title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to Federal Prison  for Sexually Abusing a Minor

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on January 12, 2026. Colton Condon, 24, was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Condon was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 1, 2025. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred between October 1, 2023, and November 14, 2023, in Eagle Butte in the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. Condon, who was 21 years old at the time, had sexual contact with the victim when she was 14 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 May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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. Condon was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rocky Ford Man Pleads Guilty To Multiple Firearm and Drug Charges

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Mario Rocha, 27, Rocky Ford, Colorado, pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute them, one count of knowingly being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, and possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. According to the plea agreement, in August 2025, investigators learned that Rocha was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine out of his Rocky Ford home and that he was in possession of numerous firearms. After obtaining a search warrant for his residence, FBI agents recovered 1169.3 grams of cocaine, 4742.3 grams of fentanyl (approximately 45,000 individual pills) and 1,236 grams of methamphetamine, all of which Rocha possessed with the intent to distribute. Agents also found a large amount of United States currency, and seventeen firearms which included a short-barreled shotgun and a short-barreled rifle in Rocha’s home. Chief United States District Judge Philip A. Brimmer presided over the hearing. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 29, 2026. The FBI Denver Field Office and the Rocky Ford Police Department handled the investigation. The Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado handled the prosecution. Case Number: 25-cr-00265-PAB


title: Dupree Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Firearm Charge

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Dupree, South Dakota, man convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The sentencing took place on January 20, 2026. Sam Reede, age 38, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Reede was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 10, 2025. The conviction stems from Reede possessing a rifle and ammunition in his residence while fully aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based on a prior felony conviction he previously attained. 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. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case. Reede was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Chinese National Sentenced to Prison for Role in Crypto Scam Targeting Americans

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Chinese national Jingliang Su was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for his role in laundering more than $36.9 million from victims in a digital asset investment conspiracy that was carried out from scam centers in Cambodia. The court also ordered Su to pay $26,867,242.44 in restitution. Su pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal money transmitting business. “This defendant and his co-conspirators scammed 174 Americans out of their hard-earned money,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In the digital age, criminals have found new ways to weaponize the internet for fraud. The Criminal Division and its law enforcement partners have continued to evolve and caught large-scale scammers, who target people through their phones, social media, and fake internet sites, steal from them, and then move their money through cryptocurrency and wire transfers outside of the United States.” “New investment opportunities may sound intriguing, but they have a dark side: attracting criminals who, in this case, stole then laundered tens of millions of dollars from their victims,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “I thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts at bringing this defendant to justice and I encourage the investing public to be cautious. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” According to court documents, Su was part of an international criminal network that induced U.S. victims to transfer funds to accounts controlled by co-conspirators, who then laundered victim money through U.S. shell companies, international bank accounts, and digital asset wallets. The cycle of the scheme began when overseas co-conspirators contacted U.S. victims via unsolicited social media interactions, telephone calls, text messages, and online dating services to gain the victims’ trust. The co-conspirators promoted fraudulent digital asset investments to the victims. The co-conspirators created fake websites that resembled real cryptocurrency trading platforms and convinced victims to send funds through the fake websites for investments. The scammers would then tell the victims that their investments were appreciating in value when, in fact, the scammers had stolen the victims’ money. More than $36.9 million in victim funds were transferred from U.S. bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators to a single account at Deltec Bank in the Bahamas. Su and other co-conspirators directed Deltec Bank to convert victim funds to the stablecoin Tether (USDT) and to transfer the converted funds to a digital asset wallet controlled in Cambodia. From there, co-conspirators in Cambodia transferred the USDT to the leaders of scam centers throughout the region. Ultimately, the government was able to identify 174 U.S. victims. Eight co-conspirators have pleaded guilty so far, including Jose Somarriba and ShengSheng He. He and Somarriba each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and were sentenced to 51 months and 36 months in prison, respectively. U.S. Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center is investigating the case. Homeland Security Investigations’ El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Dominican National Police, and U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance. Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maxwell Coll, Alexander Gorin, and Nisha Chandran for the Central District of California prosecuted the case. The sentencing is the latest outcome of the Criminal Division’s continuing work to investigate, disrupt, and bring to justice individuals facilitating scam center operations worldwide, in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. In combating scam centers, the Criminal Division draws on its expertise in countering cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, money laundering, human trafficking, and transnational organized crime. By seizing and forfeiting crime-linked cryptocurrency, dismantling digital infrastructure used by the scammers to target U.S. citizens, and disrupting domestic and international money laundering networks, the Criminal Division and its partners will cut off access to victim proceeds and tools that enable the fraud. As international relationships are critical to address this growing threat, the Criminal Division will draw on its network of International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property prosecutors (ICHIPs) who are strategically posted throughout the world to coordinate with foreign law enforcement partners. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. If you or someone you know is a victim of a digital asset investment fraud, report it to IC3.gov .


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to More Than 2 Years in Federal Prison  for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026. Jonathan Bagola, 38, was sentenced to two years and six 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. Bagola was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 24, 2025. On January 25, 2025, in Rapid City, Bagola was discovered to be in possession of a pistol with an obliterated serial number while police officers conducted a traffic stop. Bagola was previously convicted of a crime punishable beyond a year in prison and, as a result, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by the ATF and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Bagola was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Johnston County Man Sent to Federal Prison for 10 Years for Child Porn Found During Investigation Into Torturing a Cat

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Nathaniel Rogers Truitt, 23, to 10 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for Receipt of Child Pornography. According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office initially investigated Inmate Truitt for domestic violence. Inmate Truitt called 911 claiming a family member pepper sprayed him. The family member found videos of Inmate Truitt torturing and murdering the family cat. Inmate Truitt confessed that he videoed himself killing the family cat at the request of a stranger on the internet. Inmate Truitt also confessed to killing stray cats and to engaging in sexual acts with these dead animals at the request of an online stranger. Law enforcement seized and searched his digital devices, which revealed child sexual abuse material, along with animal cruelty videos. Truitt’s state charges for crimes against nature and cruelty to animals remain pending. “This reprehensible crime disgusts every law-abiding citizen. Engaging in this behavior allows spiders to target more children for demonic acts. We will stomp out anyone doing this in Eastern North Carolina, without remorse. Please monitor your family members and don’t let them get entangled in the evil that lurks in the web.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. W. Ellis Boyle U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing. The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and SBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charity Wilson and Ashley Foxx prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-329-FL-RN.


