title: Seattle Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Willard Lawrence Gibson, Jr., 48, of Seattle, Washington, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children, one count of attempted enticement of a minor, one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and one count of distribution of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case is a reminder of the many threats our children face online from predators, like this defendant, seeking to sexually exploit and victimize them. Our state and federal law enforcement partners are relentlessly pursuing those sick individuals through undercover operations like we saw in this case, but parents also need to be aware of what online platforms their children are using and who they are communicating with to ensure kids don’t fall prey to online exploitation. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases and seek maximum punishments to keep these sexual predators locked behind bars and away from our kids.” Court documents reflect that in July 2025, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and other state and federal law enforcement agencies conducted an undercover operation focused on identifying individuals using the internet to sexually exploit children. During that operation, Gibson began communicating through a social media platform with an undercover officer and the conversation later moved to text messaging. Gibson sent the undercover officer two images of child sexual abuse material. Further, court records show that, on multiple occasions, Gibson asked the undercover officer to produce child pornography images and send them to him. When Gibson was arrested in Seattle, his cell phone was seized as evidence. After a search warrant was obtained, law enforcement discovered multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material on Gibson’s phone. Gibson’s phone also contained other evidence confirming that he communicated with the undercover officer. Gibson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, up to a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment for attempted sexual exploitation of children, a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years to a maximum of life imprisonment for attempted enticement of a minor, a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years up to a maximum of 20 years imprisonment for distribution of child pornography, and up to 10 years imprisonment for attempted transfer of obscene materials to minors. Gibson also faces a lifetime term of supervision upon release. Sentencing is scheduled for August 24, 2026, at 2:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. This case was a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Seattle Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Wilkes-Barre Man Indicted For Illegal Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph Angelo Valderrama, age 38, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on March 22, 2026, Valderrama possessed an AR-15 style pistol and rounds of ammunition in Luzerne County knowing he had previously been convicted of a felony offense that prohibited him from possessing a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Nurse Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Tampering with and Stealing Controlled Substances at Tampa Bay Area Hospital

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – Lauren Hornbuckle (37, Seminole) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to two years in federal prison for tampering with a consumer product. Hornbuckle pleaded guilty on August 6, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Hornbuckle was a Florida-licensed registered nurse who worked at Hospital #1. Between November 2023 and March 2024, Hornbuckle tampered with injectable controlled substances, including morphine, hydromorphone, and fentanyl, by removing them from their containers and replacing them with saline. She then returned the containers into circulation for other patients’ medical needs and used the drugs for her own personal use. By tampering with the injectable controlled substances, Hornbuckle acted with reckless disregard for the risk that patients would be in danger of bodily injury and under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to such risk. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Mexican national was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Jose Guadalupe Naranjo Cruz, 29, to 78 months' imprisonment. Upon his release, Naranjo Cruz is expected to face removal proceedings. If Naranjo Cruz returns to the United States lawfully, he would be required to register as a sex offender and would be supervised for life by the United States Probation Office. In August 2025, Homeland Security Investigations was contacted by the United States Consulate in Mexico regarding Naranjo Cruz having an inappropriate relationship with a minor child. Agents began investigating Naranjo Cruz and discovered that he had an outstanding warrant after he had previously been ordered to leave the United States in 2024. Agents detained Naranjo Cruz and seized numerous electronic devices from his home during the investigation. On the devices, agents found 148 images and 22 videos of child sexual abuse material, including videos of minors under the age of 12 and infants being sexually abused. Naranjo Cruz will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with the assistance of the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan E. Michel prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, local, and tribal resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Schuylkill County Man Indicted For Distribution, Receipt, And Possession Of Child Pornography

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Andrew Chester Moyer, age 48, of Minersville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Moyer distributed and received child pornography between April 27, 2026 and April 30, 2026 while in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania and possessed child pornography on May 6, 2026. The Federal Bureau of Investigation—Allentown Resident Agency and Minersville Borough Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years of imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Russell County Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Today, United States Attorney Thomas Govan announced that Ira Cicero Smith, 67, formerly of Jefferson County, Alabama, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). There is no parole in the federal system. “Ensuring that convicted sex offenders comply with their registration obligations is essential to protecting the public,” said United States Attorney Govan. “When individuals disregard those requirements, they undermine a system designed to help keep communities safe. This sentence sends a clear message that failing to register is a serious federal offense and that our office will continue to pursue these cases to deter others from violating the law.” According to court documents and Smith’s plea agreement, Smith was convicted of a sex offense occurring in Jefferson County in 1987. As a result of that conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender in each jurisdiction where he resides and works. In April 2025, Smith established a residence in Russell County, Alabama, and failed to register his new address in Alabama or update his registration information from a previous residence in Georgia, as required under SORNA. After completing his term of imprisonment, Smith will serve five years of supervised release. He will also be required to continue registering as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. The United States Marshals Service investigated this case, with assistance from the Phenix City, Alabama Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted the case for the Middle District of Alabama. 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 .


title: Somerset County Felon Charged with Attempted Murder of U.S. Marshals Service Officers and Related Firearms Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Rockwood, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown on charges of attempted murder of federal officers and violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The 14-count Indictment named Christopher Eric Fisher, 41, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on or about April 16, 2026, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Fisher fired at and attempted to murder a Deputy U.S. Marshal and five U.S. Marshals Service Task Force Officers while the officers were engaged in and on account of the performance of their official duties. The Indictment also charges Fisher—who was previously convicted of both drug and firearm felonies—with carrying, using, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murder of the officers and unlawfully possessing that firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. “The defendant here is charged with the most serious of offenses: the attempted murder of law enforcement personnel with a firearm,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “We will not tolerate these assaults, which strike at the very fabric of our social order. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will ensure that individuals who carry out or seek to carry out such attacks on officers or employees of the government are prosecuted and punished fully for their crimes.” “This indictment reflects our commitment to holding violent offenders accountable,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “This individual’s attempt to kill brave law enforcement officers demonstrates a blatant disregard for human life and the rule of law. ATF and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who threaten the safety of our community and those sworn to protect it.” The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Arnold P. Bernard Jr. are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 53 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Marijuana

