title: Operation Showdown Update: 18 Defendants Plead Guilty Last Week in Fort Worth, Texas to Drug, Firearms, and Assault Charges

body_text: The Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson announces that on Wednesday and Thursday last week, 18 defendants pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton to federal offenses resulting from a June 2025 initiative called “Operation Showdown,” designed to reduce violent crime in Fort Worth, Texas. These defendants join eight others who previously pled guilty in late July and early August 2025. The charges include assaults on federal agents, and the unlawful possession and trafficking of firearms and illegal drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Operation Showdown’s multi-agency initiative spanned only two months but led to federal arrests of 56 defendants and another 20 state arrests in Tarrant County, Texas. The potential sentences of those that pled guilty thus far range from 10 years to 40 years in federal prison. Last week’s 18 guilty pleas before Judge Cureton bring the total number of Operation Showdown guilty pleas to 26. Four more defendants are scheduled to plead guilty in federal court this Wednesday. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the initiative with vital participation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Fort Worth Police Department, Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the United States Marshals Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations. This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods. Pending charges against the remaining defendants are merely allegations, and each is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: New Jersey Resident Sentenced for Role in Global Export Control and Sanctions Evasion Scheme

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Today, in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, a New Jersey resident and dual U.S. and Russian national, Vadim Yermolenko, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a transnational arms dealing and money laundering network that sought to acquire ammunition and sensitive dual-use electronics for Russian military and intelligence services. In addition to the term of imprisonment Yermolenko was ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $75,547. Yermolenko pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, bank fraud conspiracy, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. “The defendant lied to banks, facilitated the illegal export of ammunition and sensitive technology, and evaded income taxes, all as part of a global procurement and money laundering network operated on behalf of the Russian government,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella for the Eastern District of New York. “Today’s sentence should send a message to all who would consider abusing the financial system to commit crimes on behalf of foreign nations: this office will find you, prosecute you, and, if you are convicted, seek a significant prison sentence.” As alleged in court documents, the defendant was affiliated with Serniya Engineering (Serniya) and Sertal LLC (Sertal), two Moscow-based procurement companies. Serniya and Sertal operated a vast network of shell companies and bank accounts throughout the world, including in the United States, that were used in furtherance of the scheme to conceal the involvement of the Russian government and the true Russian end users of U.S.-origin equipment. The defendant and his co-conspirators unlawfully purchased and exported highly sensitive, export controlled electronic components, some of which can be used in the development of nuclear and hypersonic weapons, quantum computing, and other military applications. Serniya, Sertal, and several individuals and companies involved in the scheme were designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in February 2022. To carry out the scheme, Yermolenko helped set up numerous shell companies and bank accounts in the U.S. to illicitly move money and export-controlled goods. During the period charged in the indictment, more than $12 million passed through accounts owned or controlled by the defendant, which he failed to report to the IRS. These funds were used in part to purchase sensitive equipment used in radar, surveillance, and military research and development. In one instance, money from one of the defendant’s accounts was used to purchase export-controlled sniper bullets, which were intercepted in Estonia before they could be smuggled into Russia. Co-defendant Nikolaos Bogonikolos previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Co-defendant Alexey Brayman previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and is awaiting sentence. Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg for National Security, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia of the FBI’s New York Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (OEE), and Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis Jr. of IRS Criminal Investigation New York (IRS-CI) made the announcement. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Estonian authorities provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew D. Reich and Matthew Skurnik for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Derek Shugert of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell and former Litigation Analysts Emma Tavangari and Mary Clare McMahon for the Eastern District of New York, as well as former National Security Division Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee, contributed to the prosecution.


title: Mastermind of Payday Loan Scheme Receives Over Seven Years in Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Efrain Betancourt, Jr., 36, a dual citizen of Colombia and the United States, was sentenced on August 14 to 87 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles for orchestrating a scheme that defrauded more than 600 investors out of over $66 million. Betancourt was the chief executive officer and sole owner of Sky Group USA, LLC (Sky Group), a purported payday loan business. From January 2016 through March 2020, Betancourt and his co-conspirators sold promissory notes to investors to raise money that would be used to fund Sky Group’s payday loan business. Instead of using investor funds to support Sky Group’s payday loan business, Betancourt paid millions of dollars in undisclosed commissions to sales agents and funded a luxurious wedding at a chateau in France. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had a parallel proceeding against Betancourt related to the same investment fraud scheme. The SEC’s proceeding was resolved in July 2022. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami, and Commissioner Russell C. Weigel, III, of the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) made the announcement. FBI Miami, the FBI’s South Florida Fraud Task Force, and OFR investigated the case. The SEC’s Miami Regional Office provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20399. ###


title: Two Chinese Nationals Charged in South Florida Gift Card Fraud Scheme

body_text: MIAMI – A federal grand jury in Fort Pierce returned an indictment on August 14, charging two Chinese nationals in connection with a gift card fraud scheme affecting grocery stores throughout South Florida, including St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. Cao Yuan Liu, 22, and Linghan Chen, 26, are charged with conspiracy and with possession of 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices. According to court records, on December 16, 2024, Liu and Chen entered a grocery store and tampered with gift cards by removing them from the gift card aisle, cutting out or scratching off the PIN and identification numbers, and returning the compromised cards. Once an unsuspecting customer purchased and activated a card, Liu and Chen were able to access the funds. The store’s surveillance system captured Liu and Chen driving away from the store in a black Bentley SUV with a New York license plate. The following day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Liu and Chen’s residence, seizing numerous gift cards, including pieces the pair tried to flush down the toilet. A subsequent search of the Bentley SUV on December 23, 2024, uncovered additional gift cards. Investigators have identified approximately 42 grocery stores across Florida that were targeted in the scheme. If convicted, Liu and Chen each face up to 15 years imprisonment. U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement. HSI Fort Pierce and Martin County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger is prosecuting this case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-14043. ###


title: Florida Couple Sentenced to More than Nine Years Combined in Prison for Scheming to Defraud Pandemic Relief Loan Programs