title: Chinese National Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Multimillion-Dollar Cryptocurrency Scam Targeting U.S. Victims

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Chinese national was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for his role in laundering more than $36.9 million from victims in a digital asset investment conspiracy that was carried out from scam centers in Cambodia. Jingliang Su, 45, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who also ordered him to pay $26,867,242 in restitution. Su pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal money transmitting business. “New investment opportunities may sound intriguing, but they have a dark side: attracting criminals who, in this case, stole then laundered tens of millions of dollars from their victims,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “I thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts at bringing this defendant to justice and I encourage the investing public to be cautious. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” “This defendant and his co-conspirators scammed 174 Americans out of their hard-earned money,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In the digital age, criminals have found new ways to weaponize the internet for fraud. The Criminal Division and its law enforcement partners have continued to evolve and caught large-scale scammers, who target people through their phones, social media, and fake internet sites, steal from them, and then move their money through cryptocurrency and wire transfers outside of the United States.” According to court documents, Su was part of an international criminal network that induced U.S. victims to transfer funds to accounts controlled by co-conspirators, who then laundered victim money through U.S. shell companies, international bank accounts, and digital asset wallets. The cycle of the scheme began when overseas co-conspirators contacted U.S. victims via unsolicited social media interactions, telephone calls, text messages, and online dating services to gain the victims’ trust. The co-conspirators promoted fraudulent digital asset investments to the victims. The co-conspirators created fake websites that resembled real cryptocurrency trading platforms and convinced victims to send funds through the fake websites for investments. The scammers would then tell the victims that their investments were appreciating in value when, in fact, the scammers had stolen the victims’ money. More than $36.9 million in victim funds were transferred from U.S. bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators to a single account at Deltec Bank in the Bahamas. Su and other co-conspirators directed Deltec Bank to convert victim funds to the stablecoin Tether (USDT) and to transfer the converted funds to a digital asset wallet controlled in Cambodia. From there, co-conspirators in Cambodia transferred the USDT to the leaders of scam centers throughout the region. Ultimately, the government was able to identify 174 U.S. victims. Eight co-conspirators have pleaded guilty so far, including Jose Somarriba and ShengSheng He. He and Somarriba each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and were sentenced to 51 months and 36 months in prison, respectively. Su has been in federal custody since December 2024. USSS’s Global Investigative Operations Center is investigating the case. The Homeland Security Investigations’ El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Dominican National Police, and U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section, and Alexander Gorin and Maxwell Coll of the National Security Division along with Justice Department Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecuted this case. The sentencing is the latest outcome of the Criminal Division’s continuing work to investigate, disrupt, and bring to justice individuals facilitating scam center operations worldwide, in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. In combating scam centers, the Criminal Division draws on its expertise in countering cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, money laundering, human trafficking, and transnational organized crime. By seizing and forfeiting crime-linked cryptocurrency, dismantling digital infrastructure used by the scammers to target U.S. citizens, and disrupting domestic and international money laundering networks, the Criminal Division and its partners will cut off access to victim proceeds and tools that enable the fraud. As international relationships are critical to address this growing threat, the Criminal Division will draw on its network of International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property prosecutors (ICHIPs) who are strategically posted throughout the world to coordinate with foreign law enforcement partners. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of more than 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of more than $350 million in victim funds. If you or someone you know is a victim of a digital asset investment fraud, report it to IC3.gov .


title: Commerce Township man pleads guilty to using  AI-generated pornography to cyberstalk social media influencer

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Joshua Stilman, 37, pleaded guilty today to one count of cyberstalking, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon announced today. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Detroit. From at least February 2025 through March 2025, Stilman created artificial intelligence (AI)-generated nude and sexually graphic images of Victim-1 using publicly available images of her. In private social media messages with Victim-1, Stilman frequently asked Victim-1 about her sexual preferences and made sexual threats of his own. Eventually, Stilman told Victim-1 that he would release the AI-generated images of Victim-1 to her nearly 100,000 social media followers if she did not continue to respond to his messages. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2026. Cyberstalking has a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. "Joshua Stilman's guilty plea makes clear that cyber stalking - especially when amplified through the weaponization of artificial intelligence - is a dangerous offense, not a harmless online act,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. "Hiding behind a keyboard to intimidate and harass another person is an act of cowardice, and today's outcome demonstrates that such behavior will be met with full accountability. I commend the extraordinary courage of the victim, whose willingness to come forward and persistence in pursuing justice made this result possible." This case was investigated by the Oakland County Resident Agency of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Zurek.


title: Woman Who Posed as Licensed Registered Nurse Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: Leticia Gallarzo Repeatedly Assumed the Identities of Licensed Registered Nurses to Work at Health Care Facilities in Michigan and Other States GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Leticia Gallarzo, age 51, formerly of Wayland, Michigan, was sentenced yesterday to 75 months in prison for creating false medical records indicating that she was licensed as a registered nurse. She was also sentenced for committing aggravated identity theft after fraudulently assuming the identity of a real nurse licensed in Michigan. Between August 2022 and May 2023, Gallarzo worked as a registered nurse at a nursing home in the Western District of Michigan. Gallarzo obtained her employment through Indeed.com by assuming the identity of a registered nurse licensed in Michigan. Gallarzo created a fake nursing license, diploma, and identification documents to make it appear to the nursing home that she was in fact an individual trained and licensed as a registered nurse. After obtaining employment, Gallarzo applied for and obtained a promotion to the position of unit manager, meaning she supervised other health care professionals in the care they provided to the nursing home residents. Gallarzo performed patient assessments, administered medications, started intravenous lines, and carried out other nursing duties. As Gallarzo’s performance as a nurse faltered, the nursing home demoted her, and she began to look for another nursing job. Fortunately, her prospective employer uncovered her real identity and reported her to authorities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan charged Gallarzo with fraud and aggravated identity theft on September 26, 2023. She pled guilty in October 2023. After entering a guilty plea and while awaiting her sentencing hearing, Gallarzo fled the jurisdiction and again fraudulently obtained employment as a physician assistant and registered nurse in Illinois and California. She was finally apprehended near Los Angeles, California, and transported back to the Western District of Michigan for yesterday’s sentencing hearing. The current case represents the third time Gallarzo has been convicted of falsely representing herself as a nurse. This was not the first time Gallarzo had committed this crime. In 2016, the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office convicted Gallarzo of fraudulently impersonating a licensed nurse. In 2017, Gallarzo was convicted of this again by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Despite her convictions by those authorities, Gallarzo was not deterred. U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “This is far more than a fraud case. Nurses make life and death decisions for the people under their care, and everyone has the right to expect that their health is being attended to by a person with extensive medical training. It is shocking that Gallarzo would repeatedly put herself in such a position, without any of the necessary training, just because she wanted money. I am very happy to say that our investigation has not disclosed anyone physically harmed by Gallarzo’s conduct, but that is just a happy accident and not because of anything she did. Gallarzo richly deserved the 75-month sentence imposed by Judge Maloney.” "This 75-month federal prison sentence sends a clear and unmistakable message: no one gets to lie about their credentials, falsify medical records, or steal identities without facing serious consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Leticia Gallarzo abused the trust placed in medical professionals and put patients at risk. Because of the relentless work of the FBI Grand Rapids Resident Agency, she can no longer fraudulently perform patient assessments or endanger this community. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for its strong partnership and successful prosecution." The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Grand Rapids Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella prosecuted the case.