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON -- Patrick Thomas, 39, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 53 months in connection with a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Thomas, aka Nick Cannon, pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and marijuana. In addition to the 53-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Thomas to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 64 months. According to court papers, beginning at least in October 2023 and continuing through May 2024, Thomas and his co-conspirators traveled multiple times between the Baltimore-Washington area and Los Angeles to obtain large amounts of marijuana for distribution. On one such trip in February 2024, agents intercepted Thomas and his associates at BWI Airport upon their return from Los Angeles and found 54.5 pounds of cannabis packed in vacuum-sealed bags inside a suitcase carried by one of Thomas’s co-conspirators. Thomas and his co-conspirators sold the marijuana from an apartment in the 1900 block of C Street SE, jointly contributing to the rent. Agents observed daily hand-to-hand drug transactions outside the building. On Oct. 30, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at the C Street SE apartment and at Thomas’s residence in Maryland. At the apartment, agents recovered about six pounds of marijuana, additional narcotics, and numerous small distribution-size packages of marijuana, along with firearms and fentanyl. At Thomas’s Maryland residence, agents found $7,036 in cash and three firearms with ammunition. A search of Thomas’s cell phone revealed a photograph of a large bag of suspected fentanyl pills, which Thomas acknowledged weighed about 20 grams. Two of Thomas’ co-defendants have been adjudicated in the conspiracy on similar charges. Dnorris Goins, aka “Wizard,” was sentenced April 10 to five years in prison; Ricardo Anton Koonce, aka “Kingphew,” was sentenced June 3 to two years. A third co-defendant, Robert Spriggs, is scheduled for sentencing on June 18. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division Office and the FBI Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Isabelle Sun. 24cr519


title: Officials Announce Results of Project Safe Neighborhoods Operation Combined Resolve Roanoke Valley

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – Law enforcement leaders from more than a dozen agencies across the Roanoke Valley announced the results of Operation Combined Resolve Roanoke Valley today. Combined Resolve, a month-long enforcement operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service and in furtherance of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, resulted in more than 150 arrests and the seizure of nearly $2 million dollars’ worth of street drugs. Between May 1, 2026, and May 31, 2026, 78 officers from 15 partner agencies arrested 150 fugitives and executed 302 warrants. The operation resulted in the seizure of nearly $2 million dollars’ worth of street drugs. These drugs included 338 doses of MDMA, 16 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 12 kilograms of cocaine. Finally, 352 grams of fentanyl was seized, enough potential lethal doses to kill 176,097 people, or more people than the entire population of the Roanoke Valley. In addition to drug seizures, $93,940 in cash, 20 handguns, and 1 rifle were seized. “Operation Combined Resolve resulted in the arrest of over 300 individuals and the capture of 150 fugitives wanted for offenses including assault and battery on law enforcement, carjacking, robbery, aggravated malicious wounding, assault by mob, and crimes against children. The US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will continue to maximize strategic law enforcement partnerships through Project Safe Neighborhoods to enhance cooperation and information sharing that ensures a sure and rapid response to violent crime and other threats to our citizens,” First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “I am proud to stand with law enforcement partners including the Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Vinton Police Departments, VSP, Virginia National Guard Counterdrug Program, Roanoke area Commonwealth’s Attorneys, ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, and other partners who contributed to the outstanding success of Combined Resolve. Like Operation Washout No Limits in Danville last October, Combined Resolve reflects our collective and unyielding determination to enhance community safety and the rule of law in our communities. These efforts will continue throughout the Western District of Virginia.” “Operation Combined Resolve Roanoke Valley is a continuing example of how partnerships and true collaboration, among law enforcement partners in the Western District of Virginia, results in safer streets and communities by leveraging the full weight and commitment of federal, state, and local law enforcement to bring violent offenders to justice, remove illegal drugs and guns from our communities, and fight organized crime. I commend First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Tracci for his leadership and spearheading the operation, as well as our local operational commander Chief Booth, for his tenacity and dedication to the citizens we serve. We also extend gratitude to Roanoke City Commonwealth’s Attorney John McNeil, Jr. and Roanoke County Commonwealth’s Attorney Brian Holohan, for the substantial work of their staff as well as their guidance, oversight, and prosecutorial judgements in future prosecutions. All the participant agencies contributed significantly, and none of these excellent results, for our citizens, would have been accomplished without every leader and officer involved. Finally, we suggest this operation is the first of many future collaborations in continued and enhanced partnerships. Criminals should take notice. If you are wanted for a crime, committing violent crime, or are part of a transnational gang, your time of freedom is limited if you stay in the Roanoke Valley,” said Acting United States Marshal Matthew Davis. “Today’s results are a testament to what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies come together with one common goal: the safety and security of the Roanoke Valley. The success of this operation demonstrates that through collaboration, shared resources, and a unified commitment to public safety, we are able to deliver results that no single agency could achieve alone. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to every agency and officer who participated in this effort. In particular, I want to recognize First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Tracci and his team from the Western District of Virginia, as well as the United States Marshals Service, for their partnership, leadership, and dedication throughout this operation. Together, we are sending a clear message that public safety remains our top priority and that law enforcement agencies across this region stand united in our commitment to reducing violent crime, removing illegal drugs and firearms from our streets, and holding offenders accountable. Operation Combined Resolve reflects the best of law enforcement partnership and will continue to serve as a model for our future efforts to protect and serve the people who call the Roanoke Valley home,” said Scott Booth, Chief of Police, City of Roanoke. “Operations like this highlight the importance of coordinated law enforcement efforts in addressing the dangerous connection between narcotics trafficking and illegal firearms. ATF remains steadfast in its mission to protect our communities by supporting investigations that remove violent offenders, illegal firearms, and dangerous narcotics from our streets, “ said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood. “Every day, Postal Inspectors work to protect the mail from being misused by criminals, including large scale Drug Trafficking Organizations. When prevention and investigative efforts can come together with the efforts of other agencies to identify and charge individuals who distribute drugs throughout Virginia, it makes all our communities safer. I want to acknowledge the contributions of the combined efforts of officers and agents from the multiple involved agencies for the impressive work accomplished. Through combined efforts such as this, the Postal Inspection Service upholds its long-standing mission of protecting our Postal customers and eliminating criminal misuse of the U.S. Mail,” said Damon Wood, Inspector in Charge, USPIS Washington Division. “Some of the primary goals of the Virginia State Police are to preserve life and to protect the vulnerable. Collaborative efforts, such as this, enhance our capability of achieving these goals through problem solving partnerships. We are pleased with the results and grateful for the contributions of the involved agencies. We look forward to further cooperation on future operations,” said Shawn Caudill – Captain, Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation. This operation was part of the revamped Project Safe Neighborhoods, a combined law enforcement initiative that aims to provide a rapid response to violent crime, conduct strategic federal, state, local, and tribal partnerships, and increase accountability and deterrence to promote public safety.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts Hosts Freedom 250 Hometown Hero Ceremony and Veteran Charity Drive

