title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Scheme to Generate Revenue for North Korean Weapons Programs

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his involvement in a scheme to generate revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. The scheme involved the dispatchment of skilled information technology (IT) workers who, using stolen identities of U.S. persons, posed as domestic workers to obtain remote IT jobs with U.S. companies, including several Fortune 500 companies and a defense contractor. Zhenxing “Danny” Wang, 39, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 14, 2026. In June 2025 , Zhenxing Wang was indicted by a federal grand jury along with nine co-conspirators, including eight overseas operatives. In response to U.S. and U.N. sanctions, the DPRK government dispatched thousands of skilled IT workers around the world, who falsified and stole identities of U.S. persons and posed as domestic workers to obtain remote IT jobs with U.S. companies and generate revenue for DPRK WMD programs. The DPRK IT workers’ scheme involved the use of pseudonymous email, social media, payment platform and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and third-party enablers in the United States and abroad. According to the court documents, the IT workers employed under this scheme also gained access to sensitive employer data and source code, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) data from a California-based defense contractor that develops artificial intelligence-powered equipment and technologies. According to the indictment, from approximately 2021 through October 2024, Zhenxing Wang and his alleged co-conspirators perpetuated a massive fraud scheme resulting in the transmission of false and misleading information to dozens of U.S. companies, financial institutions, and government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration. Specifically, Zhenxing Wang and his alleged co-conspirators compromised the identities of more than 80 U.S. persons; fraudulently obtained remote jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies, including several Fortune 500 companies; received laptops and other hardware from U.S. companies; accessed, without authorization, the internal systems of these U.S. companies, including sensitive employer data and source code; generated at least $5 million in revenue for the overseas IT workers; and caused U.S. victim companies to incur legal fees, computer network remediation costs and other damages and losses of at least $3 million. The overseas IT workers were assisted in this scheme by Zhenxing Wang, Kejia Wang and at least four other identified U.S. facilitators. Kejia Wang pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme in September 2025. Zhenxing Wang and other U.S. facilitators received and/or hosted laptops belonging to U.S. victim companies at their residences to deceive the U.S. companies into believing the IT workers were in the United States. Zhenxing Wang and his alleged co-conspirators facilitated remote access to the computers for the overseas IT workers through illicit means, including downloading software to the computers without authorization from the U.S. companies, connecting the U.S. companies’ computers to internet-connected KVM switches, and creating shell companies with corresponding websites and financial accounts, including Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC and Independent Lab LLC, to make it appear as though the overseas IT workers were affiliated with legitimate U.S. businesses. These facilitators also allegedly established accounts at U.S. financial institutions and online money transfer services to receive money from victimized U.S. companies, much of which was subsequently transferred to overseas co-conspirators. In exchange for their services, Zhenxing Wang and Kejia Wang collected at least $700,000 in fees. This investigation is the culmination of a multi-year investigation by federal law enforcement agencies and is one of several charged as part of the Justice Department’s initiative, DPRK: Domestic Enabler. Under the initiative, Department prosecutors and agents continue to prioritize high-impact, strategic, and unified enforcement and disruption operations targeting DPRK’s illicit revenue generation efforts through remote IT workers and the U.S.-based individuals who enable them. The U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $5 million in support of international efforts to disrupt North Korea’s illicit financial activities, including for certain information related to individuals who are sent outside of North Korea to work to generate money for the North Korean government or who facilitate the activities of such North Korean nationals. The charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Chistopher S. Delzotto, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Las Vegas Division; John E. Helsing, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office; and Kevin Murphy, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey, Deputy Chief of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section. Valuable assistance was provided by FBI New York, Newark and San Diego Field Offices; HSI Newark Field Office; United States Postal Inspection Service’s San Diego Field Office; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Jersey, the Eastern District of New York and the Southern District of California. \The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Create and Distribute Animal Torture Videos

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and 100 hours of community service in connection with his involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against animals. Garrett Fitzgerald, of Scituate, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.” According to court documents, Fitzgerald conspired with Ronald Bedra, Robert Berndt, and others to direct and send money to individuals in Indonesia, via encrypted chat, to create videos depicting violent torture of baby and adult monkeys. The conspirators then distributed the sadistic videos to each other and online. Berndt was sentenced last month to 38 months in prison. Bedra was previously sentenced to 54 months in prison. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie of FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office, and Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.


title: HONDURAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO 180 MONTHS  IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Olvin Rodriguez-Inestroza, age 23, of Honduras, to 180 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of child pornography. He must serve five years of supervised release after his term of imprisonment. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court ordered Rodriguez-Inestroza to pay $57,000 in restitution to the victims and ordered him to register as a sex offender upon his release. Rodriguez-Inestroza, a Honduran citizen who is present in the United States without authorization, may also be deported from the United States upon completing his sentence. Rodriguez-Inestroza used internet-based accounts and a social media mobile application to distribute, trade, and receive child pornography. In addition to distributing files, he also possessed hundreds of videos and thousands of images of child pornography on his smartphone. Some of the videos included child pornography involving toddlers and two of the videos involved sexual activity with animals. This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Baton Rouge Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Getaway Driver Charged In Jewelry Store Robbery

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Ivel Sanchez Rivera (52, Hialeah) with conspiracy and interference with commerce by robbery and use and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted, Sanchez Rivera faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy offense and a consecutive 7 years in federal prison for the firearm offense. According to the criminal complaint, on January 6, 2026, two armed assailants entered the Tio Jewelers in Cape Coral from an adjacent vacant business space while the jewelry store was closed. Upon the arrival of the manager that morning to the store, the robbers restrained the manager and forced a safe to be opened. The robbers then took a large amount of jewelry and two firearms from the store. The robbers left in a getaway vehicle driven by a third individual who was later identified as Sanchez Rivera. The Cape Coral Police Department identified Sanchez Rivera’s vehicle as being involved in the robbery. Sanchez Rivera had driven the car to the area of the jewelry store the night before and then immediately returned to Miami following the robbery. A search warrant was executed at Sanchez Rivera’s residence and two firearms were recovered, including a firearm that was taken from the jewelry store manager during the robbery. A criminal complaint is an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Cape Coral Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesus M. Casas. Criminal Complaint


title: Former National Park Service employee pleads guilty to overtime wage theft