title: Former Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Employee and Slidell Resident Guilty of Theft and Bribery Conspiracy Concerning Program Receiving Federal Funds

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that KENNETH LAWSON (“LAWSON ”), age 39, a resident of New Orleans, and AREION BANKS (“BANKS”) , age 33, a resident of Slidell, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to conspiracy to commit theft and bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 666(a)(1)(A), and 666(a)(1)(B). According to court documents, on or about August 10, 2023, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) awarded the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO) a $3.907 million Byrne Discretionary Grant entitled “Technology, Equipment, and Programming Improvements to Support People in Custody and Streamline Reentry” (“DOJ grant”). The purpose of the grant was, in part, to “aid in supporting the health and wellness of people in custody.” Grant funding was available to OPSO until the specified grant performance period end date of April 30, 2025. LAWSON was employed by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO) as Grants Manager, in OPSO’s Grants Department, between about August 2022 and November 29, 2024. In that capacity, LAWSON possessed the ability to request grant payments from grant originators and to issue checks from OPSO to companies acting as subgrantees under grants received by OPSO. LAWSON met BANKS in about March 2024. Shortly thereafter, LAWSON and BANKS devised a scheme in which LAWSON would exploit his position at OPSO to steal checks made out to subgrantees and convert them to cash. LAWSON agreed to accept a portion of the resulting cash in exchange for stealing checks. On one such occasion, on or about August 12, 2024, BANKS paid LAWSON approximately $5,900 after LAWSON successfully diverted approximately $15,000 from OPSO, without authorization, by exploiting LAWSON’s position with OPSO. In total, LAWSON and BANKS diverted, and attempted to divert, funds from OPSO in this manner on at least four occasions totaling more than $45,000, and BANKS made one payment to LAWSON . Additionally, on about July 30, 2024, LAWSON incorporated an entity entitled “Williams James Assoc. LLC.” (“Williams James”) with the State of Louisiana and thereafter controlled and served as its registered agent and managing member. On the same day, he opened a business checking account at Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Co. (“Gulf Coast”) in the name of Williams James. Despite Williams James having no relationship with, or providing services to or on behalf of, OPSO, LAWSON in his professional capacity with OPSO, engaged in a digital transaction, requesting that the Department of Justice draw down a portion of the DOJ grant, without authorization, all designed for his personal benefit. Specifically, on or about July 30, 2024, LAWSON stole approximately $7,000 from OPSO by causing the deposit of a $7,000 OPSO check into the Williams James account. On or about August 30, 2024, LAWSON also caused approximately $75,000 from OPSO to be deposited in the Williams James account. On or about November 13, 2024, LAWSON again attempted to obtain funds, through misappropriation and embezzlement, from the DOJ grant by directing DOJ to send $100,000 of the grant funds to the Williams James account without the knowledge or authorization of his OPSO supervisors. After a bank representative requested that LAWSON identify an OPSO representative who could verify that OPSO intended to issue such a significant sum, LAWSON and BANKS agreed that BANKS would contact Gulf Coast and pose falsely as the OPSO employee who had approved the transaction. In exchange for conducting this telephonic ruse, BANKS would receive a portion of the ill-gotten proceeds. After LAWSON instructed BANKS on what to say to Gulf Coast, BANKS contacted Gulf Coast, falsely claimed to be the OPSO employee, and told a Gulf Coast representative that OPSO had approved the transaction when, in fact, OPSO was unaware of, and had not approved, the transaction. LAWSON and BANKS , individually, face up to five years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing before Judge Africk has been scheduled for May 13, 2026. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. U.S. Attorney Courcelle also expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: District of Utah Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today the District of Utah observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration’s commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking Prevention Month presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness, and strengthen partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks, protect vulnerable individuals, and ensure traffickers are brought to justice. “This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.” “Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us,” the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. “The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.” “During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers. “Human traffickers live among our communities throughout the nation, and Utah is not immune to these types of crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “As with this administration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to combat the evils of human trafficking. Along with our law enforcement partners, we reaffirm our commitment to investigate and prosecute these horrific crimes and hold these traffickers accountable.” In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Section 6 of this order directed the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly establish HSTFs in every state nationwide. The HSTF objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) throughout the United States; dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks; end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children; and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States. Since January 20, 2025, in the District of Utah: Bobby Antwone Jones was indicted in September 2025. Jones is charged with transporting a minor to engage sexual activity, sex trafficking of children, production of child pornography and sale of child pornography. A four-day jury trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, in the District of Utah. Aaron Kern was indicted for sex trafficking charges in March 2025. He pleaded guilty to attempted transportation for purposes of prostitution. His sentencing is scheduled for April 15, 2026, in the District of Utah. See prior press release: Southern Utah Man Facing Sex Trafficking Charges . The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to review human trafficking cases and is committed to charging individuals that exploit victims of human trafficking. In January 2026, DHS and DOJ are surging resources to fight and raise awareness about human trafficking, including: Identifying ongoing investigations and prioritizing featured operations across 45 federal locations and 10 state locations with an emphasis on border states. Coordinating with FBI Human Trafficking Squads and multi-agency Human Trafficking Task Forces to conduct victim recovery. Partnering with AMTRAK and FAMS to increase law enforcement resources and distribute posters with QR codes for reporting human trafficking in all station bathrooms and trains. Running advertisements related to $250 million recovery from Backpage to distribute to victims and additional victim restitution efforts by DOL-OIG. Organizing Human Trafficking seminars and outreach events with DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking at high schools and colleges to highlight the role of HSTFs in addressing human trafficking. On August 25, 2025, HSTF officially launched its effort to protect the Homeland with a September Surge encompassing 400 operations nationwide. In just 43 days, HSTF nationwide operations resulted in 3,266 arrests and seizures including: 1,041 Sinaloa members, 856 Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (“CJNG”) members, 641 MS-13 members, 456 Tren de Aragua members, 1,067 weapons More than $3,250,000 in currency Approximately 91 metric tons of narcotics


