title: Former Intelligence Community Contractor  Pleads Guilty to Accepting Kickbacks

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A former intelligence community contractor pled guilty to conspiracy charges in federal court in connection with a kickbacks scheme. David Duggin, 55, of Orrtanna, Pennsylvania, is charged with conspiring to commit offenses against the United States by soliciting and accepting kickbacks. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel Glad, Justice Department, Antitrust Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Allison Russo, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) – Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office. According to court documents, Duggin and his co-conspirators corruptly misused his on-site access to sensitive information at an intelligence agency. The former senior systems engineer and on-site contractor used his access to enrich himself and others by illegally obtaining government contracts for millions of dollars of hardware and software procured by U.S. government customers. Duggin’s co-conspirators paid him at least $510,000 in illegal kickbacks in exchange for him influencing the procurement process in favor of his co-conspirators. The conspiracy thwarted the competitive bidding process for the U.S. from at least June 2018, through at least April 2024. “Mr. Duggin took advantage of his position to enrich himself and his co-conspirators. Our office will not tolerate this greedy, deceitful behavior that, if unchecked, can lead to an erosion of public trust and impact on our national security,” Hayes said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not hesitate to hold accountable any individual who attempts to defraud our government.” “Mr. Duggin exploited his position as a government contractor in the intelligence community at the expense of taxpayers,” Woodward said. “The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to hold those who seek profit through fraudulent schemes, accountable.” “The defendant broke faith with the men and women of the United States Intelligence Community — who work tirelessly and often anonymously in defense of our nation — to enrich himself with hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks,” Glad said. “The defendant now faces years in prison for corrupting a competitive procurement process backing our national security.” “Mr. Duggin betrayed the trust placed in him by exploiting his access to sensitive government systems to steer contracts for personal gain,” Russo said. “This outcome reflects the strong partnership between DCIS, our federal investigative counterparts, and the Department of Justice, and underscores our shared commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Department of War and the broader Intelligence Community.” “David Duggin repeatedly put himself before American taxpayers who trusted him to act on their behalf and for their benefit,” Paul said. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement and government partners to hold accountable those seeking to profit through fraud and deception.” Duggin is facing five years in federal prison for conspiring to commit an offense against the United States by accepting illegal kickbacks. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DCIS and FBI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Matthew Shea, along with Trial Attorneys Elizabeth French, Anna Wang, and Ronald Fiorillo, Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, who are prosecuting this federal case. The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force . Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards . For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Coordinated Law Enforcement Actions Results in Arrests of Seven Men in Connection with Fraudulent COVID-19 Relief Loan Applications

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: As a result of coordinated law enforcement actions in three states, seven men have been arrested and indicted in connection with submitting fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, totaling $205,639 in fraudulent loan proceeds. The takedown was conducted by the FBI Field Offices in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Houston, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. “This case demonstrates the power of a true whole-of-government approach to deliver swift justice against fraudsters—and it should be replicated in every region across the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “I commend the outstanding work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, the FBI, the SBA-OIG, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for holding these individuals accountable.” “Seven defendants are alleged to have exploited government-funded programs designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans to line their pockets,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Thanks to the outstanding investigative efforts by the FBI, SBA-OIG, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Police Department these defendants will now each have their day in court to face federal criminal fraud charges.” According to allegations contained in court documents, Elias Santino Acereto; Sheyland Barnett; James Freeman; Tyrone Tatrice Johnson; Marcus Dushun McMillian-Bonner; Yves Harrison Pierre; and Nathan Jeffry Scott, all of Las Vegas, each provided false information and fake documentation when applying for PPP loans and/or EIDL loans. As alleged, they each fraudulently obtained the loan funds to enrich themselves. Acereto; Barnett; Johnson; Bonner; Pierre; and Scott, are each charged with one count of wire fraud; and Freeman is charged with two counts of wire fraud. On June 11, Barnett, Freemon, Johnson, and Scott, were arrested in Las Vegas; Acereto and Pierre were arrested in Phoenix, and Bonner was arrested in Richmond, Texas. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Las Vegas Field Office; FBI Phoenix Division; FBI Houston Division; the SBA-OIG; and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated these cases. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Frayn is prosecuting these cases. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. 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 Mexico Man Facing Federal Hate Crime Charge Following Attacks at Local Synagogue and Jewish Community Center

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: An Albuquerque, New Mexico man is in custody on federal charges for allegedly damaging religious property during back-to-back attacks at two local Jewish facilities. According to court documents, on June 2, Rex Crofton, 25, targeted two Jewish community facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during a series of motivated attacks. At approximately 4:31 PM, Crofton arrived at Congregation Albert in a silver sedan. He exited the vehicle and used a tool to shatter the synagogue’s glass entry doors. After “flipping off” the building and shouting an indecipherable statement, he fled the scene. Roughly eight minutes later, at 4:39 PM, Crofton arrived at the Jewish Community Center (JCC). Surveillance footage captured him running to the front doors and repeatedly striking them with a metal tool appearing to be a crowbar. When JCC security guards approached and pursued him, Crofton threw the tool into his passenger window. A security guard managed to pepper spray Crofton through the window before Crofton sped out of the busy parking lot. The incident forced the JCC to issue an emergency closure, disrupting camp pickup and alarming numerous witnesses. Following the attacks, Crofton sent threatening text messages to a family friend, boasting, “... I just hit two synagogues in 5 minutes,” and stating he would love to kill any police officers who intervened. Law enforcement tracked Crofton to an Albuquerque residence, where he surrendered and was arrested on June 3, by the Albuquerque Police Department. A subsequent federal search warrant executed on his residence and vehicles uncovered the crowbar-like wrecking bar used in the attack, the clothing he wore, a revolver, high-capacity magazines, various other weapons including a machete and brass knuckles, and a torn Ukrainian flag defaced with a drawn swastika. Crofton is charged with damage to religious property. If convicted of the current charge, the defendant faces up to three years in prison. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico, and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tavo Hall and Meg Melick for the District of New Mexico and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Another 301 charged in efforts to secure the southern border