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – As part of Freedom 250 – the nationwide celebration commemorating America’s 250th birthday – the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts will host a Hometown Hero ceremony recognizing Marshfield native, Corporal Alfred Lopes, Jr., who was declared missing in action in the Korean War in February 1951. The ceremony will be held on June 16, 2026, at 3 p.m., at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse, 2 nd Floor Jury Assembly Room in Boston. During the event, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley will present a Hometown Hero recognition award to the family of Corporal Alfred Lopes Jr., who served with the 15 th Field Artillery Battalion, supporting infantry units of the 2 nd Infantry Division near Hoengson, Korea. After fighting their way through enemy roadblocks under heavy and continuous attack from Chinese forces, the unit reached the town of Wonju, Korea. According to members of Lopes’s unit, Lopes was captured by enemy forces and seen uninjured in a POW camp. Witnesses also described Lopes as later becoming sick and dropping out of a march enroute to the Suan POW camp. While U.S. authorities have been granted access to various battlefield sites, cemeteries and POW camps, Corporal Lopes remains unaccounted for. He was presumed dead on Dec. 31, 1953. Corporal Lopes is the recipient of the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal; Korean Service Medal; Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation; United Nations Service Medal; and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Corporal Lopes is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. He was also memorialized on a monument at Marshfield Town Hall and the Korean War veterans chapter in Marshfield bears his name. More than seven decades later, Corporal Lopes’s sacrifice continues to be honored through ongoing efforts to recover and identify missing American service members. “Freedom 250 is an opportunity to celebrate 250 years of our nation’s history and reflect on the enduring ideals of freedom, courage and sacrifice that have shaped America and continue to unite us today. Corporal Alfred Lopes Jr. answered the call to serve his country during the Korean War and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom. It is a privilege to honor his legacy and ensure that his service is never forgotten,” said U.S. Attorney Foley. “We are also proud to support the New England Center and Home for Veterans through our charity drive – recognizing the extraordinary contributions of veterans in our communities and reaffirming our commitment to those who have served our nation.” As of 2024, approximately 7,400 American service members remain unaccounted for from the Korean War (1950 – 1953) with 5,300 believed to be in North Korea. In addition, over 36,000 American soldiers lost their lives. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and the Korean War Identification Project continue to recover, identify and repatriate remains from North Korea. Freedom 250 is a national initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States and encouraging communities across the country to celebrate service, sacrifice and civic engagement at the local level. As part of the nationwide Freedom 250 initiative, United States Attorneys’ Offices nationwide are recognizing individuals who exemplify dedication to public service and commitment to their communities. Additionally, in honor of Freedom 250, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts conducted a two-week charity drive benefiting the New England Center and Home for Veterans . The organization provides support and services to veterans facing or at risk of homelessness, including programs focused on housing, employment, recovery and independent living. Employees from the U.S. Attorney’s Office donated nonmonetary donations including clothing, bedding and toiletries. The ceremony will be open to the public and media. Additional details regarding media availability and logistics will be announced at a later date.


title: Two Utah Men Charged with Conspiring to Defraud the IRS and the Small Business Administration of $5.5 Million

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: A Third Conspirator in Oregon Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy on May 13, 2026 PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment on Tuesday charging two Provo, Utah, men with conspiring to steal over $5.5 million from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) through a fictitious payroll and bank fraud scheme. A third defendant previously pleaded guilty. David Starling, 61, and Benjamin Young, 39, were charged with conspiring to defraud the United States. Young was also charged with twelve counts of wire fraud. Adam Starling, 55, of Sherwood, Oregon, the brother of David Starling, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. According to court documents, the defendants owned or controlled eight companies. In 2020 and 2021, they falsely listed several family members as employees of their companies, including their spouses and children. For example, Young’s minor children were listed as employees of five of the companies owned or controlled by the defendants. The three created false tax documents on which they fraudulently reported to the IRS that they had paid more than $4 million in wages to these employees. They also submitted false tax documents to support claims for COVID-19 relief benefits offered through the IRS and the SBA in 2020 and 2021 to help businesses and employees affected by the pandemic. They fraudulently obtained $3 million in tax credits, and $200,000 in Payroll Protection Loans, which were also forgiven based on false statements. Young purchased commercial space in a building located in Provo where his employer was located. The purchase price was $3.5 million. To fund the purchase, Young used proceeds from the COVID-benefit scheme, as well as other funds he allegedly embezzled from his employer. According to the Indictment, after Young acquired the commercial property, he attempted to repay his employer the funds he had embezzled by fabricating documents with David Starling, making it appear that David Starling had loaned Young $2.5 million for the purchase of the commercial property. Relying on the fabricated documents, Young’s bank loan request was approved for $2.5 million and it was secured by the SBA. Once the loan was funded, Young squandered most of it on unsuccessful options trading, the purchase of a condominium for his relatives, and to fund the false payroll scheme. On November 21, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon filed a civil forfeiture action , alleging that the commercial space and condominium purchased by Young were forfeitable assets due to the fraud. That action is pending. David Starling and Young are expected to make their initial appearance in federal court on July 31, 2026. If convicted of conspiring to defraud the United States, David Starling and Young face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. If convicted of wire fraud, Young faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Adam Starling faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. He will be sentenced on August 26, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge. U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. This case is being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the SBA Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Cardani and Meredith Bateman are prosecuting the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Methamphetamine Supplier Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, Jordan Marquis Cantrell, 32, of Sherrills Ford, N.C., was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to information in filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, from 2023 to 2025, Cantrell was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Burke and McDowell Counties. During the investigation, investigators determined that Cantrell supplied kilogram quantities of methamphetamine to a network of local drug distributors for further distribution into the community. Law enforcement utilized an individual cooperating with law enforcement to conduct multiple drug buys with Cantrell. Court records show that, in total, Cantrell was accountable for distributing over 71 kilograms of methamphetamine, and that he used his residence to store and sell drugs. Cantrell previously pleaded guilty to the charges, conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, on June 23, 2025. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, the Hickory Police Department, and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher S. Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Cedar Rapid Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Leading  Officers on a High-Speed Pursuit

