title: Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictments in Significant Tax Fraud Cases

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury has returned indictments in two significant tax fraud cases. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the indictments today: Mother and Son Tax Preparers Indicted for Conspiracy to Defraud the U.S. Government of Over $1.4 Million In the first indictment, two Memphis income tax preparers have been charged with multiple criminal violations that resulted in a total tax loss to the United States of approximately $1,438,000.00. According to the indictment, Yoshi Dawn Matthews and Ricky Darnell Matthews were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with filing federal income tax returns that contained materially false statements. A violation of the federal conspiracy statute is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000.00 or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. As alleged in the indictment, Yoshi Dawn Matthews prepared and filed, or caused to be prepared and filed, income tax returns for several taxpayers between February 2019 and January 2023 in which the fuel tax credit was claimed; and DYM Financial Services, an entity operated by her son, Ricky Darnell Matthews, was the platform used to file these returns with the Internal Revenue Service. In many cases, the returns of the taxpayers claiming the fuel tax credit included false assertions that the taxpayer had used hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel. In additional to the conspiracy charge, Yoshi Dawn Matthews and Ricky Darnell Matthews are also charged with making false statements on their own income tax returns. Memphis Business Owner Indicted for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes Collected from Employee's Wages The federal grand jury also returned an indictment charging Julie Robinson Wade with failing to pay over to the Internal Revenue Service employment taxes collected from the wages of employees who worked for a company she owned. Wade owned a company that fabricated and installed granite fixtures such as countertops, showers, and fireplaces. As alleged in the indictment, Wade failed to file the Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns for the period between 2019 and 2021. During those time periods, employment taxes were collected from employees, but no payments were made to the IRS. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Wade failed to truthfully account for and pay over to the IRS all federal income taxes withheld and Medicare and Social Security taxes collected from the employees of her company during the period between 2020 and 2022. The total of the employment taxes not paid to the IRS was approximately $147,676.00. A report date in this case is set for April 21, 2026 before U.S. District Court Judge Brian C. Lea. Each violation is punishable by imprisonment for up to 5 years, a fine of up to $100,000.00 or both, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “During tax filing season and the entire year, we are acting decisively to protect innocent taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury. We commend the outstanding investigative work of IRS-CI in these significant tax fraud cases.” “Dishonest tax return preparers who think they can outmaneuver the tax system should take note that IRS Criminal Investigation will uncover these schemes and work alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold those responsible accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office. “These indictments are a great reminder to those trying to cheat the taxpayers; our team will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who tries to defraud the nation’s tax system.” These cases were investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Murphy is prosecuting these cases on behalf of the United States Government. The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations of criminal conduct, and not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates. Matthews - Indictment Copy.pdf Wade - Indictment Copy.pdf


title: Middlesex County Man Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Old Bridge, New Jersey man was arrested and charged with child pornography offenses, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today. Daniel Berwick, 38, was charged by criminal complaint with two counts of producing child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Berwick made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court today and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In August and September 2025, Berwick persuaded and enticed Minor Victim-1 and Minor Victim-2 to send him photos and video recordings on the social media platform Snapchat that depicted the minors engaged in sexual activity. As part of his scheme, Berwick catfished his victims by presenting himself as a 17-year-old high school student and appropriating the photos and video recordings of an adult content creator. Law enforcement became aware of Berwick after Minor Victim-1 reported him on Snapchat after he threatened to send compromising photos of her to her family and officials at her high school. After searching Berwick’s electronic devices, law enforcement uncovered, among other things at least 1,000 images of child pornography, including prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler, and images portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct. The production of child pornography charges each carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum term of 30 years imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. The possession of child pornography charge carries a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment, which is increased from a maximum of 10 years because at least one image associated with the offense includes a prepubescent minor, and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Offense, under the direction of Prosecutor Linda Estremera, and the Old Bridge Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Thomas J. Montagna, for their assistance in the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Robert C. Scrivo, Esq., Mandelbaum Barrett PC berwick.complaint.pdf


title: Hardin man pleads guilty to possessing child pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BILLINGS – A Hardin man accused of possessing child pornography admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said. The defendant, Randall Allen Flatlip, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, a $17,000 special assessment, a $5,000 special assessment, and not less than five years to a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy C. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set for a later date. Flatlip was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that the government received a tip on July 3, 2022, that someone uploaded a video depicting child pornography to a Google account around June 25, 2022. The email address associated with the account was connected to Flatlip. The subscriber information for the email address included Flatlip’s address in Hardin. When the government searched email accounts associated with Flatlip, they learned several images and videos had been deleted prior to the execution of the warrant. Moreover, law enforcement spoke with an individual that witnessed Flatlip access child pornography on electronic media when living in Hardin. Flatlip was charged with possession child pornography in Utah in 2016, but was not convicted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC . XXX


title: New Yorkers sentenced to federal prison for illegal counterfeit passport operation in the Eastern District of Texas as part of Operation Take Back America

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – Two New York women have been sentenced to federal prison for an illegal counterfeit passport operation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Ciera Julieth Blas, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on April 7, 2026. Kelly Josek, 41, of New York, New York, also pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by Judge Mazzant in January 2026. According to information presented in court, officers with the Flower Mound Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Blas, where Josek was a passenger. During the stop, officers discovered seven U.S. Passport Identification Cards along with accompanying bank cards matching the names identified on the passports. The investigation was turned over to the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service who later discovered that Blas and Josek used the personal identifying information of over 80 other individuals, along with passport-style photos of 12 different individuals, to create counterfeit passport cards bearing their names and images. “This case highlights the significant work of local law enforcement in protecting our communities, and our nation every day,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “In this case, a routine traffic stop was anything but routine. Counterfeit passport cards, and other identifying documents, enable all types of crime from fraud to terrorism. We take these crimes very seriously and we appreciate the Court sentencing Blas to the statutory maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment and Josek to over seven years.” “Today’s sentencing is very welcome and the positive result of several years of unceasing investigative work by the DSS Resident Office in Dallas,” said Ryan Pack, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Houston Field Office. “The significance of the penalty clearly demonstrates how seriously fraud involving the use of counterfeit U.S. passport cards and other official government documents is taken.” This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Flower Mound Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. ###


title: Orange County Man Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating Fraud Scheme that Submitted Nearly $270 Million in Bogus Claims to Medi-Cal