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has filed 296 cases in immigration and related matters from June 5-11, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. The charges include 186 illegal aliens for unlawfully reentering the United States and another 65 for illegal entry. Many have previous convictions related to narcotics trafficking, immigration offenses, violent crimes and more. An additional 41 people allegedly engaged in human smuggling, while the remaining nine people face immigration-related charges. Among the new allegations are several convicted illegal alien felons who attempted to illegally reenter the United States. One of those was allegedly Pedro Martinez-Arias from Mexico. According to the charges, law enforcement discovered him near Linn, despite having been previously removed Oct. 19, 2024. The criminal complaint alleges he has a prior conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and had been ordered to serve 168 months in prison before his removal from the United States. He and others charged with felony reentry after prior removal face up to 20 years in federal prison, upon conviction. In addition to the new cases, two Guatemalan human smugglers admitted to their roles in the 2021 mass casualty event in Chiapas, Mexico. Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala and Alberto Marcario Chitic acknowledged they conspired with other smugglers to transport illegal aliens from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States. They recruited aliens, collected payment, arranged for travel and even provided scripted language to unaccompanied minors if U.S. immigration authorities apprehended them. On Dec. 9, 2021, they and others arranged for aliens to be loaded into a tractor trailer that ultimately crashed north of the Guatemala/Mexico border, resulting in the deaths of more than 50 and injuries of over 100 more. The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Former Director of the Office Of Management and Budget Sentenced to 84 Months for Public Corruption Offenses Involving Covid-19 Relief Funds

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, VI –United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Jenifer O’Neal, former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget (OMB), was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 84 months’ imprisonment for her role in a public corruption scheme involving the misuse of federal COVID-19 relief funds. In addition to the term of imprisonment, O’Neal was sentenced to three years of supervised release; a $50,000 fine; restitution in the amount of $34,345.39, jointly and severally with co-defendant Ray Martinez; forfeiture in the amount of $17,730; and $400 in special assessments. Judge Kearney ordered O’Neal to self-surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on June 23, 2026. Pending her surrender, O’Neal will be placed on home detention. On December 11, 2025, following a jury trial, O’Neal was convicted of two counts of Honest Services Wire Fraud, one count of Bribery Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds, and one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy. The evidence at trial established that O’Neal used her position as Director of OMB to facilitate the approval and payment of a government invoice that had been intentionally inflated by $70,000. She accepted $17,730 derived from the inflated invoice to satisfy lease obligations associated with her coffee shop, Java Grande. The inflated invoice was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, a federal program intended to assist the Virgin Islands in recovering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. O’Neal also accepted luxury gifts from government contractor David Whitaker, in exchange for the expedited payment of government contract invoices. Co-defendant Ray Martinez, the former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department, was previously sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for his role in the scheme. “Corruption cannot be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Adam Sleeper. “Government officials, especially those directly responsible for government finances, have a duty to safeguard the funds entrusted to them for the benefit of the people of the Virgin Islands. This sentence provides accountability and serves as a warning for those who would betray that duty.” “Public corruption erodes confidence in government and weakens the community’s faith in the institutions meant to protect it,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Imposing consequences on corrupt public officials, is vital to rebuilding public trust and is a testament to the FBI’s commitment safeguarding the integrity of public institutions.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Virgin Islands Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey of the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Cherrisse R. Amaro of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.


title: Former Intelligence Community Contractor Pleads Guilty to Accepting Kickbacks

body_text: A former Intelligence Community contractor pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit offenses against the United States by soliciting and accepting kickbacks. The defendant, David Duggin, 55, of Orrtanna, Pennsylvania, was a former Senior Systems Engineer and on-site contractor at a U.S. government Intelligence Community agency. “Mr. Duggin exploited his position as a government contractor in the intelligence community at the expense of taxpayers,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to hold those who seek profit through fraudulent schemes, accountable.” “The defendant broke faith with the men and women of the United States Intelligence Community — who work tirelessly and often anonymously in defense of our nation — to enrich himself with hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The defendant now faces years in prison for corrupting a competitive procurement process backing our national security.” “Mr. Duggin took advantage of his position to enrich himself and his co-conspirators. Our office will not tolerate this greedy, deceitful behavior that, if unchecked, can lead to an erosion of public trust and impact on our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not hesitate to hold accountable any individual who attempts to defraud our government.” “Mr. Duggin betrayed the trust placed in him by exploiting his access to sensitive government systems to steer contracts for personal gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Allison Russo of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “This outcome reflects the strong partnership between DCIS, our federal investigative counterparts, and the Department of Justice, and underscores our shared commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Department of War and the broader Intelligence Community.” “David Duggin repeatedly put himself before American taxpayers who trusted him to act on their behalf and for their benefit,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement and government partners to hold accountable those seeking to profit through fraud and deception.” According to documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Duggin and his co-conspirators corruptly used his on-site access to sensitive information at an intelligence agency to enrich himself and others by illegally obtaining government contracts for millions of dollars of hardware and software procured by U.S. government customers. Duggin’s co-conspirators paid Duggin at least $510,000 in illegal kickbacks in exchange for him influencing the procurement process to favor his co-conspirators. The conspiracy thwarted the competitive bidding process for the U.S. from at least as early as June 2018 and continued through at least as late as April 2024. The maximum penalty for conspiring to commit an offense against the United States by accepting illegal kickbacks is five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Moreover, the fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. The DCIS and the FBI Baltimore Field Office are investigating the case, among others. Trial Attorneys Elizabeth French, Anna Wang, and Ronald Fiorillo for the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Phelps and Matthew Shea for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force . Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards .


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. was sentenced on June 9, 2026 in federal court in Boston for trafficking thousands of fentanyl pills. Waner Bernabel Presinal, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In Novembre 2025, Bernabel Presinal pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. On April 12, 2024, an undercover agent ordered 2,000 pressed fentanyl pills and a sample of methamphetamine from Anderson Ernesto Andujar Echavarria for $4,000. Bernabel Presinal delivered the fentanyl pills and methamphetamine to Andujar Echavarria at his home in Dorchester. Andujar Echavarria then delivered the fentanyl pills and sample of methamphetamine to the undercover agent. It was later confirmed that the bags Andujar Echavarria handed the undercover agent contained 222 grams of fentanyl and 1.8 grams of methamphetamine. In September 2024 , Bernabel Presinal was charged with Andujar Echavarria and two other co-conspirators. Thousands of fentanyl pills and hundreds of grams of fentanyl were seized from Andujar Echavarria at the time of his arrest. In December 2025 , Andujar Echavarria pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 10, 2026. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Files to Transfer 45,000 Acres from Arizona to Hopi Tribe

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department and Department of the Interior announced the filing of a “friendly condemnation” to effect the transfer of more than 45,000 acres of land from the State of Arizona to the United States to be held in trust for the Hopi Tribe. Upon the Hopi Tribe depositing $8.4 million in the registry of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona as the estimate of just compensation, title to the land will pass from Arizona to the United States. Interior will then immediately place the lands into trust for the Hopi Tribe. The filing is the second in a series of condemnation actions that will ultimately bring over 270,000 acres of land — including over 110,000 acres of condemned Arizona state trust lands — into united ownership for the benefit of the Hopi Tribe. “Today’s filing is another example of the executive branch faithfully carrying out the laws that Congress enacted,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “As directed by the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act of 1996, the Department of Justice is condemning, with Arizona’s consent, over 45,000 acres of Arizona state trust lands using funds provided by the Hopi Tribe, and the Department of the Interior will transfer those lands into trust status for the Tribe. In carrying out this law, the United States is proud to assist the Hopi Tribe in the continued expansion of their trust lands and growth of their ranching operations.” “This filing marks a significant milestone in fulfilling long-standing commitments to the Hopi Tribe and reflects the Trump administration’s focus on building strong, enduring tribal partnerships,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum . “By placing these lands into trust, we are strengthening the tribe’s ability to steward its resources, expand opportunities for economic development and exercise greater self-governance. The Department of the Interior is proud to work alongside the Department of Justice, the Hopi Tribe and our state partners to advance this historic effort and ensure these lands are secured for the benefit of the Hopi people for generations to come.” “Today is a historic day and a day for celebration for the Hopi Tribe — the promises made to the Hopi Tribe by 1996 Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act are being fulfilled,” said Chairman Lamar B. Keevama of the Hopi Tribe. “To all those in the State of Arizona, at the Department of Interior, and at the Department of Justice who have had a hand in this effort, kwa’kwha — thank you. Special thanks to Governor Hobbs and State Land Commissioner Sahid for their leadership and dedication to this effort. The Hopi People are in the process of planting their corn. I pray that this land reacquisition is a newly planted seed that will provide abundant benefits for the Hopi Tribe. It is fitting that this historic moment coincides with such an important time." “For decades, the State of Arizona has failed to complete the promise enshrined in the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act of 1996,” said Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. “I’m proud to do what five governors before me did not. When I became governor, I made a pledge to work with Tribal communities as partners in governance to create opportunity, security and freedom for every community throughout our state. This historic land transfer will help us do just that by following through on a longstanding promise. I will continue working hand-in-hand with tribal partners to ensure their sovereignty is respected and their communities have the economic opportunity they need to thrive.” This condemnation is filed under the authority of the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act of 1996, which ratified a 1995 resolution to a long-running land dispute in northeastern Arizona between the Hopi Tribe, the Navajo Tribe, and the United States. Attorneys from ENRD’s Land Acquisition Section are handling the matter.


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Illegally Possessing Firearms

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Ricky Joe Braden, 38, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 130 months in federal prison without parole, followed by three years of supervised release. Braden pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2025. Braden was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including tampering with a motor vehicle and forgery. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. On Aug. 8, 2022, officers with the Springfield, Missouri Police Department (SPD) responded to a 911 call at Braden’s residence. Witnesses, who were at the property with the landlord’s permission, reported that Braden retrieved a pistol from a vehicle and pointed the gun at them, demanding they leave the property. Braden then pointed it at his wife before shooting at the ground. While on scene, officers saw Braden exit his residence and travel through backyards in the neighborhood, carrying his child in front of him. Officers were able to eventually handcuff Braden, who was initially uncooperative and ignored multiple commands. While conducting a search warrant at the residence, SPD investigators found a loaded .40 caliber Glock pistol with an extended magazine, a loaded 9mm Glock pistol, a loaded, stolen Charter Arms .38 special revolver, and spent shell casings in Braden’s vehicle. Officers also found a Stag Arms, 5.56 caliber AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle and multiple 30-round magazines in a second truck, and various additional firearm magazines, ammunition, and other firearm accessories on the property. A third vehicle on the property, which appeared to belong to Braden’s wife, had bullet holes in the door and windshield. Braden’s hands tested positive for gunshot residue and officers located brass knuckles on his person. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Christian County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Philadelphia man sentenced to 11 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced yesterday to 11 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, during four controlled purchases from July 2025 through November 2025, Darrell Lameer Carter, 35, distributed approximately 1,504 grams of pure methamphetamine. On Dec. 3, 2025, investigators arrested Carter and searched his vehicle and two residences. From Carter’s vehicle, investigators recovered three cellphones, a dropper vial of suspected Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), 26 pills containing methamphetamine, and a drug ledger which contained customer names and prices. From one of Carter’s residences, in which he resided with his young child and the child’s mother, investigators recovered approximately 2,770 grams of pure methamphetamine, 619 pills containing approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine, two scales, a semi-automatic handgun, a magazine loaded with 6 rounds of ammunition, $17,450.25, an additional cellphone, and a laptop computer. USAO EDVA A review of Carter’s various devices revealed communications indicating that Carter purchased up to 20 pounds of methamphetamine per month for resale, as well as other controlled substances. Carter has a prior conviction for distribution of MDMA. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division investigated this case with assistance from the Arlington County Police Department, George Mason University Police Department, and Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Hahn prosecuted 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. 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. 1:26-cr-49.


title: Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Oluwakayode Ajayi, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone on June 11, 2026. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Ajayi engaged in a scheme to defraud banks by impersonating account holders and presenting forged checks which he negotiated for cash. A date for sentencing will be scheduled by the Court. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the Court continued Ajayi’s detention. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and the Moon Township Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Ajayi.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Federal Prison  for Firearm Charges