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE - A Florida couple, formerly of Northwest Arkansas were sentenced on August 15, to more than nine (9) years combined in Federal prison. Julia Youngblood age 41, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay victim restitution in the amount of $6,131,511.16 on one count of misprision of a felony related to the scheme. Fawaad Welch age 41, was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay victim restitution in the amount of $6,131,511.16 on one count of wire fraud The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings, which took place in the United States District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents and statements made in court, between May of 2020 through October of 2021, Welch, and Youngblood, applied for Pandemic Relief Loan Programs through their Arkansas business, Slipstream Creative, LLC, which was a Northwest Arkansas advertising and marketing company located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Throughout the applications, Welch provided the lenders with false statements regarding their assets and liabilities and the intended use of funds received through the SBA7(a), Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Main Street Loan Programs. Welch then arranged for his wife, Youngblood, to sign those applications on behalf of the business. According to the informations filed by the Government, after receiving the loan funds, Welch then diverted large parts of the loan proceeds for the personal benefit of the couple. For example, in the applications submitted for these loans, the couple failed to disclose material information such as tax liabilities and the fact that they were receiving loans from the other loan programs. Also, within months of receiving $1.5 million in “working capital” Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds in October 2021, Welch transferred $1.3 million of that loan to the couple’s personal bank account. The couple then purchased a home in Florida using $445,000 of those Government program loan funds. In April, Welch and Youngblood waived indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to a criminal information. According to the plea agreement entered into by Welch, after being asked by Generations Bank officials if Welch and Youngblood take salaries and informed that “the Fed restricts changes to your salaries with the [Main Street Loan Program] and doesn’t allow distributions,” Welch replied, “Yes sir we do at 10k a month, so all is good there. 5k a piece.” After receiving the $3 million in program funds, within a month Welch had transferred $950,000 in Main Street Loan Program funds out of the business and to the couple’s personal accounts. Preceding the announced prison terms, the Government also forfeited over $1.2 million dollars in recovered loan funds from the couple’s accounts. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Relief all investigated the case. U. S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Wulff prosecuted the case for the United States. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov .


title: Nonprofit Agrees to Pay $1 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The Energy Federation, Inc. (EFI), a Franklin-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that provides advice on promoting energy efficiency and heating assistance to homeowners, has agreed to pay $1 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible. Congress enacted the PPP to assist small businesses in response to the economic challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the program, if borrowers complied with the program’s rules, the SBA forgave their loans. The SBA administered the PPP in two rounds – first in April 2020 and then again in February 2021. The PPP program permitted certain nonprofit organizations to obtain PPP loans, but 501(c)(4) organizations, like EFI, were never eligible. As part of the settlement , EFI admitted that, after discussing whether it was eligible with the bank processing its loan application, it submitted a PPP loan application without disclosing to SBA that it was a 501(c)(4) organization. In its loan application, EFI certified that it was eligible to receive a loan under the rules in effect at the time its application was submitted. After receiving a PPP loan, EFI later applied for, and received, loan forgiveness based on the eligibility certifications in its PPP loan application and its loan forgiveness application. The settlement stems from allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties, known as relators, to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. In connection with today’s announced settlement, the relator will receive 10 percent of the recovery. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.


title: Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Possession and Methamphetamine Trafficking

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

body_text: Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Daniel Thomas Sanchez, age 36, from Dededo, Guam was sentenced in the U.S. District Court of Guam to 63 months imprisonment for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release and a mandatory $300 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits. On October 13, 2023, officers with the Guam Police Department (GPD) approached Daniel Thomas Sanchez’s residence to investigate a report of criminal activity. Officers discovered Sanchez asleep in a running vehicle parked in his driveway. Officers also observed a 12-gauge shotgun next to him. The gun was seized and found to be loaded. On March 5, 2024, GPD officers observed Sanchez in the backseat of a vehicle during a routine traffic stop. Sanchez made furtive movements toward his feet, which resulted in his removal from the vehicle. Officers then saw the grip of a revolver protruding from a tennis shoe where Sanchez had been sitting. Following a detailed search of the vehicle, officers recovered approximately 14 grams of methamphetamine, various drug paraphernalia, cash, multiple loaded firearms, and ammunition. Sanchez admitted to selling a small amount of methamphetamine earlier that day. Further investigation led to the discovery of another loaded firearm at Sanchez’s residence. Sanchez was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to his felony criminal history, including convictions for family violence and aggravated assault. “Armed felons and unlawful drug users are grave dangers to our communities,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Federal law prohibits the possession of firearms and ammunition by such individuals. The Department of Justice will continue to prioritize these prosecutions to prevent violent crime.” “Drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms will not be tolerated in our communities. ATF and its partners in law enforcement are dedicated to safeguarding our citizens, and we will continue to relentlessly pursue these criminals with every resource available,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Those who choose to traffic drugs and illegally possess firearms will be held accountable for the harm they cause our communities.” This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives and the Guam Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Devarup Rastogi prosecuted the case in the District of Guam.


title: Gallatin Man Sentenced To Over 12 Years In Prison For Enticement Of A Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On August 14, 2025, Andrew John Paolini, 64, of Gallatin, Tennessee, was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, he will be on lifetime supervised release, and he will be required to register with state sex offender registries and to comply with special sex offender conditions. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Paolini agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Statutory Rape as defined in Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-13-506(c), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). According to court filed documents, in late October 2024, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents began an undercover investigation online in public chat areas known to be trafficked by purveyors of child sexual abuse material. This investigation led to communications with an online user, later identified as Paolini, attempting to entice who he believed to be a thirteen (13) year old girl for sex. Federal agents arrested Paolini in November of 2024, after Paolini arrived at an arranged meeting location with whom he believed to be his underaged victim. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI made the announcement. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the FBI, led by Special Agent Mike Carter. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.” ###


title: FEDERAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST PENSACOLA MAN FOR FIREARM OFFENSES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Alaisjah Dayshawn Perkins, 22, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of unlawful transfer and possession of a machine gun and one count of receipt, possession, transfer and production of a firearm which is not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFR&TR) and unserialized. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Perkins appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon on August 12, 2025, for his arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for October 6, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Perkins faces a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment for each count. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: ALABAMA MAN INDICTED FOR TRAVELING TO FLORIDA TO ENGAGE IN ILLICIT SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Justin William Gifford, 26, of Enterprise, Alabama, has been indicted in federal court on one count of attempted enticement of a minor, one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to minors, and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges. Gifford is scheduled for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick on August 19, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. in Tallahassee, Florida. If convicted as charged, Gifford faces up to life imprisonment. This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Rosebud Woman Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal Officer

