title: Federal Jury Convicts Man of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

body_text: MARQUETTE – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that a federal jury convicted Kyle Lee Dean, (45, L’Anse, Michigan) of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Dean will be sentenced in 2026. On January 20, 2024, Dean went to the victim’s house that is inside the L’Anse Reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, got into a fist fight, and then stabbed the victim nearly a dozen times. Based on the testimony at trial, but for the work of first responders and the doctors at Baraga County Memorial Hospital and Upper Peninsula Health System (UPHS) – Marquette, the victim would have died from his injuries. “My office will work tirelessly to prosecute those people who commit violent crimes within Indian Country,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “We prioritize ensuring that our tribal communities are safe and will hold individuals like Dean accountable to ensure that safety.” “FBI Detroit works tirelessly to investigate violent crimes committed on Indian Reservations. The conviction of Kyle Dean for his brutal and malicious attack within the L’Anse Reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community sends a clear message that the FBI will be relentless in pursuing those who bring harm to tribal communities and securing justice for their victims,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the partnership and dedicated investigative work from the members of our FBI Marquette Resident Agency, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police, the Village of L’Anse Police, and the Michigan State Police. We also recognize the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for securing this important conviction.” The FBI, Michigan State Police, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police, and Village of L’Anse Police investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hanna Rutkowski and Theodore Greeley are prosecuting it. # # #


title: United States uses civil asset forfeiture to recover nearly $1.7M for victims of cryptocurrency investment scam

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has recovered and cleared title to 420,740.422314 USDT, also known as “Tether,” and 1,249,996.15 BUSD, also known as “Binance USD,” representing cryptocurrency investment fraud proceeds and property involved in money laundering, using civil asset forfeiture. Both USDT and BUSD are forms of cryptocurrency equivalent in value to the dollar. The United States is now in the process of returning that property to the victim. According to court documents, the perpetrators of the fraud scheme contacted one victim by text message and the other victim through social media. These unsolicited contacts were purported to be accidental, but after the victims responded the perpetrators enticed the victims into continuing the communications and eventually convincing them to move to an encrypted chat application. The perpetrators then earned the victims’ trust before encouraging them to “invest” in cryptocurrency using a spoofed investment website. Although the website mimicked a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform, the spoofed site funneled the victims’ funds to the fraud perpetrators. The site falsely represented that the victims’ “investments” were making sizeable gains. When the victims attempted to make any significant withdrawals, however, the perpetrators coerced the victims to send more money, using tactics such as claiming the victims owed taxes and fees on their “profits.” Ultimately, the perpetrators never let the victims withdraw anything more than trivial amounts and stole the victims’ money. After receiving the victims’ funds, the perpetrators laundered the victims’ funds by conducting a series of complicated transactions and making quick exchanges of one type of cryptocurrency to another in an attempt to hide the funds. Agents with the United States Secret Service seized 420,740.422314 USDT and 1,249,996.15 BUSD from three cryptocurrency wallets. The United States began a civil forfeiture action against the seized funds by publicly filing a civil forfeiture complaint in U.S. District Court. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; William Mancino, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Criminal Investigative Division; and Meghan Dubea, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Raleigh Resident Office, made the announcement. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cv-713.


title: Illinois Men Face Additional Charges for Health Care Fraud and  Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Two Illinois brothers were indicted yesterday in a superseding indictment on charges related to a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid and private health care insurers and for participating in a money laundering conspiracy with the fraud proceeds. “These defendants are charged with a brazen scheme to steal nearly $300 million from vital health care programs by taking advantage of the fear and panic of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These charges make clear that the Criminal Division will never rest in its pursuit of those who try to exploit the most vulnerable members of our society, the elderly and the disabled, for their own personal gain." “The defendants chose to enrich themselves and deprive the most vulnerable members of society from much needed assistance designed by the U.S. Government to provide critical relief efforts,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “Health care fraud affects everyone — it costs taxpayers millions of dollars, contributes to rising health insurance premiums, and depletes resources from our vital health care system. The FBI is committed to working with all our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that anyone who dares to exploit government programs intended to assist the American people will be held fully accountable under federal law.” “Allegedly billing almost $300 million dollars to taxpayer-funded and private health care programs for services that were never provided is a staggering abuse of resources,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “These charges demonstrate HHS-OIG’s unwavering resolve to hold accountable those who exploit federal health care programs and betray the public trust.” According to court documents, Minhaj Feroz Muhammad, 37, and Sufyan Feroze, 35, both of Naperville, owned and controlled, sometimes through straw owners, four clinical laboratories located in Illinois and California. Their scheme allegedly sought to defraud Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers by submitting fraudulent claims of over $293 million for COVID-19 laboratory testing services that were never provided, for which insurers paid at least approximately $65 million in reimbursements. Additionally, as alleged in the superseding indictment, the defendants participated in a money laundering conspiracy by transferring fraud proceeds between laboratories and other businesses controlled by the defendants, ultimately using the funds to purchase real estate, including luxury developments overseas, gold bars, luxury watches and luxury vehicles. Each defendant has been charged with six counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Feroze has also been charged with one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property in excess of $10,000. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each health care fraud charge and 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge. If convicted, Feroze faces an additional 10 years in prison on the engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Kelly M. Warner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the 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 nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 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 . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New York Woman Charged with Smuggling Aliens from Canada for Profit

