard. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer . The case number for United States v. Jeremy Wiley et al. is 26-CR-00190, and the case number for United States v. Carl Williamson is 26-CR-00127. ### CONTACT: Public Affairs USALAW-News@usdoj.gov United States Attorney’s Office www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Western District of Louisiana Twitter @USAO_WDLA


title: Two Illegal Immigrants Indicted in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation, Accused of Hiring At Least 10 Others

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two illegal immigrants from Honduras were indicted Wednesday and accused of hiring at least 10 other illegal aliens. Oscar Ruiz-Oliva, 41, and Jorge Manuel Oliva-Paguada, 37, were indicted on one count each of knowingly and intentionally engaging in a pattern of hiring unauthorized aliens, knowingly hiring at least ten unauthorized aliens in a 12-month period and illegal re-entry into the United States after being deported. Ruiz-Oliva was deported in 2009 near Phoenix and Oliva-Paguada was deported in 2013 near Houston. Oliva-Paguada also faces one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, namely a .40-caliber pistol. A motion to have Ruiz-Oliva held in jail until trial says he employed at least 25 illegal aliens. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ware and Kyle Bateman are prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF St. Louis comprises agents and officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Untied States Marshal Service (USMS); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.


title: Convicted Felon Indicted for Hobbs Act Robbery and Firearm Offenses

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Laquinton Montral Harris, 36, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of Hobbs Act robbery; carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Court documents reflect that on January 31, 2026, Leon County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a reported robbery at Z-Mart located on Fred George Road in Tallahassee. Surveillance footage captured an armed individual dressed entirely in black clothing and face covering enter the store. The individual approached a store employee and demanded money. When the employee responded he had nothing immediately on hand, the suspect fired one round from his firearm into the floor. The employee removed the cash register drawer and handed it to the suspect who then left the store. Law enforcement conducted a detailed investigation which led them to Laquinton Harris, who has prior felony conviction, as the main suspect. A federal search warrant was executed at Harris’ residence. A firearm and clothing consistent with items seen on the store surveillance footage were located. Harris appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 23, 2026, at 8:30 am before United States Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida. If convicted, Harris faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the robbery count; at least 10 years, which must be consecutive to any other sentence, on the carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count. 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. The case involves an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Three-time deported illegal alien arrested and charged after assaulting federal immigration officers in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Lewisville, has been arrested and charged following an assault on federal immigration officers in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jose Andres Hernandez Medina, 38, a Mexican national illegally living in the United States, was charged by complaint with assaulting or impeding federal officers in the Eastern District of Texas. Hernandez Medina was in court on May 8, 2026, for an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bill Davis. The federal complaint alleges that on April 30, 2026, federal officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement were conducting a law enforcement operation near an apartment complex in Lewisville when they identified and attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Hernandez Medina on the I-35 frontage road. The federal officers, in three separate vehicles, all with activated red and blue emergency lights and sirens, attempted to box in Hernandez Medina. Hernandez Medina attempted to flee and aggressively accelerated, rammed one of the law enforcement vehicles, and caused significant injuries to the federal officer, causing the officer to be immediately transported to the hospital. Hernandez Medina continued to evade the stop and collided again with another law enforcement vehicle, causing significant damage and seriously injuring a second federal officer. This officer was also hospitalized. Hernandez Medina then continued to flee, hitting multiple unoccupied vehicles before attempting to flee on foot. A passenger in the vehicle was also apprehended and remains in custody on an immigration hold. A third occupant remains at large. According to immigration records, Hernandez Medina has been deported from the United States to Mexico on at least three different occasions. Hernandez Medina faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. 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, to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey. A federal complaint is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Slovakian Administrator of Darknet Market that Sold Drugs and Stolen Personal Information Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Thursday sentenced a Slovakian man who aided the operation of a darknet market to 200 months in prison. Alan Bill, 33, of Bratislava, pleaded guilty in January to one felony count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and admitted involvement in the operation of Kingdom Market, a darknet marketplace that operated between March 2021 and December 2023. Kingdom facilitated thousands of transactions wherein hundreds of vendors offered dangerous illegal drugs, stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, counterfeit currencies and computer malware throughout the world. Buyers made their purchases via cryptocurrency and anonymous or semi-anonymous accounts. As part of his plea, Bill admitted assisting others in maintaining or operating Kingdom by providing or procuring web-administration services. He also admitted receiving cryptocurrency from a wallet associated with Kingdom, assisting with the creation of Kingdom’s forum pages on websites such as Reddit and Dread, having access to Kingdom usernames that made postings on behalf of Kingdom on social media accounts and communicating with others regarding certain Kingdom transactions. Although Bill attempted to minimize his role with Kingdom Market in a day-long hearing Thursday, Judge Stevens found that evidence showed that Bill was a leader and/or organizer of the criminal conspiracy and was aware of what vendors were selling. Kingdom servers show that there were more than 1,500 sales of heroin by dozens of vendors and nearly 600 sales of what sellers claimed was Oxycodone. Bill and his co-conspirators knew that fentanyl was being slipped into other products, a sentencing memo filed by the government says. “The dangerous drugs trafficked by defendant through Kingdom caused harm to untold numbers of people across the world,” the memo says. After announcing the sentence Thursday, Judge Stevens said, “It’s hard to even imagine the amount of misery that the defendant’s actions have caused.” Undercover federal investigators bought fentanyl, meth and a United States passport from Kingdom that were shipped to the Eastern District of Missouri. Bill was arrested Dec. 15, 2023, at Newark Liberty International Airport in possession of electronic devices that contained evidence of his involvement with Kingdom. As part of his plea agreement, Bill also agreed to forfeit five different types of cryptocurrency, as well as the Kingdommarket.live and Kingdommarket.so domains, which have been shut down by authorities. “Alan Bill helped run a darknet market that sold stolen identity and financial information, counterfeit currency and illegal drugs, including bogus prescription drugs containing fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “This sentence should send a message that serious crimes will be punished harshly, no matter where they occur or how hidden they appear to be.” “Life is a series of good and bad choices. Mr. Bill made a bad choice to start a darknet marketplace that sold misery in the form of illegal drugs, stolen financial information and fake or stolen identification documents,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation St. Louis Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “IRS-CI is committed to using the financial expertise of our special agents to track down and stop criminal organizations such as Kingdom Market. We’re grateful to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their aggressive prosecution of this case.” “Distributing deadly and highly addictive narcotics is extremely dangerous and has been a major contributor to the ongoing drug epidemic that is destroying communities across the country,” said Acting Inspector in Charge, Nicholas Bucciarelli, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Domicile Office. “Leveraging USPIS unique cross-border authorities and expertise in cyber and narcotics investigations, Inspectors were able to pierce the veil of anonymity that these drug traffickers falsely believed they possessed by operating on the dark web, to expose their conspiracy and hold them accountable for their actions.” “People often feel a false sense of security and anonymity, like they’re able to get away with something if they conduct business on the dark web,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “That couldn’t be further from the truth. Our investigators and agents are well versed in the field of cyber transactions and work routinely to dismantle those organizations looking to profit off others with the sale of illegal drugs.” IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Missouri Department of Revenue investigated the case. The investigation also involved numerous foreign law enforcement agencies, including the German Federal Criminal Police, or Bundeskriminalamt, the Frankfurt am Main Public Prosecutor's Office - Central Office for Combating Internet Crime (ZIT) as well as law enforcement agencies from Switzerland, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Bateman, John Ware and Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.