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Cedar Rapids man who acquired and distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 20 years in federal prison. Tony Douglas Westmoreland, Sr., age 46, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2025, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Information at the sentencing hearing showed that in 2023, Westmoreland began to receive significant quantities of methamphetamine. He then distributed the methamphetamine to his customers. On September 9, 2024, police officers tried to stop Westmoreland as he drove his motorcycle. Westmoreland fled and led officers on a high-speed pursuit where he drove approximately 100 miles per hour. He also failed to stop at stop signs, drove the wrong direction on roads, and drove his motorcycle through a schoolyard. Westmoreland eventually abandoned his motorcycle and continued to flee on foot. Officers found Westmoreland, his motorcycle, and his backpack that he had discarded. Officers recovered over 132 grams of ice methamphetamine inside Westmoreland’s backpack. Westmoreland was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Westmoreland was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Westmoreland is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-19.


title: Federal and Local Officials Dismantle Oregon-Idaho Based Drug Trafficking Organization

body_text: BOISE – Four members of a drug trafficking organization that operated in both Idaho and Oregon have been sentenced to a combined thirty-seven and half years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. According to court records, in 2024 law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing methamphetamine in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon. Members of the organization obtained methamphetamine from California and brought it back to Idaho and Oregon for further distribution. During the investigation and subsequent arrests, law enforcement seized over 17 pounds of methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced each of the defendants to federal prison. Juan Pulido, 44, of Caldwell, was sentenced to 188 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with the intent of distributing it to others. At the time he committed the crime, Pulido had four prior drug trafficking convictions. During sentencing, Judge Brailsford described Pulido as a “large scale methamphetamine supplier.” Pulido was ordered to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Maleah Rochelle Benavidez, 31, of Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. During her involvement in the conspiracy, Benavidez was absconding supervision on two prior drug trafficking convictions. Daniel Ryan Carrion, 38, of Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. During the investigation, Carrion led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, creating such a significant danger that officers had to end the pursuit. During the pursuit, Carrion threw a pound of methamphetamine in an open field that law enforcement officers seized. Wesley John Roehl, 41, of Boise, was sentenced to 24 months, followed by three years of supervised release for distributing methamphetamine. “Out of state acquisition of illegal narcotics endangers our community,” said U.S. Attorney Bart Davis. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement to zealously prosecute those bringing drugs into Idaho.” “This investigation reflects DEA’s commitment to disrupting drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Through strong partnerships with our federal, state, and local law enforcement counterparts, we will continue to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who profit from distributing dangerous drugs in Idaho and Oregon.” The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in coordination with the Nampa Police Department and the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multiagency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, which includes the Nampa Police Department, Boise Police Department, Ada County Sherriff’s Office, Meridian Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Idaho State Police, and the Idaho Department of Corrections, Probation and Parole. Other agencies that assisted in the investigation included the United States Postal Inspector Service and the High Desert Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Manweiler prosecuted the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force and the High Desert Drug Task Force are both supported by the HIDTA program, which provides funding resources to multiagency drug enforcement initiatives to identify, disrupt, and dismantle local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. ###


title: Panama City Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm

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

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Kendrick Parham, 47, of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Under Operation Take Back America , my office will continue to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice toward removing the perpetrators of violent crime from our communities until our citizens get the safe, crime-free streets they deserve.” Court documents reflect that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives assisted the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Panama City, during which five ounces of methamphetamine were discovered, and he was arrested on state charges. While in jail, the defendant – a four-time convicted felon legally prohibited from possessing firearms – made incriminating statements during a monitored phone call about the presence of a firearm in his residence that was not previously found by officers during the search. After obtaining a new search warrant based on those incriminating statements, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office conducted another search of the defendant’s residence and recovered the firearm. Parham’s prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. Forfeiture was ordered as to all four recovered firearms. The case involved an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Defrauding Local Doctor of Almost $500,000

body_text: LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Miramar, Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 41 months in federal prison for perpetuating a lengthy scheme to defraud a Lynchburg doctor out of nearly a half million dollars. Tommie Lee Nelson, 66, pled guilty in February 2026 to one count of wire fraud. According to court documents, beginning around April 2020, the victim, a Lynchburg doctor, sought to purchase a commercial building in Danville, Virginia, in partnership with an agricultural cooperative. Nelson represented himself to the victim as a “hard money” lender who could assist in purchasing the building. Through Nelson’s fraudulent representations, he convinced the victim to wire him several payments from July 2020 and into 2021, ultimately totaling almost $500,000. Despite Nelson’s representations, these payments did not go toward the building purchase. Instead, Nelson spent the victim’s money at casinos and for his personal benefit. By 2021, the purchase agreement had fallen through, and Nelson stopped responding to the victim’s calls. First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman prosecuted the case for the United States.


title: Crownpoint Man Sentenced for Strangulation and Assaulting Officer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Crownpoint man was sentence to 42 months in prison for strangling a woman and attacking a tribal police officer with a taser. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, Jason K. Thompson , 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, attempted to strangle Jane Doe. Law enforcement responded to the domestic violence call and attempted to take Thompson into custody. During a struggle with a Navajo Nation Police Department officer, Thompson grabbed the officer’s taser and deployed it against him with the intent to injure him. Thompson was then handcuffed and placed in the back of an NPD patrol unit. He later kicked out a window of the unit and escaped, but NPD officers recaptured him that night. Thompson pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation and assault with a deadly weapon. Upon his release from prison, Thompson will be subject to three years of supervised release. First Assistant 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 Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.


