title: U.S. Attorney Announces $3.2 Million Settlement With Fashion Company Relating To Improper Receipt Of Paycheck Protection Program Loan

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Regional Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (“SBA-OIG”), Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, announced today that ALICE + OLIVIA, LLC (“ALICE + OLIVIA”) has agreed to pay $3,200,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by falsely certifying that it was eligible for a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan. Under the settlement approved by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, ALICE + OLIVIA has admitted and accepted responsibility for conduct alleged in the Government’s Complaint, including that it was ineligible to receive the PPP loan due to the total number of individuals it employed. The PPP, administered by the SBA, was created to assist small businesses nationwide adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2021, the SBA permitted qualifying businesses that received an initial PPP loan to apply for a second PPP loan (a “Second-Draw PPP loan”) if they met certain requirements. For example, when ALICE + OLIVIA applied for a Second-Draw PPP loan in January 2021, a business generally could have no more than 300 employees, including the employees of its domestic and foreign affiliates. ALICE + OLIVIA exceeded this size eligibility requirement. “The Paycheck Protection Program was established to help businesses weather the extraordinary economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by offering forgivable loans,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “But too many applicants sought and obtained loans that they were never entitled to receive. The women and men of this Office are dedicated to holding actors who attempt to bilk public programs accountable.” “This settlement reflects our continued commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring that federal relief programs are used as Congress intended,” said SBA-OIG Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “SBA-OIG will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who misrepresent their eligibility.” As alleged in the Complaint: On or about January 21, 2021, ALICE + OLIVIA submitted, through its authorized representative, an application for a Second-Draw PPP loan to a financial institution, and ALICE + OLIVIA was subsequently approved for and received a Second-Draw PPP loan for $2,000,000. On or about February 9, 2022, ALICE + OLIVIA, through its authorized representative, applied for and received full forgiveness of its Second-Draw PPP loan. ALICE + OLIVIA stated in its Second-Draw PPP loan application that it had 293 employees, when in fact ALICE + OLIVIA (together with its domestic and foreign affiliates) had more than 300 employees. ALICE + OLIVIA also certified, among other things, that it was eligible to receive the Second-Draw PPP loan and that the information provided in its application and supporting documents was true and accurate in all material respects. When ALICE + OLIVIA later applied for PPP loan forgiveness, it misrepresented in its application that it had only 271 employees at the time of its Second-Draw PPP loan application. ALICE + OLIVIA also certified, once again, that the information provided in its application and supporting documents was true and correct in all material respects. ALICE + OLIVIA violated the False Claims Act by knowingly presenting and making, or causing to be presented and made, false claims and statements in connection with its submission of its Second-Draw PPP loan application and forgiveness application. Specifically, ALICE + OLIVIA falsely certified its eligibility for the Second-Draw PPP loan because ALICE + OLIVIA (together with its domestic and foreign affiliates) employed more than 300 employees and was thus ineligible for the loan it received. In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act. The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Salk is in charge of the case.


title: Social Security employee sentenced in multimillion-dollar fraud and identity theft scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A former Social Security employee has been ordered to federal prison for aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to steal government funds, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. David Lam, 46, Pearland, pleaded guilty June 5, 2025. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Lam to serve 84 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about the complex nature of Lam’s scheme and how it involved dozens of fraudulent applications. Lam also used his access to personal data, which was necessary for his actual job duties, to facilitate his embezzlement and theft. Lam was further ordered to pay $3,346,280 in restitution. Lam was an operations supervisor and claims specialist for the Social Security Administration office in Houston. As part of his plea, Lam admitted to stealing the personally identifying information of recently deceased men and then using that PII to facilitate fraudulent benefits applications. Lam worked with various coconspirators – typically, women with children – to file fraudulent survivor benefits applications listing the deceased men as the children’s fathers or stepfathers. If true, this would have entitled the women to receive benefits while raising their children as widows. However, the women had no connection to the men listed on the applications, and the deceased men did not father the children. To facilitate his scheme, Lam would utilize the deceased men’s names, dates of birth and death and Social Security numbers. He would also instruct the coconspirators to split the stolen funds with him. The women would transfer funds via applications like Zelle, CashApp or Chime. He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray prosecuted the case.


title: OAKLAND COUNTY SLEEP SPECIALISTS AGREE TO PAY $763,954.74 TO SETTLE FALSE CLAIMS ACT ALLEGATIONS

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today that Troy Sleep Center PLC, Care One Medical Equipment and Supplies, Inc., Michel Alkhalil, M.D., and Peggy Rahal, M.D., have agreed to pay a total of $763,954.74 to the United States and the State of Michigan to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act. Troy Sleep Center PLC (“TSC”) provides medical services for persons experiencing sleep disorders, including persons enrolled in healthcare programs funded by federal and state governments. Care One Medical Equipment and Supplies, Inc. (“Care One”) provides medical supplies for individuals experiencing sleep disorders, including individuals enrolled in healthcare programs funded by federal and state governments. Dr. Alkhalil and Dr. Rahal are co-owners/members of TSC, while Dr. Rahal owns Care One. The settlement announced today resolves three sets of allegations. First, from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2024, TSC, Dr. Alkhalil, and Dr. Rahal improperly billed federal healthcare programs for sleep studies administered without properly trained and certified sleep technicians, as required by federal regulations. Second, TSC, Dr. Alkhalil, and Dr. Rahal obtained $480,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans while engaged in the alleged improper billing. Third, from January 1, 2018, through May 31, 2024, Care One improperly billed Medicaid for accessories to positive airway pressure (“PAP”) machines, which Medicaid does not permit to be charged separately from the rental rate of PAP machines. “Billing federal health care programs for services that do not meet required standards compromises patient care and erodes public trust,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Together with our law enforcement partners, we remain steadfast in our commitment to identify and stop fraud that threatens patient well-being and misuses taxpayer dollars.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under a qui tam or whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act: United States ex rel. Kreiner v. Troy Sleep Center PLC, case no. 24-11073, (E.D. Mich.). Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the Michigan Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General. The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys John Postulka and Gregory Dickinson from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.


title: Alleged Shooter of Armored Vehicle Security Guard in Balch Springs Federally Charged