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Shulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on August 11, 2025. Jamie Leader Charge, age 32, was sentenced to time served in custody through August 23, 2025, equal to approximately four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Leader Charge was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. She pleaded guilty on May 12, 2025. The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on November 5, 2024, in St. Francis, South Dakota, within the Rosebud Indian Reservation. On that date, a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services (RSTLES) officer responded to a report that Leader Charge was causing a disturbance at a residence in St. Francis. Upon arrival at the residence, the officer learned Leader Charge had an active tribal arrest warrant and placed her under arrest. Leader Charge resisted and kicked the officer. This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Leader Charge was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Small business owners charged in fraudulent pandemic loan application scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – Five Rio Grande Valley residents have been indicted for wire fraud in a scheme involving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Authorities have now arrested the final two - Sandra Pope Solis, 60, Rancho Viejo, and Lesley Chavez, 42, Edinburg - who are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 10 a.m. Rolando Santiago Benitez, 51, Harlingen, is set for a detention hearing at 1:30 p.m., while Bernardo Gomez Jr., 46, Edinburg, and Edgar De La Garza, 45, Brownsville, had previously made their appearances in federal court. According to the eight-count indictment returned Aug. 5, all five individuals submitted fraudulent loan applications to obtain EIDL and/or PPP loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA). The charges allege these loan programs were intended to alleviate economic injury the COVID-19 pandemic caused, allowing small businesses to continue to make payroll and other business-related payments. However, these local business owners allegedly took advantage of these programs and misused the funds. From June 2020 through November 2021, Benitez, Pope, Chavez, Gomez and De La Garza each submitted application(s) for loans the SBA sponsored, according to the charges. As part of the scheme, they allegedly helped alter or create falsified tax and related business documents to inflate the approvable loan amount. The indictment alleges these documents were then submitted with the applications. Once the loans were approved, each then allegedly used the fraudulently obtained proceeds for personal expenses and enrichment. The scheme resulted in a total loss of $685,800, according to the charges. If convicted, all five each face up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. FBI and SBA - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Insurance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Fry is prosecuting the case. The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form . An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Sioux Falls Woman Indicted on Federal Charges for Straw Purchasing Firearm Connected to Local Shooting Involving Law Enforcement

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a federal grand jury has indicted a woman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm and False Statement to a Licensed Firearm Dealer. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of those who are legally prohibited from possessing them is a top priority at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “As this case demonstrates, lying to obtain a firearm for a convicted felon can have grave consequences. We are therefore committed to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold straw purchasers to account.” Chardea Danies Odom, age 30, was indicted in August 2025. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on August 14, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The indictment alleges that in June 2025, Odom purchased a firearm from a local, licensed firearm dealer. On the firearm purchase paperwork, Odom indicated she was the buyer of the firearm when in fact she was actually purchasing it for another person. That firearm was later used by a person prohibited from possessing guns in shootings in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, one of which involved law enforcement officers. “This is how innocent people get hurt and officers end up staring down the barrel of a gun,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle. “When you straw purchase a firearm for a convicted felon, you are not just breaking the law, you are placing lives at risk. ATF will continue to pursue anyone who arms dangerous individuals. We are proud to stand beside the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation on this case and the issue of straw purchasing.” “The Sioux Falls Police Department thanks our State and Federal partners for their support in holding the suspects accountable for their actions,” said Sioux Falls Police Department Chief Jon Thum. “This event highlights the danger faced by the public and our officers when firearms end up in the wrong hands.” “This defendant’s actions led to the lives of three law enforcement officers being threatened,” said South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley. “The investigation and arrest of this defendant was made possible thanks to the combined effort of several agencies.” The maximum penalty upon conviction for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm is up to 10 years in federal custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The maximum penalty upon conviction for False Statement to a Licensed Firearm Dealer is up to 5 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. The investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson is prosecuting the case. Odom was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set. The charge is merely an accusation, and Odom is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.


title: Lufkin felon guilty of federal firearms violation

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lufkin felon has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Michael Antoine Lovelady, 53, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 14, 2025. According to information presented in court, on March 14, 2025, Lovelady was arrested during a traffic stop for outstanding warrants. During the arrest, Lovelady attempted to flee and was apprehended, and a firearm was discovered in his waistband. Further investigation revealed Lovelady was a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. Lovelady was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lufkin Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. ###


title: Two Illegal Aliens Charged with Assaulting Immigration Officers

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced the filing of criminal complaints against two illegal aliens in connection with assaults and resisting arrest during encounters with Federal law enforcement. Adolfo Nimrod Hernandez-Ramos, 42, a Honduran citizen and national, and Tony Marcos Ferreira-Dos Santos, 30, a Brazilian citizen and national, are charged with assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with federal officers in separate incidents. Both Hernandez-Ramos and Ferreira-Dos are unlawfully present in the United States. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaints with Acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), Baltimore Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore. On June 6, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers possessed information indicating that Hernandez-Ramos entered the United States without inspection, in violation of federal law. As officers conducted surveillance in the area of Hernandez-Ramons’ Catonsville residence, ICE officers observed Hernandez-Ramos exit his residence and get into a vehicle. ICE officers then followed Hernandez-Ramos to a nearby shopping center where he parked his car. When law enforcement approached, Hernandez-Ramos exited his vehicle and began running. An officer attempted to grab Hernandez-Ramos’ arm, but he pulled his arm away and ran inside a store. While officers attempted to arrest him, Hernandez-Ramos kicked at them, flailed his arms, grabbed a table, and clinched his arms and legs together to prevent arrest. Officers eventually secured one handcuff, but then Hernandez-Ramos grabbed the open handcuff and told an officer, “I’m going to slice your eye out.” Law enforcement ultimately took Hernandez-Ramos into custody. During the confrontation, officers suffered several injuries. On or about June 8, 2025, two ICE officers arrived at a Wicomico County, Maryland location. The ICE officers — who were both wearing tactical vests with the words “POLICE” on the front and back of the vests — encountered two individuals. The officers recognized one individual as the subject of a final removal order. Law enforcement later identified the second individual as Ferreira-Dos Santos. As the officers approached, both men, including Ferreira-Dos Santos, fled. After arresting the other person in connection with a final order of removal, ICE officers found Ferreira-Dos Santos. As officers attempted to apprehend Ferreira-Dos Santos, he resisted arrest and engaged in a physical struggle with the officers. Eventually, law enforcement took Ferreira-Dos Santos into custody. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO and HSI for their work in this investigation and BCPD for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Hanlon and Gerald Collins, as well as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills, who are prosecuting these cases. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Simpsonville Drug Dealer Found Guilty of Fentanyl Overdose that Killed Greenville Man

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. —A federal jury has convicted Mylique McFadden, 28, of Simpsonville, of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and two counts of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. The guilty verdict was returned after three days of trial. “This defendant showed no regard for life by continuing to distribute drugs even after this victim died of an overdose,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Fentanyl poses a dangerous health risk in our communities, and we’ll continue to prosecute those who distribute it in South Carolina. We send our continued sympathies to the loved ones of the young man who lost his life.” “This conviction sends a powerful message: those who distribute deadly drugs that devastate families, like fentanyl, will face justice,” said Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant, who also oversees North and South Carolina. “McFadden’s blatant disregard for human life, even after learning of the victim’s death, underscores the dangers posed by drug traffickers. HSI and our law enforcement partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting communities and holding those who spread this poison accountable.” According to evidence presented during trial, McFadden distributed fentanyl to a 28-year-old Greenville man at a Simpsonville gas station. Forty-five minutes later the victim was found unresponsive by a loved one. First responders administered Narcan and conducted CPR but were not able to revive the victim. Law enforcement recovered the victim’s phone and discovered the text messages between the victim and McFadden arranging the drug deal. They also obtained video surveillance from the gas station that showed the meeting. Officers obtained a search and seizure warrant for McFadden’s electronic devices. A review of the phones showed multiple messages wherein McFadden was arranging for the sale of marijuana, methamphetamine, and other hard drugs. Evidence showed that McFadden learned about the victim’s death on same evening it occurred. He immediately obtained a new phone number, reported his device as missing, and performed several incriminating internet searches such as “what the charge if somebody die from overdose in South Carolina.” When McFadden was arrested on January 1, 2025, on a federal warrant, he had eight packages of marijuana in his vehicle. He was released on bond and reoffended in June 2025. Less than two months before his federal trial, officers observed McFadden sell marijuana at another local gas station. Based on the sale and surveillance of his apartment, officers obtained and executed a search warrant on the residence. They found over a pound of marijuana, digital scales, packaging materials, and large quantities of cash were recovered. McFadden faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years imprisonment for the fentanyl and an additional five years for the marijuana. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Jacquelyn Austin presided over the trial and will sentence McFadden after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Greenville City Police Department, and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Greenville County Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins and Winston Marosek are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Six Defendants Charged in Alleged Interstate Drug Smuggling Ring

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: CLEVELAND – A six-count, 59-page indictment has been unsealed charging six defendants for allegedly operating an interstate drug conspiracy that smuggled large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and other controlled substances from California to Ohio. The indictment was unsealed Aug. 12. According to the indictment, from about February 2023 to April 2024, Genaro Villa, 38, of San Diego, California, supplied bulk quantities of drugs from California to members of the conspiracy in Ohio. Terrance Gainer, 28, Anthony Clark, 30, and Darquan Dixon, 26, all of Akron, and Allura Ward, 24, of Mansfield, are charged with having a role in transporting controlled substances to Ohio. The indictment further charges Najiyah Martin, 46, of Los Angeles, California, with facilitating kilogram-quantity drug deals involving Villa, Clark, and Gainer. During the investigation, federal agents discovered that contraband was smuggled in checked baggage on airline flights or in packages mailed through the U.S. Post Office. Methamphetamine and cocaine were discovered to be routinely mailed from locations in Los Angeles and San Diego and shipped to several Ohio cities including Akron, Barberton, Mansfield, and Columbus. Co-conspirators also smuggled drugs in suitcases on commercial flights and then drove to an apartment Gainer maintained in Columbus to drop off the drug shipments for further distribution. Gainer also recruited couriers to help smuggle drugs and cash between California and Ohio. Once the drugs were transported to Ohio, Gainer, Clark, Dixon, and Ward sold them to customers throughout the state. Additionally, Ward purchased a pill press machine and more than 55 pounds of pill-binding powder, had them shipped to her home in Mansfield, and then used them to press illicit pills. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio The indictment also outlines various activities in connection with the conspiracy. In one instance, Clark texted Villa a photo of large stacks of rubber-banded cash that he intended to use as payment for the drugs. Villa also possessed a video showing a person filling a plastic storage container with large bags of white crystalline drugs. In another instance, Clark contacted Martin about a kilogram brick of cocaine that was short by 90 grams. Martin then sent him a photo showing a brick of cocaine stamped with the marking “1000” on a digital scale that displayed a weight of 32.1 ounces, or approximately 910 grams, which is 90 grams short of a kilogram. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio Another instance detailed in the indictment took place in April 2024, when Gainer asked Dixon to “drop off some cash in Cali,” meaning, to smuggle cash to their drug supplier in California. On April 20, 2024, Dixon traveled from Ohio to California for the purpose of purchasing drugs, and on April 25, 2024, he flew back to Ohio with bulk cocaine and methamphetamine hidden in his suitcase. Ward picked up Dixon and the suitcase at the airport in Cincinnati and then proceeded to drive to Columbus to meet Gainer. However, the Ohio State Highway Patrol stopped Ward and Dixon on a traffic violation before they reached their destination. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, officers recovered more than 17 pounds of methamphetamine (about 8.8 kilograms), two pounds of cocaine (about 1 kilogram), and a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol. In total, federal investigators seized more than 33 pounds (15 kilograms) of methamphetamine and more than two pounds of (1 kilogram) of cocaine that were smuggled from California to Ohio in mail parcels or on airline flights. Investigators also seized multiple firearms that were connected to the drug operation. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. The investigation was conducted by the DEA Detroit Division’s Cleveland Field Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Cleveland Office, with assistance from the Cleveland MetroParks Police, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the Wayne County MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Columbus Division of Police, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio. 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 visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Justice Department and National Economic Council Partner to Identify State Laws with Out-Of-State Economic Impacts

component: Office of Legal Policy

body_text: Today, the Justice Department and the National Economic Council announce an effort to identify State laws that significantly and adversely affect the national economy or interstate economic activity and to solicit solutions to address such effects. They invite public comments to support the Administration’s mission to address laws that hinder America’s economic growth, including those that burden industry and our small businesses. From his first day in office, President Trump and his Administration have prioritized eliminating the “crushing regulatory burden” that has “made necessary goods and services scarce.” Deregulatory efforts will boost the American economy, relieve Americans of undue burdens, and make America affordable and energy dominant again. President Trump issued multiple Executive Orders to advance his deregulatory agenda and requiring the Executive Branch to put that policy into action. On January 31, President Trump signed Executive Order 14192 declaring “the policy of the executive branch” to be that federal agencies should “alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on the American people.” Consistent with this policy, on February 19, President Trump signed Executive Order 14219 directing agencies to “initiate a process to review all regulations” and identify regulations that, among other things, “impose undue burdens on small businesses and impede private enterprise and entrepreneurship.” He also signed Executive Orders aimed at unleashing American Energy , rolling back Obama-era regulations micro-managing Americans’ showers, and tackling anti-competitive rules . Federal regulatory burdens are only part of the story. As President Trump has also recognized, in Executive Order 14260 , State-level practices can drive up nationwide costs and undermine American safety and “Federalism by projecting the regulatory preferences of a few States into all States.” Anecdotal evidence and the experience of countless Americans across the country strongly suggest that State laws and regulations can significantly burden commerce in other States, raising costs unnecessarily and harming markets nationwide. For example, last month, the Department sued the State of California, Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and other State officials over California laws that impose costly requirements on the production of eggs and poultry products, raising prices for American consumers in and outside of California. The public is invited to provide input to aid the Administration’s efforts as set forth in the above-discussed Executive Orders and elsewhere to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens and costs imposed on the American people. This request for comments seeks information pertaining to State laws, regulations, causes of action, policies, and practices (collectively, State laws) that adversely affect interstate commerce and business activities in other States. In particular, comments are invited on: Which State laws significantly burden commerce in other States or between States, thus raising costs unnecessarily and harming markets nationwide. Whether the State laws identified may be preempted by existing federal authority and, if so, what authority. Whether there may be federal legislative or regulatory means for addressing the State laws or regulations identified or the burdens they cause. Which federal agency has the subject-matter expertise to address concerns lawfully within the federal government’s authority. The public will have 30 days to submit comments at Regulations.gov (OLP182; Docket No. DOJ-OLP-2025-0169), no later than September 15, 2025. Once submitted, comments will be posted to Regulations.gov. All interested parties are invited to provide comments in response to this inquiry, including consumers, consumer advocates, small businesses, employers, trade groups, industry analysts, States, and other entities that are impacted by State laws that have nationwide or interstate economic effects.


title: Mescalero Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for sexually abusing a minor. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, in February of 2022, Carlos Caje , 37, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, engaged in sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12. Caje pled guilty to abusive sexual contact. Upon his release from prison, Caje will be subject to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson K. Dering V and Joni Stahl prosecuted the case.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Antisemitic Assault Near College Campus

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to committing a hate crime against Jewish students at The Ohio State University. Timur Mamatov, 20, of Tipp City, Ohio, admitted to violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act when he physically assaulted two students for their religion, causing bodily injury. “Violence against people of faith is illegal and unacceptable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice will aggressively enforce federal laws to ensure that all Americans feel safe in practicing and expressing their faith.” “Mamatov admitted in court today that he assaulted victims because they were Jewish,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “No American should fear being violently attacked based on their religious beliefs. This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue violence motivated by hate.” “No one should have to live in fear because of their religion,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “These college students were targeted by Mr. Mamatov simply because they were Jewish. Hate crimes not only impact the victims but have a devastating impact on our entire community. The FBI works tirelessly with our federal, state and local partners to thoroughly investigate many types of hate crimes, hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions and bring justice to the victims.” According to court documents, on Nov. 10, 2023, Mamatov and a friend engaged in an altercation with five students outside of a bar on North High Street in Columbus. One student was wearing a “Chai” pendant around his neck – a piece of jewelry commonly associated with Judaism. Mamatov asked the students if they were Jewish, and when they answered that they were, Mamatov punched one victim, fracturing his jaw. A second victim was injured, suffering a fractured nose, as the fight poured over into the street. Mamatov was charged by a bill of information on July 3. Violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Cincinnati Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah R. Litton for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Cameron Bell of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Spokane Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine, Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that Charles Michael McClain, age 40, of Spokane, Washington was sentenced on firearm and drug trafficking charges. McClain was found guilty on May 6, 2025, following a jury trial. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced McClain to 20 years in federal prison. Based on court documents and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, in early 2024, the Quad Cities Drug Task Force developed information that McClain was supplying illegal drugs, including fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine, to dealers in the Clarkston, Washington, area. On May 6, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at McClain’s apartment on Riverton Avenue in Spokane. Agents located various drug paraphernalia, baggies, methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, and 359 fentanyl pills. Agents also located a firearm under McClain’s pillow and approximately $18,000 in the apartment. On scene, McClain told agents he had purchased approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills and 10 ounces of fentanyl powder every month for about a year. On May 6 th , the day of the warrant execution, McClain had planned on making another purchase using some of the cash found in his apartment. McClain been previously convicted in Washington state court of Delivery of a Controlled Substance, for which he was sentenced to 84 months in state custody. U.S. Attorney Serrano said fighting the drug epidemic is an important part of building a safe and strong foundation for Eastern Washington, “Deadly drugs claim more victims every day, including here in Eastern Washington. We are prioritizing the prosecution of these cases and working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously disrupt the sources of drugs in our communities, keeping these dangerous substances out of the hands of drug traffickers and out of our communities.” “Drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms are a deadly combination that puts out communities at extreme risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City Federal Bureau of Investigation. “When agencies work together, we can successfully put drug traffickers out of business and in prison.” This case was investigated by the FBI and the Quad Cities Drug Task Force. The Quad Cities Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdiction task force involving the numerous law enforcement agencies including the Lewiston Idaho Police Department, Clarkston Washington Police Department, and the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca R. Perez. 2:24-cr-00093-TOR


title: Mescalero Man Sentenced to Prison for Violent Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for a violent attack that left a victim seriously injured. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on November 2, 2022, Spencer George Klinekole , 41, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted Jane Doe with a baseball bat, causing serious bodily injury. Upon his release from prison, Klinekole will be subject to three years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Executive Assistant United States Attorney Christopher McNair is prosecuting the case.


title: Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Honduran national unlawfully residing in Waltham, Mass. pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Samuel Cruz Alvarado, 63, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Cruz Alvarado was arrested on May 5, 2025 and indicted by a federal grand in June 2025 . Cruz Alvarado was deported from the United States on Nov. 26, 2012. Sometime after his November 2012 removal, Cruz Alvarado illegally reentered the United States without permission. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Butte woman pleads guilty to drug charges

body_text: MISSOULA – A Butte woman accused of distributing fentanyl admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Brooke Rose Louise Cardonia, 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Cardonia faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for December 18, 2025. Cardonia was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that between February 2023 and March 2025, members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) transported fentanyl into Montana for distribution. The DTO did so in part by utilizing local contacts in Montana, one of which was Cardonia. Cardonia both facilitated the distribution of fentanyl and connected a co-defendant to contacts in Montana that aided in the distribution efforts of the DTO. In November 2024, Cardonia was arrested after a series of fentanyl overdoses occurred in Butte, MT, based on information developed by law enforcement that Cardonia supplied those victims with fentanyl. Cardonia spoke with law enforcement at that time and advised she worked with members of the DTO for the past two to three years to distribute fentanyl in Montana. Cardonia said the DTO provided her with a local resupply connection in Butte via her employment. She admitted using the connection to receive fentanyl from the DTO, which she then distributed. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Lowney and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DEA and IRS conducted the investigation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). XXX


title: Ohio man pleads guilty to antisemitic assault near OSU campus

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Miami County man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to committing a hate crime against Jewish students at The Ohio State University. Timur Mamatov, 20, of Tipp City, Ohio, admitted to violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act when he physically assaulted two students for their religion, causing bodily injury. “Violence against people of faith is illegal and unacceptable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice will aggressively enforce federal laws to ensure that all Americans feel safe in practicing and expressing their faith.” “Mamatov admitted in court today that he assaulted victims because they were Jewish. No American should fear being violently attacked based on their religious beliefs,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue violence motivated by hate.” “Antisemitic violence has no place in our society,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “Crimes motivated by hate spread fear throughout the community and deeply impact the sense of safety of all residents. We appreciate the Ohio State University Police Division and the Columbus Division of Police who had important roles in this investigation. We will continue to work together to protect our community.” According to court documents, on Nov. 10, 2023, Mamatov and a friend engaged in an altercation with five students outside of a bar on North High Street in Columbus. One student was wearing a “Chai” pendant around his neck – a piece of jewelry commonly associated with Judaism. Mamatov asked the students if they were Jewish, and when they answered that they were, Mamatov punched one victim, fracturing his jaw. A second victim was injured, suffering a fractured nose, as the fight poured over into the street. Mamatov was charged by a bill of information on July 3. Violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division; Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio State University Police Chief Dennis Jeffrey and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Cameron Bell are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Justice Department Sues California to End Enforcement of Unlawful Emissions Standards for Trucks