title: Albion man and Jamestown woman charged in separate complaints with child pornography charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kimony Hamilton, 22, of Albion, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution and possession of child pornography. In addition, Kaitlyn Seekings, 28, of Jamestown, NY, was charged in a separate criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. The distribution and receipt of child pornography charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine. According to the criminal complaint, in March 2025, the New York State Police (NYSP) received multiple reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that Snapchat users identified as “kseekings25,” (defendant Seekings) “angel_smith354,” “jordan638p,” and “jordan2025_3,” (defendant Hamilton) had uploaded image files of suspected child pornography. In July 2025, the NYSP executed a search warrant at an Albion, NY, address, during which they spoke with an individual, later identified as Kemony Hamilton, who stated that he received child pornography from a friend he met online named “Kate Seekings.” Subsequent investigation recovered messages shared between the two during which they shared files containing child pornography as well as discussed meeting in Jamestown so that Hamilton could have sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old female that “Seekings” would provide access to. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins. The complaints are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto. Additional assistance was provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Armed Career Criminal from Memphis Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Bank Robbery and Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Freddy Najil, who robbed three banks at gunpoint in the span of three months, will spend the next 211 months in federal prison for bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Court Chief Judge Kristine G. Baker. On June 6, 2024, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Arkansas charged Najil, 37, of Memphis, Tennessee, in a two-count Indictment with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of bank robbery. On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Mississippi charged Najil in a six-count Indictment with two counts of bank robbery, two counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On May 9, 2025, Najil consented to the transfer of his Mississippi case to the Eastern District of Arkansas for plea and sentencing. On November 3, 2025, Najil pleaded guilty to bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the 17-year and 7-month sentence, Chief Judge Baker also sentenced Najil to serve three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. On February 9, 2024, officers with the Horn Lake (Mississippi) Police Department responded to a bank robbery at Renasant Bank. Witnesses advised and security footage confirmed the suspect, later identified as Najil, pointed a firearm at four different bank employees while demanding money. In total, Najil fled with approximately $2,724 from Renasant Bank. On April 18, 2024, officers with the Southaven (Mississippi) Police Department responded to an armed robbery at the Securtrust Bank. The suspect, later identified as Najil, pointed a firearm at the bank teller, directed her “not to do anything stupid,” and fled with $12,251 from Securtrust Bank. On May 3, 2024, officers with the West Memphis Police Department responded to an armed bank robbery at Evolve Bank. There, Najil pointed a firearm at employees, demanded money, and fled with $22,251. Hidden in the cash were GPS monitoring devices, which were used to locate and track Najil’s movements. West Memphis police officers and Arkansas State Police Troopers pursued the suspect in a black Infiniti GS3 into Memphis, where it crashed. Najil fled on foot, with money flying from his arms, until he was apprehended by authorities. Najil was located near loose bills and a .40 caliber pistol. At the scene, police recovered approximately $22,134 in U.S. currency. During post-Miranda interviews, Najil admitted to officers that he robbed the banks in Horn Lake, Southaven, and West Memphis. He further admitted that he stole the vehicle he used to commit the bank robbery in West Memphis on May 3, 2024. Najil’s multiple prior convictions for violent felonies and serious drug offenses classify him as an armed career criminal and therefore subject him to an enhanced sentence. His criminal history includes eight convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon, six convictions for second-degree kidnapping, a conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, a conviction for possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver, and a conviction for possession of cocaine. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Little Rock, Arkansas, and Jackson, Mississippi, Field Offices, with assistance from the Horn Lake Police Department, Southaven Police Department, Memphis Police Department, Arkansas State Police, and the West Memphis Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Eldridge for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee, Senior Litigation Counsel, for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.


title: Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine, Possessing a Machinegun, and Other Charges

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – An armed drug trafficker was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for distributing methamphetamine, possessing a machegun, and other offenses, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. William Chase Pate, 39, of Morganton, N.C., was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after he completes his 20-year prison term. “This case is a classic example of how drug dealing and firearm violence go hand-in-hand,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson, “and we will use federal charges to take violent drug dealers off the street.” According to filed court documents, from 2023 to 2024, Pate was involved in a conspiracy involving the distribution of methamphetamine in Burke and Catawba Counties. During the investigation, Pate sold methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement at least 12 times. On December 12, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pate’s residence, seizing over 472 grams of methamphetamine, a rifle, a handgun loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition, two digital scales, clear plastic baggies with residue, and firearm accessories. Law enforcement interviewed Pate who said he would frequently travel to Georgia to purchase methamphetamine from his supplier, and that he would pick up between two and five kilograms of methamphetamine a time. Investigators also found two videos on Patel’s seized phone, depicting the defendant firing a firearm that had been converted to a machinegun with a conversion device commonly known as a “Glock switch.” Pate has a prior felony conviction for manslaughter, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On December 17, 2025, Pate pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a machinegun, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, the Morganton Department of Public Safety, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Hickory Police Department, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher S. Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Drug User who Bought Guns for His Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: A man who bought two firearms for his drug dealer was sentenced on June 10, 2026, to more than two years in federal prison. Conner Scott Nye, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2026, guilty plea to one count of false statement during purchase of firearm. Information from Nye’s plea and sentencing hearings showed that Nye bought two guns for his drug dealer in 2024. Nye lied about his drug use and falsely stated that he was buying the guns for himself. Instead, Nye was really buying the guns for his drug dealer. Nye was a user of and addicted to opiates, including heroin. His drug dealer subsequently sold one of the guns after having it equipped with a machinegun conversion device. Nye was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Nye was sentenced to 27 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. Nye is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. 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. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-0026.


title: Bremerton, Washington, couple pleads guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A Bremerton, Washington woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for her role in a scheme to steal nearly $229,000 from banks and bank customers, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Emily Vranic, 34, and her co-defendant Heather Marquis, 37, were arrested on a federal complaint in April 2025. Vranic entered a plea of guilty this morning; Marquis pleaded guilty last month. U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright scheduled sentencing for September 3, 2026. According to records filed in the case, between approximately April 2019 and November 2024, Vranic and Marquis stole identities in several different ways. Most often, they stole victims’ mail and used personal documents inside to activate credit cards, open new lines of credit, or gain wholesale access to online bank accounts. The pair would have documents related to their activities mailed to a third-party victim’s address, where they would intercept the mail again. Once they had fully taken over a stolen identity, statements and other records were mailed directly to their own Bremerton address. Armed with their victims’ identities, the pair ran up credit card debt, made transfers from victim accounts to their own, and even used victim accounts to make their monthly mortgage payments. In one instance, the pair attempted to transfer $35,000 from a vulnerable victim’s account, after a successful transfer of almost $33,000 from the same account. When the transfer was rejected, they repeatedly called the bank posing as the account holder to try to get the fraud alert removed. Though the total amounts stolen will be further proven at the time of sentencing, Vranic has agreed to pay restitution to the victims of at least $48,000. Marquis has agreed to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $228,701. Conspiracy to commit bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory minimum two years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed in the case. Prosecutors have agreed to cap their recommendations for Marquis at four years in prison and for Vranic at 57 months in prison. Judge Cartwright is not bound by those recommendations and can impose any sentence allowed by law. The case was investigated by the Bremerton Police Department, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Victoria Cantore.


title: Boelter Pleaded Guilty for His Role in the Stalking and Murder of Minnesota State Legislators

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Vance Luther Boelter, of Green Isle, Minnesota, has pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple charges related to the stalking, shooting, and murdering of Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, as well as the stalking and shooting of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman, and attempted shooting of their daughter Hope Hoffman. According to court documents in United States v. Vance Luther Boelter , No. 25‑cr-272 (JRT/DJF), on or about June 14, 2025, Boelter used GPS navigation systems, interstate wires, the Internet, and other interstate communication systems to plan and carry out a coordinated series of violent attacks targeting the Hortman and Hoffman families in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota. Court documents allege that Boelter acted with the intent to kill, injure, harass, and intimidate the victims, and that his conduct placed them in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury. During these attacks, Melissa and Mark Hortman were shot and killed, and John and Yvette Hoffman suffered life‑threatening injuries. Today, during a change‑of‑plea hearing in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim, Boelter admitted to the conduct described in the indictment and pleaded guilty to all counts, which include two stalkings, two murders through use of a firearm, and two federal firearm-shooting offenses. The plea agreement provides that Boelter is subject to the longest possible prison term allowable under law for his offenses. This case is a result of a joint state and federal criminal investigation involving agencies across the entire state of Minnesota, including FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, ATF, Brooklyn Park Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sherriff’s Office, Champlin Police Department, and New Hope Police Department, together with several other state and local partners. “Political violence is a scourge in our nation,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “We now expect Vance Boelter will spend the rest of his natural life in prison without parole. To all of those who would commit political violence: this Justice Department will seek and obtain the longest prison terms for your offense.” “Political violence is a nemesis of our democracy,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “On June 14, 2025, Vance Boelter thought he was above the law, above the Constitution, and that his personal views justified a violent crime spree unlike any other seen in Minnesota. For nearly 43 hours after his despicable crimes began, the FBI, BCA, and law enforcement partners from all over the state worked non-stop to track him down and end his campaign of political violence. I am extremely proud of the immediate, cooperative, and comprehensive response of law enforcement from all over Minnesota to quickly track down a ruthless killer. Our hearts are with the victims and their surviving families, the Hortmans, Hoffmans, and all of those other elected officials who were on Boelter's list.” “Across the Twin Cities, families woke on June 14, 2025, to a fear they should never have had to imagine, that their public servants had been hunted and attacked in their own homes,” said ATF St. Paul Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joe Persails. “Melissa and Mark Hortman were killed, and John and Yvette Hoffman were left to recover from grievous injuries. The terror Vance Boelter set out to create reached far beyond the people he targeted and shook our entire Minnesota community. ATF joined the urgent, around-the-clock effort to locate Boelter and to develop the investigative leads that helped bring him into custody. Today's guilty plea cannot return what was taken from these families, but it makes clear that anyone who chooses to bring this kind of violence to our communities will answer for that choice.” “The change in plea by Vance Boelter represents an important step toward accountability for the devastating acts that shook our community,” said Interim Chief Bill Peterson of the Minneapolis Police Department. “While this outcome again reflects the unwavering partnership among local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and the many others who’ve worked tirelessly on this case, no legal proceeding could undo the pain suffered by the Horton and Hoffman families. This plea brings us closer to justice, but we remain committed to honoring the victims, protecting our community, and ensuring that accountability is achieved through the rule of law." “Mr. Boelter carried out a heinous and unprecedented act of political violence against Minnesota’s political leaders. Violence targeting public officials is an affront to our democracy. We are grateful for all the agencies that worked in partnership to bring Mr. Boelter into custody and prepare a case that forced the guilty plea accepted in court today,” said Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. “To the Hortman and Hoffman families, Minnesota continues to mourn the loss and the suffering you have endured. We hope today’s guilty plea brings you some measure of solace.” “A guilty plea brings a legal resolution, but our focus today remains on the memory of Melissa and Mark Hortman, and the ongoing recovery of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. No courtroom outcome can undo the devastation of that morning, but we hope this accountability offers a step toward closure. We continue to hold both families in our thoughts, offering our deepest respect and unwavering support as they heal.” Said Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley. “As City of Champlin Police Chief, I acknowledge the profound impact the attempted assassination of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, along with the tragic loss of Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, has had on their families and our entire community. These acts of violence have deeply shaken Champlin and our surrounding communities, reinforcing both our shared sense of vulnerability and our resolve to stand united in support of all those affected. Our thoughts remain with the Hoffman family as they recover, and we mourn alongside those grieving the devastating loss of Representative Hortman and her husband. Champlin and the broader community will continue to come together with strength and compassion, ensuring that such acts do not define us but instead strengthen our commitment to one another. Today’s guilty plea represents a significant step towards recovery for the affected families, and we are grateful for all the work that has been put into this case by the law enforcement community.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Matthew D. Forbes are prosecuting the case.