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

body_text: A man in Dallas, Texas was federally charged with attempted interference of commerce by robbery after allegedly shooting a security guard who was servicing a bank ATM in Balch Springs, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Laroyce Antoine Lambert was charged by federal complaint with the offense of attempted interference of commerce by robbery on February 5, 2026. According to the complaint, Lambert attempted to rob an armored car while the security guard was servicing a Chase Bank ATM located at 2329 Lake June Road, Balch Springs, Texas. As described in the complaint, during the robbery, Lambert approached the security guard with a firearm and demanded access to the money located at the ATM he was servicing. After the guard informed Lambert that he could not access the money in the ATM, Lambert fired three shots at the guard and fled on foot through a fence. The security guard suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to the hospital. According to the complaint, footage from the security guard’s body worn camera captured Lambert with a firearm in his hand, pointed at the guard: Court documents reflect that responding agents and officers with the Balch Springs Police Department and Dallas FBI Violent Crime Taskforce were able to obtain footage of Lambert fleeing the scene and entering a Dodge Charger to make his escape. The FBI worked in conjunction with the Fort Worth Police Department and Dallas Police Department to locate the Dodge Charger and tracked Lambert and the vehicle to an apartment in Fort Worth, Texas. Once located, the Fort Worth Police Department arrested Lambert. “The swift apprehension of this individual is a testament to the tireless work and collaboration of our federal, state, and local partners. The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and our local partners identified the perpetrator within hours of the horrific shooting,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This should serve as a warning to violent offenders in North Texas: we will find you and swiftly bring you to justice.” “The FBI Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force worked alongside the Balch Springs Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Mesquite Police Department and other law enforcement partners to investigate this robbery and brutal attack on an armored vehicle driver. This collaboration among multiple agencies and members of the public resulted in a swift arrest,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We will continue our work to hold this perpetrator accountable and remain committed to protect the residents of North Texas.” “Our community was shaken by this senseless act of violence. I am relieved that a suspect has been apprehended and there is no ongoing threat to the public,” said Brent Hurley, Chief of the Balch Springs Police Department. “I want to thank our agency partners — including the FBI, Texas Rangers, Mesquite Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Mesquite Fire Department, and our own Balch Springs officers — for their professionalism and swift action that led to this arrest. Our thoughts remain with the victim, their family, and all affected by this incident.” Lambert is currently in federal custody following an initial appearance on February 6, 2026, before a United States Magistrate Judge. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of twenty years in federal prison. The Dallas FBI Violent Crime Taskforce, ATF Dallas, Balch Springs Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Mesquite Police Department, and Texas Rangers conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Withers and Jeremy Fugate. A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Lambert is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. lambert_-_complaint.pdf


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug and Gun Crimes

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Antonio Shelby Jr., 33, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced on Thursday, February 5, 2026, to 12 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A federal jury found Shelby guilty of both counts on August 19, 2025, following a two-day trial. Evidence at trial showed that on January 10, 2024, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Shelby in the Institute area of Kanawha County. The officer smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, asked Shelby to exit the vehicle, and told him that the vehicle would be searched. Shelby fled in the vehicle, driving at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour on West Virginia Route 25 and Interstate 64 while trying to elude law enforcement. The pursuit ended when Shelby crashed his vehicle while attempting to exit I-64 at South Charleston. Officers encountered Shelby climbing out of the vehicle and detained him. When officers lifted Shelby from the ground, they found a Keltec model P3 AT .380-caliber pistol, loaded and with a round in the chamber, on the ground underneath him. Officers also seized over 60 grams of methamphetamine in multiple baggies, over 100 grams of fentanyl, marijuana, digital scales, and $2,495 from the vehicle. Shelby has a criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for fleeing from a police officer and reckless driving causing serious impairment of a body function. “This defendant possessed and transported distribution-level quantities of lethal drugs into our community while armed. He doubled down on his disregard for our people and their safety by fleeing from law enforcement, creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death to the public and responding officers,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “We are unrelenting in our commitment to attacking the drug crisis with the utmost toughness.” Capito commended the law enforcement agencies involved in apprehending Shelby, investigating the case, and securing the convictions at trial: the Nitro Police Department, the Dunbar Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys JC MacCallum and Jeremy B. Wolfe 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. 2:24-cr-197. ###


title: Minocqua Man Sentenced to Over Five Years for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cory Kromray, 39, Minocqua, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years and 8 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering in connection with an investment fraud scheme. Kromray pleaded guilty to these charges on November 7, 2025. As part of his sentence, Kromray was ordered to pay $828,266.71 in restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme. "I applaud the investigative work of the agents in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “Fraud schemes like this one are devastating to victims. The sentence sends a strong message that this office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who defraud others.” The government’s investigation revealed that Kromray used social media and other online communications to falsely portray himself as a successful trader in stocks, mutual funds, cryptocurrency, and the foreign currency exchange market (forex). Kromray also used social media to display his wealth allegedly acquired from trading, including images or references to expensive watches, a large home, tropical vacations, and exotic sports cars. During meetings with investors or potential investors, Kromray often bragged about his success as a trader and would often drive expensive vehicles to the meetings, including a 2022 Lamborghini Urus and a 2022 McLaren 720S. Kromray would falsely claim that investors could expect a monthly rate of return of approximately 4% to 8%, with the potential of earning up to 30% a month. Kromray falsely told at least one investor that he was a top 1% trader in the Midwest. Kromray falsely told another investor that he could guarantee a 100% return on their investment. Despite his promises to investors to use their money for legitimate investments and provide them returns, Kromray often used investor money to pay his personal expenses. Kromray also provided some investors with false information about the success of their investments, including providing fictitious account statements that showed the investors’ supposed current portfolio balance. By providing fictitious account statements, Kromray intended to lull investors into believing that he was actively trading their funds. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley stated that Kromray’s investment fraud scheme was “the worst kind of fraud that can be committed,” because he took money from his close friends and lied to them about investing it. Judge Conley noted that Kromray worked hard to dupe investors by portraying a “fantasy luxury life,” including buying high-end cars like Lamborghinis and McLarens. Judge Conley noted that Kromray would often meet face-to-face with his investors and “flat out lie” to them about “things that were demonstrably false” and provide them with “pie in the sky promises.” Judge Conley also noted that Kromray poses a substantial risk of reoffending when he is released from prison because his statements at sentencing sounded like he was still in denial about his crimes. Judge Conley concluded that “if there is a more heinous white-collar crime, I don’t know what it is.” The charges against Kromray were a result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.