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Stacey Taylor, 42, of Plattsburgh, New York, appeared for an arraignment Monday after a federal grand jury in Albany returned an indictment on Oct. 2 charging her for her role in an international alien smuggling conspiracy that brought aliens primarily from India into the United States across the northern border. According to court records, U.S. Border Patrol agents interdicted the defendant’s vehicle near Churubusco, New York, in the early morning hours of Jan. 20. Upon encountering the defendant, U.S. Border Patrol located four foreign nationals inside her vehicle. Agents then determined the four men, three Indian nationals and one Canadian national, had just crossed the U.S.-Canadian border illegally, without inspection, in the freezing cold. When law enforcement later examined the defendant’s cellphone, they observed text messages that indicated that the defendant had been involved in multiple other smuggling ventures in the days prior. Since her January 2025 arrest, the defendant was subsequently stopped in a suspected alien smuggling venture in August 2025, and was implicated in alien smuggling as recently as September 2025. According to the indictment, Taylor is charged with conspiring with others to engage in alien smuggling, and four counts of alien smuggling for profit, with three counts being second or subsequent offenses. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison per count of alien smuggling for profit, and additional time for second and subsequent offenses. Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York made the announcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Rouse’s Point and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol Champlain Station are investigating the case. HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington D.C. and CBP’s International Interdiction Task Force provided significant assistance. The investigation is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating within the Americas that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, the Northern District of New York, the District of Vermont, and the Southern District of Florida. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 Neighborhoods . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


body_text: Stacey Taylor, 42, of Plattsburgh, New York, appeared for an arraignment Monday after a federal grand jury in Albany returned an indictment on Oct. 2 charging her for her role in an international alien smuggling conspiracy that brought aliens primarily from India into the United States across the northern border. According to court records, U.S. Border Patrol agents interdicted the defendant’s vehicle near Churubusco, New York, in the early morning hours of Jan. 20. Upon encountering the defendant, U.S. Border Patrol located four foreign nationals inside her vehicle. Agents then determined the four men, three Indian nationals and one Canadian national, had just crossed the U.S.-Canadian border illegally, without inspection, in the freezing cold. When law enforcement later examined the defendant’s cellphone, they observed text messages that indicated that the defendant had been involved in multiple other smuggling ventures in the days prior. Since her January 2025 arrest, the defendant was subsequently stopped in a suspected alien smuggling venture in August 2025, and was implicated in alien smuggling as recently as September 2025. According to the indictment, Taylor is charged with conspiring with others to engage in alien smuggling, and four counts of alien smuggling for profit, with three counts being second or subsequent offenses. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison per count of alien smuggling for profit, and additional time for second and subsequent offenses. Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York made the announcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Rouse’s Point and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol Champlain Station are investigating the case. HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington D.C. and CBP’s International Interdiction Task Force provided significant assistance. The investigation is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating within the Americas that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, the Northern District of New York, the District of Vermont, and the Southern District of Florida. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 Neighborhoods .


title: Ecuadorian National Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering U.S. after Sex Assault Conviction

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ROBERTO MUY, 35, a citizen of Ecuador last residing in Torrington, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported. According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2006, Muy was admitted to the U.S. using a fraudulent visitor visa under the alias of a Peruvian citizen. In June 2012, he was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in Torrington of sexual assault of a minor in the second degree, and was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration, suspended after 15 months, and 25 years of probation. In June 2013, Muy was removed to Ecuador. Muy illegally reentered the U.S. and, on November 9, 2024, was arrested by the Torrington Police Department and charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drug. On March 18, 2025, he was sentenced in state court to two years of incarceration for violating his state probation related to his 2012 conviction, and a concurrent two days of incarceration for the 2024 motor vehicle offense. Muy has been detained since his arrest. He pleaded guilty to illegal reentry on August 18, 2025. This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary G. Vitale. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Terrebonne Parish Man Guilty of Illegal Drug and Firearm Possession Charges

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on November 18, 2025, QUINCEY MCKINLEY , age 46 of Terrebonne Parish, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Judge Africk scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2026. According to court records, after the execution of multiple search warrants, large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, along with numerous firearms, were located in two residences maintained and used by MCKINLEY. MCKINLEY is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction. At sentencing, as to the drug charge, MCKINLEY faces up to twenty years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the gun charge, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Both counts also carry a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation Into Fatal Shooting

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a Deputy United States Marshal for a fatal shooting that occurred on June 12, 2025, and fatally injured a 42-year-old District resident at the intersection of 7 th and L Streets, NW. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, crime-camera footage, Body Worn Camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, and reports from MPD. According to the evidence, on June 12, 2025, a Deputy United States Marshal encountered Marco Mosley. Mr. Mosley was operating a black Tahoe and the deputy was operating a pickup truck. After Mr. Mosley pulled his vehicle to the side of the road, he and the deputy conversed briefly. At that point, Mr. Mosley retrieved a handgun from his waist area and began to point it at the deputy. The deputy immediately retrieved his service weapon and fired shots at Mr. Mosley. Mr. Mosley was struck in the head. Despite lifesaving efforts by law enforcement and an emergency medical team, Mr. Mosley succumbed to his injuries and died at the scene. After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully violated the civilian’s rights. Investigations generally The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.