title: Husband and Wife Plead Guilty in International Property Theft Scheme

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO –Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan and his wife, Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez, Mexican nationals who entered the U.S. on tourist visas, pleaded guilty in federal court today to bank fraud charges, admitting they participated in a conspiracy to fraudulently sell homes they did not own and launder approximately $1 million in proceeds. According to the plea agreement, conspirators posed as legitimate property owners and used fraudulent documents to sell real estate they did not own to unsuspecting buyers. They then routed the proceeds from the illegal sales through bank accounts controlled by the defendants. To carry out the scheme, the defendants’ co-conspirators created email addresses that closely resembled those of the legitimate property owners and used them to market properties they did not own to unsuspecting buyers, the plea agreement said. By conducting transactions entirely through email, they avoided meeting buyers in person and concealed their identities. Once a sale was arranged, the defendants’ co-conspirators used forged property transfer documents that falsely appeared to bear the property owner’s signature, allowing ownership of the property to be fraudulently transferred to the unwitting buyer. Villalobos and Montoya admitted they opened bank accounts using business names similar to those of the legitimate property owners and used those accounts to receive the illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sales before transferring the money abroad. Specifically, Villalobos and Montoya admitted they lied to open bank accounts to facilitate the illegal sales of homes at 3873 36th Street and 555 Hollister Street in San Diego. The plea agreement said the defendants received: $400,748.41 of illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sale of 3873 36th Street. In April 2023, Montoya transmitted nearly the entire amount of money to bank accounts in Mexico. $561,463.25 of illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sale of 555 Hollister Street. Upon receipt, Villalobos withdrew all the money by international wire transfers to accounts in Mexico and Jordan, and in cash withdrawals. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2026, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Beeler and David Kete. DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-CR-4686-DMS Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan Age: 48 Mexico Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez Age: 48 Mexico SUMMARY OF CHARGES Bank Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349 Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2) Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Former Fort Gordon soldier pleads guilty to second degree murder

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, Georgia: The defendant charged in the December 2024 shooting death of a Fort Gordon soldier faces up to life in federal prison after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court. Natravien R. Landry , 27, of Abbeville, Louisiana, a former soldier in the U.S. Army National Guard, pled guilty to Murder in the Second Degree and Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence in the death of U.S. Army Sgt. Andre S. Stewart Jr., said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea agreement subjects Landry to a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to life, along with substantial financial penalties and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “This guilty plea acknowledges the defendant’s responsibility, representing a step towards justice,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We commend the dedication of the U.S. Army CID and prosecutors whose efforts ensured this case would conclude in a conviction.” As described in court documents and testimony, Landry was an Army National Guard soldier assigned to the 1148 th Transportation Company at Fort Gordon. He was working with his Guard unit at Fort Gordon early in the morning of Dec. 14, 2024, when he visited an apartment on the installation of a woman with whom Landry shares a child. After seeing a vehicle parked outside the apartment and suspecting another man was at the residence, Landry walked inside the apartment to a bedroom upstairs and found Stewart and two children. Landry, who was aware Stewart was unarmed, shot him once in chest. Stewart later was pronounced dead in the apartment. After the shooting, Landry drove away from Fort Gordon and was arrested about three hours later south of Atlanta on Interstate 85 during a traffic stop by the Meriwether County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office. Deputies recovered a 9 mm Glock pistol that testing proved was used in the shooting. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule a sentencing hearing upon completion of a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services. "This plea is a testament to the outstanding investigative efforts of our Army CID agents, as well as the dedication of the DOJ prosecution team, and is indicative of our commitment to ensure justice for victims of heinous crimes such as this,” said Ryan O’Connor, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division Southeast Field Office. "Army CID will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to pursue those who would harm members of our communities, and to hold them fully accountable for their actions." This case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Criminal Division Chief Patricia G. Rhodes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry W. Syms Jr.


title: Lynchburg Store Owner Sentenced for Federal Food Stamp Fraud

body_text: LYNCHBURG, Va. – The owner of Taste of India, a medium-sized grocery store in Lynchburg, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison on federal food stamp fraud and other charges. Rajan Babbar, 60, pled guilty in March 2026 to one count of fraud regarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program and one count of transacting in criminally derived property. SNAP was established by the United States government to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among low and middle-income families by increasing their food purchasing power and ability. According to court documents, in 2016 Babbar filed paperwork with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for Taste of India to become a SNAP retailer. In December 2016, FNS approved Babbar’s application. Beginning around April 2021, it is alleged that SNAP sales at Taste of India exploded from their previous levels. For example, in 2018, Taste of India was conducting an approximate monthly average of $2,600 in SNAP transactions. By 2023, the approximate monthly average was $65,000 a month, a roughly 2,500 percent increase. Between January 2019 and January 2025, the average individual SNAP transaction at Taste of India was for $115.77. By comparison, the average individual SNAP transaction among similarly sized stores statewide was $40.61. To perpetuate the scheme, Babbar admitted that he permitted individuals to exchange their SNAP benefits for cash. Babbar rang up false transactions for non-existent food items and other products. He then provided those individuals with cash for approximately one-half the value of the SNAP benefits. Between approximately January 2019 and January 2025, Babbar conducted numerous such fraudulent SNAP transactions in an amount determined by the Court to be $2,108,924. The Hon. Norman K. Moon, Senior United States District Judge, also ordered that Babbar forfeit more than $380,000 in seized assets and pay $2,108,924 in restitution back to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci, Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the USDA-OIG, Northeast Region, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement. The USDA-OIG, FBI, and Lynchburg Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett prosecuted the case.


title: St. Louis County Man Sentenced to Life + 15 Years in Prison for Killing Two Women, Baby

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced a convicted felon to life plus 15 years in prison for shooting four teens, killing two and causing the death of one woman’s baby a month later. Eddie Marcus Love, 39, fatally shot the two 18-year-old women and wounded the two pregnant 17-year-olds at 1:46 a.m. on May 7, 2023, near the 1900 block of Agnes Street in St. Louis. Less than a month after being released on parole after being sentenced to 20 years in prison on robbery and armed criminal action charges, “Mr. Love essentially decides to go on a killing spree,” Judge Clark said. Love prefaced the spree by telling his nephew, Charles Webster, that he was in a “killing mood,” Judge Clark said. That evening, Love arranged to meet up with the teens, who wanted to obtain marijuana and visit a bar. Webster was driving the car and Love was in the passenger seat. The four teens were in the back seat. Webster and Love twice tried and failed to buy marijuana. When the victims expressed their frustration, Love told them to get out of the car. Love shoved one victim, who told him to stop because she was pregnant. Love then opened fire with a 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Love and Webster got in the car and drove off before Love told Webster to circle the block and return. He then shot one of the wounded victims twice more in the head. She was 10 weeks pregnant, but her child was not injured. The child of the other wounded victim, who was 30 weeks pregnant, was delivered by emergency C-section and died on June 11, 2023, as a result of gunshot wounds. In court, Judge Clark cited Love’s lengthy criminal history, which began with assault at the age of nine. When behind bars, Love threatened to kill and rape correctional officers, their relatives and other inmates, including after he pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to four counts: conspiracy to distribute marijuana, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of ammunition and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Webster, now 30, pleaded guilty in December to three counts: conspiracy to knowingly and intentionally possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced in May to 25 years in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angie Danis and Don Boyce prosecuted the case.