title: Nigerian National Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Prison for Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar Inheritance Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Nigerian National was sentenced today to more than eight years in prison for participating in a years-long conspiracy to defraud elderly and vulnerable Americans through an inheritance fraud scheme. According to court documents, Tochukwu Albert Nnebocha, 44, of Nigeria, and his co-conspirators operated a lucrative transnational inheritance fraud scheme that exploited vulnerable people in the United States. Over the course of more than seven years, Nnebocha and his co-conspirators sent hundreds of thousands of personalized letters to elderly individuals in the United States, falsely claiming that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left by a deceased family member. The conspirators then told the victims that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for purported delivery fees, taxes, and payments regarding the inheritance. In total, the defendant and his co-conspirators defrauded over 400 U.S. victims of more than $6 million. In April 2025, Nnebocha was arrested by authorities in Poland and extradited to the United States in September 2025. In November 2025, Nnebocha pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. At sentencing, Nnebocha was sentenced to 97 months in prison, 3 years supervised release, and ordered to pay more than $6.8 million in restitution to the victims of his scheme. This is the second indicted case related to this international fraud scheme. Eight co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Nigeria have previously been convicted and sentenced in connection with this scheme. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Miami Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede of the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) in Arizona made the announcement. USPIS and HSI investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Joshua D. Rothman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) worked with law enforcement partners in Poland to secure the arrest and extradition of Nnebocha. OIA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the FBI’s Legal Attache in Poland, INTERPOL, and Polish Authorities, all provided critical assistance. If you or someone you know is aged 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available .


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the Country

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Mexican national pleaded guilty on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal. According to court records, on November 6, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Agents encountered Edgar Mandujano-Aguilar , 37, after he requested assistance from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office to return to his home country of Mexico. After agents arrived at the Sheriff’s Office parking lot, Mandujano-Aguilar acknowledged to them that he was born in Mexico, was not a U.S. citizen, and did not have any authorization to be in the country. Records checks revealed that Mandujano-Aguilar had been previously deported multiple times from the U.S. Mandujano-Aguilar faces a maximum prison term of up to two years and a maximum fine of $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Documented Shelltown Gang Member Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Stolen Firearm

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO –David Gilbert Gomez, a documented San Diego gang member also known as “Choker,” was sentenced in federal court today to 87 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm on March 12, 2024. Gomez previously pleaded guilty in federal court to that charge. According to court records, officers with the City of Imperial Police Department were conducting a routine traffic stop when they observed two men standing near an unoccupied vehicle. Upon seeing police presence, both men ran into a nearby residence. Inside the unoccupied vehicle, police observed a semiautomatic firearm with an extended magazine located on the front passenger’s seat. Police recovered the firearm, which was determined to be a 9mm Glock loaded with approximately 17 rounds of ammunition. A records search of the firearm’s serial number revealed it to be reported stolen out of Maricopa County, Arizona. A further search of the unoccupied vehicle revealed a black bag with a lighter bearing the words “Choker” and “Shelltown.” At the time of the firearm seizure, there was an active “Be on the Lookout” (BOLO) for an individual named David Gomez a/k/a “Choker” with a documented affiliation to the San Diego-based “Shelltown” gang. Police positively identified Gomez from the BOLO as one of the individuals who fled into the residence. The investigation was then taken over by federal investigators, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). A federal search warrant for Gomez’s DNA was obtained and while executing the warrant, Gomez admitted to stealing the firearm from another person. Twelve prior felony convictions prohibit Gomez from possessing a firearm. He was therefore charged with unlawful firearm possession, following investigation by ATF. In fact, Gomez had previously been federally convicted for unlawful firearm possession, among other crimes such as escape and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. While discussing Gomez’s criminal history at sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Cynthia Ann Bashant noted her sentence reflected a “worry about protection of the public” given Gomez’s continued criminal conduct. DEFENDANT Case Number 24CR1962 David Gilbert Gomez Age: 43 Imperial, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Felon in Possession of a Firearm — 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1) Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Federal Bureau of Investigation City of Imperial Police Department This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.


title: Woman Sentenced for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Fraud

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – LaTasha Thomas, age 39, was sentenced in United States District Court to 12 months imprisonment followed by a year of supervised release for one count of mail fraud, and ordered to repay $325,159 in restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Over the course of two years, Latasha Thomas conspired with her daughter Ambrosia Thomas, and other relative Cynthia Thomas, to defraud the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”). Their scheme focused on the unlawful acquisition of Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) cards, which are issued by the state government to qualifying applicants and loaded monthly with money from SNAP. Legitimate applicants can use their EBT cards to purchase groceries and make ATM withdrawals. Thomas and her co-conspirators devised a scheme to acquire cards under false pretenses and defraud the program. They created fake Minnesota temporary drivers’ licenses using false names, with each license picturing one of the Thomases. Then, they submitted these fake licenses to Hennepin County in applications for EBT cards. Believing their SNAP allotments could be increased if the purported recipients were confined to bedrest, the Thomases repeatedly claimed in their fraudulent applications to be women experiencing “high risk pregnancy.” They bolstered these claims with fake doctor’s notes they manufactured for the purpose of maximizing their theft of government funds. In many of the scheme’s fraudulent applications, the Thomases directed the state to send the EBT cards to Cynthia Thomas’s apartment in Roseville. Cynthia lived there under the same false name—Sofia Gold—that appears on one of the scheme’s ill-begotten cards. When law enforcement searched Cynthia’s apartment in Roseville, they encountered her there and found several pieces of mail addressed to pseudonyms used in the scheme. In the inside part of the apartment building’s mailbox—accessible only to building management and mail carriers—law enforcement found notes indicating that mail should be delivered to Cynthia’s apartment for several of the pseudonyms used in the scheme. The Thomases withdrew government funds from ATMs and used them to make purchases. They also marketed and sold the use of the EBTs to others, arranging for their customers to pick up an EBT card, use an agreed-upon portion of its monthly allotment, return the card, and then pay the conspirators a fee (usually 50-60%) for the privilege. In all, through their scheme the Thomases caused over $325,000 in losses to the SNAP program. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hennepin County Fraud Unit. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanne Semivan prosecuted the case.


component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Woman Who Raised, Trained, and Traded Roosters for Illegal Cockfighting Sentenced After Federal Conviction CONCORD – A Chester woman was sentenced today in federal court for her involvement in illegal cockfighting activities in New Hampshire and North Carolina, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Jennifer Scott, 42, was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $2,500 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea K. Johnstone. As a term of her probation, the defendant is prohibited from owning or raising roosters or chickens. In October 2025, Scott pleaded guilty to one count of Attending an Animal Fighting Venture. According to court documents, the defendant had been using her property in New Hampshire to raise and train roosters for cockfighting. On several occasions, she transported roosters to North Carolina, where she traded them and had them participate in illegal cockfighting events. During a search warrant executed on her property, law enforcement recovered sparring muffs used to train roosters for cockfighting, a sparring aid used to entice roosters to attack the simulated opponent, 76 roosters, 84 hens, 261 juvenile chickens, and an egg incubator. “The defendant participated in a multistate cockfighting venture and profited from animal cruelty,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “The conduct was extensive, involving networks of participants at multiple locations in North Carolina, as well as scores of animals. Today’s sentence stands as a warning to those who participate in and fuel the market for this brutal conduct.” The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Law Enforcement Division, New Hampshire State Police, Massachusetts State Police, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Animal Rescue League of Boston Law Enforcement Division, and the Chester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted the case.


title: Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Federal Obstruction and Video Voyeurism Charges

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to obstruction and video voyeurism charges. Nicholas Testagrossa, 43, of Rindge, N.H., pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding, and two counts of video voyeurism. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2026. Testagrossa was charged in December 2025. In March 2025, Testagrossa – then a U.S. Postal Worker at the Westminster, Mass. – secretly placed a hidden camera inside the women’s restroom at the Westminster Post Office in an effort to record his female co-workers while they were undressed and using the bathroom. The device was discovered on March 28, 2025, after a postal employee noticed it concealed beneath a vent. A subsequent investigation revealed that the camera had been placed in the restroom on multiple occasions and had captured video recordings inside the women’s bathroom on several dates in February 2025 and March 2025, including recordings of two victims undressed without their knowledge or consent. Investigators recovered video files showing Testagrossa personally installing the hidden camera in the restroom, positioning it to obtain a recording vantage point, and testing the device both inside the post office and at his home. The recordings clearly showed Testagrossa’s face and documented his repeated efforts to conceal and operate the camera. The evidence confirmed that the recordings were intentional and part of a pattern of conduct targeting female co-workers. After the hidden camera was discovered and secured by the Postmaster, Testagrossa removed the device from the Postmaster’s desk without authorization and attempted to destroy evidence by damaging the camera’s memory card and USB ports. His efforts were unsuccessful because the memory card had already been removed and preserved. The charge of obstruction and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of video voyeurism provide for a sentence of up to one year in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. 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 Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.


body_text: Goffstown Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms and Narcotics Offenses CONCORD – Mark Williams, 45, pleaded guilty today to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. According to the charging documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours on October 27, 2023, Williams was driving a vehicle that he had borrowed from an acquaintance when he became involved in a single-car accident in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Williams walked away before Goffstown Police arrived. The unoccupied vehicle sustained disabling damage and was later towed. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a loaded 9mm handgun and distribution-level quantities of methamphetamine (41 grams), cocaine (73 grams), and fentanyl (452 grams). Williams was later arrested. The charging statute for the drug trafficking offense provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. The charging statute for the firearm violation provides for a sentence of not less than 5 years and up to life in federal prison, consecutive to any prison term imposed on the drug trafficking offense, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2026. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Goffstown Police Department, and the Manchester Police Department. Valuable assistance was additionally provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Two Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Illegally Export Weapons to South Sudan

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Today, Peter Biar Ajak, 42, of Maryland, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sharad H. Desai for the District of Arizona to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ajak’s co-defendant, Abraham Chol Keech, 46, of Utah, was sentenced on December 18, 2025, by Judge Desai to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Both defendants previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and Conspiracy to Violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA). “ From a suburb of our Nation’s capital, Ajak conspired to export U.S. weaponry to South Sudan, where he planned to lead a coup and install himself in power,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Ajak discussed ways to conceal his conduct, which he knew was illegal, including by misrepresenting financial transactions as attempts to provide humanitarian aid. The National Security Division is committed to prosecuting violations of U.S. export control laws to ensure that U.S. weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.” “The defendants in this case sought to bypass U.S. export control laws, with Mr. Ajak directing a conspiracy that amassed a $4M arsenal of military-grade weapons intended to effect a coup d'état in South Sudan,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “Thanks to federal prosecutors, agents and investigators from across the spectrum of U.S. government agencies, the plot was thwarted and the defendants were brought to justice, safeguarding our national security interests.” “By disrupting an attempt to unlawfully export advanced weapons systems, this investigation helped protect U.S. forces from weapons that could potentially be utilized against them on future battlefields,” said John Helsing, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Western Field Office. “As the investigative arm of DoD’s Office of Inspector General, DCIS remains fully committed to safeguarding DoD equities and ensuring that military-grade weapons do not fall into the hands of those who would endanger American service members.” “The defendants in this investigation knowingly sought to undermine national security by violating U.S. laws related to illegal arms trafficking and the export of weapons,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy of HSI Arizona. “As part of HSI’s core mission to investigate illicit transfers of arms to countries in turmoil, these conspirators attempted to destabilize national and international peace and security. HSI and our partners remain committed to pursuing charges against those who violate these laws.” As defendants admitted in their plea agreements, between at least February 2023 and March 2024, Keech and Ajak sought to illegally purchase and export nearly $4 million worth of export-controlled, military grade weapons and ammunition from the United States to South Sudan without the required export licenses. Defendants sought to provide these weapons and ammunition—which included ten Stinger missile systems, two hundred grenade launchers, more than a thousand machine guns and rifles, and over 3.5 million rounds of ammunition—to opposition groups in South Sudan seeking to topple the current South Sudanese government. Defendants planned to install Ajak as the country’s new president after the regime change. Defendants knew South Sudan was subject to an arms embargo and that exporting weapons and ammunition from the United States to South Sudan without a license from the U.S. government would violate U.S. law. To facilitate their smuggling scheme, defendants discussed paying bribes and disguising the weapons as humanitarian aid. Defendants also created a fake invoice to conceal from financial institutions and others the source and purpose of the funds used to purchase and smuggle the illicit arms. As part of their plea agreement, defendants agreed to forfeit nearly $2 million they raised to pay for the weapons, which was seized by the United States. The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy C. Chang, Raymond K. Woo, M. Bridget Minder, and Joseph F. Bozdech of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and Trial Attorney Leslie C. Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-394 RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-022_AJAK # # # 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.S. Attorney Moore Capito and Law Enforcement Officials to Announce Sentences in Sex Trafficking Conspiracy at Monday Press Conference

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito will hold a press conference on Monday, February 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. with law enforcement officials following the sentencing hearings for Tiwan Robert Bailey and Carrie Roy. Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of conspiring to commit sex trafficking of a minor, and one count of obstruction of justice. Roy is scheduled to be sentenced on one count each of sex trafficking of a minor and conspiring to commit sex trafficking of a minor. A federal jury convicted Bailey, also known as “Quick,” 49, and Roy, also known as “Carrie Ash,” 52, both of Charleston, on September 29, 2025, following a five-day trial. *** NOTE: The press conference is contingent upon the completion of the sentencing hearings, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. *** WHAT: Press Conference WHEN: Monday, February 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. WHERE: Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston, Fourth Floor, Suite 4000 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. ###


title: Salvadoran National Sentenced for Dealing Fentanyl

body_text: BOSTON – A Salvadoran national unlawfully residing in East Boston was sentenced today in federal court in Boston on drug distribution charges. Tony Cartagena-Chacon, 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge Angel Kelley to 18 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In October 2025, Cartagena-Chacon pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. During an investigation of the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang, Cartagena-Chacon met with a cooperating witness on Feb. 15, 2024 to sell approximately 50 grams of fentanyl powder. During the deal, Cartagena-Chacon emphasized how “pure” his product was, suggesting that the cooperating witness could re-sell the substance for significant profit. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted 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. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: Today, Peter Biar Ajak, 42, of Maryland, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sharad H. Desai for the District of Arizona to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ajak’s co-defendant, Abraham Chol Keech, 46, of Utah, was sentenced on Dec. 18, 2025, by Judge Desai to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Both defendants previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and Conspiracy to Violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA). “ From a suburb of our Nation’s capital, Ajak conspired to export U.S. weaponry to South Sudan, where he planned to lead a coup and install himself in power,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Ajak discussed ways to conceal his conduct, which he knew was illegal, including by misrepresenting financial transactions as attempts to provide humanitarian aid. The National Security Division is committed to prosecuting violations of U.S. export control laws to ensure that U.S. weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.” “The defendants in this case sought to bypass U.S. export control laws, with Mr. Ajak directing a conspiracy that amassed a $4M arsenal of military-grade weapons intended to effect a coup d'état in South Sudan,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “Thanks to federal prosecutors, agents and investigators from across the spectrum of U.S. government agencies, the plot was thwarted and the defendants were brought to justice, safeguarding our national security interests.” “By disrupting an attempt to unlawfully export advanced weapons systems, this investigation helped protect U.S. forces from weapons that could potentially be utilized against them on future battlefields,” said John Helsing, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Western Field Office. “As the investigative arm of DoD’s Office of Inspector General, DCIS remains fully committed to safeguarding DoD equities and ensuring that military-grade weapons do not fall into the hands of those who would endanger American service members.” “The defendants in this investigation knowingly sought to undermine national security by violating U.S. laws related to illegal arms trafficking and the export of weapons,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “As part of HSI’s core mission to investigate illicit transfers of arms to countries in turmoil, these conspirators attempted to destabilize national and international peace and security. HSI and our partners remain committed to pursuing charges against those who violate these laws.” As defendants admitted in their plea agreements, between at least February 2023 and March 2024, Keech and Ajak sought to illegally purchase and export nearly $4 million worth of export-controlled, military grade weapons and ammunition from the United States to South Sudan without the required export licenses. Defendants sought to provide these weapons and ammunition — which included ten Stinger missile systems, two hundred grenade launchers, more than a thousand machine guns and rifles, and over 3.5 million rounds of ammunition — to opposition groups in South Sudan seeking to topple the current South Sudanese government. Defendants planned to install Ajak as the country’s new president after the regime change. Defendants knew South Sudan was subject to an arms embargo and that exporting weapons and ammunition from the United States to South Sudan without a license from the U.S. government would violate U.S. law. To facilitate their smuggling scheme, defendants discussed paying bribes and disguising the weapons as humanitarian aid. Defendants also created a fake invoice to conceal from financial institutions and others the source and purpose of the funds used to purchase and smuggle the illicit arms. As part of their plea agreement, defendants agreed to forfeit nearly $2 million they raised to pay for the weapons, which was seized by the United States. HSI, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy C. Chang, Raymond K. Woo, M. Bridget Minder, and Joseph F. Bozdech for the District of Arizona, and Trial Attorney Leslie C. Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: Former Leader of Panama’s Largest Drug Trafficking Organization Found Guilty of Shipping Hundreds of Kilograms of Cocaine

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The former leader of Panama’s largest drug trafficking organization that conspired to smuggle tons of cocaine into the United States has been found guilty by a jury of a federal narcotics trafficking charge, the Justice Department announced today. Jorge Rubén Camargo-Clarke, 46, a.k.a. “Cool nene,” was found guilty late Thursday of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation. Camargo has been in federal custody since March 2023 when he was extradited from Costa Rica. According to evidence presented at a four-day trial, Camargo was the head of the Bagdad syndicate, the largest drug trafficking organization in Panama. From that position, Camargo directed the actions of approximately 4,000 narcotraffickers in Panama and Colombia, all working in service of his drug trafficking enterprise. Camargo and the Bagdad syndicate controlled the importation and exportation of cocaine along the majority of Panama’s Pacific coast. In 2017 alone, Panama’s national security forces seized approximately 7.9 tons of cocaine from areas in Panama under Camargo’s control. Camargo communicated via Blackberry Messenger with various co-conspirators, including Colombian cocaine sources of supply, to move thousands of kilograms of cocaine north from their source in Colombia to Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and elsewhere. Camargo personally coordinated numerous large-scale cocaine shipments by boat out of Colombia for the purpose of distribution in the United States and elsewhere, and instructed co-conspirators where to deliver, hide, and then transfer cocaine along his supply routes for purposes of moving the cocaine north, for ultimate importation into the United States. Among other seizures, in November 2017, law enforcement in Panama seized more than 200 kilograms (441 pounds) of cocaine from an earth trap in the Rio Caimito area of Panama that Camargo had personally ordered shipped from Colombia to Panama, and that he intended to traffic to the United States. United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. scheduled a June 12 sentencing hearing, at which time Camargo will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. This investigation was led by the Southern California Drug Task Force (SCDTF), a Drug Enforcement Administration-led multi-agency task force within the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program. Substantial assistance was also provided by DEA Panama City Panama, Panama’s Servicio Nacional Aeronaval (SENAN), Panamá Nacional Policia Dirección de Investigación Judicial (PNP DIJ), Panama’s Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias (IMELCF), and Procuraduria General de la Nación, Ministerio Público de Panamá. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Costa Rica to secure the arrest and March 2023 extradition from Costa Rica of Camargo. Assistant United States Attorneys Declan T. Conroy and Jehan Pernas Kim of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this 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. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Former MLB Player Found Guilty of Obstructing Justice and Lying to Federal Officials Investigating Illegal Sports Gambling Ring

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Major League Baseball (MLB) player was found guilty by a jury today of lying to federal law enforcement officials about bets on sporting events that he placed with an illegal gambling operation. Yasiel Puig Valdés, 35, of Miami, was found guilty of one count of obstruction of justice and one count of making false statements. Puig played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cincinnati Reds, the Cleveland Indians, and professional baseball teams in Mexico and South Korea. According to evidence presented at a 13-day trial, in May 2019, Puig began placing bets on sporting events through Donny Kadokawa, a sub-agent of the illegal gambling business run by Wayne Joseph Nix , 49, of Newport Coast. Puig called and sent text messages to Kadokawa with wagers on sporting events. Kadokawa then submitted the bets to the Nix gambling business on Puig’s behalf. By June 2019, Puig owed Nix’s gambling business $282,900 in sports gambling losses. Kadokawa and Benny Bonilla, another person who assisted Puig with payments to Nix, instructed Puig to make a check or wire transfer payable to a Nix gambling business client – Joseph Schottenstein – to whom the business owed at least $200,000 in gambling winnings. On June 25, 2019, Puig withdrew $200,000 from a Bank of America branch in Glendale then purchased two cashiers’ checks for $100,000 each that were made payable to Schottenstein. Puig did not immediately send the checks because of a dispute over the balance and access to Nix-controlled websites used to place sports bets. Nix refused to allow Puig access to the betting websites until Puig’s gambling debt was paid. After Puig paid the $200,000, Nix provided Puig direct access to the betting websites. From July 4, 2019, to September 29, 2019, Puig placed 899 additional bets on tennis, football, and basketball games through the websites. Puig placed many of these bets at MLB ballparks just before and after games in which he played. Puig ran up a gambling debt with Nix’s illegal bookmaking operation of nearly $1 million, a debt he never paid. In January 2022, federal investigators interviewed Puig in the presence of his lawyers. During the interview, despite being warned that lying to federal agents is a crime, Puig lied several times. During the interview, he falsely stated that he “only” knew Kadokawa from baseball and that he never discussed gambling with him, when in fact Puig discussed sports betting with Kadokawa hundreds of times on the telephone and via text message. After agents showed Puig a copy of one of the cashiers’ checks he purchased on June 25, 2019, Puig falsely stated that he did not know the person who instructed him to send $200,000 in cashiers’ checks to Schottenstein. Puig also falsely stated that he had placed a bet online with an unknown person on an unknown website that resulted in a loss of $200,000. In March 2022, Puig sent Bonilla an audio message via WhatsApp in which he admitted to lying to federal agents and to obstructing their grand jury investigation during his interview two months earlier. In 2019, as part of his naturalization process, Puig – a Cuban national – lied on a U.S. government immigration form and while under oath during his naturalization interview by stating that he had never engaged in illegal gambling or received income from illegal gambling. Nix pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal sports gambling business and one count of filing a false tax return. Nix is expected to be sentenced in the coming months. United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee scheduled a May 26 sentencing hearing, at which time Puig will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison on the obstruction of justice charge and up to five years in prison for the false statement charges. Puig remains free on his own personal recognizance. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The HSI agents are part of the El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Juan M. Rodriguez, Michael J. Morse, and Laura A. Alexander of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Mitchell of the Northern District of California.


title: Anthon, Iowa, Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Robert J. Fundermann, 50, from Anthon, Iowa, pled guilty February 5, 2026, to one count of distribution of child pornography, in federal court in Sioux City. At the plea hearing, Fundermann admitted that from about April 2023 through April 2025, he distributed and attempted to distribute visual depictions of child pornography. Evidence further showed that Fundermann was grooming a 17-year-old in order to obtain images and videos of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A forensic review of Fundermann’s phone showed he possessed 54 images and 98 videos of child pornography, involving material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers. The investigation in the case also revealed that Fundermann was previously investigated for soliciting nude images from a minor in 2019. He successfully completed a deferred judgement in that case to a charge of Disseminating Obscene Material to Minor -1st Offense in 2020. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Fundermann remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Fundermann faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-4039. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Repeat Sex Offender Convicted of Child Exploitation Offenses, Including Receiving and Possessing AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: A federal jury convicted a sex offender yesterday of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material and receiving and possessing AI-generated images of child sexual abuse. Cody L. Prater, 28, of McArthur, Ohio, was convicted of four counts related to his receipt and possession of both child pornography and obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. Before trial, Prater challenged his indictment on First Amendment grounds; however, the Court denied his motion, ruling that the possession and receipt of obscene, generative AI material depicting the sexual abuse of children is not constitutionally protected speech. According to evidence presented at trial, Prater received and possessed videos depicting the rape and sadistic sexual abuse of real minors, primarily babies and toddlers. He also used an artificial intelligence text-to-image program to convert his text prompts into photorealistic depictions of child sexual abuse, including bestiality, nude prepubescent children being mutilated and tortured, and children engaged in sexual acts with adults. “Cody Prater created, possessed, and trafficked images depicting the brutal sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, including Artificial Intelligence generated images,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Child sexual abuse material, including that which is AI-generated, causes substantial harm. It further creates depraved and sadistic desires to harm real children. A seminal prosecution goal of the Department of Justice is to protect the innocent. Our children and their families deserve vigorous investigation and prosecution of those who create, share, possess, or otherwise illegally engage with such material.” “Prater collected vile videos of real babies and toddlers being sexually abused and created other AI-generated obscene material involving children,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “We will continue to crack down on those who victimize children through these horrific materials. I commend the investigators and trial team for their outstanding work.” “Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting children from exploitation, whether that abuse is captured in traditional imagery or generated with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit. “This verdict underscores that there is no distinction under the law between child sexual abuse material involving real victims and AI generated depictions of such horrific crimes. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to identify offenders, dismantle the networks that enable this abuse, and ensure that those who prey on children are brought to justice.” The court has not set Prater’s sentencing yet. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on particular charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HSI Detroit investigated the case. Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Tyler Aagard for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/


title: Ohio Man Charged for Threatening to Kill the Vice President of the United States

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – A federal grand jury returned an indictment earlier this week charging a 33-year-old man with threatening to kill the Vice President of the United States during his visit to the Northwest Ohio region in January. Shannon Mathre, of Toledo, is accused of making a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, a successor to the presidency, in violation of Title 18 U.S. Code Section 871(a). In the indictment, he allegedly stated, “I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him.” Mathre was arrested by U.S. Secret Service agents Feb. 6. The grand jury further charges that from about Dec. 31, 2025, to Jan. 21, 2026, Mathre was also engaged in the receipt and distribution of images that visually depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18 U.S. Code Section 2252(a)(2). While investigating the threats allegedly made against the vice president, federal agents discovered multiple digital files of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) in Mathre’s possession. “Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.” “While arresting this man for allegedly threatening to murder the Vice President of the United States, a serious crime in and of itself, federal law enforcement discovered that he was also in possession of child sexual abuse materials,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Thank you to federal, state and local partners in working together to bring justice twofold to this depraved individual.” “Hostile and violent threats made against the Vice President, or any other public official, will not be tolerated in our District,” said David M. Toepfer , the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “Anyone threatening this kind of action will face swift justice and prosecution. We commend the actions of our local and state law enforcement who collaborated with U.S. Secret Service to take this individual into custody.” Mathre made his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Ohio Feb. 6. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 11. If found guilty as charged, Mathre faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 for threatening the life of the vice president. Mathre faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 if found guilty of the CSAM charge. U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio and the U.S. Secret Service Toledo and Cleveland Field Offices made the announcement. An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. The United States Secret Service leads the investigation, with valuable assistance from the Toledo Police Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child

body_text: Jorge Monrroy, 24, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty February 5, 2026, in federal court to one count of sexual exploitation of a child. At the plea hearing, Monrroy admitted that between June 30 and July 2, 2025, he sexually exploited a minor female. Monrroy admitted to providing alcohol to the minor, getting her intoxicated, recording a video of the two having sexual intercourse on the minor child’s phone, and sending the video to himself. Evidence further showed that Monrroy received, possessed, and distributed child pornography. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Monrroy remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Monrroy faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-4050. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Grandmother Who Bought Firearms for Juvenile Grandson Sentenced in Federal Court

body_text: A woman who purchased three firearms for her fourteen-year-old grandson was sentenced on February 4, 2026, to five years of probation. Virginia Prescott, age 64, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the sentence after a July 29, 2025, guilty plea to false statement during purchase of firearm. Information from a plea agreement and sentencing proceedings showed that Prescott bought three handguns from a licensed firearms dealer in Cedar Falls between March and August 2024. Prescott lied on forms during these purchases, claiming that she was the actual buyer of the guns. The guns were for Prescott’s fourteen-year-old grandson, who was not old enough to purchase or possess firearms. All three guns were recovered by law enforcement officers in connection with criminal activity. One gun was linked by ballistics testing to a shots-fired incident that occurred in Waterloo on August 3, 2024. On October 1, 2024, law enforcement agents searched Prescott’s home. She reported that her grandson, who lived in the same household, had threatened to destroy her property and kill her dog if she did not buy a gun for him. Prescott’s grandson was on state probation when she bought guns for him. Prescott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Prescott was sentenced to five years of federal probation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin . Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-2042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Billings man sentenced to over 3 years in prison for multiple gun charges