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ROME, Ga. - Donny Campbell, a former maintenance department employee at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds for submitting false overtime entries on his timesheets. “Federal employees are expected to be responsible stewards of taxpayer money,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “When they abuse that trust, it diminishes public confidence that those dollars are spent appropriately. Federal employees and anyone else who chooses to steal from the public fisc will be held accountable.” “We are happy to see the results of this case come to fruition,” Katie Balestra, Special Agent in Charge at the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General, stated. “Our office will continue to investigate these types of cases to ensure government resources are expended appropriately.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Campbell, while working as maintenance staff for the National Park Service, submitted timesheets claiming overtime pay for hundreds of hours that he did not work. The false timesheets spanned a period of January 2017 through June 2019 and caused nearly $40,000 of wrongful payments. As part of his plea agreement, Campbell agreed to resign, never seek any future federal employment, and pay full restitution to the U.S. Department of the Interior. Campbell, 48, of Ringgold, Georgia, pleaded guilty on October 2, 2025, to theft of government funds. Sentencing is scheduled for January 23, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge John H. Rains IV. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. This case is being investigated by the Department of the Interior - Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Agrees to Settlement in United States Attorney’s Office’s Investigation of Ineffective Communication with People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that it has resolved its investigation into complaints that Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) failed to effectively communicate with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing during medical visits. This agreement resolves allegations that BMH violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during patient visits dating back to at least 2018. The United States received a complaint from an individual who alleged that BMH discriminated against him by failing to provide qualified sign language interpreters and appropriate auxiliary aids and services during visits to BMH’s emergency department. The individual also alleged that on several occasions, he was required to rely on his companion to assist him in communicating about his medical concerns. The United States’s investigation revealed additional individuals, whose primary means of communication is American Sign Language, with whom BMH similarly failed to ensure effective communication. It is well settled under the ADA that patients have the right to effective communication in hospitals and doctors’ offices. BMH has already taken steps to comply with its obligations under the ADA. And with the resolution agreement, BMH will timely provide qualified interpreters when necessary to ensure effective communication with patients and companions; create a grievance procedure; provide comprehensive training to its personnel on effective communication; and designate a program administrator who will coordinate access to auxiliary aids and services 24/7. The resolution agreement also establishes a fund to compensate people who have been affected by BMH’s failure to provide qualified sign language interpreters or appropriate auxiliary aids and services from 2018 through 2025. Any person believed to be so aggrieved should contact the United States Attorney’s Office by filling out the civil rights complaint form available on our website or by emailing the office at USAVT.contactus1@usdoj.gov. To access the civil rights complaint form, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-vt/civil-rights-program. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Greer and former Assistant United States Attorney Zachary M. Dayno handled this matter for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont. The resolution agreement is available at this link: Resolution Agreement For more information on the ADA, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TTY). # # #


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Knowingly Concealing the Source of Material Support or Resources to ISIS

body_text: BOSTON – A Wakefield, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources intended for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Mateo Ventura, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper to 50 months in prison, to be followed by seven years of supervised release. In October 2025 , Ventura pleaded guilty to one count of concealment of financing of terrorism. Ventura was charged by complaint in June 2023 and was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023 . Ventura provided multiple gift cards to an individual he believed was an ISIS supporter, with the intention that they be sold on the dark web for a little less than face value, and with the profits being used to support ISIS. Ventura stated that he wanted the proceeds to go to ISIS “for war on kuffar,” (disbelievers), and believed the money was being used to purchase ammunition and explosives. Ventura also expressed his desire to fight alongside ISIS overseas and purchased plane tickets in order to travel to the Middle East and join ISIS. In total between January and May 2023, Ventura made donations totaling $705. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Assistant Attorney John A. Eisenberg for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner of the National Security Unit prosecuted the case. Valuable assistance was provided by Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.


title: Cubero Man Charged in Fatal Shooting

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Cubero man is facing federal charges in connection with the fatal shooting of another tribal member during a confrontation at a cemetery. According to court records, on January 1, 2026, Donald Thompson , 49, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna, allegedly shot and killed another Laguna Pueblo member during a confrontation at a cemetery within the Pueblo of Laguna in Cubero, New Mexico. Law enforcement responded to reports of a shooting and found the victim deceased at the scene with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest and back. Witnesses reported that Thompson was armed with a rifle and fired a single shot during the confrontation, and Thompson later admitted to shooting the victim, claiming he believed he was acting in self-defense. Thompson is charged with second degree murder and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was released on conditions pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Thompson faces up to life in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Thompson).pdf 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: McLean man sentenced to over a year in prison for luxury watch fraud scheme

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A McLean man was sentenced today to a year and nine months in prison for mail fraud. According to court documents, from November 2022 through June 2024, Jaivin Raj Karnani, 45, frequently used American Express card accounts he controlled to order luxury watches and related products from Harrods Limited, a luxury department store in London. Karnani would use his own name as well as the fictitious names “Quinn Bash” and “Steve Johnson” to make the purchases. After the luxury watches arrived, Karnani would initiate a dispute with American Express in an attempt to have the charges for the watches removed from his statement and balances due. Karnani would then sell or attempt to sell the watches to watch dealers in Michigan and New York. “Jaivan Karnani’s fraudulent conduct resulted in a federal prison sentence,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This case demonstrates how the abuse of consumer-protection systems inflicts widespread financial harm – driving up costs, eroding trust, and burdening honest businesses. The Eastern District of Virginia will hold accountable anyone who exploits these safeguards to enrich themselves at others’ expense.” Altogether, Karnani falsely discharged $1,280,647.99 worth of luxury watches he ordered from Harrods, causing actual losses of $851,328.75 to American Express and $426,794.24 to Harrods. Karnani also abused the American Express charge-back process to reverse legal fees several of his own lawyers had already earned, resulting later in civil judgments against Karnani. In addition to his prison sentence, Karnani must forfeit a total of $1,280,647.99 and 23 luxury watches seized from his residence in McLean, including watches by Rolex, Moser, Oris, Chanel, Tissot, Tudor, Omega, Porsche, Gucci, and Chopard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-274.


title: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cornell Cordon, 58, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty today to failure to update his registration as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), following interstate travel. According to court documents and statements made in court, Cordon was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse in Putnam County, West Virginia, Circuit Court on July 15, 2019. Cordon was living in West Virginia when he obtained permission from his probation officer to visit family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, from April 14, 2025, to April 21, 2025. Cordon failed to return to West Virginia following the authorized trip and there is no record of Cordon registering as a sex offender in New Jersey as required. Cordon is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case. SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-142. ###


title: Utah Brothers Sentenced to Prison for Drug and Money Laundering Crimes that Involved the Distribution of “Bath Salts” in Utah