title: Former Cuban Military Sergeant Sentenced to Federal Prison in Pandemic Benefits Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A former sergeant in the Cuban military, who obtained fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans and recruited others to do so, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, to four years in federal prison. Yovany Ciero, age 48, from Mason City, Iowa, formerly of Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela, received the prison term after a May 8, 2025, jury verdict finding him guilty of three counts of wire fraud, 23 counts of money laundering, one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Evidence at Ciero’s trial and sentencing showed that Ciero is a former sergeant in the Cuban military who crossed the Mexican border nearly twenty years ago after his request for a visa to enter the United States was denied. In 2020, Ciero was working at an Algona meatpacking plant when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Beginning in July 2020, Ciero and over one hundred other immigrants from Cuba obtained fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by falsely claiming that they were self-employed and each had earned approximately $100,000 in gross income in 2019 when they actually worked at the meatpacking plant or elsewhere. Ciero was one of six “bundlers” in the fraudulent PPP loan scheme. Ciero’s role was to recruit individuals into the scheme, obtain their personal identifying information for the fraudulent loan applications, and then pass that information to others who submitted the fraudulent loan applications to lenders who were participating in the PPP. The evidence established that over $4 million in fraudulent loan PPP applications were submitted, and the government lost over $2.4 million as a result. Once the individuals received their fraudulent PPP loan funds, typically $20,000 each, Ciero served as a “funnel” in a money laundering conspiracy. Ciero collected fees that the organizers of the scheme charged the applicants, typically $3,000 per $20,000 fraudulent loan. Ciero also obtained two fraudulent PPP loans for himself and his paramour. Ciero used most of this PPP loan money to purchase a semi-truck. After obtaining the PPP money, Ciero also obtained a Federal Housing Administration loan for the purchase of a home in Mason City. The district court judge found that Ciero had obstructed justice when he testified falsely at trial. Ciero is the fifth former Iowa meatpacking plant worker sentenced in the PPP scheme: ● In December 2024, Dinneris Matos Delgado, age 41, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, formerly of Storm Lake and Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to ten months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $60,744 in restitution, after she pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. ● In December 2024, Ada Irma Rodriguez Fontaine, age 59, from Auburndale, Florida, formerly of Storm Lake, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $75,417 in restitution, after she pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. ● In May 2025, Yordanis Perez Velazquez, age 41, from Tampa, Florida, formerly of Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to five months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $111,195 in restitution, after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. ● In July 2025, Maikel Sanchez Garcia, age 44, from Tampa, Florida, formerly of Algona, Iowa, and Cuba, was sentenced to 11 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $138,662 in restitution, after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Ciero was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Ciero was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $212,293 in restitution to the SBA. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Ciero is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy L. Vavricek and Daniel A. Chatham and investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Storm Lake Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-3013. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR ROLE IN INTERSTATE DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Charlie N. Steans, 58, of Pensacola, Florida, and of Texas City, Texas, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine between Texas and Escambia County, Florida. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent collaborative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to stop this individual from continuing to flood our streets with deadly drugs. My office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions and substantial prison sentences for drug traffickers, like this defendant, as part of the Homeland Security Task Force’s whole-of-government approach to eliminating and eradicating organized criminal enterprises that threaten the safety of our communities.” Court documents reflect that Steans was caught at a Greyhound Bus Station in Houston, Texas, with approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and one kilogram of cocaine hidden in his luggage in early 2023. He was able to bond out of a Texas state jail after being caught only to be arrested again in late-2024, this time on a Greyhound Bus in Mississippi heading toward Pensacola, Florida, with nearly 4 kilograms of cocaine in his possession. At that point, law enforcement from multiple jurisdictions connected Steans to being an interstate transporter of large amounts of drugs between Texas and Florida with the drugs destined for Pensacola. Steans was then taken into federal custody based on charges out of the Northern District of Florida. “Our agents and law enforcement partners will continue to fight those trafficking poisons into our Florida communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Whether by bus, tractor trailer, plane, or boat, we will find you and bring you to justice.” The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Pensacola Police Department; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Two Thurston County men appear on federal charges involving brutal assault on JBLM

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – Two Lacey, Washington, men – both former members of the military – will appear in federal court in Tacoma today at 1:30 PM on a criminal complaint filed in June following a brutal assault on Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM), announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Charles Ethan Fields, 27, and Levi Austin Frakes, 27, have been in custody in Thurston County since their arrest on June 2, 2025. The men are charged federally with robbery, assault, and theft of government property. According to the criminal complaint, the men entered JBLM around 8PM on June 1, 2025. About an hour after that, a member of the Army discovered them in the Ranger compound. The men were masked and had Army property arrayed around them. When questioned, the men started fighting with the Army member and beat him on the head and torso with a hammer. The victim was able to gain control of the hammer, only to have one of the men pull a knife and brandish it at the victim. The men – later identified as Fields and Frakes, ran from the Ranger compound, and dropped some of the items they allegedly were trying to steal. Investigators collected evidence at the scene of the thefts and assault and determined the men were trying to steal about $14,000 in government property. The men were traced to an address in Lacey and law enforcement obtained a warrant to search the residence. Inside they found weapons and military property, including night vision devices, ballistic plates and plate carriers, and helmets; military munitions; and military explosives such as blasting caps, flashbangs, and smoke grenades. Some of the items are restricted and not allowed to be owned or stored in a private residence. Officers also recovered $24,000 in cash. Assault and theft of government property are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Robbery is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is being investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marci L. Ellsworth.


title: North Dakota Company Sentenced on Clean Air Act Violation

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: BISMARCK –United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced today, pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement, U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor sentenced Targa Badlands LLC, a company which does business in North Dakota, to: 1) three years of probation; 2) 500 hours of community services to the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation; 3) payment of a $500,000 fine on a National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (“NESHAP”) Clean Air Act violation; and 4) $400.00 in special assessments. Targa Badlands LLC pleaded guilty to this offense on February 18, 2025. As stated in the criminal information and plea agreement, Targa Badlands LLC operates six natural gas compressor stations on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Between 2018 and 2022, Targa Badlands LLC operated the Johnson Compressor Station, located in Dunn County, North Dakota, but failed to timely install continuous parameter monitoring systems on two Johnson Compressor Station engines when required to do so under NESHAP. Continuous parameter monitoring systems monitor and collect data on temperature and pressure for engine operations to ensure the catalyst is being utilized properly, thus ensuring the engine not producing excess emissions. Failure to timely install a required continuous parameter monitoring system can lead to increased hazardous air pollutants being released into the environment. Additionally, as described in the plea agreement, on two prior occasions, in 2019 and 2021, Targa Badlands LLC had previously agreed to pay civil penalties to the United States—and entered into Consent Agreement and Final Order’s with the EPA—for separate NESHAP violations pertaining to natural gas compressor stations it operates on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Finally, as noted in the plea agreement, Targa Badlands LLC self-identified, self-reported, and corrected the failure to timely install continuous parameter monitoring systems at the Johnson Compressor Station and has since adopted an implemented policy and procedural best practices to improve its environmental permit review and implementation requirements. “Today’s sentence underscores the importance of enforcing our environmental laws, which protect the land, water, and communities,” said US Attorney Chase. “At the same time, we recognize that Targa Badlands LLC took responsibility for its actions and self-reported the violation. Natural gas production is vital to our state’s economy, and it must be done responsibly. This case demonstrates that we can support strong energy production while holding companies accountable when they fall short of their legal obligations.” This case was investigated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek. # # #


title: Thibodaux Resident Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft, Providing False Statement to Firearms Dealer, and Providing False Statement to Federal Agency