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man has pleaded guilty to submitting nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims over an 11-month span to Medi-Cal for expensive prescription drugs containing generic ingredients that were not medically necessary and, in many instances, not provided to the purported recipients, the Justice Department announced today. Paul Richard Randall, 66, of Orange, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of wire fraud committed while on release. He has been in federal custody since June 2025. “This defendant used a public health program as his personal piggy bank,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “This guilty plea should send a message that this administration — consistent with the President’s war on fraud — will not turn a blind eye while criminals fleece taxpayers.” “Thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Department, working closely with the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, is supercharging efforts to take down every fraudster and bring them to justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “In one day, the Department prosecuted the theft of a half-billion in taxpayer dollars. All those ripping off the American people are on notice.” “The defendant was a repeat fraudster who caused Medi-Cal, a program designed to help those in need, to be billed nearly $270 million for expensive and medically unnecessary medications,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He and his co-schemers stole over $178 million through false and fraudulent claims for these medications, lining their own pockets with public funds. The Criminal Division will aggressively prosecute those who defraud Medicaid and exploit taxpayer-funded benefit programs.” “Schemes that bill Medicaid for costly drugs that patients never needed or received threaten the integrity of the program,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This plea shows our firm resolve, alongside our law enforcement partners, to exposing such fraud operations, ensuring those responsible are held accountable, and safeguarding taxpayer-funded health care programs.” According to his plea agreement, Randall, along with Kyrollos Mekail, 37, of Moreno Valley, and Patricia Anderson, 58, of West Hills, took advantage of Medi-Cal’s suspension of its requirement that health care providers obtain prior authorization before providing certain health care services or medications as a condition of reimbursement. The suspension of the prior authorization requirements was part of an ongoing transition of Medi-Cal’s prescription drug program to a new payment system. Through a business called Monte Vista Pharmacy, Randall and his co-schemers exploited Medi-Cal’s prior authorization suspension by billing Medi-Cal tens of millions of dollars per month for dispensing high-reimbursement, non-contracted, generic drugs through Monte Vista Pharmacy. Some prescription medications purportedly were to treat pain and included Folite tablets, a vitamin available over the counter. Normally, these high-cost reimbursement medications would have required prior authorization under Medi-Cal’s old payment system. Medication involved in this scheme was medically unnecessary, frequently was not dispensed to patients, and procured by kickbacks. From May 2022 to April 2023, Monte Vista billed Medi-Cal more than $269 million and was paid more than $178 million for 19 expensive, non-contracted drugs containing low-cost, generic ingredients that were not medically necessary, not provided, or both. Randall and others then laundered their illicit proceeds by transferring the proceeds of the Medi-Cal fraud scheme to a third party to pay kickbacks to Anderson, to promote the fraud scheme and to conceal and disguise the transfers from detection by law enforcement. Randall admitted in his plea agreement to transmitting by wire at least approximately $269,120,829 in false and fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal for purportedly dispensing the fraud scheme medications that Anderson prescribed, on which Medi-Cal paid at least approximately $178,746,556. United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi scheduled an August 3 sentencing hearing, at which time Randall will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Relatedly, Mekail pleaded guilty in August 2024 to two counts of health care fraud and awaits sentencing. Anderson is charged with two counts of health care fraud. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the FBI, and the California Department of Justice are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Roger A. Hsieh of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Siobhan M. Namazi of the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section are prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters in this case.


title: Mexican citizen sent to federal prison for importing $1.4M worth of cocaine

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 24-year-old foreign national with a B1/B2 visa has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Roberto Ferral-Sanchez pleaded guilty Nov. 25, 2025. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Ferral-Sanchez to serve 48 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard that Ferral-Sanchez was not a lower-level participant in the organization given the amount of narcotics involved. In handing down the sentence, the court noted bringing narcotics across an international border is a critical and risky drug trafficking function. On Sept. 14, 2025, Ferral-Sanchez approached primary lane at the Hidalgo Port of Entry. Authorities referred him to for further inspection where an X-ray of the Chevrolet Cruze he was driving revealed anomalies along the rocker panels on both sides of the vehicle. Law enforcement removed the back paneling and discovered two hidden aftermarket compartments containing approximately 16 sealed and marked bundles. The packages tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 18.7 kilograms and have an estimated street value of approximately $1.4 million. Ferral-Sanchez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Conducts Court-Authorized Disruption of DNS Hijacking Network Controlled by a Russian Military Intelligence Unit

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice and the FBI announced a court-authorized technical operation to neutralize the U.S. portion of a network of small office/home office (SOHO) routers compromised by a unit within Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) Military Unit 26165, also known as APT28, Sofacy Group, Forest Blizzard, Pawn Storm, Fancy Bear, and Sednit. The unit used the routers to facilitate malicious Domain Name System (DNS) hijacking operations against worldwide targets of intelligence interest to the Russian government, including individuals in the military, government, and critical infrastructure sectors. Since at least 2024, GRU actors have exploited known vulnerabilities to steal credentials for thousands of TP-Link routers worldwide. The actors then accessed many of these compromised routers without authorization and manipulated their settings to redirect DNS requests to GRU-controlled servers - i.e. , malicious DNS resolvers. GRU actors were indiscriminate in their initial targeting and manipulation of routers. The actors then implemented an automated filtering process to determine which DNS requests were of interest and warranted interception. For select targets, the GRU’s DNS resolvers provided fraudulent DNS records for specific domains that mimicked legitimate services – including Microsoft Outlook Web Access – to facilitate Actor-in-the-Middle attacks against encrypted victim network traffic. In doing so, the GRU actors harvested unencrypted passwords, authentication tokens, emails, and other sensitive information from devices on the same network as the compromised TP-Link routers. “The GRU’s predatory use of networks in American homes and businesses for its malicious cyber operations remains a serious and persistent threat,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “NSD will continue to use every tool at our disposal to detect such intrusions and expel hostile foreign actors from our Nation’s networks.” “Russian military intelligence once again hijacked Americans’ hardware to commandeer critical data,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “In the face of continued aggression by our nation-state adversaries, the U.S. government will respond just as aggressively. Working with the FBI — and our partners around the world — we are committed to disrupting and exposing such threats to our nation’s cybersecurity.” “Operation Masquerade demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to identifying, exposing, and disrupting the Russian government's efforts to compromise American devices, steal sensitive information, and target critical infrastructure,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of FBI’s Cyber Division. “GRU actors compromised routers in the US and around the world, hijacking them to conduct espionage. Given the scale of this threat, sounding the alarm wasn't enough. The FBI conducted a court-authorized operation to harden compromised routers across the United States. We urge all router owners to take the remediation steps outlined today, because defending our networks requires all of us. The FBI will continue to use its authorities to identify and impose costs on state-sponsored actors who target the American people.” “Operation Masquerade – led by FBI Boston – is the latest example of how we’re defending our homeland from Russia’s GRU which weaponized routers owned by unsuspecting Americans in more than 23 states to steal sensitive government, military, and critical infrastructure information,” said Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI’s Boston Field Office. “The FBI utilized cutting edge technology and leveraged our private sector and international partners to unmask this malicious activity and remediate routers. Now we’re asking everyone who has a router to secure it, update its firmware, and replace it if needed. By working together, we can guard against nefarious nation state actors trying to compromise our national security.” As described in court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the FBI developed a series of commands to send to compromised routers in the United States, designed to collect evidence regarding the GRU actors’ activity, reset DNS settings ( i.e. , remove GRU DNS resolvers and force routers to obtain legitimate DNS resolvers from their Internet Service Providers (ISP)), and to otherwise prevent the GRU actors from exploiting the original means of unauthorized access. As described in court documents, the government extensively tested the operation on firmware and hardware for affected TP-Link routers. Other than stymieing the GRU’s ability to access the routers, the operation did not impact the routers’ normal functionality or collect the legitimate users’ content information. The court-authorized steps to remediate compromised routers can be reversed by legitimate users at any time through factory resets with hardware reset buttons. Legitimate users can also reverse changes by logging into web management pages and restoring desired settings ( e.g. , factory default settings). To better protect themselves, all users of SOHO devices are encouraged to conduct the following remediation steps: Replace End-of-Life and End-of-Support routers; Upgrade to the latest available firmware; Verify the authenticity of DNS resolvers listed in router settings; and Review and implement firewall rules to prevent the unwanted exposure of remote management services. Users are encouraged to navigate to the official TP-Link website and review documentation for their affected routers in the download center to learn more about proper configurations. Users should also ensure their routers are operating the latest firmware and review the End-of-Life product lists to determine if their routers should be replaced. Additional remediation guidance is provided in a separate PSA . The FBI is working with ISPs to provide notice of the operation to users of SOHO routers covered by the court’s authorization. If you believe you have a compromised router, please contact your local FBI field office or file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center . The FBI Boston and Philadelphia Field Offices and Cyber Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section led the disruption effort. Black Lotus Labs ® at Lumen and Microsoft Threat Intelligence provided valuable technical contributions to this announcement. MIT Lincoln Laboratory provided valuable assistance with testing and validation.