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - One of two brothers that led a large drug trafficking organization was sentenced on January 7, 2026, to 96 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Mountazar Altalibi, 36, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was sentenced nearly a month after his brother, Jaafar Altalibi, 44, of Salt Lake County was sentenced to the same sentence, for a combined 16 years’ imprisonment. The two sentences, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart, comes after Mountazar and Jaafar distributed Alpha-Pyrrolidinohexanophenone, commonly referred to as “Alpha PHP,” or “bath salts,” out of two Utah businesses for several years and made hundreds of thousands of dollars from their drug trafficking crimes. The two brothers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute α-Pyrrolidinohexanophenone (α-PHP), and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to their terms of imprisonment, and supervised release, the court ordered the defendants to forfeit millions of dollars in assets including multiple residential and commercial properties, vehicles, businesses, jewelry, and other high-end personal property. According to court documents and statements made at the Altalibi brothers’ change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning in May 2020 through August 17, 2022, Mountazar and Jaafar Altalibi, imported and received “bath salts” from a foreign supplier and sold them to others for profit. The Altalibi brothers distributed the “bath salts” to each other and coconspirators, many of whom have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced, who then redistributed the “bath salts” on behalf of the Altalibi brothers. See prior press release: Alleged Drug Trafficking Ring Leader and Utah Business Owner Behind Bars Following Massive Narcotics Bust . Mountazar and Jaafar Altalibi further admitted that between November 2011 and August 2022, they assisted in the money laundering of drug proceeds by receiving cash from customers and supplying them with “bath salts.” The Altalibi brothers then used the proceeds of the distribution of the “bath salts” to reinvest in their distribution network by acquiring more “bath salts,” and to finance their lifestyle and homes. Jaafar also paid for and supplied his business, Smokers Haven, with the drug proceeds. “Protecting our communities and prosecuting drug traffickers is a priority of this administration and my office,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Criminals who import and distribute bath salts or any other type of illegal and deadly substance will be held accountable.” “The DEA and the Salt Lake City Metro Narcotics Task (MNTF) will continue to investigate any person or organization selling illegal substances that cause harm,” said Miguel Chino, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division Salt Lake Office. “It doesn’t matter whether it is bath salts, methamphetamine, or cocaine – the DEA and MNTF will continue to track down and arrest drug traffickers, and seize illegal controlled substances and narcotics proceeds.” The case was investigated jointly by the DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force, made up of officers from the DEA, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake/Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, West Valley City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Special assistance was provided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Utah Department of Public Safety, Tooele Police Department, Sandy Police Department, South Jordan Police Department, Murray Police Department, Salt Lake City Police Department, Park City Police Department, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. United States Attorneys Seth Nielsen, and Vernon G. Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. United States Attorney Travis Elder litigated the forfeiture case.


title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Darnell Marice McCarver, also known as “WAP,” 19, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, to aiding and abetting the distribution of 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture. McCarver admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 27, 2025, McCarver arranged the sale of approximately 63.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. As part of his guilty plea, McCarver admitted that he communicated with the confidential informant while he was in Detroit via a FaceTime video call, and that he directed the confidential informant to a Huntington, West Virginia, residence where another individual conducted the transaction with the confidential informant. McCarver also admitted that he coordinated the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl on multiple occasions between April 2025 and August 2025. On September 10, 2025, law enforcement officers arrested McCarver and executed a search warrant at his Detroit residence. Officers seized approximately $4,479 from McCarver’s person and approximately 950 grams of methamphetamine, 48 grams of fentanyl, four firearms, and $8,764 at the residence during the search. McCarver admitted that he stored drugs at his residence for distribution in the Southern District of West Virginia and elsewhere, that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine and fentanyl, and that the seized cash was proceeds from drug distributions. McCarver is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. McCarver is among 10 defendants indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO. McCarver and two co-defendants pleaded guilty. The charges against the other defendants remain pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-154. ###


title: Chattanooga Pastor Sentenced To 30 Months For Wire Fraud And Tax Fraud Charges In $1.8 Million COVID-19 Employment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On January 8, 2026, Ricky Lee Taylor, Jr., 36, currently of Chattanooga, TN, was sentenced by the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr., United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Taylor agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and one count of Tax Fraud in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7206(1). Taylor was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The Court ordered that Taylor pay a money judgment of $942,238.85 and $2,532,528.18 in restitution to the United States. Taylor, a former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball player, now a preacher and entrepreneur, ran several businesses to include Potter’s Wheel Trucking, LLC; Ricky Taylor Basketball, LLC; Arena of Praise; Spirit Logistics, LLC; and Reap Real Estate and Property. Taylor applied for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans on behalf of these entities and in so doing provided fraudulent documentation in support of the loans. In total, Taylor submitted eight fraudulent applications and received approximately $1,800,000 in loans, which significantly exceeded any amount to which he would have been legally entitled. Taylor then filed fraudulent, personal tax returns that did not account for the income from the PPP loans. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Resident Agent in Charge, Adam Lander of the United States Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge, Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigations (“IRS CI”) made the announcement. The criminal information was the result of a joint investigation in Chattanooga, TN by the United States Secret Service and the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Poole represented the United States. ###


title: Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tina Marie Dixon, 52, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 25, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a garage structure behind Dixon’s residence in Huntington. As part of her guilty plea, Dixon admitted that she consented to a search of her bedroom in her residence during the execution of the search warrant and that officers found 37.1 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and 2.7 grams of crack in her bedroom. Officers also found $18,984 in her bedroom during the search. Dixon further admitted that officers saw her distribute a quantity of crack to an individual standing outside her residence when they arrived to execute the search warrant for the garage structure. Dixon is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chamber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-172. ###


title: Five Defendants Sentenced In Wide-Reaching Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced sentences as the final defendant in a multi-count, multiple-defendant fentanyl trafficking conspiracy was sentenced on January 7, 2025. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, defendants Kyon Watson, age 39, of Kearney, New Jersey, Tony K. Oliver, age 33, of Paterson, New Jersey, Rosa E. Duran, age 41, of Davenport, Florida, Dewayne A. Hutton, age 25, of East Orange, New Jersey, and Janny Calderon-Rodriguez, age 40, of Paterson, New Jersey, all pled guilty in a multi-defendant conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin and/or distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, and were sentenced by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley to the following: Kyon Watson: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin; sentenced on January 7, 2026, to 66 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Tony K. Oliver a/k/a “LZ”: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and heroin, sentenced on April 1, 2025, to 151 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release; Rosa E. Duran: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, sentenced on September 9, 2025, to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release; Dewayne A. Hutton: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, sentenced on May 13, 2025, to 51 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release; and Janny Calderon-Rodriguez: distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, sentenced on February 4, 2025, to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. This case was the result of a joint investigation between Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) into a darknet vendor who was engaged in the sale of opioids over the internet. The opioids were sold in exchange for cryptocurrency and then distributed via the United States Mail. The various parcels were sent from locations in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Beginning in October of 2022, undercover agents conducted various purchases from the darknet vendor which were seized and later searched and found to contain fentanyl. In February of 2023, undercover agents executed a search warrant at the residence of the darknet vendor and recovered United States currency, various electronic devices, drug ledgers consistent with narcotics distribution, cryptocurrency cold storage wallets, and controlled substances themselves. Law enforcement identified almost 1,000 entries in the drug ledgers, dating back to the summer of 2021, mailed to 49 states and places overseas. Through their investigation, law enforcement was able to identify a source of supply for these narcotics as Tony K. Oliver. Agents learned that although Tony K. Oliver was arrested on January 16, 2023, in Paterson, New Jersey, on an unrelated state case, he engaged in communications with Duran, Rodriguez, Hutton, and Watson, over recorded prison communications, to continue to operate his drug trafficking organization from behind bars. From prison, Oliver, Duran, Hutton, Watson, and Rodriguez, conspired to continue drug sales and drug deliveries, more specifically on February 24, 2023 (sale of 52 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $5,500 dollars), March 28, 2023 (sale of 50 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $5,200 dollars), May 16, 2023 (sale of 53 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $5,000 dollars), July 12, 2023 (sale of 50 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $5,000 dollars), ultimately culminating in the arrest of Oliver, who had just recently been released from his January 16, 2023, New Jersey case, and who traveled on September 26, 2023, to the Middle District of Pennsylvania where he was stopped in a vehicle with 101 grams of fentanyl. The case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Federal Jury finds Memphis Physician Guilty of Adulterated and Misbranded Medical Devices and Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – After a three-and-a-half-week trial and five days of deliberations, a federal jury found Memphis physician Sanjeev Kumar guilty of eighteen counts of adulteration of medical devices, sixteen counts of misbranding medical devices, and six counts of health care fraud. From 2019 to 2024, Kumar submitted and caused his employees to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid for hysteroscopy with biopsy procedures that were not medically necessary and conducted with adulterated devices. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today. “This doctor put profit ahead of patients, targeting a vulnerable population of women, telling them he needed to conduct invasive gynecological procedures to diagnose them with cancer and risking infection to those patients by reusing the same insanitary medical devices on them again and again,” stated D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney. “If we allow doctors to bilk Medicare and Medicaid to pad their profits by performing unsupported medical procedures with filthy devices — each and every American taxpayer eats the cost. But the harm is most felt by the victim-patients who deserved better, and the American women on Medicare and Medicaid are entitled to quality care. Kumar’s blatant disregard for his patients’ health has led to his conviction on multiple federal charges. My office is proud to work with the investigative agencies that helped bring this man to justice.” Kumar was a gynecologic oncologist who operated Poplar Avenue Clinic, a women’s health clinic in Memphis, Tennessee. Between September of 2019 and April of 2024, Kumar and the advanced practitioners he supervised performed over 15,000 hysteroscopies with biopsy on 5,559 Medicare and Medicaid patients. The hysteroscopy with biopsy is an in-office procedure where a hysteroscope is inserted into the vagina, pushed through the cervix, and into the uterus. A grasper or pipelle is then inserted through the hysteroscope to take a sample of the endometrial lining of the uterus. The procedure is used to diagnose endometrial cancer. The FDA cleared several single-use hysteroscopes and graspers, as well as reusable hysteroscopes to complete these procedures. The single-use devices were to be used once and then discarded. To correctly disinfect the devices cleared for reprocessing, Kumar had to strictly follow manufacturer instructions. Kumar routinely failed to subject the reusable devices to vital reprocessing steps between patient use, thereby, endangering patient safety. The single-use devices, even if they had been correctly reprocessed, had to be labeled as such, and Kumar did not label them. Kumar purchased less than 200 new single-use hysteroscopes, and 3 of the 6 single-use graspers of a certain type he purchased in 2019 were still in use in the office in April 2024. “FDA’s requirements for safe use of medical devices are in place to protect the health of the public. When healthcare providers disregard safety information, including single-use and single-user designations, resulting in the adulteration and misbranding of medical devices, they put patients’ health at risk,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Juan Berrios, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “We will continue our vigilance in protecting the U.S. consumers’ and patients’ right to safe medical products.” Kumar billed more than $41 million for the hysteroscopy with biopsy procedures between September 2019 and April 2024. He netted more than $4.8 million for this procedure from Medicare and Medicaid alone. That amount does not include any hysteroscopy with biopsy procedures performed on patients with private health care insurance. “Profits should never come before patient safety,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “When healthcare providers sidestep best safety practices for the sake of their bottom line, patients pay the price. I’m proud of the work of our team at TBI and all stakeholders to hold this provider accountable and hope it sends a message: We won’t stop rooting out bad actors trying to take advantage of the system meant to support the elderly and our most vulnerable.” “Health care providers have a solemn duty to prioritize their patients’ well-being and uphold the principle of ‘do no harm.’ When they violate this trust and endanger those in their care, they will be held accountable,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Ensuring the safety of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries is our top priority, and we will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to safeguard these vital programs.” “This guilty verdict underscores our commitment to pursuing those who abuse the health care system for personal profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to root out health care fraud schemes and hold those accountable who not only waste valuable resources but also jeopardize patient safety and trust.” Sentencing is set on April 9, 2026 before Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. Kumar faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years for each Health Care Fraud count and three years for each Adulteration and Misbranding of Medical Devices count. The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) led the investigation, which was initiated by the Tennessee Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lynn Crum, Scott Smith, and Sarah Pazar Williams prosecuted the case. ### 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: Illegal aliens indicted for federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – Two illegal aliens have been indicted for federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Manuel Gomez Ayala, 39, a citizen and national of Mexico, was indicted for possession of a firearm. This case is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Alberto Saenz-De la Cruz, 33, a citizen and national of Mexico, was indicted for possession of a firearm. This case is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston and 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. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Orangeburg Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense

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

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Pierre Desmond Morgan, 36, of Orangeburg, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence presented in court showed that agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives identified Morgan as an individual involved in trafficking firearms in the Orangeburg area. On April 24 and May 8, 2024, Morgan sold six firearms and ammunition to law enforcement. The firearms included weapons capable of accepting large-capacity magazines, as well as firearms without serial numbers. During these transactions, Morgan disclosed that he had access to additional firearms and switches—devices designed to convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. On Dec. 6, 2024, officers with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Morgan. During the stop, a drug-detecting K-9 alerted to the vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded firearm and distribution quantities of marijuana and methamphetamine. Morgan has prior felony convictions and is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition. At the time of the offenses, Morgan was on federal supervised release for a prior firearm conviction. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Morgan to 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. Morgan was also sentenced to an additional 15 months’ imprisonment for violating the terms of his supervised release related to a 2017 firearm conviction. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case. ###


title: Houston man sentenced for role in immigration scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 58-year-old local resident has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud and stealing nearly $1.5 million, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jesus Carlos Silva pleaded guilty July 9, 2025, to defrauding individuals with false promises of legal status. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Silva to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Silva made false promises that he could help people obtain U.S. citizenship and/or other legal immigration status in under a year. The court also heard how Silva recruited individuals at churches and obtained payments between $10,000-15,000 yet offered nothing in return. From March 2022 through December 2024, Silva pretended to be an immigration attorney affiliated with a Houston-based law firm. He charged thousands of dollars per person for his “assistance,” collecting payments through checks and money orders. He never provided legitimate immigration help and made excuses for delays before ultimately cutting off communication. As part of the scheme, Silva also instructed several individuals to travel to Houston for what they thought were appointments with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. However, once they arrived, there were no such appointments. He admitted to stealing more than $1,450,555 from over 100 people living in Texas, Illinois, Louisiana and Florida. He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Rodolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case.


title: West Columbia Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Stephen Todd Greene, 55, of West Columbia, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, producing child sexual abuse material, and coercion/enticement of a minor and aiding/abetting. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Greene initiated an online relationship with a woman in Brazil that had access to two minor females, one was 8 years old, and the other was 2 years old. Greene solicited child sexual abuse images and videos of the minors for his own sexual gratification, which he directed via livestream. He later had cameras installed in one of the child’s bedrooms, which provided him with 24/7 remote access to the child. Subsequently, in July 2024, Greene travelled to Brazil and sexually abused one of the minor victims on several occasions. He further admitted to prior sexual abuse of at least one child in South Carolina. Upon his arrest, FBI obtained and searched his devices, which contained over 250 images and 100 videos of child sexual abuse material. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Greene to 480 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 15-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Brazilian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case. ### * The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.


title: Clearwater man sentenced to prison for child pornography distribution

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing child sex abuse materials (CSAM). According to court documents, Benjamin Charles Fisher, 44, of Clearwater pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. Fisher admitted to using a social media messaging platform to correspond with other sex offenders to trade child sexual abuse materials. He used multiple alias accounts and connected to the internet from his home and from his work while committing his crimes. As part of his sentence, a federal judge ordered Fisher to pay $30,500 in restitution. “Our office is extremely pleased with the sentence in this case which is the statutory maximum for the offense,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “By using different names and logging onto the internet from multiple locations, Mr. Fisher thought his crimes would go undetected and unpunished by the justice system. What he didn’t plan on was the tenacity of our highly skilled law enforcement partners and prosecution, which is why Mr. Fisher will be spending the next 20 years in prison. It does not matter how someone tries to cover up their activity, we are committed to getting justice in these cases.” The Wichita Police Department and Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart prosecuted the case. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty in Half-Million Dollar  Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Fraud, ID-Theft Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A Detroit resident pleaded guilty yesterday related to an extensive unemployment insurance fraud and identity theft scheme, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. Nicholas Overton, 32, pleaded guilty today before Judge Denise Page Hood to one count each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Joining in the announcement was Megan Howell, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General. According to court records the defendant submitted or caused the submission of approximately 90 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims across 20 states and territories (primarily Michigan, California, New York, and Arizona) and received over $500,000 in fraudulent unemployment assistance payments. According to court records the defendant submitted these claims using the personal identifying information (PII) of multiple individuals who were unaware that their identities had been compromised and who had not authorized the defendant to file claims on their behalf. U.S. Attorney Gorgon stated, “Identity theft is not a victimless crime. It is a deliberate exploitation of real people for personal gain. With these pleas the defendant is being held accountable, and this Office will continue to pursue those who use fraud and stolen identities to take advantage of others and undermine trust in public programs.” “Nicholas Overton devised and executed a scheme that defrauded 20 state workforce agencies by filing for unemployment insurance in the names of identity theft victims who were not entitled to such benefits. This conviction affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those who exploit U.S. Department of Labor programs,” said Megan Howell, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Overton will be sentenced by Judge Hood on May 7, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud count and a mandatory, consecutive sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft count. This case was investigated by special agents of the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan A. Particka and Jason D. Norwood.


title: Bridgeport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Meth

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL MIHALKO, 42, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified a series of parcels suspected to contain controlled substances that were being mailed to the Norwich residence of Joseph Wilk, Jr. and a P.O. Box in Norwich that Wilk opened. On November 21, 2022, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of a suspicious USPS Priority Express parcel mailed from California to the P.O. Box and found that it contained more than one pound of pure methamphetamine. Investigators determined that Mihalko had been tracking the package. On December 8, 2022, Wilk picked up the package in Norwich and drove to his residence. Shortly thereafter, Norwich police officers arrived at his residence. After Wilk gave his consent, investigators searched his home and seized approximately 2.575 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 16 grams of ecstasy, items used to process and package narcotics, two handguns, and $1,740 in cash. The investigation revealed that several parcels suspected to contain narcotics were mailed to Wilk between May and December 2022. After Wilk received methamphetamine that had been mailed to him, he would deliver some of it to Mihalko, who at the time was living in the Boston area, and distribute some of his to his own customers in Southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. Investigators subsequently interviewed Mihalko who admitted that he was responsible for sending the intercepted parcel and numerous others. On October 12, 2023, Mihalko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He has been detained since September 15, 2025, after he violated the conditions of his release and his bond was revoked. Wilk pleaded guilty to the same charge and has been sentenced . This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Norwich Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, and the Hartford, Plainville, and Meriden Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Lembo and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.


title: Milford Man Sentenced to Time Served

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Douglas Thrams, 24 years old, of Milford, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to making interstate communication with a threat to injure, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. After serving 10 months and 14 days in custody, Thrams was sentenced to time served followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in January 2025, Thrams posted a series of threatening videos to his TikTok account. In the videos, Thrams advocated for the bombing of government buildings and the assassination of politicians. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Goshen Police Department and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.


title: Key Member of Chinese Money Laundering Network Charged with Laundering Tens of Millions of Dollars in Drug Proceeds

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Yan Lin, 41, of California, made an initial appearance today in Cincinnati on charges of conspiracy to launder tens of millions of dollars derived from drug trafficking proceeds. According to the indictment unsealed today, between March 2022 and October 2024, Mexico-based drug traffickers hired Lin to return tens of millions of dollars in profits from the sale of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in cities throughout the United States to Mexico. Lin arranged for his co-conspirators to deliver bulk cash to others who bought electronics that were shipped to co-conspirators in Hong Kong, China, and elsewhere. After confirmation of receipt of the bulk cash, Mexico-based drug traffickers would receive their payment in Mexico, minus a commission, via a “mirror transaction.” One ledger, which recorded just a portion of Lin’s money contracts in 2024, totaled approximately $27.4 million in bulk cash delivered across the United States. “As alleged in the indictment, the defendant laundered tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds from the United States through China, enabling a continuous flow of dangerous drugs into our country from Mexico,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Dismantling Chinese money laundering networks that support drug trafficking organizations is critical to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The Criminal Division will relentlessly pursue the illicit financial networks that fuel and profit from these dangerous organizations.” “Without money launderers, drug cartels are stuck with dirty money they can’t use,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “These profiteers help facilitate the distribution of deadly drugs into our communities and will be held accountable as if they trafficked the drugs themselves.” “By targeting those who facilitate the movement of illicit proceeds, we are attacking the lifeblood of drug trafficking operations and protecting Americans,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit Field Office. “HSI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks who illegally use our nation’s financial infrastructure to funnel drugs into our communities.” “The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug cartels as the very distribution of their illegal drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Detroit Field Office. “This indictment shows that if we cut off the flow of money, the traffickers cannot finance their organizations. As the nation’s foremost financial investigators, we are proud to provide our expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle transnational drug organizations." “Laundering drug trafficking money helps the cartels reap enormous profits while Americans are harmed by their dangerous drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office. “Money laundering is a serious crime that the FBI and our partners will continue to investigate as we work to disrupt the flow of drugs and dismantle the dangerous cartels. Yan Lin is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment money laundering. If convicted, Lin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. This case is being investigated by the HSI Cincinnati Office, IRS-CI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, including the New York, Philadelphia, Charleston, Tulsa and Atlanta offices, FBI Cincinnati, and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit. DEA’s Special Operations Division also aided the investigation. Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Mingda Hang, and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Rabe of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Dornette for the Southern District of Ohio, are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: H Block Gang Associate Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An associate of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy charges. Mark Linnehan, 26, of West Roxbury, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for April 7, 2026. Linnehan was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H-Block beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation. The investigation of H Block began in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. Since the start of the investigation in 2021, law enforcement attributed 12 incidents of gunfire to growing tensions involving H Block gang associates. Six H Block members and associates were arrested and charged with drug dealing in Boston and the surrounding communities. Four additional H Block members and associates were already in state custody at the time of the arrests. Additional drugs and four firearms were seized during the subsequent arrests. From 2022 through 2023, Linnehan, a long-time H Block gang associate, participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, in particular, fentanyl and cocaine. According to court filings, Linnehan was a supplier of fentanyl to his co-conspirators and also engaged in various drug deals with an undercover officer. According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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. Linnehan is the ninth defendant to plead guilty in the case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Ted E., Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Russell W. Cunningham Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph, and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Jury Finds Jenks Man Guilty of Assault After Breaking Girlfriend's Leg in Three Places

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, a federal jury convicted a Jenks man of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country after breaking his girlfriend's shin and ankle during an argument. In May 2025, Jamon Charles Phetsacksith, 27, was indicted for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in November 2024, Phetsacksith was drinking and hanging out with his girlfriend. Phetsacksith had a key to his work and drove his girlfriend to pick up his paycheck after hours. After arriving at Phetsacksith’s work, the two began arguing. In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, the victim testified that she exited the vehicle and began walking away. Video surveillance shows Phetsacksith chasing after the victim and keeping her from leaving. He is then seen pushing the victim. The jury heard the defendant's 911 call, where he claimed that she had fallen down a flight of stairs and was in need of medical attention. When the victim was separated from Phetsacksith, she told EMSA personnel that he assaulted her. Tulsa Police officers responded to the scene and spoke with EMSA, the victim, and Phetsacksith. Body camera played for the jury showed Phetsacksith explaining that they were drunk, had a fight, and “it got out of hand.” He later told officers that he threw her around. A trauma surgeon testified that the victim broke her leg in three places. Her left ankle was fractured, and her tibia and fibula bones were broken in half, requiring surgical rods and screws to be implanted. Phetsacksith is a member of the Osage Nation, and he will continue to remain in custody until sentencing is scheduled at a later date. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Stacey Todd prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Voting in the 2020 Election and Lying to Obtain a U.S. Passport

body_text: DETROIT - Jose Gargenis Vasquez-Rosa, a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was illegally residing in the United States pleaded guilty today to illegally voting in the 2020 election, and to lying in an application for a United States passport, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Matthew Kupac, Resident Agent in Charge of the Diplomatic Security Service Detroit Resident Office. Vasquez-Rosa pleaded guilty to three counts: (1) False statement in a United States passport application, (2) false statement of United States citizenship with the intent to obtain a federal benefit and (3) illegal voting by aliens. In 2002, Vasquez-Rosa applied for a visa to come to the United States as the spouse of a United States citizen, but his application was denied because the relationship was found to be fraudulent. Then, in 2016, Vasquez-Rosa, who was illegally living in Michigan, assumed the identity of a Puerto Rican man. Using this fraudulent identity, Vasquez-Rosa applied for a Michigan driver’s license and at the same time was registered to vote. Utilizing this fraudulent identity, Vasquez-Rosa then voted in-person in the 2018 election, and voted again by absentee ballot in the 2020 election. Also in 2020, Vasquez-Rosa attempted to illegally obtain a United States passport by submitting a passport application using the same fraudulent identity. However, the fraudulent application was detected by the Department of State and no passport was issued. United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “American citizens paid for the right to vote with their blood. This illegal alien lied to get into our country and stole that right. And we won’t let criminals undermine our elections.” "The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to making sure that those who commit identity theft face consequences for their criminal actions,” said DSS Resident Agent in Charge Matthew Kupec. "DSS works closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate passport, visa fraud, and other transnational crimes. Deterring, detecting, and investigating U.S. passport and visa fraud is essential to protecting the integrity of U.S. borders and preventing illegal immigration. Vasquez-Rosa faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Susan Fairchild and Timothy P. McDonald. The investigation is being conducted by the Diplomatic Security Service Detroit Resident Office.