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRETT GABRIEL , age 32, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, was sentenced on November 19, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. According to court documents, BRETT GABRIEL used stolen identity information to purchase a firearm and to obtain fraudulent paycheck protection program loan proceeds administered by the federal government. The defendant was sentenced to twenty-seven months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of three hundred dollars. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Secret Service, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . * * *


title: Florida, Virginia Residents Indicted in $26 Million Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Orlando, Florida, and a resident of Vienna, Virginia, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The six-count Indictment named Trevaughn J. Yearwood, a/k/a Larry Wood, 28, of Florida, currently in custody in the Clearfield County Jail on unrelated state charges, and Amit Kumar Jain, a/k/a Buddy Patel, 46, of Virginia, as defendants. According to the Indictment, which was unsealed following Jain’s arrest today in Virginia, Jain and Yearwood conspired to defraud senior citizens in Western Pennsylvania and throughout the United States in an elder fraud scheme in which conspirators used deceptive emails that led victims to give Yearwood, Jain, and their co-conspirators tens of thousands of dollars in cash or to make substantial deposits of cash into bitcoin ATMs. The Indictment alleges that, between January 2024 and August 2025, Jain and his co-conspirators operated fictitious entities through which Jain and others laundered approximately $26 million of victim funds through accounts held at a Vienna, Virginia, bank. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both for Jain, and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both for Yearwood. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Mt. Lebanon (Pa.) Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Wilkinsburg Resident Charged with Production and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of Minors

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of production and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The two-count Indictment named Anton Reed Sr., 33, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about July 8, 2022, Reed produced visual depictions of the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment also charges Reed with possessing, from on or about December 10, 2022, until on or about September 8, 2025, videos and still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent and under the age of 12 years. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $750,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, and Wilkinsburg Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Former Senior DEA Official Indicted For Conspiring To Provide Material Support To A Foreign Terrorist Organization

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation ("IRS-CI"), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging PAUL CAMPO and ROBERT SENSI with narcoterrorism, terrorism, narcotics distribution, and money laundering charges. CAMPO and SENSI were arrested yesterday afternoon in New York. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe. “As alleged, Paul Campo and Robert Sensi conspired to assist CJNG, one of the most notorious Mexican cartels that is responsible for countless deaths through violence and drug trafficking in the United States and Mexico,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As part of that support, the defendants laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars they believed to be CJNG drug proceeds, agreed to launder millions more, and even agreed to use their financial expertise to facilitate cocaine trafficking right here in New York City. By participating in this scheme, Campo betrayed the mission he was entrusted with pursuing for his 25-year career with the DEA. CJNG is a violent and corrupting criminal enterprise that New Yorkers want broken. I commend the extraordinary efforts of the DEA in aggressively pursuing CJNG and those who support their deadly and corrupt efforts, no matter who they may be.” “The indictment of former Special Agent Paul Campo sends a powerful message: those who betray the public trust—past or present—will be held to account to the fullest extent of the law,” said DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole. “The alleged conduct occurred after he left DEA and was unrelated to his official duties here, but any former agent who chooses to engage in criminal activity dishonors the men and women who serve with integrity and undermines the public’s confidence in law enforcement. We will not look the other way simply because someone once wore this badge. There is no tolerance and no excuse for this kind of betrayal.” “It’s alleged Campo betrayed the public’s trust in support of a violent organization like CJNG, but today's indictment demonstrates that criminals who traffic in narcotics and launder illegitimate profits can't evade detection from IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. “This is a significant step towards holding the Campo and his coconspirator accountable for their role in conspiring to hide millions of dollars gained from narcotics distribution.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment: [1] CJNG is a Mexico-based transnational criminal group overseen by Nemesio Ruben “El Mencho” Oseguera-Cervantes that controls a significant portion of the narcotics trafficking trade. CJNG illicitly transports cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other controlled substances into the United States. CJNG also engages in money laundering and other criminal activities, including acts of violence and intimidation. On February 20, 2025, the United States Secretary of State designated CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. PAUL CAMPO worked for the DEA for approximately 25 years, first as a Special Agent in New York and eventually rising to become a high-level DEA official, specifically the Deputy Chief of the Office of Financial Operations. CAMPO retired from DEA in or about January 2016. In late 2024, ROBERT SENSI began meeting with a confidential source working at the direction of law enforcement (“CS-1”), who was posing as a member of CJNG. SENSI told CS-1 that he had a friend who used to be in charge of DEA’s financial operations who could assist CJNG by laundering narcotics proceeds and providing CS-1 with sensitive DEA information about sources and investigations. After these initial meetings, CAMPO and SENSI together met with CS-1 on several occasions. During these conversations, CAMPO and SENSI agreed to launder money for CS‑1 by, among other things, converting cash into cryptocurrency and making investments in real estate. CAMPO and SENSI further advised CS-1 about fentanyl production and explored procuring commercial drones and military-grade weapons and equipment for CJNG, including AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, M4 carbines, M16 rifles, grenade launchers, and rocket-propelled grenades. As part of these discussions, CAMPO and SENSI often boasted about and relied heavily on CAMPO’s prior federal law enforcement experience and expertise regarding financial investigations and drug cartels. Regarding the drones, in one meeting, CS‑1 explained to CAMPO, “what we do with the drones, we put explosives and we just send it over there, boom”; in another conversation, CS‑1 asked SENSI how much C-4 explosive the drones could carry, to which SENSI responded, in sum and substance, approximately six kilograms, which is enough to “blow up the whole f------ . . . I don’t want to say.” As part of the scheme, CAMPO and SENSI agreed to launder approximately $12,000,000 of CJNG narcotics proceeds; laundered approximately $750,000 by converting cash into cryptocurrency; and provided a payment for approximately 220 kilograms of cocaine on the understanding that the payment would trigger the distribution and sale of the narcotics worth approximately $5,000,000, for which CAMPO and SENSI would (i) receive directly a portion of the narcotics proceeds as profit; and (ii) receive a further commission upon the laundering of the balance of the narcotics proceeds. * * * CAMPO, 61, of Oakton, Virginia, and SENSI, 75, of Boca Raton, Florida, are each charged with one count of conspiring to commit narcoterrorism, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to CJNG, a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of North Carolina, and Eastern District of Virginia, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Varun A. Gumaste is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the Counterterrorism Section. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Fentanyl Overdose Death