title: Springfield Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft of Government Property

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—A Springfield, Oregon, woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to federal prison today for fraudulently obtaining unemployment insurance benefits. Jamianne MacKenzie, 41, was sentenced to three months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay over $30,000 in restitution. According to court documents, MacKenzie used personal information of a victim to fraudulently apply for over $27,500 in unemployment insurance, which she used for personal expenses. The victim was unable to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) after the Oregon Department of Human Services was notified in March 2021 that a claim was filed under the victim’s social security number in December 2020. The victim was unable to receive over $2,500 in TANF benefits. On Feb. 20, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging MacKenzie with theft of government property. U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General COVID Fraud Unit investigated the case. First Assistant U.S. Attorney William Narus prosecuted the case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: Mineral County Home Center of Drug Trafficking Operation, Occupant Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Keyser, West Virginia man will spend time in federal prison for selling fentanyl and methamphetamine from his residence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Lucas Earl Shoemaker, 35, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a complaint about suspected drug trafficking from a home on Knobley Road Keyser, West Virginia. Shoemaker was reported to be the occupant and was selling fentanyl and methamphetamine. Officers later encountered Shoemaker at a store in Mineral County and arrested him for having firearms and being prohibited because of prior felonies. A search warrant was executed on his home and investigators seized 231 grams of methamphetamine, 17 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, multiple firearms and ammunition, cash, scales, and drug paraphernalia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.


title: Hudsonville Man Sentenced for Possessing and Transferring Machinegun Conversion Devices

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: ATF Recovered Seven “Switches” from Ethan Carter’s Home, Including One Installed on a Pistol GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Ethan Carter, age 18 of Hudsonville, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possession and transferring a machinegun. In imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker observed that he had “seen a lot of carnage on the street from conversion devices,” and noted that the sentence had to account for deterring not only Carter but others who might be drawn toward the same conduct. “Selling machine gun conversion devices is like selling sticks of dynamite,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “We know from sad experience that it’s only a matter of time before they kill someone. That’s why we prosecute these cases no matter who we catch doing it. We don’t know for sure how many of these devices Carter sold, but he bragged about selling a hundred of them. I hope he was lying about that. But even if he transferred less than that, his conduct was incredibly dangerous to the rest of us.” In June 2025, Carter gave a machinegun conversion device to another person. When installed on a semiautomatic gun, a machinegun conversion device, often called a “switch,” allows the weapon to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single pull of the trigger. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant at Carter’s home several weeks later and found approximately six additional machinegun conversion devices, as well as a Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed. Carter pleaded guilty to one count of possession and transfer of a machinegun on February 11, 2026. Although the advisory sentencing guidelines called for 24 to 30 months, Judge Jonker granted a partial variance, weighing Carter's age among the relevant factors. In addition to the 15-month prison term, Carter will serve two years on supervised release. “Ethan Carter chose to make a quick buck selling an illegal machine gun conversion device in another state and it almost cost him his life. He essentially knowingly risked his future when he clearly chose to possess and distribute devices that turn pistols into illegal machineguns. Those were not youthful mistakes—they were reckless decisions that threatened public safety across this nation,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division. “If you traffic in machinegun conversion devices, expect ATF to identify you, track you down, and hold you accountable.” This case was investigated by ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Roth and Constance Turnbull. 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: Wolf Point man sentenced to 15 years in prison for parking lot murder

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A man from Wolf Point who shot and killed one man and wounded another last fall was sentenced today to 188 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Ethan Louis Murphy, 27, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of second degree murder and one count of using a firearm in a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that Murphy, carrying a handgun, walked up to two men in a grocery store parking lot and shot them, killing one and injuring the other. Law enforcement first responded at 8:41 p.m. Sept. 28, 2025, when a 911 call reported gunshots in the Wolf Point Albertsons parking lot on the Fort Peck Reservation. Wolf Point police officers arrived and found two men on the ground, one of them dead from a gunshot wound to the head and the other injured. Officers with Fort Peck Tribal Criminal Investigations and the FBI investigated the scene and collected four 9mm Luger casings. Surveillance from the grocery store showed Murphy walking up to one of the victims with his gun drawn and shooting him a single time in the head when the victim pulled out a black machete. Murphy then shot the second victim. A bystander called out, “It was Ethan, it was Ethan.” Murphy turned himself in two days later on Sept. 30, 2025. Law enforcement found him in the passenger seat of a car with the pistol and ammunition they later matched to the shooting. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, and the Wolf Point Police Department conducted the investigation.


title: Homeland Security Task Force investigation leads to 17 convictions related to a methamphetamine trafficking organization in Angelina County

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Homeland Security Task Force investigation in Angelina County has resulted in the convictions and sentencings of 17 individuals related to a methamphetamine trafficking organization in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jose Pedro Guzman, Jr., 35, of Corrigan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on June 10, 2026. According to information presented in court, in November 2022, a law enforcement investigation into drug trafficking, firearms crimes, and immigration violations in Angelina County resulted in the seizure of over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and fourteen firearms. Guzman is the 17 th person sentenced to federal prison as a result of this investigation. Other defendants sentenced include: Albert Lopez, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 292 months; Hector Gomez, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 188 months; Jodi Calvin Sparkman, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 151 months; Christopher Dewayne Harvey, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 175 months; Oscar Padilla, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 70 months; Adaryl Douglas, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 135 months; Leanna Jean Busby, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 120 months; Gary Mills, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 121 months; Amanda McBride, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 120 months; Clifton Collin-Dakota Smith, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 63 months; John Christopher Rios, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 140 months; Lorene Michelle Baker, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 121 months; Corey Mullan, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 162 months; David Davis, Jr., conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 97 months; Penny Ann King, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 121 months; and Eduardo Barajas-Macias, illegal reentry by a previously deported alien, 7 months. This case 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 Houston comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Houston (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas; Angelina County Sheriff’s Office; Lufkin Police Department; Texas Department of Public Safety; and Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. ###