title: Charlotte Man Sentenced To 6 ½ Years For Possessing AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Images And Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to 78 months in prison today for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), some of which was AI-generated, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso ordered Daniel Joseph Broadway, 54, to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $17,000 in special assessments and $15,000 in restitution. “Child sexual abuse material is harmful in all of its forms, and my office has the experience, expertise, and resolve to keep up with the technology as criminals use new methods to exploit children,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Using AI to generate harmful imagery of children is illegal and we will aggressively prosecute those who do so.” According to court documents and court proceedings, in April 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cybertip that an individual later identified as Broadway was uploading CSAM to an online account. In December 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Broadway’s residence, seizing nine electronic devices. A forensic review of the devices revealed that they contained more than 30,000 images and videos of AI-generated CSAM and over 8,600 images and videos of CSAM. The forensics further showed that Broadway used an AI platform to generate original images of CSAM, including images depicting prepubescent minors. He further used the AI platform to nudify existing images of real people. In sentencing Broadway, Judge Orso said, “Congress has observed that child pornography is a permanent record of a child’s abuse,” and “those wounds get ripped back open” every time people view the content depicting their abuse. On April 23, 2025, Broadway pleaded guilty to possession and access with intent to view child pornography involving a prepubescent minor who had not attained 12 years of age, and obscene visual representations of sexual abuse of children involving a prepubescent minor who had not attained 12 years of age. Broadway is in federal custody and will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility. The case was investigated by the FBI in Charlotte and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Albuquerque Man Charged for Fatal Shooting of Pueblo of Isleta Member

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man is in federal custody after the fatal shooting of a Pueblo of Isleta tribal member prompted a public search by the FBI. According to court documents, on January 9, 2026, Pueblo of Isleta Police Department officers responded to a report of a shooting at a residence in Bosque Farms, New Mexico, within the exterior boundaries of the Pueblo of Isleta. Officers located the victim, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta, suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper left chest. Despite life-saving efforts by officers and emergency medical services, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. According to witnesses, Bonifacio Silva , 18, a non-Indian, allegedly fired the fatal shots during a confrontation following an earlier verbal and physical altercation at the residence. Silva then fled the scene with his pregnant girlfriend. During a subsequent traffic stop, the pair reportedly provided false information to officers claiming the girlfriend was in labor, allowing them to be released. Silva was later dropped off in the Albuquerque area. On January 12, 2026, the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office issued a wanted poster seeking information from the public as to Silva ’s whereabouts. Silva was arrested in Albuquerque later that day. Silva is charged with second degree murder and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Silva faces a minimum sentence of ten years and up to life in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Pueblo of Isleta Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall 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: Tacoma man who persisted in drug trafficking despite being stopped with more than 25 pounds of meth sentenced to 66 months in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle –A Tacoma man who continued to distribute large amounts of fentanyl pills even after being found with a large load of methamphetamine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 66 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Rogelio Pena, 22, is one of thirteen people who was indicted in the case in May 2024. The 18-month wiretap investigation revealed that Pena was a trusted member of the conspiracy both for delivering drugs and for having access to the group’s stash house. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson said, “This was a lot of drugs and a large conspiracy… The impact on the community is significant.” “Whether riding with 28-pound load of methamphetamine, or attempting to deliver 20,000 fentanyl pills, this defendant did not let intervention by law enforcement stop him,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Those who deliver these poisons to our communities face significant time in prison.” In the wiretap investigation law enforcement seized approximately 81 kilograms of methamphetamine, 49 kilograms of fentanyl pills, and 15 kilograms of cocaine. On June 28, 2023, Pena was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement that contained more than 25 pounds of methamphetamine. But even after this traffic stop, Pena was heard on the wiretap arranging the delivery of 20,000 fentanyl pills. Pena was so trusted by the drug trafficking organization that he managed the possession of keys to the storage area where the group kept its drug supply. As more rental cars were stopped with drug loads on the way north, conspirators began bringing drugs to the Seattle area via bus. On April 11, 2024, the Portland Police Department seized 7.5 kilograms of fentanyl laced pills from a bag that had been abandoned at a bus station by one of the coconspirators. In early May 2024 law enforcement moved in and made arrests. In asking for a 66-month sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Pena, along with his co-conspirators, were responsible for flooding these highly dangerous and addictive substances into the community for profit and contributed to the addiction of an unknown number of individuals. The drugs that Pena was peddling caused irreparable harm to the community in general as well as to the families whose members are addicted to controlled substances. During 2023, when Pena was actively engaged in drug trafficking, there was an overwhelming 1,340 fatal overdose deaths in King County alone.” “This drug trafficking organization flooded the Pacific Northwest with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The fentanyl alone seized in this case contained enough lethal doses to kill more than 200,000 people in Western Washington. The Drug Enforcement Administration is thankful to our Federal, state, and local partners who worked with us tirelessly on this case to help save American lives as we work together to make America Fentanyl Free.” “Pena and his co-conspirators were caught trafficking kilogram quantities of illegal drugs into Washington state on multiple occasions in 2023 and 2024," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "Today’s sentence holds Mr. Pena accountable for his role in this conspiracy that threatened our communities with dangerous drugs and high-powered firearms. FBI Seattle is grateful for the many federal, state, and local partners, including those in other states, who work with us to protect the people of the Pacific Northwest.” This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Seattle Police Department, Oregon State Police, Portland Police Department, California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Strike Force, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Centralia Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Elyne Vaught.


title: Prewitt Woman Charged in Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Prewitt woman is facing federal charges after allegedly stabbing a man during a dispute. According to court records, on January 6, 2026, Naomi Martinez , 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted John Doe with a knife during a dispute, causing serious bodily injury. Martinez is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. She will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Martinez faces 20 years in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Pahl is prosecuting the case. A complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Atlanta child molester sentenced for illegally possessing firearm while impersonating a police officer