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dominik Israel Lopez, 24, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on November 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Krissa Lanham to 108 months of prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Lopez pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl, with death resulting. In March 2020, a man, was found deceased in his apartment in Gilbert, Arizona. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity. Law enforcement investigators were able to learn that the victim had contacted Lopez using a messaging app called Whisper. The victim obtained four fentanyl pills from Lopez for $40. The victim used just one of those pills, overdosed, and died. “At the end of every drug overdose death are countless victims,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “There are the dead, taken too early, families who lose loved ones, and communities slowly being torn apart. This sentence shows that the Department of Justice will pursue harsh penalties for all drug dealers. I am proud to stand alongside the victim’s family and our law enforcement partners in holding this defendant accountable.” “Drug traffickers who deal deadly drugs and destroy lives will face justice,” said DEA Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “The DEA, alongside our dedicated partners, remains steadfast in our mission to save lives and achieve a Fentanyl-Free America.” “The Gilbert Police Department works in close partnership with law enforcement agencies in the ongoing fight against illegal drugs, including holding accountable those whose actions result in death through drug distribution,” said Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg. “We remain steadfast in our relentless pursuit of those who victimize our community.” Fentanyl is a man-made opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose. Fake pills laced with fentanyl are often sold on social media. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose and poisoning is the leading cause of death for Americans 18-45 years of age. Legitimate pharmaceutical pills cannot be bought on social media. The only safe medications are ones prescribed directly to you by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. For additional information and resources, including a Caregivers Fact Sheet, visit DEA.gov/onepill. United States Drug Enforcement Administration and The Gilbert Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Brandon Brown and Jason Crowley, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-01093-PHX-KML RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-170_Lopez # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: YOUNGSTOWN MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR RECEIPT OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Matthew Allen Kitchen, 39, of Youngstown, Florida, was sentenced to five years in prison for receipt of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence today. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The distribution of child sexual abuse material has the effect of re-victimizing the exploited children each and every time the image, video, or depiction is shared. I deeply appreciate the dedication of our state and federal law enforcement partners who tirelessly investigate these cases to keep our children safe from predators like this defendant, and my office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting these cases with the full force of the law.” Court documents reflect that while conducting undercover activities law enforcement officers determined that child pornography was being disseminated over the internet via a peer-to-peer network. An internet protocol address assigned to the defendant’s residence in Youngstown, Florida, was identified. On March 13, 2024, a federal search warrant was executed. Law enforcement located the defendant’s laptop, which contained numerous files of child pornography. “This sentence reinforces our commitment to protecting our children from predators who exploit children on the internet,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas G. Ingegno. “Transmitting child sexual abuse material is abhorrent and a serious crime with lasting consequences for its victims. This outcome reflects the hard work of HSI investigators, our law enforcement partners, and prosecutors, and serves as a clear warning that anyone who targets children online will be held fully accountable.” The defendant’s imprisonment will be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration. Additionally, the defendant was ordered to pay restitution to victims, and he will be required to register as a sex offender. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp prosecuted the case. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: TALLAHASSEE MAN CHARGED FEDERALLY WITH COMMUNICATING THREATS TO INJURE CHILDREN

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Demetrius Alpha Omega Murray, 33, has been indicted in federal court in a six-count Indictment for interstate communication of threats to injure children. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Murray appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his arraignment in federal court on December 4, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is set for February 2, 2026, before United States District Judge Robert Hinkle. If convicted, Murray faces a maximum of five years imprisonment on each threat count. The case was investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Sex offender sentenced to 35 years in federal prison on new crimes against children

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a registered sex offender to 35 years’ imprisonment after he admitted to distributing child pornography and obscene material to a minor. Edward J. Bates, 57, most recently of Olney, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of distribution of child pornography, two counts of attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor, and one count of offense by a registered sex offender. Following imprisonment, Bates will be on supervised release for the rest of his life. “The only thing worse than child sex offenses is an armed repeat offender,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This 35-year sentence underscores our commitment to seeking the most significant sentences possible for those who endanger kids.” According to court documents, Bates distributed child pornography in Richland County on January 26, 2022. In April 2023, he transferred sexually explicit material to a 10-year-old minor. On June 4, 2024, Bates was found in possession of two firearms and ammunition as a felon. Bates was previously convicted of two separate child pornography offenses and was therefore required to register as a sex offender. The Government seized a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a .38 caliber revolver and ammunition. The Richland County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri Highway Patrol, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.