body_text: BILLINGS – A Billings man, who is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms because of his prior commitment to a mental institution, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for making false statements to obtain firearms and for being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Ryan David Schreder, 45, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to four counts of making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm and one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement began investigating Schreder after repeatedly being told about his escalating behavior. On October 10, 2024, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office obtained and executed a search warrant for Schreder’s residence. They recovered 23 firearms and 1,176 assorted rounds of ammunition, including large capacity magazines, during the search. During ATF’s investigation, it was discovered that between February 11, 2022, and June 18, 2024, Schreder purchased firearms on at least 18 occasions from four different licensed firearms dealers in Billings. Each count of conviction for false statement in acquisition of a firearm represented the transactions made at each of the respective firearms dealers. To obtain the firearms, Schreder knowingly responded untruthfully on ATF Form 4473 (“Firearms Transaction Record”) by answering “no” in response to the question “Have you ever been adjudicated mentally defective OR have you ever been committed to a mental institution.” If a potential buyer answers “yes” in response to this question, a licensed firearms dealer cannot proceed with the sale of a firearm. A licensed firearms dealer has no ability to independently verify the veracity of a response to that question as involuntary commitments are not recorded on criminal history reports in Montana. At least three firearms Schreder purchased have been recovered by law enforcement during investigations into reports unrelated to him. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Vestal prosecuted the case. The ATF and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Illegal Immigrant Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: Jesus Aranda-Martinez, 24, from Mexico, pled guilty on February 6, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City to one charge of possession of child pornography. Aranda-Martinez is a citizen of Mexico and is currently pending removal from the United States. At the plea hearing, Aranda-Martinez admitted that from April 2024 through July 2025, he received, distributed and possessed child pornography. Aranda-Martinez admitted using apps such as TamTam, ICQ, Mega, and Telegram. He further admitted to liking females in middle school or younger. Aranda-Martinez admitted he had received child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over the internet including depictions of children having sex with adults. A forensic review of Aranda-Martinez’s phone showed he engaged in distribution to “send to receive” groups and that he possessed at least 62 images and 42 videos of child pornography. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct with prepubescent minors. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Aranda-Martinez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Aranda-Martinez faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Valley Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-4053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: North Texas Man Indicted on Federal Charges for Threatening to Assault and Murder U.S. President and ICE Agents

body_text: A North Texas man who threatened to assault and murder the United States President and unnamed ICE agents was federally indicted on Tuesday this week, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Francisco Jesus Mena, 36, of North Richland Hills, Texas was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 3, 2026, on ten counts of threatening a federal official. Mena was previously arrested on a federal complaint for this offense and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Harold R. Ray, Jr. on January 7, 2026. Mena is set to appear for an arraignment on the charges in the indictment on February 11, 2026. If convicted, he faces up to 96 years in federal prison. “Any threat against the President, federal officials, and agents will be thoroughly investigated and swiftly prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Some individuals falsely believe that they are immune from criminal penalties by posting vitriol online and not in person. The diligent work of our law enforcement partners time and again uncovers those attempting to hide behind a computer screen.” “The FBI takes online threats to federal officials and law enforcement seriously. Using online platforms to threaten the lives of others does not insulate an individual from consequences. We are committed to thoroughly investigating these crimes,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We ask that the public continue to remain vigilant and report suspicious online activity to law enforcement.” According to the indictment, on several occasions in May 2025, Mena allegedly posted threats on a social media platform, including: The indictment details other instances of Mena’s alleged violent rhetoric. FBI Dallas Field Office - Fort Worth Resident Agency and U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mena is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Stockton Man Convicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: After a two-day trial, a federal jury found Robert Jordan, 52, of Stockton, guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 1, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a silver Infiniti SUV with no license plates that Jordan was driving. In the location where the license plates should have been, the SUV instead had a laminated piece of paper that said “PRIVATE.” During the ensuing traffic stop, Jordan told the officers that he had a pistol in the SUV’s center console. Jordan is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior California felony conviction for attempted murder. The officers searched the center console and found a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver. Jordan was initially charged in San Joaquin Superior Court. Jordan, who is a member of the so-called “sovereign citizen” movement, began harassing government employees in an attempt to intimidate them into dropping his case. His conduct escalated into threats to file frivolous lawsuits and property liens against members of the court and prosecution team. Eventually, Jordan filed more than $10 million in Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) liens against the prosecutor, the judge, and court staff. Later, Jordan was indicted on federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. After firing his court-appointed defense attorney, Jordan chose to represent himself. Jordan was advised about potential consequences of filing frivolous liens against federal employees. Apparently undaunted, Jordan’s obstreperous behavior continued: he refused to withdraw the unjust liens he had filed against the state officials, made further UCC filings naming the federal court and federal prosecutors as potential targets of future liens, and attempted to initiate a seven-figure lawsuit against members of the prosecution team. The Stockton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Charles Campbell are prosecuting the case. Jordan is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Jordan faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting ICE Officers in Lake Worth Beach

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Guatemalan national has been sentenced to federal prison after he assaulted two federal officers attempting to arrest him. U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced Fredy Aureliano Morales-Ramirez, 39, residing in Lake Worth Beach, to one year and one day in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to forcibly assaulting a federal officer. “Assaulting federal officers will never be tolerated here,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These officers were doing their jobs, lawfully executing an arrest warrant, and they were met with violence. Today’s sentence makes clear that if you attack federal law enforcement in South Florida, you will go to prison.” According to court records, on Aug. 13, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officers attempted to execute an arrest warrant for Morales-Ramirez, who was illegally present in the U.S. Officers located Morales-Ramirez during a vehicle stop near his residence. During the stop, Morales-Ramirez refused to comply with officers’ commands, attempted to place his vehicle into drive, and actively resisted arrest by pushing the deportation officers and grabbing their handcuffs. Morales-Ramirez then attempted to flee on foot by exiting through the passenger-side door. The officers pursued Morales-Ramirez and attempted to restrain him. Morales-Ramirez continued to resist, striking the officers on their arms and torsos. With assistance from a deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, officers were eventually able to restrain Morales-Ramirez on the ground. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Field Office Director Kelei Walker of ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), made the announcement. ICE ERO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Ralston prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-80140. ###


title: District of Arizona Charges 139 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Jan. 31 through Feb. 6, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 139 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 84 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 40 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 13 cases against 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Pedro Nunez-Espino . Nunez-Espino was charged by complaint with Re-entry of Removed Alien, Feb. 6, 2026. The defendant was previously removed from the United States on May 3, 2015, and was previously convicted of Possession of Narcotic Drugs for Sale, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County. In that case, Nunez-Espino was sentenced to six months of imprisonment followed by three years of probation. 26-6046MJ, Phoenix. United States v. Pedro Cazares-Diaz. Cazares-Diaz was charged by complaint with Re-entry of Removed Alien, Feb. 4, 2026. The defendant was previously removed from the United States on May 18, 2010, after being convicted of Assault with a Deadly Weapon/Force Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury, and Receiving Stolen Property, felonies, in the Superior Court of California, San Diego, South County Division. In that case, Cazares-Diaz was sentenced to two years of imprisonment and one year and four months of imprisonment, respectively for each count, to be served concurrently. 26-6036MJ, Phoenix. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-023_February 6 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.