title: Drug Dealer Caught with More Than 1 Kilogram of Fentanyl Who Continued Selling Drugs After Absconding Sentenced to Eight Year Prison Term

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Cristian Diaz-Villatoro was sentenced yesterday to eight years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, as well as possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer handed down the sentence. Diaz-Villatoro, 33, a national of Honduras, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 18, 2022. Diaz-Villatoro pleaded guilty on December 10, 2025, to all counts charged in the indictment, including possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to court documents, Diaz-Villatoro sold a Marin County undercover detective several ounces of methamphetamine on multiple occasions in July and August 2022. During that time period, cell phone location information showed Diaz-Villatoro would regularly travel from his residence in Oakland to the open-air drug markets in the Tenderloin in San Francisco, where he would remain for six-hour periods at night. In September 2022, Diaz-Villatoro was arrested and a search of the defendant’s car led to the seizure of more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl and more than 200 grams of methamphetamine, along with large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and a digital scale, as depicted below: After he was indicted by a federal grand jury, Diaz-Villatoro was ordered released on bond. He then fled from the Northern District of California and was a fugitive for approximately 10 months. In May 2024, Diaz-Villatoro was arrested by Oregon State Police with one third of a pound of fentanyl in his car, which he said he was transporting to Portland. Cell phones belonging to Diaz-Villatoro that were seized at the time of his arrest in Oregon contained communications showing him repeatedly coordinating sales of fentanyl and other unknown narcotics while he was a fugitive. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release once his prison term is completed. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared S. Buszin is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum and Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, with assistance from the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Local man sentenced for smuggling illegal aliens in disguised fishing trip

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 47-year-old Corpus Christi man has been ordered to federal prison for attempting to smuggle two illegal aliens through the Intracoastal Waterway, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Christopher Henson pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2025. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Henson to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Henson’s prior smuggling conduct and possession of a firearm on two occasions despite being a felon. The investigation revealed Henson used his boat to bypass interior Border Patrol checkpoints while transporting illegal aliens along coastal waters. He posed trips as fishing excursions, sailing south to pick up illegal aliens at Port Mansfield, then traveling north to dock at locations beyond the checkpoints. On March 30, 2025, authorities were conducting surveillance in an area known as a drop-off point for illegal aliens transported along coastal waterways. They observed Henson preparing to dock his boat. As law enforcement approached, Henson jumped into the water and attempted to flee. Authorities soon took him into custody and discovered a firearm in his jacket. A search of the vessel revealed two illegal aliens who had traveled north with Henson from Port Mansfield. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. U.S. Coast Guard, BP, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Lamont prosecuted the case. This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the DOJ to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood..


title: Former Executive from Marlborough Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud the IRS and Obstruction of Justice

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former accounting and real estate executive in Sudbury was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for a multi-year scheme to cheat the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by getting paid more than $1.6 million in compensation and fringe benefits under the table, all while lying to the U.S. Attorney’s Office about his income to avoid paying restitution he owed to victims of an earlier fraud scheme. Stephen L. Hochberg, 78, of Marlborough, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison, to be followed by three years supervised release. Hochberg was also ordered to pay $2,888,288 in restitution to the IRS, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as to victims of his prior crimes of securities and wire fraud. In January 2026 , Hochberg pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to obstruction of justice. Hochberg was charged in December 2025 . Hochberg and Charles D. Katz , the owner of a Sudbury accounting firm and a real estate company, agreed in as early as 2014 to cheat the IRS. They agreed that Hochberg, who served as the Director of Corporate Services at Katz’s accounting firm and as Chief Operating Officer at Katz’s real estate firm, would be paid significant compensation off the books so that Hochberg would have tax-free income and so that Katz’s firms – CD Katz LLC and Gebsco Realty Corporation – would owe less employment taxes. Over time, Katz paid Hochberg’s family, provided rent-free housing to Hochberg’s ex-wife, paid college tuition for his children and paid personal expenses that Hochberg and his ex-wife charged on corporate credit cards. All told, Katz paid Hochberg at least $1,668,487 in unreported income and avoided taxes of at least $835,105. In 2008, Hochberg was convicted of eight counts of wire fraud and nine counts of securities fraud, for which he was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,791,500 to his victims. In addition to his and Katz’s tax scheme, Hochberg lied to the U.S. Attorney’s Office about his income from Katz’s firms and obstructed the collection of restitution Hochberg owed to victims. Katz was charged and agreed to plead guilty in October 2025. The Court accepted his plea and scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 29, 2026. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Registered Sex Offender to Serve Ten Years in Federal Prison for Repeat Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – GEORGE WALTERS , 78, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “The stiff sentence imposed by the Court justly punishes Walters as a repeat child predator who possessed and shared child porn less than one year after completing federal supervision related to his prior child pornography conviction,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Protecting our children from vile predators will always remain a priority of this office.” According to public records, in September 2025, FBI agents conducted an online undercover investigation to identify individuals possessing and sharing child pornography. Through their investigation, law enforcement identified an internet protocol (IP) address associated with Walters that made several child pornography images and videos available to others through a file-sharing website. Walters is a registered sex offender, having previously been convicted 2010 in the Western District of Oklahoma for possession of child pornography. Most recently, Walters was arrested on October 27, 2025, after law enforcement executed a search warrant on his phone and found child pornography. On November 4, 2025, a federal grand jury charged Walters with possession of child pornography. Walters pleaded guilty on January 6, 2026, and admitted he knowingly possessed child pornography. At the sentencing hearing on April 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Walters to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk cited the Walters’ criminal history and emphasized that Walters committed the offense less than a year after being discharged from supervised release for his prior child pornography conviction. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: National Partnership of Insurance Brokers and its Former Subsidiary Agree to Pay Over $135 Million For Affordable Care Act Enrollment Fraud Scheme