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026. Xavier Orrin Hinds, 44, was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hinds was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026. On October 8, 2024, law enforcement officers discovered Hinds in possession of firearms following an automobile accident on I-229 in Sioux Falls. Despite being aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, Hinds was carrying a pistol on his person and had another handgun inside his car. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. Hinds was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.


title: Two Men Charged In Connection With 2025 Scheme To Rob And Murder Bronx Victim

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging LENYN TORIBIO and WELFY ESPINAL with interstate stalking resulting in death and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking resulting in death in connection with the April 13, 2025, murder of Jeremy Ortega in a residential neighborhood in the Bronx. ESPINAL was arrested this morning in New Jersey and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis, who ordered him detained. TORIBIO remains at large. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon. “As alleged, Lenyn Toribio and Welfy Espinal intentionally surveilled and tracked Jeremy Ortega before he was fatally shot in front of his own home—over little more than a bag of diamond jewelry,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers deserve to live in neighborhoods free of gun violence. This Office will stop at nothing to hold accountable those who inflict violence on others.” “As alleged, the stalking and killing of an innocent victim by Lenyn Toribio and Welfy Espinal is horrifying,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Along with our local partners, the FBI will relentlessly pursue depraved individuals who threaten the safety of our citizens.” “These defendants orchestrated a scheme to place a GPS tracking device on their victim’s car and followed him for days, ultimately leading to his death,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “Despite attempts to evade law enforcement by using a stolen license plate from a parked car, NYPD investigators worked tirelessly to identify, arrest, and bring those responsible to justice. I am thankful to our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their hard work in holding these criminals accountable.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and other public filings: From at least March 2025 through April 13, 2025, TORIBIO and ESPINAL—and other co-conspirators—agreed to, and in fact did, engage in a scheme to surveil Ortega using a GPS tracking device with the intent to rob him, ultimately killing him. On or about March 28, 2025, TORIBIO activated a GPS tracking device subscribed in his own name. A few days later, ESPINAL adhered that GPS tracker (the “Tracker”) to Ortega’s vehicle as it was parked outside of his residence in the Bronx. The next day, TORIBIO and ESPINAL went to a particular nightclub in upper Manhattan, where Ortega was also located, wearing various items of diamond jewelry. Less than 10 days later, beginning on or about April 12, 2025, TORIBIO and ESPINAL surveilled Ortega as he traveled to a restaurant in midtown Manhattan, and then they traveled to his neighborhood to conduct surveillance of the area before the murder. TORIBIO and ESPINAL departed the area before returning to Ortega’s neighborhood, where they positioned themselves in anticipation of his arrival. Just over an hour later, Ortega parked in front of his residence and exited his car. Moments after he arrived home, he was chased, shot repeatedly, and robbed of a bag containing his diamond jewelry. In the hours after the murder, the Tracker was recovered from the underside of Ortega’s car. At different points on the night of the murder, TORIBIO and ESPINAL used multiple vehicles, as well as a license plate stolen from an uninvolved vehicle parked near the George Washington Bridge, to attempt to avoid detection and apprehension by law enforcement. * * * TORIBIO, 27, of New York, New York, and ESPINAL, 25, of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of interstate stalking resulting in death and aiding and abetting the same, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, as well as one count of conspiracy to commit interstate stalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five 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 a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, including law enforcement officers from the 45th Precinct and Bronx Homicide Squad, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI’s Violent Threat Initiative. The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty. ^ As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Ukrainian National Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy  in Connection with Conti Ransomware

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Following his extradition from Ireland, Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 44, a Ukrainian national, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a conspiracy to deploy Conti, a ransomware variant that infected more than 1,000 computers and networks worldwide. “The defendant and his conspirators used the Conti ransomware to terrorize people and businesses in the United States and around the world, causing millions of dollars in damage,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Ransomware continues to pose a threat to all business organizations, from critical infrastructure to small businesses. The Justice Department will continue to work with international partners to bring to justice anyone, anywhere who attacks the United States with ransomware.” “Targeting transnational criminal organizations who victimize American citizens with these outrageous ransomware attacks are among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “These criminal enterprises are sophisticated, but our prosecutors are up to this challenge and are dedicated to rooting these thieves out and holding them accountable.” “Lytvynenko’s guilty plea is a significant step toward holding cyber criminals accountable for the damage they inflict on victims worldwide,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Lytvynenko profited from fear and coercion, conspiring to use Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. This case demonstrates that the FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue those responsible for cybercrimes, regardless of where they operate, and bring them to justice.” “This guilty plea is a powerful reminder that cybercriminals — whether acting alone or as part of a larger group — cannot hide behind their keyboards or international borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “While this individual played a role in a group responsible for significant harm, this guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to tracking down every member of these criminal networks. The Secret Service will continue to work with our partners here and around the world to disrupt ransomware operations and ensure those responsible are held accountable.” According to court documents, Lytvynenko, of Cork, Ireland, conspired with others to deploy Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. Court filings allege the conspirators hacked into victims’ computers and networks, encrypted data, and demanded a ransom to restore the victims’ access to their files and to avoid public disclosure of the stolen information. From 2020 until 2022, Conti was used to attack computers and networks in 47 states, 31 foreign countries, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The FBI estimates that, as of January 2022, Conti ransomware attacks resulted in at least $150 million in ransom payments. Lytvynenko admitted to joining the Conti conspiracy no later than approximately September 2021. He admitted to possessing data from eight U.S. and four overseas victims which had been stolen by Conti conspirators. Lytvynenko further admitted to joining a team run by a Conti conspirator during which time Lytvynenko was directed to work on coding a “loader,” which is typically a type of malware, or malicious software, that is used to load programs necessary to execute other malicious attacks. Lytvynenko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In September 2023, an indictment charging four other Conti conspirators was unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee. The FBI’s San Diego, Nashville, and El Paso Field Offices and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Irish Department of Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration, the Irish Office of the Attorney General and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau provided valuable assistance to secure the arrest and extradition of Lytvynenko. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. This action is part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI's sustained enforcement response to that threat.


title: Master of Shadow Fleet Tanker Pleads Guilty in D.C. for Evading U.S. Coast Guard During Weeks-Long Pursuit