title: Own Every Dollar Leader Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that HUGO RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Juice,” was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken to 15 years in prison for his role as “Duarte,” or leader, of the violent gang Own Every Dollar (“OED”). “Too many New York neighborhoods are plagued by gang violence and drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers deserve better. The women and men of our Office will continue to target gun violence and drug trafficking.” As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings: RODRIGUEZ served as the “Duarte” of OED, a subset of the Trinitarios gang based in and around the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. The prosecution in this case has involved the convictions of 22 members of OED for five murders, more than 10 attempted murders, multiple robberies, and the control and operation of an extensive drug trafficking network that sold large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine. RODRIGUEZ served time for New York state convictions involving a shooting and the possession of dangerous contraband while in jail. While on parole after his release, he attempted to murder a gang rival in broad daylight in Washington Heights on August 12, 2021. He also engaged in a gunpoint robbery on February 14, 2022, in Washington Heights, in which a victim was pistol-whipped, and trafficked narcotics, including heroin, while on parole. Since his August 1, 2022, arrest in this case, he has been detained pretrial in federal prison. During that time, he has been sanctioned for fighting, testing positive for methamphetamine, and possessing an 11-inch shiv. He has also been separately prosecuted and convicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for a jail assault. For much of his time in OED, RODRIGUEZ held the role of “Duarte,” which is the highest leadership role in the gang. * * * In addition to the prison term, RODRIGUEZ, 29, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, the New York State Police, and the NYPD Task Force Officers assigned to this Office for their assistance in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexandra Messiter are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearm, Ammunition

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Jeffrey Boston, 43, of Washington D.C., to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Baltimore Field Division, and Chief David Morris, Cheverly Police Department. According to the plea agreement, on May 22, 2024, a Cheverly police officer responded to a 911 welfare-check call at a Cheverly, Maryland, intersection. Upon arrival to the scene, the officer approached Boston who was laying on his back on the grass near a bench. The officer tapped on Boston’s chest a few times, then took Boston’s arm and shook it, before asking him if he could hear him. Boston responded by lightly groaning, so the officer called in an ambulance to police dispatch. Then the officer asked Boston if his chest hurt and again Boston grumbled in the affirmative. The officer then reached down and began repositioning Boston on his side to help him with his breathing. As the officer moved Boston, he discovered a black firearm partially visible in Boston’s waistband on his right hip. The officer removed the handgun and eight rounds of ammunition. Additionally, the firearm had a chambered round. Boston, who has at least one prior felony conviction, is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and Cheverly Police Department for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Oki who prosecuted the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Florida Man Sentenced to 8 Years Imprisonment for  Embezzlement and Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Savannah, GA: A former employee of a manufacturing company with a plant in Savannah, GA, was sentenced to 96 months of confinement for embezzlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars. John Laakso, also known as John Trebesch , age 57, of Savannah, GA, was charged in November 2024 with one count of Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. On December 2, 2025, following a guilty plea, Laakso was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment by the Honorable R. Stan Baker, Chief Judge for the Southern District of Georgia. “Our business partners in this District are the bedrock of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Georgia will continue to ensure that those who abuse trust for personal gain will face justice, and that our community will be protected.” According to court documents and in court testimony, Laakso was a former Engineering Manager for the local company. Using that position, he defrauded his employer of nearly $500,000. He did so by secretly awarding lucrative contracts to his own pass-through companies, both for services that Laakso never provided, and for goods and services that Laakso secretly billed to his employer at a fraudulent rate. “John Laakso betrayed his employer and fellow employees in this secretive and organized effort,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “Anyone who steals funds and unlawfully profits at the expense of others will be held accountable.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and Bradford C. Patrick. For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.