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Fredrick Crawford, a convicted child molester, robber, and stalker, has been sentenced to prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm at an Atlanta gas station where he was impersonating a police officer and threatening customers. "If a real officer had not caught this armed felon pretending to be a cop, someone could have been seriously injured,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to my office’s close partnership with the Atlanta Police Department, which referred this case for federal prosecution, the community is safer because Crawford is back in prison, where he belongs.” “Impersonating a law enforcement officer is a serious crime that undermines public trust and safety. Fredrick Crawford’s actions not only endangered the lives of innocent citizens but also posed a significant risk to legitimate law enforcement efforts. The ATF is committed to working alongside our partners to ensure that individuals who engage in such reckless behavior are held accountable,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd. “This case underscores the vigilance and professionalism of our officers, even when off duty,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “An armed felon impersonating a police officer poses a grave threat to public safety and to the integrity of law enforcement. Thanks to the quick actions of our sergeant and the coordinated response that followed, a dangerous individual was taken off the streets.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges and other information presented in court: On April 12, 2024, an off-duty Atlanta Police Department (APD) sergeant who was buying fuel at a gas station saw Fredrick Crawford, who was armed and wearing a uniform labeled “Fugitive Task Force.” Crawford was arguing with customers, claimed he was a police officer, and repeatedly threatened to issue tickets to people at the gas station. Concerned by Crawford’s behavior, the sergeant approached him. As their conversation unfolded, the sergeant began to suspect that Crawford was not a real police officer. The sergeant flagged down two marked APD vehicles. When Crawford saw the other officers approaching, he fled and tossed his firearm. When Crawford was apprehended, officers discovered he was a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm. Along with a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Crawford also had previous criminal convictions for child molestation, family violence battery, aggravated stalking, and robbery by force. Initially, Crawford was prosecuted in Fulton County, where the district attorney’s office recommended a sentence of just nine months of imprisonment. To achieve more appropriate punishment for this violent recidivist, the Atlanta Police Department requested successive prosecution of Crawford in federal court. Fredrick Crawford, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen to four years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Atlanta Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas L. Evert and Chloe Cobb Smith prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Co-Creator of Dark Web Marketplace Pleads Guilty in Chicago to Drug Conspiracy Charge

body_text: CHICAGO — A Virginia man who co-created and operated “Empire Market”—a dark web marketplace that enabled users to anonymously buy and sell illegal goods and services—has pleaded guilty in Chicago to a federal drug conspiracy charge. RAHEIM HAMILTON, 30, of Suffolk, Va., entered the guilty plea on Monday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The conviction is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger set sentencing for June 17, 2026. The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Mary Johnson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells and Ann Marie Ursini. Hamilton and THOMAS PAVEY co-owned and operated Empire Market from 2018 to 2020. During that time, the online market facilitated more than four million transactions between vendors and buyers valued at more than $430 million, making it one of the largest dark web marketplaces of its kind at the time. The illegal products and services available on the site included controlled substances, compromised or stolen account credentials, stolen personally identifying information, counterfeit currency, and computer-hacking tools. Sales of controlled substances were the most prevalent activity, with net drug sales totaling nearly $375 million over the life of the site. Hamilton admitted in a plea agreement that he and Pavey designed Empire Market to help its users avoid detection by law enforcement and to assist users with laundering money from the illicit transactions. Hamilton and Pavey established that all transactions on the site must be conducted using only cryptocurrency. As part of the plea agreement, Hamilton agreed to forfeit certain ill-gotten proceeds, including, among things, approximately 1,230 bitcoin and 24.4 Ether, as well as three properties in Virginia. Pavey, 40, of Ormond Beach, Fla., pleaded guilty last year to a federal drug conspiracy charge and admitted his role in creating and operating Empire Market. Pavey is awaiting sentencing. He faces the same maximum sentence as Hamilton. As part of his plea agreement, Pavey agreed to forfeit certain ill-gotten proceeds, including, among things, approximately 1,584 bitcoin, two boxes containing 25-ounce gold bars, three automobiles, and two properties in Florida. hamilton_plea_agreement.pdf


title: Member of Makah Tribe sentenced to two years in prison for knife attack on intimate partner

body_text: Tacoma –A 20-year-old member of the Makah Tribe was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to two years in prison for assaulting an intimate partner with a knife, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Peyton Blaise Watson stabbed his intimate partner in the neck while on property within the Lower Elwha Klallam Reservation. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright said, the assault was “violent and extremely dangerous…” The victim “was stabbed in the neck in a fit of rage that was uncontrolled. It was not due to care or avoidance of more serious injury, but really only a matter of luck that we are not here today on a much more serious charge.” “This case exemplifies our commitment to addressing crime on tribal lands – especially violent crime against vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “This was a shocking and unprovoked assault that easily could have been fatal. A term of incarceration will serve to protect the public and the victim. I hope that time in custody will give Watson an opportunity to reform his behavior.” According to records filed in the case, in the early morning hours of May 9, 2025, Lower Elwha Police and Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a home on the Lower Elwha Klallam Reservation where a witness called 911 to report that Watson had stabbed an adult female victim in the neck. Officers found the victim standing a few feet from Watson. Once Watson was removed from the victim’s presence, she began crying and identified Watson as her assailant and that he had stabbed her in the neck. The victim was taken by ambulance to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles where she required surgery. Watson was booked into the Clallam County Jail on tribal charges. He has been in custody since the assault. The FBI joined the investigation and secured items of evidence from the scene including a black folding knife about three inches long, an item identified by the victim and witness as the weapon. The victim was hospitalized for five days as she recovered from her injuries. At the hospital she was able to describe for investigators how Watson attacked her and allegedly threatened to kill her. In asking for a sentence at the low end of the sentencing guidelines range, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Crafting a sentencing recommendation in this case is difficult, because Watson easily could have killed [the victim] when he stabbed her in the neck with a deadly weapon. However, this appears to be an isolated incident of extreme violence. Prior to nearly killing [the victim], Watson was not known to be violent. Moreover, at the time of the offense he was (and is) quite young and had no criminal history.” Watson will be on three years of federal supervision including mental health monitoring and drug treatment following his prison term. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Lower Elwha Klallam Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee. Ms. Lee serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.