title: Four Defendants Convicted in Plot to Kill Haitian President Jovenel Moïse

body_text: A federal jury in Miami today convicted four defendants for their roles in the July 7, 2021, assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages were convicted of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to carry out a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 956, resulting in death; providing material support and resources to carry out a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 956, resulting in death; conspiracy to kill and kidnap a person outside the United States; conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States; and expedition against a friendly nation. Intriago was also convicted of a third count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S.; smuggling goods from the U.S.; and submitting false or misleading export information. “These defendants conspired to replace and ultimately to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moïse,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Using U.S. soil as a staging ground for a violent plot overseas is a grave violation of our laws and, more fundamentally, our sovereignty. We commend the investigative and prosecution team for their exceptional work.” “This verdict delivers justice for the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and holds accountable those who helped turn South Florida into a staging ground for a deadly foreign plot,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants pursued power, influence, and profit through violence. They supported a conspiracy that crossed borders, destabilized a friendly nation, and ended with the murder of a sitting president. The jury has spoken, and the rule of law has answered.” “The FBI is going to leverage everything at its disposal to go after conspirators of assassinations,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Those convicted today played key roles in furthering the capacity for political violence with the aim of reaping the financial benefits of the disorder that followed. We would like to thank our partners who helped ensure that those involved faced justice for their disregard for the rule of law and the life of another human being.” “Today’s verdict sends an unequivocal message: the United States will not serve as a staging ground for those seeking to destabilize foreign nations through violence. While the assassination of President Moïse was carried out on Haitian soil, the conspiracy was fueled by greed and orchestrated within our own borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “By holding these four men accountable for their roles in this cold-blooded attack, we are honoring the rule of law and ensuring that those who profit from political chaos find no refuge.” “This case exposed a far-reaching criminal conspiracy driven by power, profit, and political ambition that extended well beyond Haiti’s borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “HSI and our partners followed the evidence across jurisdictions and international boundaries to help hold accountable those responsible for this heinous plot to assassinate a sitting president and destabilize a partner nation.” According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Pretel Ortiz, Intriago, Veintemilla, and Solages embarked on a scheme in early 2021 to violently overthrow President Moïse and install their handpicked successor so that the defendants could obtain lucrative government contracts in Haiti. To carry out the plot, the defendants recruited allies in the U.S., Colombia, and Haiti, including 22 former Colombian Army soldiers and Haitian gang leaders. Eight of the co-conspirators, including two of the Colombian mercenaries and several of the group’s Haitian and American allies, pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy, and six of them testified at trial. Between April and July 2021, the defendants developed and refined multiple plans to kidnap or kill President Moïse. From late May to early June 2021, the group discussed a plan to kidnap President Moïse at his sister’s house, drug him, and force him to resign. When that failed, the defendants switched tactics and developed a new strategy for kidnapping President Moïse when he returned from an international trip on June 19, 2021. Many of these schemes relied on the defendants’ putative Haitian gang allies. Ultimately, the defendants decided to order their Colombian mercenaries to attack President Moïse’s home and kill him. In preparation, co-conspirators in Haiti obtained black-market weapons and ammunition for the Colombian mercenaries. On July 7, 2021, Solages and a team of Colombian mercenaries carried out the attack on President Moïse’s residence with the help of several Haitian allies. During the assault, a squad of former Colombian special forces soldiers, called the Delta Team, along with other mercenaries stormed the residence, fatally shot President Moïse in his bedroom, and seriously wounded the First Lady of Haiti, Martine Moïse. Trial evidence established that bullets recovered from President Moïse during the autopsy, and another recovered from First Lady Moïse during surgery, matched a rifle carried and used by the Colombian Delta Team. Extensive digital communications introduced at trial further showed that the defendants spent months discussing and coordinating plans to kidnap or kill President Moïse. Veintemilla played a central role in financing the conspiracy. Starting in April 2021, Veintemilla agreed to finance the scheme through a $175,000 loan agreement financed with proceeds derived from others’ Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) funds that were funneled through an account controlled by a co-conspirator. Trial evidence also showed that Veintemilla was involved in the operational details. After learning of the assassination in the early morning hours of July 7, 2021, Veintemilla immediately called a co-conspirator and proclaimed: “the rat (President Moïse) is in the box.” Pretel Ortiz, who referred to himself as “Colonel Gabriel” and routinely wore fake U.S. military-style uniforms, rank, and insignia, directed the plot’s tactical planning and operation, including coordinating with the Colombian mercenaries. Hours before the assassination, Pretel Ortiz told his co-defendants: “I put my men on the ground and we are still fighting to reach the objective.” Intriago, Pretel Ortiz’s business partner, handled the day-to-day logistical aspects of the plot, including payroll, equipment, and provisions for the co-conspirators. On June 10, 2021, Intriago helped smuggle bulletproof vests and other tactical equipment—including radios, flashlights, and goggles—from Miami to Haiti for use by the Colombian mercenaries during the assassination. In late June 2021, Intriago traveled to Haiti and photographed himself with the group’s Haitian allies. On the eve of the assassination, Intriago messaged his co-conspirators: “We finally got the tools to do the work.” Solages served as the defendants’ primary liaison in Haiti and repeatedly traveled between South Florida and Haiti to coordinate with Haitian gang leaders, obtain weapons and ammunition in Haiti, and conduct surveillance of President Moïse’s residence. Solages also accompanied the Colombian mercenaries during the attack and instructed them to kill everyone inside the house, including “the dog, the cat, and parrot.” All four defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra for the Southern District of Florida will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. FBI Miami and HSI Miami investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Department of State; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement; and the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean McLaughlin, Jason Wu, and Altanese Phenelus for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Andrew Briggs of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.


title: Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to  Trafficking Fentanyl Pills Through U.S. Mail

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – A 38-year-old man has pleaded guilty to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy to transport fentanyl pills from Arizona to North Carolina. Sadai Lopez, of Goodyear, Arizona, pleaded guilty to the following charges in the indictment: Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Distribution of a Controlled Substance According to court documents, from about August 2023 to November 2024, Lopez was engaged in trafficking illegal narcotics from Arizona to Ohio, to be further transported to North Carolina for redistribution. Investigators found that during the conspiracy, Lopez used U.S. Postal Service offices throughout the Phoenix area to mail six parcels to an accomplice in Newton Falls, Ohio. A search warrant on one of the parcels uncovered 1.150 kilograms of fentanyl pills that were contained inside of two vacuum-sealed bags. Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 4, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by the U.S Postal Service Inspection Service. The prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin E. Bringman for the Northern District of Ohio. About the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) USPIS is the law enforcement branch of the United States Postal Service. To report mail theft or other crimes committed through, or towards, the United States Postal Service, call the USPIS at 1-877-876-2455 or visit uspis.gov/report . For more information about combatting mail theft visit uspis.gov/project-safe-delivery.


title: Connecticut Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base and Fentanyl

body_text: BURLINGTON – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on May 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Dayquan Smith, 34, of Hartford, Connecticut with possessing with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base and fentanyl. Smith entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on May 7, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle had previously ordered that Smith be detained during the pendency of this matter. According to court records, on January 21, 2026, members of the Vermont State Police executed a search warrant at a residence on Sand Hill Road in Bethel, Vermont. Smith was present in a camper on the property in which law enforcement found over 350 grams of suspected cocaine base, over 40 grams of suspected purple fentanyl, and an unknown wet white powder/sludge on the floor of the shower. Also within the camper was approximately $8,675 in U.S. currency, a Ruger LCP Max .380 pistol, and a box of .380 caliber ammunition. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Smith is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Smith faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a potential sentence of up to life imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police and the FBI. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Cate. Smith is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.


title: Grant County Sentenced for Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Crittenden, Ky., man, Robert Luke Divine, 30, was sentenced on Friday to 235 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and distribution of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, on January 15, 2025, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department conducted a sting operation and Divine showed up to a hotel for the purpose of having sex with a woman and her 14-year-old daughter. When deputies arrested him, Divine admitted why he was there and that he had child pornography on his cell phone. Law enforcement searched his electronic devices (including an Apple iPad) and found a trove of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including evidence that Divine traded CSAM with another person via Telegram in December 2024. Divine’s iPad contained 335 videos and thousands of images of child sexual abuse material, including files that depicted bestiality and minors under the age of 12. Under federal law, Divine must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years. Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Colin Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Les K. Hill, Boone County Sheriff, announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the HSI and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Leonhard is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . – END –


title: Scott County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Ricky Helton, 48, was sentenced on Tuesday to 180 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, on October 24, 2024, Helton met an individual in Lexington to purchase methamphetamine. When law enforcement approached Helton’s vehicle, they located one pound of methamphetamine. Prior to this, law enforcement conducted four controlled purchases of methamphetamine from June through August 2024. Helton previously was convicted of attempted manufacturing methamphetamine in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in 2005. Under federal law, Helton must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by DEA and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Raleigh County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – John Thompson, 50, of White Oak, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 18, 2024, Thompson oversaw the sale of approximately 205 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,500. As part of his guilty plea, Thompson admitted that he arranged the transaction after meeting with the confidential informant and that co-defendant Sharee Woodson conducted it. Thompson further admitted that he sold quantities of methamphetamine on February 28, 2024, and March 1, 2024, and quantities of fentanyl on March 4, 2024, and March 13, 2024, each time to the confidential informant. Woodson, 46, of Beckley, was sentenced on March 27, 2026, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-116. ###


title: Parmelee Man Acquitted of Assault

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Parmelee, South Dakota, man was acquitted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence following a federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota, on May 7, 2026. Joey Kills Plenty, age 26, was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2025. The charges related to an allegation that Kills Plenty assaulted a man with a firearm in August 2025, in Todd County in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because federal law mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. The investigation was conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.