title: 15 Alleged Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Indicted

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Fifteen alleged members of a drug trafficking organization responsible for a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute large quantities of marijuana and for a conspiracy to commit money laundering in West Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas, and California have been charged in a 2-count federal indictment. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the unsealed indictment today. On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 14 of the defendants were taken into custody by federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. One remains a fugitive. The following defendants have been indicted for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana: Myron Armstrong, aka “BG”, 49 - Memphis, Tennessee Chad Hendricks, 34 - Milburn, Oklahoma Ping Huang, aka “Jason”, 44 - People’s Republic of China Carlos Atkins, aka “Papa Smurf”, aka “Lo”, 52 - Memphis, Tennessee Kevin Brandon, aka “Bam”, 40 - Millington, Tennessee Brandon Burkett, 41 - Magnolia, Texas Ricio Conner, 50 - Jackson, Tennessee Willie Love, aka “June Bug”, 51 - Memphis, Tennessee Prenston Moore, aka “Twin”, 44 - Memphis, Tennessee Thomas Smith, aka “TC”, 47 - Memphis, Tennessee Cris Thetford, 44 - Durant, Oklahoma Raevyn Tuggle, 28 - Memphis, Tennessee Terrance Wash, aka “Car Wash”, aka “Rick Ross”, 45 - Memphis, Tennessee Anthony Williams, aka “Ant”, 41 - Allen, Texas According to the indictment, beginning at a time unknown but from at least on or about June 1, 2024, to November 18, 2025, the defendants intentionally conspired with each other to unlawfully possess with the intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana. Additionally, Myron Armstrong, Chad Hendricks, Ping Huang, Carlos Atkins, Brandon Burkett, Thomas Smith, Raevyn Tuggle, and Anthony Williams were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in Count 2 of the indictment. During the course of the investigative operation named “Been Getting Bags,” and subsequent arrests on December 3, 2025, law enforcement officers seized approximately 207 pounds of marijuana, 2 ounces of crack cocaine, approximately 1,850 cultivated marijuana plants in Oklahoma and Tennessee, 2 kilo presses, approximately $550,000 in U.S. currency, approximately 50 firearms, 1 marijuana grow lab in Oklahoma, 1 marijuana grow lab in Memphis, and jewelry and luxury vehicles valued at over one million dollars. Additional federal charges related to these seizures are possible. All fifteen defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison and fines of up to $10 million or both for the controlled substance conspiracy charge. The penalty for money laundering conspiracy is not more than 20 years in federal prison, and fines of not more than $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Criminal enterprises that distribute harmful drugs into West Tennessee can no longer hide. We are taking the fight to the drug trafficking organizations to dismantle their distribution networks, enforce the rule of law, and remove them from our streets. I commend the outstanding investigative efforts led by DEA and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this important and impactful case." “This investigation, which originated from a narcotics complaint in the Western District of Tennessee, ultimately uncovered a large, multi-state marijuana cultivation and trafficking network with tentacles reaching into communities across our country,” said Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Field Division. “The quantity of drugs seized is significant and the firepower we recovered highlight a simple truth: drug trafficking organizations are violent by design, regardless of the drug involved. The DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to following every lead, wherever it may take us, to shut down any criminal enterprise that threatens public safety, and we won’t rest until all those involved are brought to justice.” “Cases like this highlight the value of partnerships”, said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI plays a crucial role in combating financial crimes while collaborating with financial institutions and federal agency partners within the Homeland Security Task Force, particularly those focused on money laundering, drugs, and transnational crime. IRS-CI special agents are skilled financial investigators who can unravel complex financial transactions and money laundering schemes where criminals try to hide illicit activities. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of crimes by following the money and protecting our community by disrupting drug trafficking organizations.” This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO); Memphis Police Department (MPD); and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Also assisting in the operation were the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP). Collierville Police Department (CPD); Germantown Police Department (GPD); Jackson Tennessee Police Department (JPD) Gang Unit; United States Marshal Service (USMS); DEA offices in Oxford, Mississippi, Los Angeles, California, Galveston, Texas, and Dallas, Texas; Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics; Texas Department of Safety; and Desoto County, Mississippi S.W.A.T assisted with arrests, searches and other processes. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Allen is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### 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.


title: Georgia Man Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Kimani Brennen Fletcher (26, Covington, GA) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Fletcher faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. According to court documents, between April 15, 2024, and April 22, 2024, co-conspirators of Fletcher placed telephone calls to victims in which they falsely and fraudulently identified themselves as members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The victims were told they had outstanding warrants and needed to pay money to avoid arrest. Fletcher posed as a bail bondsman and picked up money from these victims in the Middle District of Florida. Once Fletcher received the fraud proceeds, he provided the money to his co-conspirators. In total, Fletcher obtained approximately $40,800 in fraud proceeds. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Hillsborough County Sherrif office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.


title: Illinois Precision Machining Company Agrees to Pay $421,234 to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations

component: Civil Division

body_text: Note: View settlement here . Swiss Automation Inc. has agreed to pay $421,234 to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations relating to its failure to provide adequate cybersecurity for certain drawings of parts that the company machined and supplied to Department of Defense (DoD) prime contractors. Swiss Automation is an Illinois precision machining business that supplies alloy and metal parts to commercial and government customers in many industries, including DoD prime contractors and subcontractors. The settlement resolves allegations that Swiss Automation caused the submission of false claims by not providing adequate cybersecurity to safeguard certain drawings of parts that the company machined and supplied to DoD prime contractors. Swiss Automation allegedly knew that the requirement to provide adequate security by implementing certain cybersecurity controls applied not only to DoD prime contractors, but also to subcontractors and suppliers to the prime contractors. The obligation to implement security controls specified in National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-171 (NIST SP 800-171) to protect certain DoD information has applied to DoD contracts, subcontracts, and similar contractual instruments since 2017 and will continue under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program that DoD recently finalized. “As cyber threats continue to evolve, suppliers to defense contractors must be vigilant and take the steps required to protect sensitive government information from bad actors,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue our efforts to hold defense contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers accountable when they fail to honor their DoD cybersecurity commitments.” “Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting government contractors to steal sensitive and valuable information in their possession,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “Defense contractors in particular must maintain robust safeguards against these threats through stringent compliance with federal cybersecurity regulations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and agency partners to ensure that government contractors protect sensitive information and critical infrastructure in compliance with federal laws and regulations.” “Protecting our nation’s security includes protecting its data. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, defense contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers must do their part to safeguard sensitive government information,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jason Sargenski, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “We will hold contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers accountable when they fall short of their cybersecurity obligations to the Department of Defense.” The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when a defendant has submitted or caused to be submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Jaime Gomez, a former quality-control manager at Swiss Automation, to receive $65,291 as his share of the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Gomez v. Swiss Automation Inc. , No. 1:22-cv-4328 (N.D. Ill.). The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, with assistance from DCIS, and the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Gregory Pearson of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Kelly for the Northern District of Illinois. The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Swiss Automation Settlement.pdf


title: DC Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Involuntary Manslaughter Charges in Connection With Fatal Crash on Clara Barton Parkway