component: Civil Division

body_text: AP of South Florida, LLC (APSF), an insurance brokerage company headquartered in Florida, has agreed to plead guilty for its role in an Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollment fraud scheme. APSF, through its highest-ranking executives, preyed on thousands of vulnerable consumers to fraudulently enroll them into fully subsidized ACA plans, for which the federal government awarded $141.5 million in unwarranted subsidies. In a parallel civil resolution, AssuredPartners, Inc., a national partnership of insurance brokers and the then-parent company of APSF, agreed to pay $107 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting fraudulent ACA health insurance plan applications. AssuredPartners, Inc., is not charged in the criminal information. The Department of Justice announced this case and two others in support of President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud at a press conference in Washington today. “Thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Department, working closely with the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, is supercharging efforts to take down every fraudster and bring them to justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “In one day, the Department prosecuted the theft of a half-billion in taxpayer dollars. All those ripping off the American people are on notice.” The Criminal Case The federal government offers subsidies to help eligible beneficiaries pay for health insurance plans. These subsidies are offered as tax credits to beneficiaries or as payments to insurers as Advanced Premium Tax Credits (APTCs). APTCs are paid directly to insurance plans by the federal government in the form of a payment toward the beneficiary’s applicable monthly premium. A criminal information was filed yesterday charging APSF with one count of major fraud against the United States. APSF has agreed to resolve the criminal charge by pleading guilty and paying restitution of $27.6 million. As part of its plea agreement, APSF admitted that, through certain of its executives and employees, APSF knowingly and intentionally defrauded the federal government. According to court documents, APSF targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and, through “street marketers” working on APSF’s behalf, sometimes offered cash and gift cards to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. APSF enrolled these vulnerable consumers in ACA plans that were fully subsidized by the federal government by submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. As a result of being enrolled in subsidized ACA plans for which they did not qualify, some of these consumers experienced serious disruptions in their medical care or prior insurance coverage under Medicaid or other programs. Some consumers who APSF fraudulently enrolled into fully subsidized ACA plans lost access to free health benefits through Medicaid or local assistance programs, and as a result, these consumers faced increased costs in accessing HIV medication, medication to treat opioid dependence and medication to treat mental health disorders. At times, consumers faced unaffordable co-pays and other costs because APSF enrolled these consumers in plans without regard to the consumers’ medical needs, the availability of other programs (including Medicaid and local assistance programs) and the consumers’ ability to pay out-of-pocket costs. “APSF defrauded the U.S. government in order to line their pockets by exploiting the vulnerable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and its partners are working every day to put an end to corporate malpractice. We are turning off the spigot and other entities ripping off the taxpayer for illicit gain should take note.” “As yesterday’s resolution demonstrates, the Criminal Division will pursue both corporate and individual actors that defraud the United States taxpayer and exploit consumers,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Together with our partners, we previously prosecuted the former President of APSF, who will serve 20 years in prison for his crimes. Yesterday, the Department is announcing that his employer, APSF, has agreed to plead guilty for its role in the scheme and will pay $27 million in restitution. For over a year, APSF made money on the backs of vulnerable consumers and by siphoning money from a critical social safety net meant to protect working families. The conduct was orchestrated by APSF’s highest ranking executive and was pervasive throughout the company. Open and notorious corporate frauds will not be tolerated.” “Exploiting people in crisis to generate profit at the expense of taxpayers is unconscionable,” said Inspector General T. March Bell of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “By manipulating the ACA marketplace and disrupting access to essential treatments, APSF compromised core federal health care protections and inflicted real harm on consumers who relied on those safeguards. HHS‑OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to apply the full scope of our oversight and enforcement authorities to protect taxpayer dollars and consumers.” “Yesterday’s action underscores that companies cannot enrich themselves by manipulating federal health care programs and exploiting vulnerable individuals,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation. “In this case, executives falsified eligibility information to drive millions in improper subsidies, turning a program meant to provide care into a source of illicit revenue. IRS Criminal Investigation traced the flow of funds behind this scheme, and we will continue to pursue those who misuse taxpayer dollars for personal gain.” According to court documents, APSF received commissions and other payments from an insurance company in exchange for enrolling consumers in the ACA plans. In turn, APSF paid a street marketing company in exchange for consumer referrals. To maximize these commission payments, APSF used misleading sales scripts and other deceptive sales techniques to convince consumers to state that they would attempt to earn the minimum income necessary to qualify for a subsidized ACA plan, even when the consumers initially stated to APSF’s insurance agents that they had no income. APSF also bypassed the federal government’s attempts to verify income and other information and deliberately a large volume of applications to Medicaid for various individuals in a way that guaranteed their denial so that they could sign up these same consumers for a fully subsidized ACA plan and maximize commissions. APSF’s former president, Cory Lloyd, was previously convicted at trial in November 2025 for his role in the scheme and sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment . According to court documents, Lloyd began the scheme at a legacy entity. In February 2021, APSF acquired certain assets of that legacy entity. Lloyd then became the President of APSF, where he continued to orchestrate the fraud scheme on behalf of APSF. Evidence presented in Lloyd’s trial showed that, while President of APSF, he received complaints from a medical provider alerting Lloyd that multiple consumers, “who were homeless, were given cash to sign up” for these ACA plans. The provider further complained that: “All of them have opioid addiction and were desperate for money. All of them were unaware they had insurance until the provider tried to get them medications through the county hospital for uninsured patients. These people are worse off than if they had no insurance because they are being asked to pay >$500 per month for their medications.” Evidence presented in Lloyd’s trial also showed that, despite receiving such warnings, APSF continued to fraudulently enroll consumers in fully subsidized ACA plans by “bumping up” their income to make them appear qualified for subsidies. A change of plea hearing for APSF will be set for a later date, where the terms of the plea agreement between APSF and the Department of Justice will be considered by a federal judge. If the plea agreement is accepted by the court, APSF will be sentenced by a federal district court judge at a later date. The government reached its criminal resolution with APSF based on several factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offense conduct; the fact that the fraud began at a legacy entity whose assets were acquired by APSF in February 2021; APSF’s failure to conduct adequate acquisition diligence, oversee the acquired operations, and detect the open and pervasive fraudulent scheme, which allowed the conduct to persist at APSF for approximately 18 months after the asset acquisition; and the pervasiveness of the offense, which involved multiple former APSF employees and former members of its senior executive management, including its President (Lloyd), who personally conducted and promoted the scheme. APSF also did not voluntarily and timely self-disclose the conduct to the Department of Justice but did receive credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct, cooperating with the government’s investigation, and implementing remedial measures. FBI, HHS-OIG and IRS-CI are investigating the criminal case. Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the criminal case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . The Civil Case The False Claims Act settlement resolves allegations that, from February 2021 through September 2022, APSF knowingly submitted false or fraudulent applications for subsidized ACA plans on behalf of thousands of consumers in order to obtain commissions and bonus payments from insurers. APSF contracted with “street marketers” who targeted homeless shelters, bus stops, drug treatment clinics and similar locations. The marketers offered incentives, such as cash or gift cards, to individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans or to provide their personal information so that APSF could submit applications on their behalf. APSF employees then submitted applications falsely representing that the consumers would make a minimum income amount just over the federal poverty line in order to cause the government to pay the highest subsidy amount. APSF employees also knowingly submitted false information to Florida’s Medicaid program in order to generate letters stating that the applicant was denied Medicaid coverage and then used these letters as a qualifying event to trigger a Special Enrollment Period, which allowed APSF to submit applications for ACA plans outside of the normal enrollment periods. APSF employees also evaded the federal government’s attempts to verify information in consumers’ ACA applications by submitting false information in response to inquiries from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services when it sought to verify the false information (including income information) submitted by APSF. Some consumers experienced disruptions in their medical care as a result of being enrolled by APSF in subsidized ACA plans that did not provide coverage for their medical needs. APSF received commissions, bonuses, and/or other payments for consumers it enrolled in ACA plans, and a significant portion of APSF’s revenues from these fraudulently obtained payments flowed up to its then-parent corporation, AssuredPartners. “Federal benefit programs funded by American taxpayers provide an important safety net for vulnerable populations,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Yesterday’s resolution sends the clear message that the United States will hold accountable actors who exploit those programs to enrich themselves at the expense of the public.” “Our office will use all available tools, including the False Claims Act, to confront those who submit false claims under the Affordable Care Act,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “This case exemplifies our dedication to protecting our nation’s taxpayers from fraud.” “This $135 million resolution lays bare a brazen scheme that caused real harm by targeting vulnerable individuals for profit and disrupting their access to critical care,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Because of APSF’s manipulation of individuals’ enrollment statuses, Medicaid and other programs intended to support vulnerable populations were undermined in fulfilling their mission. HHS-OIG will continue to aggressively pursue accountability for those who choose greed over patients and work to protect the integrity of public resources.” The settlement resolves allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower will receive $24.3 million as their share of the recovery in this case. The resolution obtained in the civil matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare 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 Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The civil matter was handled by Attorneys Wendy Zupac and David Wiseman of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Bloor for the Middle District of Florida. The Commercial Litigation Branch’s Fraud Section investigates complex health care fraud allegations and files suit under the civil False Claims Act to recover money on behalf of defrauded federal health care programs. Settlements and judgments under the False Claims Act exceeded $6.8 billion in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025. Working with United States Attorneys, investigative agencies, and whistleblowers, Fraud Section attorneys have recovered more than $85 billion in False Claims Act settlements and judgments since 1986. The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability in the civil settlement.


title: Madison Man Sentenced  for Unlicensed Dealing of Guns

component: Department of Justice

body_text: JACKSON, MS – Madison resident, Harold Keith Temple, was sentenced last week to three years in prison for unlicensed dealing of guns. According to court documents, after receiving a warning from federal agents that dealing in firearms without a license violates federal law, Temple sold more than 700 guns at auctions and other locations. At sentencing, the court noted that several of those guns were later used in crimes or found in the possession of convicted felons and arrested persons. Some of the guns have been found outside Mississippi’s borders—in neighboring states and as far away as El Salvador. Temple was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pled guilty in November 2025. U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi and ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson, made the announcement. “This defendant’s actions showed a complete disregard for public safety—illegally selling guns without a license to convicted felons that resulted in violent crime here in the states and as far away as El Salvador,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “ATF will continue to work alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure these offenders are removed from our communities and held fully accountable in federal court with a significant sentence to be served in prison.” The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline 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: Business Owner Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for $100M COVID-19 Tax Credit Scheme

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS — A Nevada woman was sentenced yesterday to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to defraud the United States by fraudulently claiming nearly $100 million in COVID-19 related employment tax credits. The Department of Justice announced this case and two others in support of President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud at a press conference in Washington today. “Thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Department, working closely with the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, is supercharging efforts to take down every fraudster and bring them to justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “In one day, the Department prosecuted the theft of a half-billion in taxpayer dollars. All those ripping off the American people are on notice.” “Rooting out fraud is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “We will not tolerate wrongdoers who commit fraud schemes that siphon taxpayer dollars to fund lavish lifestyles at the expense of American taxpayers. We are coordinating with IRS Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to stop bad actors and hold them fully accountable.” “This sentencing brings to an end one of the biggest COVID fraud cases our agency has seen,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office. “The Employee Retention Credit was created to support eligible businesses, tax-exempt organizations, and their employees during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. To attempt to steal almost $100M from American taxpayers by exploiting this program is staggering. But IRS Criminal Investigators are the experts at following the money, and through our work we will continue to ensure the integrity of our tax system and these much-needed federal programs by bringing justice to these brazen criminals.” According to court documents and statements made in court, Candies Goode-McCoy, formerly of Las Vegas, conspired with others to file tax returns seeking fraudulent refunds based on the employee retention credit and paid sick and family leave credit, credits which Congress created to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. From approximately June 2022 through September 2023, McCoy filed more than 1,200 tax returns for her own businesses and those of others, which falsely claimed these credits and sought refunds totaling more than $98 million. In total, the IRS paid approximately $33 million as a result of the scheme. Personally, Goode-McCoy received over $1.3 million in fraudulent refunds. She also received approximately $800,000 from clients for filing fraudulent returns. McCoy used the proceeds to pay for vacations, luxury cars and other luxury goods, and to gamble at casinos. Goode-McCoy pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims. In addition to the term of imprisonment, McCoy was ordered to pay the IRS $26,022,188 in restitution. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Chattah and Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory of IRS Criminal Investigation joined in the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case. Trial Attorney John C. Gerardi of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez of the District of Nevada prosecuted the case. ###


title: Charlotte Man Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud Conspiracy And Aggravated Identity Theft In Stolen Check Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison today for his role in a scheme involving stolen checks, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Desmond Aldo McKelvey, 44, was sentenced to 54 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 13, 2025, McKelvey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, and Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees North Carolina, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement. “Mr. McKelvey had plenty of opportunities to realize what he was doing was wrong – he stole checks, created false identification documents, and opened bank accounts in someone else’s name,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This crime is heavy burden on both its victims and our financial system, and we will work hard to prosecute and prevent it.” “The defendant schemed to steal checks, used phony identification, and then redirected the money for personal use,” said Special Agent in Charge Eakins. “IRS-CI will continue its investigative efforts working alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the integrity of our nation’s tax administration system and the American taxpayers.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina who helped bring this investigation to a successful conclusion,” Inspector in Charge Hopkins. “The events of today serve as yet another example of the unending dedication of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners to halt the devastating effects of identity theft.” According to court filings, from June to September 2023, McKelvey and his co-conspirators defrauded financial institutions through a scheme involving stolen checks, including U.S. Treasury checks. McKelvey and others obtained the stolen checks online or through other means, and then used fictitious identification in the names of the victims to whom the checks were payable to open bank accounts. McKelvey then deposited the stolen checks and withdrew the funds before the financial institutions could detect the fraud. The total face value of checks associated with the conspiracy exceeded $900,000. McKelvey will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended IRS-CI and USPIS for their investigation and thanked the Huntersville Police Department for its substantial assistance. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating $270M Medication Reimbursement Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty yesterday to submitting nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims over an 11-month span to California’s Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) for expensive prescription drugs that were medically unnecessary and, in many instances, not provided to the purported recipients. The Department of Justice announced this case and two others in support of President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud at a press conference in Washington today. “Thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Department, working closely with the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, is supercharging efforts to take down every fraudster and bring them to justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “In one day, the Department prosecuted the theft of a half-billion in taxpayer dollars. All those ripping off the American people are on notice.” “The defendant was a repeat fraudster who caused Medi-Cal, a program designed to help those in need, to be billed nearly $270 million for expensive and medically unnecessary medications,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He and his co-schemers stole over $178 million through false and fraudulent claims for these medications, lining their own pockets with public funds. The Criminal Division will aggressively prosecute those who defraud Medicaid and exploit taxpayer-funded benefit programs.” “This defendant used a public health program as his personal piggy bank,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “This guilty plea should send a message that this administration — consistent with the President’s war on fraud — will not turn a blind eye while criminals fleece taxpayers.” “Schemes that bill Medicaid for costly drugs that patients never needed or received threaten the integrity of the program,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This plea shows our firm resolve, alongside our law enforcement partners, to exposing such fraud operations, ensuring those responsible are held accountable, and safeguarding taxpayer-funded health care programs.” According to court documents, Paul Randall, 66, of Orange, along with pharmacist and pharmacy owner Kyrollos Mekail, 37, of Moreno Valley, and nurse practitioner Patricia Anderson, 58, of West Hills, exploited Medi-Cal’s suspension of its requirement that health care providers obtain prior authorization before providing certain medications at the beginning of 2022. Medi-Cal temporarily suspended the requirement as part of a transition to a new payment system. Using a business called Monte Vista Pharmacy, which Mekail owned, Randall and his co-schemers billed Medi-Cal tens of millions of dollars per month for purportedly dispensing high-reimbursement drugs containing cheap, generic ingredients that were manufactured in unique dosages, combinations or package quantities and were not included in the applicable maximum price lists that cap Medi-Cal reimbursements. In furtherance of the scheme, Randall paid illegal kickbacks to patient marketers in exchange for Medi-Cal beneficiary information and thereafter paid illegal kickbacks to Anderson to sign pre-filled prescriptions for 19 high-reimbursement, non-contracted, generic drugs. Anderson never met the patients, reviewed their medical records or otherwise determined that the medications were medically necessary before signing the prescriptions. The medications, which included pain creams and Folite tablets, a vitamin available over the counter, were billed for thousands of dollars each, including approximately $13,424 for one prescription of meloxicam 5 mg, a generic drug that typically costs between $5 and $25 for a 30-day supply in larger dosages. Randall received a portion of Monte Vista’s reimbursements from Medi-Cal, at times equaling approximately 40% of Monte Vista’s profit from the false and fraudulent claims. Randall admitted in his plea agreement that he caused at least $269,120,829 in false and fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal from May 2022 to April 2023, of which Medi-Cal paid at least approximately $178,746,556. Randall also admitted that he committed the offense while on release in another criminal case. Randall and others laundered their illicit proceeds by transferring the money to a third party to pay kickbacks to Anderson in an attempt to conceal the crime from law enforcement. In his plea agreement, Randall agreed to forfeit property obtained from the fraud, including bank account balances exceeding $17 million, three vehicles, seven real properties, and sports memorabilia. To date, the government has seized approximately $126.5 million in assets that Randall and his co-schemers accumulated from the scheme, including $111 million in bank funds and securities, nine luxury vehicles totaling approximately $1 million, nine luxury real properties totaling approximately $13.5 million, and more than $1 million worth of sports memorabilia. Randall pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Relatedly, in August 2024, Mekail pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud and awaits sentencing. In April 2025, Anderson pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud and also awaits sentencing. The FBI, HHS-OIG, and the California Department of Justice are investigating the case. Assistant Chief Niall M. O’Donnell and Trial Attorney Siobhan M. Namazi of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger A. Hsieh for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Dochterman for the Central District of California’s Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters in this case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.


title: Repeat Felon Sentenced To Almost 22 Years In Prison For Gun and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that a repeat felon was sentenced to prison for almost 22 years for illegal gun possession and using a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activities. Terence Gerod McBride, 39, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 20, 2025, McBride pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. “McBride is in his thirties now, but he will be in his sixties when he is released from federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Armed, repeat offenders are being held accountable and serving real time in the federal system. Taking these crimes seriously and removing dangerous people and their weapons from our streets will save countless lives.” According to court documents, on June 15, 2023, around 6:30 p.m., CMPD officers attempted to stop an SUV being driven by McBride, but the defendant refused to stop. As officers followed McBride, the defendant discarded a backpack onto a residential street containing a Glock, model 33, .357 caliber semi-automatic pistol, 17.31 grams of cocaine, and over $20,000 in cash. Six days after the attempted traffic stop, CMPD officers arrested McBride in the driveway of a residence near where the defendant had discarded the backpack containing the firearm. When McBride was arrested, he had a South Carolina ID bearing McBride’s picture but another name. He also had $13,994 in cash on his person. McBride was released on state bond following his arrest. According to court records, McBride later became a suspect in a homicide stemming from a March 17, 2024, shooting in Charlotte. Warrants were issued for McBride’s arrest. McBride was located in New York on August 16, 2024. The defendant was in the front seat passenger of a car that ran a red light. During the subsequent traffic stop, law enforcement recovered two firearms and an amount of cocaine base. McBride was again in possession of fraudulent identification. McBride is in federal custody. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.


title: Emir Balat And Ibrahim Kayumi Indicted For March 7, 2026, Isis-Inspired Attack Outside Gracie Mansion