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Note: View EDCA complaint here. View EDCA motion to intervene memo here. View NDIL complaint here. View NDIL motion to intervene memo here. The Justice Department this week filed two complaints in federal courts against the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regarding the State’s enforcement of preempted emissions standards through its so-called “Clean Truck Partnership” with heavy-duty truck and engine manufacturers. A parallel filing in the court of appeals addresses CARB’s rules for light-duty vehicles, which are also preempted. These actions advance President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to end the electric vehicle (EV) mandate, level the regulatory playing field, and promote consumer choice in motor vehicles. The Clean Air Act preempts state regulation of vehicle emissions unless the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants California a preemption waiver. Under the Biden administration, EPA granted preemption waivers for two CARB regulations imposing stringent emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks. The goal of CARB’s regulations is to implement an EV mandate in California and in other states that adopt California’s rules. In June 2025, President Trump signed into law congressional resolutions under the Congressional Review Act, invalidating EPA’s preemption waivers for CARB’s heavy-duty truck regulations. Without these waivers, the Clean Air Act prohibits CARB from attempting to enforce those regulations. Yet, in an affront to the rule of law, CARB seeks to circumvent that prohibition by enforcing the preempted emissions standards through the Clean Truck Partnership. The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) filed the complaints with motions to intervene in pending cases in the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Illinois. “Agreement, contract, partnership, mandate — whatever California wants to call it, this unlawful action attempts to undermine federal law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “President Donald Trump and Congress have invalidated the Clean Air Act waivers that were the basis for California’s actions. CARB must respect the democratic process and stop enforcing unlawful standards.” In related actions, ENRD moved to dismiss as moot two sets of cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit where industry groups had challenged EPA’s preemption waivers for cars. Those cases are now moot because Congress’s joint resolutions nullified the controversial preemption waivers. ENRD is responsible for bringing cases against those who violate the nation’s environmental laws, as well as defending the federal government in litigation arising under a broad range of environmental statutes. The division is the nation’s environmental lawyer, and the largest environmental law firm in the country. Chief of Staff and Senior General Counsel John Adams and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Robert Stander of ENRD filed the complaints, and attorneys with ENRD’s Appellate section are handling the cases in the Ninth Circuit. The EPA is a co-plaintiff in the filings. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and the Eastern District of California also provided assistance. Complaint in Intervention - EDCA.pdf Memo Motion Intervene - EDCA.pdf Complaint in Intervention - NDIL.pdf Memo Motion Intervene - NDIL.pdf


title: Las Cruces Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Possession

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl after fleeing from officers attempting to arrest him on a warrant. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on May 15, 2024, Las Cruces Police Department officers attempted to arrest Guillermo Yanez , 47, on an outstanding warrant out of El Paso, Texas, for tampering with evidence in a narcotics case. When officers approached, Yanez fled on foot, jumping a wall into an apartment complex. During the chase, officers saw him reach into his waistband in an apparent attempt to discard contraband. After deploying less-lethal munitions that were ineffective, officers apprehended Yanez and found methamphetamine in his pocket along with cash. A search of the area where Yanez fled turned up a container holding fentanyl-laced pills and powdered fentanyl. In total, officers recovered approximately 50 grams of pure methamphetamine and 99 grams of fentanyl. In a post-arrest interview, Yanez admitted the drugs were his, that he had thrown the fentanyl container during the chase, and that he distributed drugs to support his methamphetamine use. Yanez pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Upon his release from prison, Yanez will be subject to four years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department and Las Cruces/Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Y. Armijo is prosecuting the case.


title: El Salvadoran national, illegally living in Carrollton, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – An El Salvadoran national, illegally living in Carrollton, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. David Antonio Lopez-Hernandez, 43, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on April 18, 2025, Lopez-Hernandez was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). If convicted, Lopez-Hernandez faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stevan Buys. 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: Las Vegas Man Indicted For Armed Robbery Of An Armored Truck

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who was arrested in Texas made his initial court appearance on Thursday to face charges in connection with an alleged armed robbery of an armored truck outside of a bank in Las Vegas. Devonte Devon Jackson is charged with one-count of interference with commerce by robbery and one-count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah scheduled a jury trial to begin on October 20, 2025. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 16, 2025, Jackson allegedly brandished a black handgun and stole approximately $327,620 from an armored truck outside of a bank. On July 29, 2025, Jackson was arrested by Texas State Troopers in Centerville, Texas. He was extradited to Las Vegas to face federal charges related to the armed robbery. If convicted, Jackson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for interference with commerce by robbery and a mandatory consecutive sentence of seven years for brandishing a firearm. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Schwartz for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tina M. Snellings is 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: Mexican national, illegally living in Grand Prairie, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Grand Prairie, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Joel Calzada-Macias, 46, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on October 10, 2024, Calzada-Macias was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). If convicted, Calzada-Macias faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stevan Buys. 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: Mexican national, illegally living in Denton County, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Denton County, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jose Luis Piedra-Sosa, 51, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on June 23, 2025, Piedra-Sosa was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). If convicted, Piedra-Sosa faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stevan Buys. 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: Admitted gang member and felon imprisoned for possessing rifles


title: Rock Hill Man Pleads Guilty in Large Drug Conspiracy

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. —Jarman Lamar White, 38, of Rock Hill, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine and methamphetamine. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that agents have learned White was responsible for selling drugs that were obtained from members of the Darryl Hemphill drug organization. Agents learned that one of the drugs obtained by this group were pills that resembled oxycodone 30 mg tablets, also known in the generic form as a Roxicodone. The replicate pills were produced by members of the organization. The pills were clandestinely manufactured with fentanyl at locations in Rock Hill and Charlotte. During the investigation, multiple phone calls were intercepted between White and other members of the organization where White was heard acquiring cocaine and methamphetamine, in addition to fentanyl, from other members. Agents also learned that White allowed the organization to use the basement of his girlfriend’s home in Rock Hill to set up multiple pill press machines used to manufacture the fentanyl-laced pills. White and others were surveilled and observed moving the pills press machines into the basement of the residence. White allowed multiple members of the Hemphill operation to utilize this residence to store and later operate multiple pill press machines to clandestinely manufacture these fentanyl-laced pills. On one occasion, White and members of the organization made approximately 50,000 fentanyl-laced pills in the basement of the residence during a single day. White was paid a quantity of fentanyl-laced pills and several thousand dollars in return for using his residence. At the time of White’s arrest in June 2018, agents conducted a search warrant at this residence and located multiple pill press machines, pill binder, masks/respirators, an industrial mixing machine, and a 9mm pistol which was in a backpack belonging to White. In addition, after the arrest of the other members of the organization, agents of the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit completed three separate controlled purchase of fentanyl pills from White. Through these controlled purchases, agents learned White had continued to conspire with others to distribute fentanyl-laced pills after his initial arrest. White faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $20 million, restitution, and a 10-year term of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence White after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Federal Complaint Filed Against Los Angeles Man Following In-Flight Disturbance

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: GRAND JUNCTION – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that David Leroy Carver Jr., 47, has been charged by criminal complaint for interfering with flight crew members and attendants on a Breeze Airways flight from Norfolk, Virginia, to Los Angeles, California, on August 13, 2025. The flight was diverted to Grand Junction Regional Airport. According to the criminal complaint, Carver made inappropriate sexual comments and racial slurs toward a flight attendant during the commercial flight. When a passenger overheard and told him to stop, Carver threatened to strike the passenger and threw chewing tobacco from his mouth into the passenger’s face. Another passenger intervened and restrained Carver, allowing flight attendants to place him in zip tie restraints. During the struggle, Carver lunged at a flight attendant, injuring her hand. Carver then freed himself from the restraints, removed his belt, and wrapped it around his knuckles in a threatening manner before flight attendants were able to separate him from the belt. Carver made his initial appearance in Federal Court in Grand Junction on August 14, 2025, in front of United States Magistrate Judge Richard T. Gurley. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grand Junction Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Springer. The charge in the criminal complaint is an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Case Number: 25-mj-199-RTG


title: Norfolk career offender sentenced to 15 years in prison for federal drug-trafficking and firearms crimes

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, psilocyn, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, in September 2023, Virginia Beach Police (VBPD) obtained state arrest warrants for Lloyd Levi Hardy, aka Blu or Trap Monster, 41, for brandishing a firearm, use of a firearm during commission of a felony, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with a shooting into an apartment where a woman and children were present. On Oct. 10, 2023, law enforcement located Hardy and his vehicle at a hotel in Virginia Beach and arrested him. “Lloyd Hardy has earned a sentence as substantial as his criminal record,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As an armed drug dealer, with outstanding arrest warrants for violent crimes at the time of his arrest, Hardy is exactly the type of threat to our citizens that we work every day to identify and remove from our communities. In coordination with the FBI and our state and local partners, my office will continue to hold career offenders such as Lloyd Hardy responsible for their abhorrent actions.” “This repeat offender’s criminal career ends here,” said Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “Working with the Virginia Beach Police Department, we brought the full force of federal resources to bear—putting a dangerous individual behind bars and sending a clear message: if you peddle drugs and carry guns in our community, we will find you, and we will stop you.” “The VBPD continues to aggressively focus on career offenders, and we are grateful for our federal partners assisting us in holding them accountable for the danger they present to our community,” said Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police. “Every day, our officers put their lives on the line to keep drugs off our streets and firearms out of the hands of those who cannot legally possess them or those who intend to inflict harm in our neighborhoods. Ensuring accountability for ongoing felony activity helps keep Virginia Beach safe.” “Thanks to the tireless work of our local, state, and federal partners, another dangerous criminal is off our streets,” said Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia. “This sentence makes it clear that repeat violent offenders and drug dealers will be held accountable in Virginia. My office will keep working with law enforcement across the Commonwealth to protect our communities and keep violent criminals behind bars.” Law enforcement seized and searched Hardy’s vehicle, from which they recovered approximately $1600, 13.03 grams of cocaine, 14.44 grams of heroin, 11.71 grams of psilocyn, and four firearms, one of which was stolen. One of the firearms was linked through ballistics to the September 2023 shooting. Police also recovered a cellphone that contained numerous messages dating as far back as December 2020 in which Hardy conducted the sale of heroin, cocaine, and psilocyn. Hardy has prior convictions, including for grand larceny, destruction of property, obstructing, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, eluding police (endangerment), and burglary. Hardy committed the offenses in this case while under a period of good behavior for two separate convictions. Hardy pled guilty on Nov. 19, 2024, and was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan M. Montoya prosecuted the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, assisted in the prosecution. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 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. 2:24-cr-45.


title: Tulsan Sentenced After Pointing Gun at People Outside a Bar

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced today for Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Carl Anthony Epps, II, 43, to 84 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. In February 2024, Epps was asked to leave a bar for harassing patrons. Upon leaving, Epps threatened an employee at the bar and claimed he had a firearm in his vehicle. Witnesses called 911 and told law enforcement that Epps pulled his vehicle in front of the bar and pointed a rifle with a green laser at the employee. When officers found Epps, they saw the gun sitting in his vehicle. Epps will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Miami Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Miami man has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg imposed the sentence on Andre Alexander Pino, 45, who pleaded guilty earlier this year. According to court records, beginning in May 2023, Pino used a mobile messaging application to communicate with an individual he believed was a woman with a three-year-old son. During these communications, Pino encouraged the woman to sexually abuse her notional son and provided step-by-step instructions on how to do so. In January 2024, Pino sent multiple videos depicting child sexual abuse to a chatroom on the messaging application that included the individual he believed was a woman with a three-year-old son. On February 26, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Pino’s residence. Agents recovered a mobile phone containing multiple videos of CSAM. As part of his sentence, Pino agreed to pay $5,000 in restitution to a victim depicted in the material he distributed. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of HSI Miami made the announcement. HSI West Palm Beach and HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Sadlo and Justin Chapman prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-80035. ###


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison  for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, who was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on August 4, 2025. Dion Michael Brown, age 55, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Brown will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023. He pleaded guilty on April 21, 2025. Between May 1, 2020, and October 2, 2022, Brown engaged in a sexual relationship with the victim while they were living in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. During this period, Brown was between 50 and 52 years old, and the victim was between 13 and 15 years old. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. 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 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case. Brown was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a woman from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, who was convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on August 11, 2025. Jaclyn Blue Coat, age 26, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Blue Coat was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. She pleaded guilty on May 15, 2025. On September 24, 2024, Blue Coat stabbed the father of her children with a knife in the left upper chest, causing his death. The incident occurred during an argument on the deck outside the victim’s residence in Dupree, South Dakota, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case. Blue Coat was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.