title: Missouri Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a sex offender who was caught again with child sexual abuse material to 15 years in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. Paul Lewis Sanders, 41, of Warren County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court to one count of receiving child pornography. He admitted that after an investigation triggered by a complaint to the Warren County Sheriff’s Department in February of 2023, child sexual abuse material was discovered on Sanders’ cellular phone. In 2004, Sanders was convicted of the felony offense of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Macoupin County, Illinois. The Warren County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Drake prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 .


title: Repeat felon sentenced to 10 years for illegal possession of firearms

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Ramsey Guerrero pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2025. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Guerrero to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about Guerrero’s flight from law enforcement during a traffic stop and his resistance to arrest on a separate occasion while facing active warrants. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos cited Ramos’ lengthy criminal history, including three prior state convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 10, 2025, authorities conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Guerrero was driving. They noticed the odor of marijuana and requested to search the car. Guerrero refused, fled the scene and eventually crashed his vehicle into a field near the highway before escaping on foot. Inside the car, authorities found two pistols, a rifle and a shotgun, as well as nearly 300 rounds of ammunition, a full set of body armor, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Law enforcement eventually located Guerrero as the passenger in a parked car and attempted to arrest him based on his active warrants. When officers approached, he resisted, and authorities discovered Guerrero had another loaded firearm located directly beneath his seat. As a convicted felon, Guerrero is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of U.S. Marshals Service and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.


title: Undocumented Immigrant Who Stole $161,000 from Stores Across the Country Sentenced

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced a Romanian national who has repeatedly entered the United States illegally to 27 months in prison for stealing $161,000 from stores across the country with a sleight-of-hand fraud. Judge Ross also ordered Adrian Stoica, 47, to repay the money. Stoica conducted at least 170 transactions in stores in 20 states between November 2021 and March 2025. After cashiers scanned merchandise, prepaid gift cards, and electronic money transfers, Stoica would count cash into piles to trick cashiers into believing that he was paying the full price. He collected the piles and then slipped bills from the bottom of the stack into his pocket, short-changing the stores by hundreds of dollars or more in each transaction. Stoica would then move on and victimize a different store. On Feb. 17, 2023, he shortchanged the cashier of a Chesterfield store by approximately $860. On Sept. 7, 2023, his scheme cost a store in O’Fallon, Missouri about $690. The next day, he cost a Fenton store about $660. Stoica has illegally entered the country three times since 2016. He was ordered removed from the country in May of 2018 and deported in February of 2020. Stoica has used the names Boeri Kvec, Borri Kvec, Boeri Stoica and Adrian Anghel. Stoica pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of wire fraud and one count of illegal entry into the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.


title: Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Elder Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Jing Guo, a Chinese national residing in California, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting she participated in an international fraud and money laundering scheme that tricked more than 40 elderly victims out of more than $1.2 million. According to court documents and statements made in court, this case arises from an investigation into a call center scam that targeted elderly individuals in California and elsewhere in the United States in May 2025. According to charging documents, Guo and others used the following methods to defraud the victims: Technical support scam: Scammers pose as legitimate tech support representatives, claiming a victim’s computer or account has been compromised and tricking them into paying for unnecessary or fake repairs. Refund scam: Fraudsters contact victims with claims they are owed a refund, then manipulate them into providing banking information or transferring money under the guise of correcting a supposed overpayment. Bank impersonation scam: Criminals impersonate banks or financial institutions through calls, texts, or emails, creating a false sense of urgency to pressure victims into revealing sensitive information or moving funds to fraudulent accounts. Guo admitted in her plea agreement that she met victims in-person to collect the funds. She kept a percentage of the fraud proceeds before passing the remainder on to other members of the conspiracy. Guo is scheduled to be sentenced April 27 at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez. If you or someone you know is 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov . The FBI requests that victims report: The name of the person or company that contacted you. Methods of communication used, including websites, emails, and telephone numbers. Any bank account number(s) to which you wired funds and the recipient name(s). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Brooks. DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr4149-LL-2 Jing Guo Age: 36 San Gabriel, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349 Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation


title: Jamaican National Sentenced for Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Jamaican national illegally residing in Branson, Mo. was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm. Akeem A. Sirdine, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to two years imprisonment in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release. On Aug. 26, 2025, Sirdine pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Sirdine had been issued a J1 (student) visa with authorization to remain in the United States until September 2024. Sirdine unlawfully remained in the United States after that date and, at the time of his arrest in February 2025, he was in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol with an extended magazine. Under federal law it is illegal for any person who is in the United States unlawfully to possess a firearm. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Taney County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Orest Shaynyuk, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 19 years and seven months in prison and for distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), United States Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, in 2013, Shaynyuk was convicted of possession of CSAM. After serving his sentence and while on supervised release, his probation officer found him to be in possession of an iPhone that contained CSAM. Simultaneously, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was investigating a tip from an internet communications platform that Shaynyuk was trafficking CSAM. Forensic reports and data from the communications platform showed that Shaynyuk distributed CSAM to other users of the communications platform. “This sentence reflects the gravity of the defendant’s repeated crimes and the lasting harm caused to the most vulnerable members of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “When individuals continue to exploit children despite prior convictions, they demonstrate a clear danger to the public. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue repeat offenders and ensure they are held fully accountable under the law.” “This case reflects the strength of coordinated law enforcement efforts focused on protecting children,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Working alongside our local, state, and federal partners, investigators disrupted criminal activity tied to the sexual exploitation of minors. The 235-month federal prison sentence underscores the FBI’s relentless pursuit of offenders who harm children and threaten the safety of our communities.” The Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Probation, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Syracuse area man pleads guilty to operating kickback scheme involving Medicare And Medicaid