title: Indictment Charges Naugatuck Man with Multiple Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a 15-count indictment charging SEAN SAYER, 22, of Naugatuck, with child exploitation offenses. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on March 20, 2025, an eight-year-old boy (“minor victim”) in Oregon contacted Sayer by text message and asked Sayer if he was @fornight_legends on TikTok. Sayer responded affirmatively and, over the next three days, exchanged with the minor victim more than 1,300 messages in which Sayer repeatedly and aggressively demanded sexually explicit images and videos of the minor victim in exchange for playing Fortnite with him online. The minor victim sent Sayer at least 15 videos constituting child sexual abuse material or child pornography. Sayer was arrested on June 18, 2025. It is alleged that a forensic review of Sayer’s cellphone has screenshots of Snapchat conversations Sayer had with numerous additional minor victims who Sayer coerced or enticed to send him sexually explicit photos of themselves. To date, investigators have identified approximately 89 separate minor victims. It is further alleged electronic devices seized from Sayer revealed more than 5,000 videos and 1,000 images containing child sexual abuse material, including images and videos depicting sexual violence against prepubescent minors. The indictment, which was returned on January 7, 2026, charges Sayer with 12 counts of production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years of imprisonment on each count; one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; one count of distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Sayer is currently released on a $150,000 bond. He is under location monitoring by the U.S. Probation Office and is prohibited from accessing the internet and communicating with, and having contact with, minors. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, with the assistance of the Eugene (Ore.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary G. Vitale. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: ‘Mayor’ of Homeless Camp Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute near a school and illegally possessing a firearm to further his drug distribution. Ricky Lee Myers, also known as “The Mayor,” 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to more than 10 years in prison followed by six years of supervised release. On May 21, 2025, Myers pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. According to court documents, on Oct. 23, 2024, Myers was inside the residential structure that he built in a homeless camp located on a dirt road extending from East 23rd St. roughly between Vine St. and Highland Avenue, in Kansas City, Missouri, when federal agents executed a search warrant there. This area is within 1,000 feet of a school. In Myers’ residence, agents located a bag with approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine along with a firearm. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Killing Two Women and a Baby

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County man on Thursday admitted shooting four teens in St. Louis in 2023, killing two and causing the death a month later of one woman’s baby. Eddie Marcus Love, 38, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to four felony counts: conspiracy to distribute marijuana, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of ammunition and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Love admitted shooting the four women after failing to buy marijuana for them. On the evening of May 6, 2023, one of the victims contacted Love and arranged for herself and her friends to be picked up so they could obtain marijuana and visit a bar. Love’s co-defendant, Charles Webster, was driving and Love was in the passenger seat of a Volkswagen Passat. The victims shared the back seat. Webster and Love tried and failed to buy marijuana twice. When the victims expressed their frustration, Love told them to get out of the car near the 1900 block of Agnes Street in St. Louis. Love shoved one victim, who told him to stop because she was pregnant. Love was armed with a 9mm semiautomatic pistol and began shooting at the women as they walked away, killing the two 18-year-olds and wounding the two 17-year-olds, he admitted Thursday. Love told Webster to circle the block, and he then shot one of the wounded victims twice more in the head. She was 10 weeks pregnant but her child was not injured. The child of the other wounded victim, who was 30 weeks pregnant, was delivered by emergency C-section and died about a month later as a result of gunshot wounds. On May 12, 2023, investigators conducted a court-approved search of Love’s home in Bellefontaine Neighbors and found the Passat, a cell phone that contained Love’s messages with one of the victims, clothing worn by Webster and Love at the time of the shooting, one spent nine-millimeter cartridge casing that matched the casings from the crime scene, three guns and various magazines and ammunition. Love is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms or ammunition. Investigators also found a pair of shoes with multiple apparent blood stains containing DNA matching one of the victims. Webster pleaded guilty in December to three counts: conspiracy to knowingly and intentionally possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced in May. Love is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will recommend 50 years in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angie Danis and Don Boyce are prosecuting the case.


title: Former Crenshaw County Jail Administrator Sentenced for Civil Rights Violations for Assaulting Handcuffed Man

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Christian Alexander Porter, 33, a former Crenshaw County, Alabama, jail administrator, was sentenced today for using unlawful force on a handcuffed and compliant detainee on Oct. 12, 2021. Porter was sentenced to 30 months in prison with two years of supervised release. Porter pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for an assault on S.W., a 35-year-old man. On Oct. 12, 2021, Porter removed S.W. from his cell, threw him on the ground, rear-handcuffed him, and brought him to a changing room that did not have surveillance cameras. Once there, Porter hit and punched S.W. multiple times in the head and shoulders. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama made the announcement. The FBI’s Montgomery Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Lia Wright Tesconi of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.


title: MS-13 Clique Leader Indicted in Connection With Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Four Murders and Two Attempted Murders in Baltimore

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed a superseding indictment today, charging two additional members of the Centrales Locos Salvatruchas (CLS) clique of MS-13 in Baltimore, in connection with a Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act Conspiracy. In July 2025, four other members were indicted as part of the RICO conspiracy, bringing the total to six. This superseding indictment also adds a fourth murder and an attempted murder to the list of charges. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Ivan J. Bates, Baltimore City State’s Attorney; Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). According to the indictment, beginning in at least 2023, the defendants engaged in a racketeering conspiracy as members of the MS-13 CLS clique. They committed multiple murders, engaged in drug distribution, and extorted victims. The new superseding indictment details how Manuel Alexander “Snappy” “23” Lara Morales, 25, of El Salvador, acted as the leader of MS-13’s CLS clique in Baltimore since approximately 2023. As alleged in the superseding indictment, Lara Morales and Eliseo Alexander “10” “Zorro” “Terrible” Lopez Alvarez, 23, of El Salvador, who was second in command of CLS, authorized the September 4, 2023, murder of another CLS member or associate in connection with a dispute over drug sales with the gang. On that date, Lopez Alvarez; Kevin “Mickey” “Gemelo” Cuestas, 21, of Honduras; Olvin Josue “Elevado” Posas Alvarenga, 23, of Honduras, and other CLS members found the victim in front of a library, brought him to a wooded area in southeast Baltimore, and took turns shooting him until he died. His body was found five days later. After this murder, Lara Morales “activated” Cuestas and Posas Alvarenga into CLS. Then on October 13, Miguel “Canabe” Riva Salvador, 24, of El Salvador; Josue Anibal “Flaco” Guerra Ramos, 20, of Honduras; Posas Alvarenga; and other CLS members allegedly searched for an individual who was preparing to testify against Riva Salvador in a pending Baltimore City Circuit Court criminal case. The CLS members located the individual sitting behind his house and then took turns shooting at him, striking him in the groin, but he survived the attack. Additionally, the initial indictment detailed three other murders CLS perpetrated. In November 2023, Lopez Alvarez, Posas Alvarenga, and other CLS members, murdered a victim after using a fake Instagram account, purporting to be a female, to lure the victim to a wooded area in southeast Baltimore where they shot and killed him. Lara Morales authorized the murder ahead of time. Then in March 2024, Cuestas and Riva Salvador shot a victim multiple times, killing the target on a southeast Baltimore street before both fled in a getaway car. In April 2024, Guerra Ramos and another CLS member were involved in a double shooting of two victims, one fatal and the other non-fatal, on a southeast Baltimore street. Charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. O’Donohue III and Kenneth S. Clark, who are prosecuting the case, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for its assistance throughout the investigation. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from various federal, state, and local agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Additionally, 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. Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Hundreds of Kilograms on Behalf of Foreign Terrorist Organization

body_text: A drug trafficker was sentenced this week to more than 11 years in federal prison for distributing hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and other narcotics on behalf of Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, a foreign terrorist and drug trafficking organization operating in Mexico and the United States, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. “This case sends a clear message: those who dump poison into our streets will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Prosecuting an affiliate of senior cartel leaders requires years of painstaking work, unwavering resolve, and exceptional interagency cooperation. My office will continue to prioritize these impactful prosecutions.” “The sentence of Mr. Velazquez reflects our continued focus on dismantling foreign terrorist organizations that traffic deadly drugs into our communities,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas. “DEA and our partners will continue targeting violent cartels and their criminal associates, in order to save American lives.” “The Dallas Homeland Security Task Force is focused on targeting the leadership, financial networks, and logistical infrastructure of transnational criminal organizations and foreign terrorist organizations, both locally and globally. The collaborative work of the HSTF led to this drug trafficker receiving an 11-year sentence and significantly reducing the flow of narcotics into our neighborhoods,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. Luis Robert Velazquez, 39, of Cockrell Hill, Texas, pled guilty in July 2025, to a drug conspiracy in which he admitted to trafficking narcotics for Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). According to plea documents, in the span of less than five months, from November 2024 to April 2025, Velazquez admitted to having received shipments of approximately 300 kilograms of methamphetamine, ten to twelve kilograms of heroin, and a kilogram of cocaine from his Mexico-based CJNG associates. Velazquez then distributed the narcotics in kilogram quantities to domestic customers of the organization in the Dallas area at the direction of his Mexico-based CJNG superiors. Velazquez laundered U.S. currency from the transactions to send to CJNG superiors in Mexico. On Monday, January 5, 2026, Velazquez was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy to 135 months in federal prison by U.S. Senior District Judge Daivd Godbey. In February last year, the U.S. State Department designated Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación a foreign terrorist organization, consistent with a presidential executive order issued on January 20, 2025, declaring such cartels a national security threat extending beyond traditional organized crime. This case was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from FBI, DEA, HSI, Dallas Police Department, Coppell Police Department, and Grand Prairie Police Department. First Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Coker prosecuted the case.


title: Missouri Man Who Neglected Veteran and Concealed His Corpse Sentenced to 156 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone on Thursday sentenced a man to 156 months in prison for neglecting his uncle, a U.S. Army veteran with quadriplegia, for years and concealing his corpse to fraudulently obtain $1.8 million in his uncle’s disability benefits. Brian K. Ditch, now 45, of Salem, Missouri, became solely responsible for his uncle’s care in 2008. At some point, instead of properly caring for his uncle, Ditch kept him locked away and subjected him to insufficient care and verbal abuse. Ditch fraudulently gained access to his uncle’s financial accounts and regularly wired himself money. After his uncle’s death around 2019, Ditch concealed his death from relatives, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration so that he could continue to steal his uncle’s money. Ditch hid the body in a shed behind his house, telling relatives that he had moved his uncle into a nursing home and police that his uncle was living with someone else. Since 2008, the VA’s Disability Compensation program deposited approximately $1.6 million into the victim’s account. Ditch’s uncle also received a total of $235,210 in benefits from the Social Security Administration. Ditch used the money for personal purchases, including exotic reptiles and firearms. As a convicted felon, Ditch is barred from possessing firearms. On Thursday, Judge Bluestone ordered Ditch to repay the money. “Our veterans, particularly those who were wounded while serving our country, deserve our profound respect and admiration, not a life afflicted by neglect, abuse, and exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “I hope that this sentence sends a message that we will not tolerate this conduct, or the defrauding of programs intended to support veterans and those with disabilities.” “This sentencing sends a clear message that the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General will vigorously investigate and hold accountable those who exploit veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the VA OIG’s Central Field Office. “Egregious crimes against those who served our nation will not be tolerated, and the VA OIG extends its gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their unwavering commitment to achieving justice in this case.” "For over a decade, Brian Ditch was entrusted as the sole caregiver for his uncle, a vulnerable Army veteran; yet he betrayed that trust in the most egregious way. Once his uncle passed away, Ditch then concealed his uncle’s death, hiding his body in a shed, all to keep siphoning Social Security benefits," said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant, Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General. “This was not just theft; it was a calculated scheme to defraud SSA of over $235,000, carried out with shocking deception and disregard for human dignity. We will continue to pursue those who abuse Social Security for personal gain.” Ditch pleaded guilty in October to four felony counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Salem Police Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.