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Jordan Johnson, 28, of Washington, D.C., today, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for involuntary manslaughter. Additionally, Judge Xinis ordered Johnson to pay $12,000 of restitution to the family. The sentence is in connection with a fatal car crash on the Clara Barton Park that claimed the life of a 23-year-old man. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Chief Scott Brecht, United States Park Police (USPP). On March 20, 2022, at about 4:45 a.m., Johnson was driving on the Clara Barton Parkway, in Montgomery County, Maryland, when he struck two vehicles that were in the roadway. Both cars were involved in a separate crash. Victim 1 was one of the individuals involved in the original car crash, but died on impact when struck by Johnson’s vehicle. Victim 1 was pronounced dead at the scene. Immediately following the crash, Johnson and his passenger walked away from the scene towards Washington, D.C., where Johnson resides. Law enforcement responded to the scene of the collision and broadcasted a description of Johnson and his passenger to local law enforcement agencies. Then USPP spotted them approximately a half mile away from the crash scene. Johnson’s passenger told law enforcement officers that as she and Johnson walked away from the crash site, she saw the victim on the ground bleeding. Johnson later told law enforcement that they left the scene because he knew authorities would identify him from the paperwork associated with the apartment complex that he borrowed the car from. A USPP crash reconstructionist concluded that Johnson traveled between 95 and 99 miles per hour in the five seconds prior to the crash. The posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour. As result of the speed he was driving, Johnson was unable to observe and perceive the vehicles stopped ahead. Additionally, Johnson drove recklessly during the entirety of his recorded trip, spanning approximately 40 minutes prior to this crash. The crash reconstructionist concluded that Johnson’s high rate of speed was a major contributing factor to the crash. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPP for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaShanta Harris and Ellen Nazmy who prosecuted this federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Chinese Nationals Plead Guilty To Harboring And Employing Illegal Aliens

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On December 4, 2025, Xue Rong Wu, 44 and, Xiong Wei Yang, 44 currently of Elizabethton, Tennessee entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) and (v)(I), (a)(1)(B)(i) and one count of aiding and abetting the practice and pattern of hiring for employment aliens not authorized to be employed in the United States in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(a)(1)(A) and (f)(1), 18 U.S.C. § 2, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Sentencing has been set before the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, on April 8, 2026, at 11:00am in United States District Court at Greeneville. They each face a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years followed by a term of supervised release up to three years, and a fine up to $250,000.00, as to the first count and up to six months imprisonment or not more than $3000 fine for each unauthorized alien or both, a term of probation up to five years, and a fine up to $5,000.00 as to the latter count. According to filed court documents, Wu and Yang, who are married, run the Red Ginger Buffet in Elizabethton. They converted a single-family residence in Elizabethton into numerous single person rooms where their employees lived. During a traffic stop on March 20, 2025, agents stopped Wu’s vehicle leaving the residence heading to the Red Ginger Buffet. Wu was driving the vehicle occupied by seven other passengers. The five male passengers each spoke Spanish, and only three were able to produce identification. The other two stated their identification was with their belongings at the residence. Four of the five male passengers confirmed they were from Mexico, and the other confirmed he was from Guatemala. The two female passengers were each confirmed to be from China, spoke very little English, and provided Tennessee identification cards. The five male passengers confirmed that they were employed at the Red Ginger Buffett, did not have to prove their citizenship or identity for employment and were allowed to live at the home for free. A records check confirmed that the five male passengers were in the country illegally. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Acting Special Agent in Charge, Colin Jackson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement. This prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations. Meghan L. Gomez, Assistant United States Attorney represented the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes Report

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending December 5, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 58 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 1 individual was charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 89 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for rape, kidnapping, domestic violence, child endangerment, criminal damage to property, and DUI. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty To Robbery Of A Postal Letter Carrier

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Tajmir Wyles (New Jersey, 31) has pleaded guilty to robbery of a postal mail carrier and receipt, possession or concealment of stolen property of the United States. Wyles faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. According to court documents, on May 15, 2023, Wyles robbed a postal letter carrier of his master keys while he was delivering mail at a shopping center. After a physical altercation over the keys, Wyles successfully fled the scene with the keys. In July 2023, Wyles was arrested in Dallas, Texas. Wyles was found with a binder of checks, stolen from the Middle District of Florida, as well as the master keys stolen in May 2023. This case was investigated by the Unites States Postal Inspection Service in Tampa, Florida, and Fort Worth, Texas, the Tampa Police Department, and the Dallas Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.


title: Marion County Man Indicted For Possession With Intent To Distribute Controlled Substances

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and indictment of Phillip Washington III, a/k/a “Lil Phil” (32, Belleview) charging him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Washington faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Washington is currently detained pending the resolution of the case. According to the indictment, on May 13, 2024, Washington possessed with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. He also possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.


title: Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty To Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material And Illegal Reentry Into The United States

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Marlon Jefferson Fajardo-Paiz (33, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien. Fajardo-Paiz faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the CSAM offense and 2 years on the immigration charge. Fajardo-Paiz is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case. According to the plea agreement, Fajardo-Paiz is a citizen and national of Guatemala. He was previously removed from the United States on July 20, 2018, and has never received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States. On April 24, 2025, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Fajardo-Paiz during an investigation of a Cybertip relating to the upload of CSAM. Fajardo-Paiz told investigators he had participated in viewing, downloading, and transmitting CSAM. A subsequent search of Fajardo-Paiz’s phone revealed at least 20 items of CSAM. This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Manassas fentanyl trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prison

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on Jan. 30, 2024, law enforcement searched the residence of Jeffrey Martinez, 21, and recovered 29,490 dark-blue fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 4.13 kilograms, and 20,114 light-blue fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 2.22 kilograms. The pills were marked “M-30” to mimic Oxycodone. Also from the residence, investigators also recovered approximately $4,980, 2.18 kilograms of marijuana, 107 grams of cocaine, a scale, and four firearms. “By trafficking tens of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into Northern Virginia communities while unlawfully possessing firearms, Jeffrey Martinez put our citizens at grave risk," said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "This substantial sentence underscores the seriousness of such crimes and the consequences of endangering our community. We remain steadfast in our commitment to eradicating the threat posed by armed drug traffickers.” The same day, law enforcement conducted a stop of a vehicle Martinez was traveling in and arrested him. From Martinez and the vehicle, investigators recovered approximately $1,600, a handgun and approximately 1,200 fentanyl pills marked “M-30.” U.S. Attorney Halligan and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Amzallag and Ryan Bredemeier prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-248.