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Timothy Klein, 49, of Fayetteville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Franz M. Wright and Paul E. Bonanno, who are handling the case, stated that between February 2017, and September 2018, Klein conspired with others to defraud Medicare and Medicare drug plan sponsors. Klein, who operated JRS Group, LLC, and his co-conspirators enriched themselves by, among other things, submitting prescription drug claims to Medicare and Medicare drug plan sponsors for items that were medically unnecessary and procured through kickbacks and bribes, and diverting fraud proceeds for their own personal use and benefit. As part of the conspiracy: Klein through his company, JRS, recruited insurance brokers to contact Medicare beneficiaries and offer them prescription medicines at no cost, without regard to any actual medical necessity. Klein paid kickbacks and bribes to the insurance brokers, for Medicare prescriptions paid for through the beneficiaries' Part D plan, a federal funded program. Klein paid an individual and their company, Advanced Telehealth, to provide doctors to perform telemedicine visits with the beneficiaries recruited by insurance brokers. Following the telemedicine visits, the doctors would sign prescriptions for the beneficiaries, which prescriptions had been preselected and/or filled out by Klein. Klein entered into agreements with ProRX and SunRise Pharmacy, whereby the pharmacies paid Klein a sum of money for each filled prescription. For instance, on or about September 17, 2018, the defendant received a check totaling $95,479.05 from ProRx representing payments for prescriptions referred to ProRx. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz, the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow, the U.S. Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher M. Silvestro, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Nicholas J. Bucciarelli. Sentencing is scheduled for June 2, 2026, before Judge Vilardo. # # # #


title: Convicted felon pleads guilty to new child pornography charge

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Brett Bedford, 41, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession of child pornography by a person having a prior conviction relating to the possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated in November 2020, Bedford was convicted in New York State Court of Possessing Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child Less Than 16, and sentenced to serve six months in prison, followed by 10 years of probation. On January 27, 2025, a Monroe County Probation Officer conducted a home inspection at Bedford’s Penfield residence, during which the probation officer found, among other things, an unauthorized cell phone and SIM cards. A review of the phone recovered over 450 images of child pornography, including images of children engaged in sexual acts with adults. Some of the images depicted violence against children. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera. Sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2026, before Judge Siragusa. # # # #


title: Southwest Georgian Faces 30 Years in Prison for Teenage Sextortion Crime

body_text: VALDOSTA, Ga. – A Berrien County, Georgia, man is facing up to 30 years in prison for attempting to sextort a teenager he met over Snapchat. Cenobio Olguin, Jr., 24, of Lenox, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted production of child pornography before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on Jan. 27. Olguin, Jr. is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by a maximum lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system. “Sextortion of children on social media is a serious crime that requires constant vigilance from parents and caregivers,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “Law enforcement will aggressively pursue online predators, and our office will seek the toughest penalties for those who exploit children. We urge everyone to stay informed about online dangers and to report any suspected sextortion or exploitation immediately.” “This defendant used fear, manipulation and threats to sexually exploit a minor, causing real and lasting harm,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Sextortion is a predatory crime, and the FBI will aggressively pursue anyone who targets children online. We urge parents, teens and caregivers to report suspicious or coercive online behavior immediately— early reporting can stop abuse and protect victims.” According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Olguin, Jr. met a 16-year-old female on Snapchat in 2024. He requested that she send snaps of herself at various stages of undress, and she complied. She then blocked Olguin. Months later, Olguin contacted the teenager on Snapchat and sent her the nude photos she had previously shared with him. Olguin threatened to release the photos to her high school friends if she did not continue sending him nude photos. Olguin, Jr., continued to make various threats to the teenager, including posting her nude photos as a public story on Snapchat. In addition, Olguin, Jr., mentioned another girl he previously extorted. He claimed he sent the nude photos of this other victim to a few boys at her school and ordered the boys to rape her. The 16-year-old then complied with Olguin, Jr.’s threats and sent additional nude and explicit images on Snapchat. Olguin, Jr. told her if she ever blocked him, un-added him, reported him or talked to the police, she “knew what would happen.” The Dayton, Ohio, FBI Resident Agency received a tip in December 2024 that the teenager was a victim of sextortion. The victim was interviewed; a subsequent investigation led to Olguin, Jr. A search warrant was issued at Olguin, Jr.’s Berrien County residence in the Middle District of Georgia on May 5, 2025. Agents found 91 images and 29 videos of child pornography on Olguin, Jr.’s cell phone. Agents recovered the Snap messages between the defendant and his teenage victim, including the child sexual assault material Olguin. Jr. sextorted from the victim. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov. The FBI Valdosta Resident Agency and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Five-Time Convicted Felon and Domestic Abuser  Sentenced After Police Find Him with a Gun

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Cedar Rapids man who possessed a gun after having five felony convictions and a conviction for a misdemeanor domestic abuse offense was sentenced January 26, 2026, to seven and a half years in federal prison. Kirby Joe Truesdell, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a jury verdict finding him guilty of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The jury verdict came after a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. The evidence at trial showed that on November 25, 2024, Truesdell was seen in an unoccupied home in Cedar Rapids. When police officers arrived on scene to investigate, they found Truesdell coming out of the detached garage. Truesdell was not cooperative with officers, and they took him into custody. Officers found a loaded revolver inside a backpack in Truesdell’s possession. Truesdell was previously convicted of five felony offenses, including OWI 3rd Offense, burglary, theft, and forgery. He was also previously convicted of assault causing bodily injury - domestic abuse-penalty enhanced. Truesdell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Truesdell was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. 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. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Nydle and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the US Marshal Service and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-cr-00006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $27 million for Federal Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2025

body_text: U.S. Attorney Leif Olson announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa collected almost $27 million on behalf of federal taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2025. This amount is made up of civil and criminal debts owed to the federal government, restitution to be paid to victims of crime, and assets forfeited because they were used in criminal activity. The Office collected $2,675,113.02 in criminal actions, $23,640,993.02 in civil actions, and $647,230 in forfeited assets. The forfeited assets, $9,163,842.42 in civil cases, and $2,668,589.60 in criminal cases were recovered by the Office alone. The remaining amounts were recovered jointly with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice. “Holding wrongdoers responsible for their actions is a crucial part of our mission,” Olson said. “That means making sure that people make good on the amounts they owe to the federal government, especially criminals who’ve been ordered to pay fines and victim restitution. We will continue to work diligently to collect money for the federal treasury and return money to victims of crime.” U.S. Attorney’s Offices are among the Department of Justice components responsible for enforcing and collecting debts owed to the federal government and criminal debts owed to victims of federal crimes. Those convicted of certain federal crimes must pay restitution to victims who suffered a physical or financial injury. Criminal fines and assessments go to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes funds to federal and state victim-compensation and victim-assistance programs. Forfeited assets go to the Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund, which is used for crime victims and a variety of other law-enforcement purposes.