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Kash Patel, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today an eight-count indictment charging EMIR BALAT and IBRAHIM KAYUMI in connection with their alleged terrorist attack in Manhattan on March 7, 2026. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick. “As alleged, just weeks ago, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi carried out a terrorist attack on the streets of New York,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “They sought to murder multiple innocent victims in the name of ISIS. The brave women and men of the NYPD responded immediately, and Balat and Kayumi were arrested on site. Since their attack, our partners at the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force have uncovered evidence revealing the alleged meticulous planning by the defendants in their attack, including a notebook with detailed attack plans and a storage unit containing explosive residue and bomb-making materials. Today’s indictment is another step in holding the defendants accountable for their alleged conduct. We, the NYPD, the FBI, and our other law enforcement partners will continue to work every day to keep New Yorkers safe.” “These individuals allegedly prepared explosive devices and attempted to detonate them on the streets of New York in the name of ISIS, but their plan failed thanks to the brave police officers who acted quickly,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are determined to protect the homeland from terrorism or other acts of violence, and our partnerships are key to carrying out that mission. We also will make sure anyone who tries to harm our citizens in the name of ISIS, or any other terrorist organization, will face justice.” “As alleged, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi traveled to New York City with IEDs to kill as many people as possible in an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The alleged notes and instructions recovered from their vehicle demonstrate just how much cruelty they had planned. The FBI New York’s Joint Terrorism Task Force continues to work with the NYPD to defend our community against those who wish to cause mass casualties and tragedy.” “Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi planned this attack, transported explosive devices, and came to New York City intending to kill innocent people, as alleged in the indictment,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “What they allegedly set in motion was an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism with the potential for mass casualties. It was stopped because of the quick-thinking, decisive actions of the men and women of the NYPD, who moved toward the threat and took these individuals into custody before more lives were put at risk. I thank our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District for their work in securing this indictment. Anyone who seeks to bring terror to this city will be found, stopped, and held accountable.” As alleged in the Complaint and in the Indictment: [1] The Attack On or about March 7, 2026, a protest called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer” and a counter-protest called “Run Nazis Out of New York City” were held outside of Gracie Mansion in New York, New York. Gracie Mansion is the official residence of the Mayor of New York City. That morning, BALAT and KAYUMI drove from Pennsylvania to Manhattan and parked near Gracie Mansion. They then walked to the site of the protest and counter-protest, and at approximately 12:15 p.m., BALAT ignited and threw an improvised explosive device (“Device-1”) toward the area where the protesters were gathered. Immediately after throwing Device-1, BALAT ran to another location down the block, where KAYUMI passed BALAT a second improvised explosive device (“Device-2,” and together with Device-1, the “Devices”). BALAT ignited and dropped Device-2 on the ground near several NYPD officers and then ran from the scene, jumping over a barricade in the process. NYPD officers tackled and arrested BALAT shortly thereafter, and KAYUMI was arrested nearby moments later. BALAT’s and KAYUMI’s Post-Arrest Statements About ISIS Following his arrest, while en route to the NYPD precinct, BALAT stated to NYPD officers transporting him: “This isn’t a religion that just stands when people talk bad about . . . our prophet. We take action! We take action!”; and “If I don’t do it, someone else will come and do it.” Later, at the NYPD precinct, BALAT requested a piece of paper and, after being given a paper and pen, wrote the following: “All praise is due to Allah lord of all worlds! I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State. Die in your rage yu [sic] kuffar! Emir B.” “Kuffar” is an Arabic term that refers to “non-believers” or “infidels,” and “Die in your rage” is a slogan used by ISIS. When law enforcement officers asked BALAT if he was familiar with the Boston Marathon bombing, and if that was what BALAT had hoped to accomplish, BALAT responded: “No, even bigger. It was only three deaths.” After KAYUMI was arrested and waiting to be placed inside an NYPD vehicle, an individual from the surrounding crowd yelled to KAYUMI and asked, in substance and in part, why KAYUMI had done this. KAYUMI responded, “ISIS.” At the NYPD precinct, KAYUMI stated, in substance and part, that he had watched “radical content” online. Evidence Recovered from the Defendants’ Vehicle Following the Attack, law enforcement officers found the vehicle, registered to BALAT’s relative, that BALAT and KAYUMI had parked a few blocks south of Gracie Mansion. Inside the vehicle, officers recovered, among other things, a long coil of fuse, a notebook (the “Notebook”), and a dashboard camera containing a memory card on which approximately three days of video and audio recordings had been recorded (the “Dashcam Recordings”). The Notebook contained pages of handwritten notes. One page listed “acetone peroxide synthesis” and “TATP explosive.” Other pages listed (i) ingredients and equipment for mixing explosives (for example, “hydrogen peroxide,” “sulfuric acid,” “glass container,” “syringe,” and “glass jar”), (ii) bomb components (for example, “aluminum can 6x” and “a box of bolts ect 2x”), (iii) steps and warnings for constructing a bomb (for example, “now add 25 ml of hydrogen perioxide into GC” and “DO NOT leave in open—the drier it becomes, the more sensitive to pressure, friction, and heat”) and (iv) steps for “detonat[ing] a bomb with burning fuse.” Another page described an apparent alternate plan for an attack by vehicle, including: (i) the “Ideal vehicle” for conducting an attack, which was to be “load bearing,” “large in size,” “reasonably fast,” and “heavy in weight”; (ii) a list of possible “target[s],” including “festivals,” “parades,” “protest,” and “celebrations”; and (iii) “steps to making napalm.” The Dashcam Recordings captured video footage of the defendants’ travel from Pennsylvania to Manhattan on the morning of March 7, 2026, as well as audio recordings of their detailed discussion that morning of how they would conduct the attack, the likely outcome of the attack, whom they were targeting, and their use of social media websites to try to locate one of their intended targets (“Individual-1”). For example: KAYUMI stated, “All I know is I want to start terror bro,” and “I want to petrify these people.” BALAT responded, “Just for safety, as soon as you light it, just do it as soon as possible. Because I was testing the fuses, and some just go really fast sometimes, and some just are a bit slower.” KAYUMI stated, “First call, they’re going to be like this is us targeting [Individual-1].” BALAT responded that he was targeting “the government” and “civilians also.” KAYUMI replied, “Yeah, I know.” BALAT stated, “what I have here is called TATP,” that he had “calculated it,” and that “it’s gonna kill about 8 to 16 people,” or as many as 30 to 60 people if the area was crowded. BALAT instructed KAYUMI on how to throw the bomb and to “hide it” until BALAT gave “a sign.” BALAT further explained, “I’m going to say 3, 2, 1, and I’m going to take it out as fast and controlled as possible. We light it, as soon as you see it going underhand, go in his direction, trying to aim at him and at his feet. And then run to the car. Together.” BALAT discussed that they would be engaging in “martyrdom” and described having left behind a note. The Storage Unit In addition, FBI agents searched a storage unit in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, that BALAT had rented just days before the attack, and recovered residue that a subsequent forensic analysis confirmed contained triacetone triperoxide (“TATP”). The unit also contained bomb-making supplies, including a bottle labeled “12% hydrogen peroxide,” an ingredient of TATP; syringes; a digital scale; gloves; an open package of nuts and bolts; and glass jars similar in appearance to the ones used to build the Devices. In the center of the floor inside the storage unit was a piece of paper containing the handwritten words, “All praise is due to Allah!!! Die in your rage ya kuffar!” Forensic Analysis Finally, a forensic analysis has revealed that Device-1, which BALAT had thrown into the crowd of protesters, consisted of a glass jar wrapped in duct tape and containing nuts, bolts, an energy drink can filled with TATP, and a fuse. TATP is a highly sensitive primary explosive that is colloquially known as the “Mother of Satan”; is extremely sensitive to impact, friction, and heat; and has been used in multiple terrorist attacks over the last decade. Forensic analysis also revealed that Device-2, which KAYUMI had handed to BALAT before BALAT dropped it on the ground near police officers, contained TATP. * * * BALAT, 18, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and KAYUMI, 19, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, are each charged with: (i) conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (ii) provision and attempted provision of material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; (iii) conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; (iv) attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; (v) carrying of explosive materials during the commission of a federal felony, which carries a mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed for the underlying federal felony; (vi) transportation of explosive materials, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; (vii) interstate transportation and receipt of explosives, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and (viii) unlawful possession of destructive devices, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI Newark Field Office, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Jane Y. Chong are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the Counterterrorism Section and paralegal specialist Juan Muñoz. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the charging instruments to date constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.


body_text: A Nevada woman was sentenced yesterday to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to defraud the United States by fraudulently claiming nearly $100 million in COVID-19 related employment tax credits. The Department of Justice announced this case and two others in support of President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud at a press conference in Washington today. “Thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Department, working closely with the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, is supercharging efforts to take down every fraudster and bring them to justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “In one day, the Department prosecuted the theft of a half-billion in taxpayer dollars. All those ripping off the American people are on notice.” According to court documents and statements made in court, Candies Goode-McCoy, formerly of Las Vegas, conspired with others to file tax returns seeking fraudulent refunds based on the employee retention credit and paid sick and family leave credit, credits which Congress created to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. From approximately June 2022 through September 2023, McCoy filed more than 1,200 tax returns for her own businesses and those of others, which falsely claimed these credits and sought refunds totaling more than $98 million. In total, the IRS paid out approximately $33 million as a result of the scheme. Personally, Goode-McCoy received over $1.3 million in fraudulent refunds. She also received approximately $800,000 from clients for filing fraudulent returns. McCoy used the proceeds to pay for vacations, luxury cars and other luxury goods, and to gamble at casinos. Goode-McCoy pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims. In addition to the term of imprisonment, McCoy was ordered to pay the IRS $26,022,188 in restitution. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada joined in the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case. Trial Attorney John C. Gerardi of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez of the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.


title: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Issues Memorandum on the Creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche today released a Memorandum on the Creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. Read the full memo . The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The attorneys in the National Fraud Enforcement Division will work every day to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it. Department of Justice efforts support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Guatemalan Human Smuggler Pleads Guilty for Role in 2021 Mass Casualty Event in Chiapas, Mexico

body_text: A Guatemalan national charged in connection with the Dec. 9, 2021 mass casualty event in Chiapas, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to human smuggling charges related to the crash of a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens — many of them Guatemalan nationals — which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more. According to the factual summary entered into the record and court documents, Daniel Zavala Ramos, also known as “Dany ZR,” 42, of Guatemala, acknowledged that he conspired with other smugglers to transport undocumented aliens, both adults and unaccompanied minors, from Guatemala though Mexico to the United States. Zavala Ramos and his co-conspirators recruited Guatemalan aliens, collected payment and arranged for the aliens to travel by foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks and tractor-trailers. Daniel Zavala Ramos was extradited from Guatemala in 2025 to face charges. The factual summary further provided that aliens paid Zavala Ramos and his co-conspirators to be smuggled to the United States. In some cases, Zavala Ramos and his co-conspirators provided scripted language for unaccompanied minors to use if apprehended by U.S. immigration authorities. During the conspiracy, on Dec. 9, 2021, Zavala Ramos and his co-conspirators arranged for the aliens they were smuggling to the United States to be loaded into a tractor trailer that was to transport the aliens through Mexico. The tractor trailer ultimately crashed north of the Guatemala/Mexico border near Tuxtla Guiterrez, Chiapas, Mexico, resulting in the death of 56 people. Over 100 other illegal aliens were injured, some very seriously. Zavala Ramos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an undocumented alien to the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injury and resulting in death. Zavala Ramos will be sentenced on July 7 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HSI’s Counter Proliferation Investigations Group in Washington D.C. investigated the case in partnership with HSI Guatemala and HSI Mexico. Valuable assistance was provided by HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit; HSI Houston; HSI Laredo; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s International Interdiction Task Force; U.S. Border Patrol; Liberty County Constable, Precinct 6; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division; and the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of the defendants. Guatemalan prosecutors from the Office of Public Ministry and Mexican prosecutors from the Republic of Mexico’s Federal Prosecutions Office, with the support of law enforcement officials from both countries, were also instrumental in furthering the investigation. Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Lou Castillo and Jennifer Day for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from HRSP Latin American Specialist/Historian Joanna Crandall. The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 450 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 395 U.S. convictions; more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: Mexican National Extradited from Canada Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican National pleaded guilty today for conspiring to distribute and distributing narcotics in and around Portland after being extradited from Canada. Fernando Adolip Cruz-Lerma, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Cruz-Lerma conspired with others to engage in drug trafficking. In April, Cruz-Lerma transported a victim from the state of Washington to Clackamas County due to a drug debt that the victim owed to members of the drug trafficking conspiracy. The victim was killed by members of the drug trafficking conspiracy in furtherance of the conspiracy. Cruz-Lerma assisted with leaving the victim’s body along a rural road in Clackamas County after the victim had been killed. In May 2019, Cruz-Lerma distributed approximately two pounds of methamphetamine. On June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a superseding indictment charging Cruz-Lerma with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances and to use a communication facility and distribution of methamphetamine. Cruz-Lerma faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $10 million. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on July 8, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge. As part of the plea agreement, Cruz-Lerma has agreed to pay restitution in full. Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal has previously been sentenced as part of this investigation. U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford of the District of Oregon made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Portland Police Bureau, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Canadian authorities to secure the arrest and July 2024 extradition of Cruz-Lerma from Canada. CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced For Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jorge Alberto Mejia Rodriguez, a/k/a Alberto Mejia, a/k/a Jorge Mejia, age 45, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. On January 21, 2026, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on November 17, 2025, Rodriguez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 27, 2018, and August 23, 2014. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.