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON — Avtandil Kalandadze, 47, the former ship master of a shadow fleet tanker that historically transported Iran- and Venezuela-origin oil for the ultimate benefit of U.S. adversaries, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for refusing to obey orders from the U.S. Coast Guard during a multi-week pursuit from the Caribbean Sea through to the North Atlantic Ocean, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “This defendant put American sailors’ and Coast Guardsmen’s lives at risk while attempting to evade U.S. sanctions and move illicit oil,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By refusing lawful orders from the U.S. Coast Guard and leading them on a chase across the Atlantic Ocean, he not only obstructed federal law enforcement, but forced our service members to carry out a dangerous boarding operation in heavy seas. Today’s guilty plea makes clear that those who endanger American service members and attempt to undermine our sanctions laws will be held fully accountable.” Kalandadze, of the Republic of Georgia, pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to failing to heave to a Coast Guard cutter. Sentencing is set for August 7. Failing to obey an order to heave to carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, absent aggravating circumstances. Kalandadze will be deported at the completion of his prison term. “Kalandadze’s guilty plea today should serve as a warning to ghost fleet owners and operators and all those who man or otherwise support these dangerous, decrepit vessels,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The Department of Justice and our interagency partners will pursue the ghost fleet and its facilitators from the Caribbean Sea to the North Atlantic, to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Persian Gulf, and anywhere in between. You will not escape.” “Kalandadze led the U.S. Coast Guard on a reckless weeks-long chase across the Atlantic, endangering servicemembers’ lives all to turn a profit on sanctioned oil for the benefit of U.S. adversaries,” said Acting Deputy Executive Associate Director John Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Despite early attempts to evade detection, Homeland Security Investigations and our task force partners used our expertise in countering illicit finance and dark fleet movements to identify, locate, and seize these sanctioned tankers. HSI’s success in this space comes from our unique transnational criminal investigative authorities, using every tool available to protect the homeland from bad actors working to literally fuel America’s enemies.” “Kalandadze used a range of deceptive maritime tactics in an attempt to evade the U.S. Coast Guard and move millions of barrels of illicit oil tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and other sanctioned actors engaged in terrorism,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Those who attempt to evade U.S. sanctions by ignoring U.S. Coast Guard orders will be investigated thoroughly. The FBI and our partners will continue to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable anyone who uses the global maritime system to finance terrorism.” According to the plea agreement, from September 2025 until late-December 2025, Kalandadze was the Master of the Motor Tanker Bella 1. During his time as Master, the Bella 1 transported approximately 1.8 million barrels of Iran-origin oil to Asia. During this time, Kalandadze employed common obfuscation techniques to hide the activities of the Bella 1 , including sailing with an inactivated Automatic Identification System (AIS) and concealing the name of the Bella 1 while engaging in a ship-to-ship transfer of the Iran-origin oil to another vessel. In December 2025, while under his charge, the Bella 1 was enroute to Venezuela when it was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro. The Bella 1 failed to comply with the Coast Guard’s order to heave to and fled across the Atlantic Ocean. The Munro pursued the Bella 1 throughout its flight and, on January 7 aided in the execution of a lawful seizure of the vessel. During the flight and at the direction of a corporate representative of the Operator, Kalandadze took multiple steps to avoid the Coast Guard interdiction, including disobeying multiple orders by authorized federal law enforcement officers to heave to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Munro and destroying records and information onboard the Bella 1 . This case is being investigated by HSI and the FBI. Significant assistance on this matter was provided by the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and the Office of International Affairs. The Department extends its gratitude to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of War for their bravery, dedication, and assistance on this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher T. Tortorice and Jonathan Hornok for the District of Columbia and Acting Deputy Chief Sean R. Heiden of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. 26cr24


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

body_text: Two Men Arrested on Federal Charges in Connection with Armed Robbery of Hinsdale Convenience Store CONCORD – Two men were arrested today, June 12, 2026, on federal charges stemming from the March 15, 2026 armed robbery of a convenience store in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announced today. Richard Conner, 64, of Worcester, MA, and James Ferguson, 66, of Greenfield, MA, are each charged by criminal complaint with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951. According to the charging documents, on the night of March 15, 2026, at approximately 10:40 p.m., two masked men entered the T-Bird Mini Mart in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. One of the men allegedly brandished a firearm at store employees while the pair stole merchandise, including cigarettes, from the store. The men then allegedly fled the scene in a stolen U-Haul box truck, traveling south on Interstate 91 into Vermont. Investigators recovered stolen merchandise that fell from the vehicle along the getaway route. The U-Haul was discovered on fire and abandoned in Orange, Massachusetts. Some of the visual evidence of the allegations included in the complaint appears below. Richard Conner and James Ferguson were arrested in Massachusetts without incident and will make their initial appearances in federal court at a future date. The charge of Hobbs Act robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin, Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles DeJoie, and paralegal specialist Hayley Orlando are prosecuting the case.


title: Robeson County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Zackary Helsel, 26, to 25 years in prison for recording his rape of a 12-year-old girl. On March 12, 2026, Helsel pleaded guilty to the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). “Protecting our children is the highest priority for federal prosecutors in the EDNC. We will prosecute anyone engaging in this heinous conduct to the fullest extent of the law. We will stomp out evil behavior by depraved spiders like this whenever we find them.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. Helsel repeatedly sexually abused a 12-year-old girl between February and May 2025. Helsel recorded at least some of this horrendous sexual abuse on his cell phone and used the content to blackmail his victim. While executing a search warrant, law enforcement discovered the video he made on his cell phone. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Karen Haughton prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-cr-00098.


title: Previously convicted felon pleads guilty to running straw-purchasing firearms conspiracy

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A previously convicted felon pleaded guilty in federal court here to crimes related to a straw-purchasing firearms conspiracy involving more than 20 guns seized from criminals in other states. Delonte Robertson, 33, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to conspiring to and making false statements during the acquisition of a firearm and to transferring firearms interstate. According to court documents, between 2021 and 2023, Robertson devised a scheme to recruit women with no criminal records to purchase firearms and then provide the guns to Robertson. The defendant then provided the firearms to criminals in other states. More than 20 firearms were recovered by law enforcement officers in Washington, D.C. and Maryland that were purchased in Ohio as part of Robertson’s conspiracy. Making false statements during the acquisition of a firearm carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Conspiring to make false statements during the acquisition of a firearm and transferring firearms out-of-state are federal crimes punishable by up to five years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the guilty plea offered on June 11 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Geraghty is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: United States Seizes Domain Names Publishing Nude Digital Forgeries of Famous Women

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Yesterday, the United States Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations seized the domains CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com, which are domains that were being used to publish hundreds of thousands of deepfake pornographic images and videos of women without their consent, announced U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer. The digital forgeries were made to appear to be sexual images of female celebrities, including heads of state, first ladies of multiple countries, royalty, legislators, government officials, journalists, television presenters, athletes, entertainers, and others. The website allowed people to browse by tags that included topics like “rape,” “forced,” “degradation,” and “slave.” “These seizures stopped a website that trafficked in humiliation, exploitation, and the violation of personal privacy on a massive scale. For the victims whose images were distributed without their consent, the harm is not virtual—it is deeply personal and often enduring. Through sophisticated cyber investigative work and close coordination with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, including authorities in France, this Office played a key role in disrupting the infrastructure that enabled this conduct. Those who use the internet to exploit others should not mistake online anonymity for immunity.” - U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer By issuing a federal warrant to seize the domains, a federal judge found probable cause to believe that the domains were being used to commit federal criminal violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which makes it a federal crime to publish digital forgeries that appear to depict someone in a sexually explicit manner without the depicted person’s consent. The First Lady of the United States championed the law. This is the first seizure of a domain for violating the TAKE IT DOWN Act. According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court: Italian officials brought the website to the attention of U.S. law enforcement. The United States investigated and developed evidence that it was able to share with French authorities through use of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office Cybercrime Division and French Gendarmerie Nationale then conducted their own parallel investigation, resulting in an arrest this morning in Nice, France on French criminal charges. “These domain seizures mark a significant victory in the fight against deepfake pornography,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act, championed by First Lady Melania Trump, gives us the tools we need to combat the abuse and exploitation of women and children through these fabricated images. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce this law and deliver justice for victims.” “This groundbreaking seizure is a massive win against deepfake pornography,” said U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act was a priority for First Lady Melania Trump to stop the abuse and exploitation of women and children. This is the first of many wins to stop these deepfake pornographic websites.” “Taking down CFAKE.com halted the publication of non‑consensual, sexually explicit digital forgeries that harmed the women they depicted,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We were honored to be part of this coordinated international operation and to help halt this ongoing abuse. The Criminal Division stands ready to enforce the TAKE IT DOWN Act to uphold basic principles of consent and human dignity.” By issuing a federal warrant to seize the domains, a federal judge found probable cause to believe that the domains were being used to commit federal criminal violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a statute enacted in May 2025. The TAKE IT DOWN Act makes it a federal crime to publish digital forgeries that appear to depict an identifiable adult in a sexually explicit manner without the depicted person’s consent, when what is depicted is not a matter of public concern, and the posting is meant to cause harm or actually harms the person. The website was brought to the attention of U.S. law enforcement by Italy’s Polizia di Stato -Postal and Cybersecurity Police. The United States investigated and developed evidence that it was able to share with French authorities through use of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, Cybercrime Section (J3) and French gendarmerie (Section de recherches de Paris) then conducted their own parallel investigation, resulting in an arrest on June 10, 2026in Nice, France on French criminal charges along with seizures of cryptocurrency. U.S. Attorney Frazer would like to thank U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Jersey Field Office, which is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the DHS Cybercrime Lab and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) Cybercrime Lab. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit for the District of New Jersey and Deputy Chief for Computer Crime Michael “Mick” Stawasz and Trial Attorney Vasantha Rao of the Criminal Division’s CCIPS are handling the litigation. Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section. The United States also thanks France for their coordination in this matter. ### cfake.seizurewarrant.pdf


title: Columbus man pleads guilty to defrauding COVID-19 relief programs

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sonny Madumelu, 70, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to committing COVID-19 relief fraud. Specifically, Madumelu pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Madumelu admitted to submitting at least seven false applications for COVID-19 relief loans between June 2020 and September 2021. He filed for at least two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and at least five Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. In total, the defendant sought approximately $405,000 in government aid and received more than $250,000. Court documents detail that Madumelu used the business names Uncle Sonny Traveling and Shipping, Uncle Sonny Traveling + Shipping LTD, Sonny Star Cleaners and Transworld Travel & Transportation to submit fraudulent applications. He claimed to be a shipping agent who brokered the shipment of shipping containers and that he had a cleaning business to clean offices. In reality, he did not operate such businesses and used fictitious financial figures in his applications. Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea entered on June 11 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. The case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. # # #


title: Former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department and Former Management and Budget Director Sentenced for Bribery Scheme

body_text: Ray Martinez, the former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD), and Jenifer O’Neal, the former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget (OMB), were sentenced this week for their roles in a procurement fraud, bribery, and money laundering scheme. Martinez was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release, and O’Neal was sentenced to seven years in prison. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Martinez accepted nearly $100,000 in bribe payments from a government contractor, David Whitaker, who gave Martinez cash and payment for luxury travel, personal expenses, private-school tuition, and restaurant equipment. In exchange for these payments, Martinez used his official authority to approve invoices submitted by Whitaker and also awarded Whitaker’s company a $1.4 million dollar contract funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. O’Neal, who served as the territory’s chief budget official, knowingly approved a $70,000 inflated invoice under that same contract and later accepted a $17,730 lease payment for her business, Java Grande, using federal funds from the inflated invoice. The evidence also showed that, after learning of the federal investigation, Martinez attempted to obstruct justice by directing Whitaker to destroy evidence and by creating a fraudulent promissory note in an attempt to conceal the bribes. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Special Agent in Charge Carlos R. Goris of the FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case. The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Virgin Islands Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cherrisse Amaro for the District of the Virgin Islands prosecuted the case.


title: USP Allenwood Inmate Charged With Possessing Weapon

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kareem Martin, 38, an inmate in USP Allenwood, was indicted on June 11, 2026, by a federal grand jury for possessing a weapon in prison. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment charges Martin with one count of possessing contraband in prison. Martin was allegedly in possession of an inmate-manufactured knife, six inches in length. The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Six Illegal Aliens Sentenced, Four Others Indicted for Immigration Offenses

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND and TOLEDO, Ohio – The United States Attorney’s Office has announced immigration enforcement actions for the month of May in the Northern District of Ohio. These are separate cases and are not related. The following individuals have been sentenced by a U.S. District Court judge after each previously pleaded guilty to their roles in violating federal immigration laws. All defendants will remain detained after serving their sentences, pending deportation from the United States. Jeyson Rodriguez-Lanza, 35, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being March 15, 2023. He was found in Norwalk, in Huron County, on Feb. 17. Genry Sanchez-Espinoza, 29, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Feb. 9, 2018. He was found in Sandusky, in Erie County on Feb. 16. Mario Gregorio-Arias, 49, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions with the most recent being April 17, 2018. He was found in Norwalk, in Huron County, on Feb. 17. Candelaria del Rosario Lopez-Bautista, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. She was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Nov. 16, 2010. She was found in Perkins Township, in Erie County, on Feb. 20. Cesar Mazariegos-Lopez, aka Cesar Masariegos-Lopez, aka Cesar M. Lopez, 45, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Nov. 16, 2010. He was found in Perkins Township, in Erie County, on Feb. 20. Yeixon Brito-Gonzalez, aka Yiexon Maikenedy Brito-Gonzalez, 21, a citizen of Venezuela, was sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to Possession of Fraudulent Documents. In January, he was found residing in Sandusky, in Erie County, and possessed counterfeit Legal Permanent Resident and Social Security cards. Additionally, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Victor M. Diaz-Montes De Oca, 34, a citizen of Mexico, with Providing Contraband in Prison and Illegal Reentry. According to court documents and evidence presented before the judge, he was found in Lisbon, in Columbiana County, attempting to provide tobacco, six cellphones, and 30 vapes, to an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Elkton. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being April 20, 2014. Federal grand juries also returned indictments for the following individuals: Miguel Galindo De Jesus, 49, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with Illegal Reentry. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the with the most recent being Dec. 11, 2012. He was found May 8 in Canton, in Stark County. Miguel Angel Hernandez-Chavez, 33, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with Illegal Reentry. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least two occasions with the most recent being June 11, 2024. He was found April 9 in Bryan, in Williams County. Anibal Tejada-Estrella, 45, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was charged with Illegal Reentry. He was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the with the most recent being June 20, 2023. He was found April 22 in Brooklyn Heights, in Cuyahoga County. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Simko , Ava Rotell Dustin , Jennifer King , Brett Hammond , Dexter Phillips , and Alissa M. Sterling for Northern District of Ohio. These investigations were conducted by U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Billings man pleads guilty to selling fentanyl

body_text: BILLINGS – A Billings man who was dealing fentanyl pills from his South Side home admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. The defendant, David Douglas Davis, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On the first count, Davis faces five to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, four years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. On the second count, he faces five years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at future date; Davis remained released pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that a search of Davis’s Billings home last fall turned up nearly 900 fentanyl pills and six firearms. The investigation began when the Billings Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit received a credible tip in October 2025 that a man named David was selling fentanyl from an address on Hallowell Lane. Investigators ended up speaking with a “known fentanyl dealer” who told them Davis was her fentanyl supplier and that she had been purchasing fentanyl pills from Davis for the past six months. On Oct. 29, 2025, officers served a search warrant on Davis’s Hallowell Lane home where they found 88.4 grams of fentanyl in the form of approximately 883 pills along with six firearms and $16,870 in cash. In his vehicle, they found another firearm and $2,520 in cash. Davis, who travels out of state to purchase the pills, told officers he began selling fentanyl in April 2025 “to make money.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Billings Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation.


title: Windsor Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Windsor man pleaded guilty on June 9, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Bangor to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records, on September 1, 2024, a deputy with the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office observed Shawn Merrill , 40, riding in a vehicle as a passenger. The deputy was aware that Merrill had a warrant for his arrest and was on state probation. After stopping the vehicle, the deputy searched it and located a pistol in the center console. Merrill admitted that his DNA and fingerprints would likely be on the firearm as he had previously handled it. Merrill is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of prior felony convictions, including a Maine robbery conviction. Merrill faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office. Project Safe Neighborhoods : 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 Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn . ###


title: A Vancouver, Washington, Woman was Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in the Death of Two Brothers

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Vancouver, Washington, woman was sentenced to federal prison last Tuesday for distributing fentanyl resulting in two overdose deaths, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. Alondra Stephanie Trujillo, 34, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $6,349.00 in restitution. “This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the severe and destructive impact fentanyl has across our community,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “We are steadfast in our mission to pursue offenders who distribute this poison and endanger Oregonians.” “This case highlights the dangers of fentanyl and the dangers of buying counterfeit drugs of any type,” said acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “You can lose your life, as these two brothers learned, when these street drugs are marketed as one thing and instead contain fentanyl. This lengthy sentence won’t bring back the brothers, but hopefully it will serve as a deterrent to anyone who thinks about engaging in this type of deadly deception.” “The tragic fentanyl poisoning deaths of two brothers underscore the deadly reality of illicit fentanyl and the irreversible harm caused by those who distribute it,” said Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division Robert A. Saccone. “DEA remains relentless in its pursuit of drug traffickers who endanger our communities for profit. Through Fentanyl Free America, DEA is combining aggressive enforcement, strategic partnerships, intelligence-driven investigations, and public awareness efforts to eliminate the fentanyl threat.” According to court documents, on July 12, 2020, two brothers in Woodburn, Oregon, were pronounced deceased from an accidental fentanyl overdose after their mother and first responders attempted life-saving measures to save them. Investigators learned that Trujillo sold counterfeit pills containing fentanyl the day prior to their overdose deaths. On Oct. 17, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Trujillo with one count of distribution of fentanyl. Trujillo pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025. Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Woodburn Police Department investigated this case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, Longview Police Department, Everett Police Department, and Portland Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassady Adams prosecuted the case. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org . Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.


title: Child Sexual Predator Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A child sexual predator living in Collinsville was sentenced today for recording children in the bathroom and for seeking out and possessing child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Thomas Joshua Keizer, 34, for two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. Keizer was ordered to pay $11,000 in restitution and serve 300 months' imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Keizer will be required to register as a sex offender. In November 2024, Homeland Security Investigations began investigating a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Court documents show that Keizer used Discord, the social media application, to have sexually graphic messages with a minor child who was only 12 years old. The investigation revealed that Keizer sought out minor children to groom and have sexually explicit conversations with. When agents executed a search warrant at his home, they recovered several electronic devices in the home. Agents reviewed the contents of the devices and found that Keizer possessed 568 images and 11 videos of children being sexually abused, including prepubescent children and toddlers being forced to have sexually explicit acts with adults. Agents further discovered that Keizer had hidden a recording device in a bathroom to capture children using the restroom. Court records show that from July 2020 through August 2024, Keizer captured more than 1,835 images of two additional minor children under the age of 10 years old. The child sexual abuse material found on Keizer’s devices was sent to the National Child Victim Identification System, managed by the NCMEC, for identification. They identified 13 children whose images were previously identified and reported to NCMEC for cataloging. They were notified and allowed to submit victim impact statements to the court. Restitution paid by Keizer will go directly to the victims who requested restitution. Keizer will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Collinsville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, local, and tribal resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Memphis Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting Memphis Safe Task Force Officers

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A Memphis woman has been sentenced to federal prison for two counts of assault on federal officers. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. On January 8, 2026, Memphis Police Department officers assigned to the Memphis Safe Task Force conducted a traffic stop on defendant Shalond White, 43 . During the encounter, officers discovered that White had an active arrest warrant out of Germantown, Tennessee. Officers asked White to exit the vehicle, and she stated "no”. Officers then attempted to remove White from her vehicle, but she resisted. When officers opened the door of White’s vehicle, she kicked one of the officers in the thigh. White then began throwing punches and struck another officer in the shoulder. Officers were able to detain White, but during the detainment process, she spit on another officer. White was then placed into custody. White was charged, by way of criminal information, with two counts of 18 United States Code § 111, Assaulting a Federal Officer. On April 24, 2026, White pled guilty as charged to both counts and was sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker on June 9, 2026 to twelve months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "There is no constitutional right to resist arrest, and doing so endangers everyone involved. We have zero tolerance for any assault on federal officers and will impose real consequences for such violence against those who are working to protect us every day.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Special Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Wright, of the United States Army Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps, and Assistant United States Attorney Jermal Blanchard prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### 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: Guatemalan Human Smugglers Admit to Roles in 2021 Mass Casualty Event in Chiapas, Mexico

body_text: Two foreign nationals have pleaded guilty to human smuggling charges related to the crash of a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more. “This tragic event shows that human smugglers do not care about the illegal aliens they come in contact with and transport despite the numerous risks, including extreme heat and dangerous travel conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This defendant and her co-conspirators maximized their profits by packing more than 100 men, women, and children into a tractor trailer, which ultimately ended in an accident that claimed the lives of 56 people.” “The defendants ran a calculated alien smuggling operation that moved people across borders like a supply chain — recruiting them in Guatemala, collecting their money, and packing them into cattle trucks and tractor-trailers for a dangerous journey through Mexico,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck for the Southern District of Texas. “This was an organized, profit-driven network that even handed scripts to children so they could lie to law enforcement if caught entering the United States. That operation ended with the loss of more than 50 lives on a Mexican roadside, and today’s convictions make clear that the Southern District of Texas will work to shut down these networks at every level.” “This case highlights Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) unwavering commitment to dismantling transnational criminal organizations that exploit vulnerable individuals for profit,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon. “This horrific tragedy, which claimed dozens of lives, underscores the urgent need to combat human smuggling. The successful prosecution of these smugglers reflects the dedication of our agents and the coordinated efforts of our domestic and international partners to safeguard our borders and uphold the rule of law.” Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala, 43, and Alberto Marcario Chitic, 32, both of Guatemala, acknowledged that they conspired with other smugglers to transport illegal aliens, both adults and unaccompanied minors, from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States. Canil De Zavala, Chitic and others recruited Guatemalan aliens, collected payment, and arranged for the aliens to travel by foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks, and tractor-trailers. Aliens paid Canil De Zavala and Chitic and their co-conspirators to be smuggled to the United States. In some cases, Canil De Zavala, Chitic and their co-conspirators provided scripted language to unaccompanied minors for their use if U.S. immigration authorities apprehended them. During the conspiracy, on Dec. 9, 2021, Canil De Zavala, Chitic and others arranged for the aliens they were smuggling to the United States to be loaded into a tractor trailer that was to transport them through Mexico. The vehicle ultimately crashed north of the Guatemala/Mexico border near Tuxtla Guiterrez, Chiapas, Mexico, resulting in deaths and serious bodily injury. Canil De Zavala and Chitic pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien to the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injury, and resulting in death. They will be sentenced on Sept. 9 and each will face a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Canil De Zavala, Chitic and three other Guatemalan nationals: Daniel Zavala Ramos, 41, Tomas Quino Canil, 37, and Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, 25, were extradited from Guatemala in 2025 to face charges. U.S. authorities arrested an additional Guatemalan national illegally present in the U.S., Jorge Agapito Ventura, 33, at his residence in Cleveland, Texas, in December 2024. Ramos entered a guilty plea in April. The others are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. HSI’s Counter Proliferation Investigations Group in Washington D.C. investigated the case in partnership with HSI Guatemala and HSI Mexico. Valuable assistance was provided by HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; HSI Houston; HSI Laredo; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s International Interdiction Task Force; U.S. Border Patrol; Liberty County Constable, Precinct 6; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas; and the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of the defendants. Guatemalan prosecutors from the Office of Public Ministry and Mexican prosecutors from the Republic of Mexico’s Federal Prosecutions Office, with the support of law enforcement officials from both countries, were also instrumental in furthering the investigation. Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Lou Castillo and Jennifer Day for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from HRSP Latin American Specialist/Historian Joanna Crandall. The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 458 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 408 U.S. convictions; more than 357 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. This case is also 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