title: Career Offender Sentenced to Over 16 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine During a Traffic Accident

body_text: A man who possessed with the intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced January 27, 2026, to more than 16 years in federal prison. Mark Allen Mendenhall, age 53, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 16, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. At the plea and sentencing hearings, Mendenhall admitted that on September 19, 2024, in Dickinson County, Iowa, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute approximately 40 grams of pure methamphetamine. At that time, despite being a fugitive from the Iowa Department of Corrections, Mendenhall was working as a patient transport driver. While driving a patient to an appointment, he crossed the center lane and struck a semitruck. After being transported to a local hospital, he was found to have approximately 40 grams of pure methamphetamine concealed on his body. A search of the vehicle he was driving revealed syringes, fake identification cards, fake United States currency, and other indicia of drug use. Mendenhall has an extensive criminal history which includes 24 prior convictions, spanning over 25 years. Due to having at least two prior felony convictions that are crimes of violence or controlled substance offenses, Mendenhall was categorized for sentencing purposes as a career offender. Mendenhall was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mendenhall was sentenced to 199 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spirit Lake Police Department and the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-04082. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 2 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Kerry T. Hancock, 34 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Hancock was sentenced to 2 months imprisonment followed by 8 months of supervised release with the first 3 months served on home detention and ordered to pay $115,864.84 in restitution. According to documents in the case, Hancock worked as a bank teller in Mishawaka when he forged the signature of a bank account holder to withdraw $185,864,84 in cash from a rarely used bank account. He then stashed the stolen bundles of cash in his house. This case was investigated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.


title: Jury Convicts Omaha Man for Distribution of Fentanyl Causing Death

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on January 23, 2026, following a jury trial in Omaha, Nebraska, Paul “Tony” Billingsley, 65, of Omaha, was found guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death stemming from a May 6, 2024, incident, and distribution of fentanyl stemming from a May 24, 2024, incident. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. presided over the trial. Billingsley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison for the distribution causing death charge and a maximum sentence of 20 years for the distribution of fentanyl charge. Evidence at trial revealed that on May 6, 2024, Billingsley sold fentanyl to co-defendant Elissa Larson. Within the hour, Larson distributed the fentanyl to a victim who overdosed and died. A family member later found the victim. Following the victim’s overdose death, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to conduct a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Billingsley on May 24, 2024. Law enforcement arrested Billingsley on June 3, 2024, and located more fentanyl in Billingsley’s possession. Billingsley will be sentenced on April 17, 2026, before Chief Judge Rossiter. Co-defendant Larson has pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and will be sentenced on February 20, 2026. This case was investigated by the Overdose Drug Taskforce comprised of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nebraska State Patrol, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Omaha Police Department.


title: El Salvadorian National Charged by Criminal Complaint for Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced it filed a criminal complaint against an El Salvadorian national in connection with illegal re-entry charges. In December 2025, law enforcement received a tip that Juan Carlos Rivas-Montano, 45, was working in Hyattsville, Maryland. After a positive confirmation, law enforcement took Rivas-Montano into custody. Authorities deported Rivas-Montano on two previous occasions. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office. According to the criminal complaint, in 1990, Rivas-Montano, a citizen and national of El Salvador, entered the United States without inspection by an immigration official. Then in March 1999, the U.S. issued Rivas-Montano a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) card. But in June 2006, the U.S. subsequently revoked Rivas-Montano’s LPR which led to his deportation to El Salvador. In October 2018, law enforcement encountered Rivas-Montano after he illegally re-entered the U.S. near Falfurrias, Texas. Law enforcement arrested Rivas-Montano and charged and convicted him for re-entry of a removed alien. In February 2019, Rivas-Montano received a15-month sentence in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Then in January 2020, the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, returned an indictment against Rivas-Montanoin connection with several sex offenses. In October 2020, authorities extradited Rivas-Montano to Maryland where he pled guilty to two counts of sexual offense in the third degree. After serving his sentence, Rivas-Montano was again deported and removed from the U.S. to El Salvador in January 2021. But then Rivas-Montano illegally re-entered the U.S. again on an unknown date. 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney William Moomau who prosecuted the federal case. 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: PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR CHILD EXPLOITATION & CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CRIMES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Michael D. Whitacre, Jr., 31, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced in federal court for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography involving minors under 12 years of age. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “This case was the result of excellent investigative work by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI to identify and dismantle this heinous network of sexual predators peddling the most vile images and videos of child exploitation and sexual abuse imaginable. My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting and seeking maximum punishment for anyone who engages in these disgusting crimes, and we will not stop until our kids are safe.” Court documents reflect that Whitacre was part of an encrypted online group who shared significant amounts of graphic child pornography. There were over 70 members of the illicit group, which operated in early 2025. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, with the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was initially notified about Whitacre’s online actions via a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A forensic analysis conducted by an expert at Homeland Security Investigations revealed a wealth of child sexual abuse material on Whitacre’s cellular telephone along with his access to the online child exploitation enterprise. After serving his term of 20 years’ imprisonment, Whitacre will have to register as a sexual offender. He was also ordered to pay $16,000 in restitution to the victims. “Every image shared by Mr. Whitacre represents the real abuse of a child,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “By sharing and trading abusive images, he helped fuel a cycle of harm. This sentence reflects our commitment to holding offenders accountable and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.” “Protecting our children is our highest priority,” said Sheriff Chip Simmons, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. “When local and federal law enforcement work side by side with the U.S. Attorney's Office, we send a clear message: anyone who preys on children will be arrested, prosecuted, and held accountable. The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg. 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Stillwater Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kevin Landry age 28, of Stillwater, New York, pled guilty on January 23, 2026, to receiving child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Landry admitted that in September 2024, he used a messaging application to receive child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In 2020, Landry pled guilty in Tennessee state court to solicitation of a minor to commit aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor after obtaining a nude photo of a female child through Snapchat and then threatening to distribute that photo to others if the child would not send more nude photos. He was sentenced to an order of deferral and judicial diversion for that offense. Acting United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “Landry caught a huge break from state authorities after sexually exploiting a child—and he squandered it. His guilty plea in federal court makes one thing unmistakably clear: repeat offenders who prey on children will face swift, aggressive prosecution and severe consequences. This office, alongside HSI and all our federal law enforcement partners , will use the full weight of federal law to protect children and impose the harshest consequences on those who prey on them.” HSI Special Agent in Charge Keegan said: “Kevin Landry’s actions represent a shocking disregard for the safety and dignity of children. His repeated exploitation underscores the grave threat posed by individuals who commit these offenses. HSI Albany remains relentless in our pursuit of those who prey on the most vulnerable, ensuring they are held fully accountable. The public can be assured that protecting children from such depravity is our highest priority.” At his sentencing on May 27, 2026, Landry potentially faces a term of imprisonment of at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. Landry also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. This case was investigated by HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .