title: Laplace Woman Sentenced for Making False Statements to Small Business Administration

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that LATRICIA HOPE HAYNES MOLIERE (“MOLIERE”) , age 51, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana was sentenced on July 10, 2025, for making False Statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001. According to court documents, MOLIERE submitted an application for a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in March 2021. In this application, she falsely represented that she owned a baking sole proprietorship with an average monthly payroll of $8,041. In support of the PPP application, MOLIERE attached a fraudulent Internal Revenue Service Form 1040 Schedule C. Several months later, MOLIERE filed a petition for bankruptcy in which she said that she was not a sole proprietor. As a result of her false representations, MOLIERE received $20,102 from the SBA. This loan was later forgiven because MOLIERE falsely represented that she had spent the SBA funds on payroll. United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced MOLIERE to 3 years of probation, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. MOLIERE also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $22,742.71 to the SBA. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the United States Trustee in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.


title: Man Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Robbing Five Suburban Chicago Financial Institutions

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — A man who robbed four banks and a credit union in the Chicago suburbs has been sentenced to more than seven and a half years in federal prison. CHARLES LAWLER entered the financial institutions and presented demand notes while his friend, TARANDLE LEE, waited outside as the getaway driver. Together, the pair robbed three banks and a credit union, while Lawler also robbed an additional bank by himself. The robberies were as follows: Sept. 22, 2021: Lawler robbed BMO Harris Bank in Naperville, Ill. Sept. 28, 2021: Lawler and Lee robbed Old Second Bank in Lisle, Ill. Oct. 6, 2021: Lawler and Lee robbed Bank Financial in Westmont, Ill. Jan. 3, 2022: Lawler and Lee robbed BMO Harris Bank in Woodridge, Ill. April 14, 2022: Lawler and Lee robbed DuPage Credit Union in Downers Grove, Ill. Lawler, 54, of Villa Park, Ill., was arrested in 2023 and has remained detained in law enforcement custody. He pleaded guilty to the first three robberies and stipulated to his role in the final two. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman sentenced Lawler to seven years and eight months in federal prison. Lee, 45, of Bolingbrook, Ill., was arrested in 2023 and has remained detained in law enforcement custody. A federal jury in Chicago earlier this year convicted Lee on all four robbery counts against him. Lee’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Lawler’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Downers Grove, Ill. Police Department, Bellwood, Ill. Police Department, Woodridge, Ill. Police Department, and Villa Park, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alejandro G. Ortega and Jonathan L. Shih.


title: Two Men Indicted with Conspiracy to Distribute 900 Pounds of Methamphetamine, One Charged with Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Joel Casas-Santiago, 46, and Guillermo Mercado-Chaparro, 44, are both charged with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Mercado-Chaparro is additionally charged with Illegal Reentry by a Removed Alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. According to court documents, an undercover police officer bought a pound of methamphetamine from Mercado-Chaparro, who was driving a Toyota Tacoma truck during the buy. Through post-buy surveillance, police learned that Mercado-Chaparro was traveling driving throughout south Minneapolis to conduct suspected drug deals. Several days later, police saw Mercado-Chaparro walk to the Tacoma, retrieve two large garbage bags from the truck bed, and place them in a nearby Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep was eventually stopped, and Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were ordered out of the car. A drug-sniffing dog alerted the odor of drugs in the Jeep. When police searched the Jeep, they found over 250 pounds of methamphetamine in the garbage bags and a cooler. Police arrested Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro and then obtained a search warrant for the Tacoma. They searched the truck and seized over 630 pounds of methamphetamine from the truck bed. Altogether, Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were in possession of almost 900 pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. “This isn’t just another drug bust—it’s one of the largest methamphetamine seizures in Minnesota history,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “A 900-pound haul like this doesn’t just show intent to distribute. It shows intent to poison entire communities. We will not let Minnesota become a distribution hub for cartel-scale operations. This prosecution is just the beginning.” This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Minnesota Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Ramsey County Crime Enforcement Team, the St. Paul Police Department, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen Slaughter and Campbell Warner are prosecuting the case.


title: Sanostee Woman Charged for 2022 Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Sanostee woman is facing multiple federal charges after allegedly using a rifle to seriously injure one individual and threaten another during an August 2022 incident. According to court documents, on August 20, 2022, Leticia Washburn , 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 with a rifle, causing serious bodily injury to John Doe 1. Washburn is charged with two counts each of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Washburn faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Passenger pleads guilty to sexual assault charges during flight from Montana to Texas

body_text: MISSOULA - A New Jersey man accused of sexual assault while flying from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Shukla faces up to 2 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for November 19, 2025. Shukla was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on January 26, 2025, Shukla was flying from Bozeman to Dallas on American Airlines. He was seated next to Jane Doe and Doe’s daughter. Jane Doe had a coat on her lap because she was cold. Shukla also placed his coat on his lap and initially acted as if he was sleeping but began using his right hand to rub Jane Doe’s left leg near her pocket on her hip. Jane Doe initially thought Shukla was trying to pick her pocket, so she and her daughter got up and went to the restroom to diffuse the situation. Shukla continued rubbing Jane Doe’s inner and outer thigh throughout the flight. Doe was scared and firmly told him to “stop touching me.” Shukla said he was sorry and attempted to offer her something out of his bag. He also tried to talk to Jane Doe’s daughter, and Doe responded, “she’s fine. Don’t talk to my daughter.” As the flight continued, the plane hit some turbulence and the flight crew remained seated. Shukla continued to rub Jane Doe’s thigh and, frightened, she turned her back to him, at which point he started rubbing her lower back and buttocks. A witness seated in the row behind Shukla and Jane Doe confirmed that Shukla inappropriately touched Jane Doe for a large portion of the flight. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, ICE and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Thirteenth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Transnational Scheme to Defraud U.S. Consumers

component: Civil Division

body_text: A Peruvian national pleaded guilty yesterday for his participation in transnational mail and wire fraud schemes that targeted vulnerable United States consumers. According to court documents, David Cornejo Fernandez, 36, of Lima, Peru, facilitated fraud schemes that stole millions of dollars from Spanish-speaking victims across the United States. Cornejo provided Internet-based telephone lines, caller-ID spoofing services, and recording capabilities to a network of fraudulent call centers based in Peru. Relying on Cornejo’s services, those call centers defrauded and extorted thousands of Spanish-speaking victims by falsely threatening them with court proceedings, fines, and other consequences. Cornejo further provided the call centers with the technology – and, at times, the training – to convincingly impersonate federal agents, police officers, attorneys, court personnel, and other government officials in order to extort payments from victims. Cornejo was extradited from Peru in November 2024 to face charges related to the scheme. Cornejo is the 13th defendant to be convicted in connection with a $15 million transnational fraud scheme that defrauded and threatened Spanish-speaking U.S. consumers. These fraudsters falsely claimed the victims would suffer severe legal, financial and other consequences if they did not pay for English-language products. Collectively, the scheme was responsible for defrauding more than 30,000 United States consumers, many of whom were vulnerable. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting vulnerable U.S. consumers from fraud, especially schemes carried out by criminals impersonating U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Those who target American consumers from abroad will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable for their crimes. We thank the Republic of Peru for their assistance in arresting and extraditing this defendant and others involved in these scams.” “This guilty plea marks another important victory in our relentless pursuit of transnational fraudsters who impersonate U.S. government officials to exploit vulnerable Spanish-speaking communities across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O'Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “David Cornejo Fernandez enabled a sophisticated network of call centers that used technology to impersonate government officials, instill fear, and steal millions from hardworking individuals. Today's outcome sends a clear message: we will work hand-in-hand with our international partners to dismantle these schemes, extradite those responsible, and ensure they face justice in U.S. courts, no matter how far they try to hide” “The defendant thought he could hide behind borders and phone lines, but the Postal Inspection Service is relentless when it comes to protecting American consumers,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “Setting up fake call centers to harass and intimidate innocent victims, Cornejo and his co-conspirators, crafted a campaign of fear designed to rob people of not only their savings but their peace of mind. If you target Americans, no matter where you are in the world we will find you.” In pleading guilty, Cornejo admitted that he provided his co-conspirators with the technology to manipulate the phone numbers on victims’ caller IDs, which enabled them to place threatening calls that appeared to be coming from U.S. federal agencies, court officials or law enforcement agencies. Cornejo also placed recordings on his co-conspirators’ inbound phone lines that appeared to be recordings from actual U.S. courts, police departments and federal agencies. These recordings enhanced the apparent legitimacy of the threatening calls and were used to extort payments from vulnerable consumers in the Southern District of Florida and across the United States. Cornejo also regularly replaced telephone numbers that victims reported as fraudulent, thus enabling his co-conspirators to continue with the fraudulent scheme. Yesterday, Cornejo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Senior U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola in Miami on Sep. 25. Cornejo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. USPIS and the Consumer Protection Branch investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Peruvian National Prosecutor General’s Office and Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov .


title: Former Taney County Volunteer Firefighter Sentenced to 180 Months for Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Hollister, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for sharing child pornography over the internet. Cameron Allen Ryan, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Ryan to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration. The court ordered Ryan to pay $51,000 in restitution to his victims and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Ryan will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. Ryan pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2024, to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, Ryan, who was a volunteer with the Taney County Volunteer Fire Department, admitted to receiving and trading files of child pornography with the undercover FBI agent and other individuals on the internet. Law enforcement was alerted by a CyberTip made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. On Nov. 28, 2023, an undercover FBI agent downloaded numerous images of minor children which had been posted to an image hosting website by the suspect user profile and began communicating with suspect via email. The undercover officer made contact with the suspect, and the suspect sent a video to the agent that depicted a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The FBI identified Ryan as the suspect user. When officers searched Ryan’s cell phones, one of the phones was logged in to the email account that had been messaging the undercover FBI agent. A forensic analysis of the two phones found over 1800 files containing child pornography. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the Taney County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office. Project Safe Childhood 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 . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: $4.9 Million Secured for Victims of Ayudando Guardians Fraud Scheme Through Settlement and Asset Forfeiture

component: Criminal Division

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced today the recovery of $4.9 million for victims of the Ayudando Guardians fraud scheme. The U.S. Department of Justice has retained a third-party administrator to assist with disbursing the funds to victims of the decade-long embezzlement scheme that exploited vulnerable individuals under guardianship. The U.S. Marshals Servicedemanded coverage from Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America (Travelers) under a "Wrap + Crime" policy for the losses sustained due to the criminal acts of Ayudando employees. Travelers Insurance denied coverage under the policy, so on March 31, 2022, the United States filed a civil action against Travelers in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico (“Civil Action”). The United States pursued claims against Travelers for coverage under the policy, bad faith, and violation of the New Mexico Unfair Insurance Practices Act and the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act, alleging that Travelers' denial of the United States' claim was unfounded and frivolous, and that Travelers misrepresented the coverage afforded. On September 20, 2024, the parties participated in a settlement conference before the Honorable Gregory J. Fouratt, resulting in a settlement of the Civil Action. Travelers has agreed to pay the United States the amount of $4.9 million. On July 17, 2025, the U.S. District Court entered a final order of forfeiture in the related criminal case, awarding $4.9 million in funds obtained through the settlement with Travelers. The recovered funds satisfy a portion of the $6.8 million money judgment against Harris. In relation to the original criminal case, Harris, the former president and 95% owner of Ayudando, was sentenced to 47 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Her husband, William S. Harris, who worked as a guardian, received a 15-year prison sentence, also followed by three years of supervised release. Sharon A. Moore, former chief financial officer and 5% owner, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Craig M. Young, Susan Harris' son, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick, IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office, made the announcement today. The Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI and the Phoenix Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the criminal investigation with the assistance of the Complex Assets Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service, the Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Dallas Field Division of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The original criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña. The Civil Action and settlement were led by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Keegan and Jesse Hale, with assistance from Clifford Krieger, forfeiture counsel for the U.S. Marshals Service and several attorneys from the Social Security Administration. The asset forfeiture proceedings were overseen by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kotz.


title: Multiple Individuals Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today a four-count indictment charging the following individuals: LARRY G. TURNER , ( TURNER), age 41, of Tangipahoa Parish ELMO FRANKLIN(FRANKLIN), age 42, of Tangipahoa Parish REGGINALD HENRY(HENRY) , age 41, of St. Tammany Parish JYSTON DANTZLER(DANTZLER) , age 26, of Tangipahoa Parish WAYNE LONG(LONG), age 39, of Tangipahoa Parish GARRETT MCCLAIN JR.(MCCLAIN) , age 24 of Tangipahoa Parish ROY SHORT(SHORT), age 52, of Washington Parish TAWAN ANTHONY(ANTHONY), age 22, of St. Tammany Parish The indictment occurred on June 26, 2025, and was only announced after all eight individuals had been arrested by local law enforcement, and Drug Enforcement Administration special agents. All eight individuals were indicted in Count 1 for Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of Title 2, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); §841(b)(1)(A), § 841(b)(1)(B), §841(b)(1)(C), and 846. MCCLAIN was additionally charged in Count 2 for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(A), and § 841(b)(1)(B). HENRY and ANTHONY were also charged in Count 3 with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture of methamphetamine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(B), and § 841(b)(1)(C). SHORT was additionally charged in Count 4 with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and §841(b)(1)(B). HENRY and SHORT also face a sentencing enhancement due to their prior convictions for drug trafficking offenses. If convicted of the charge(s) they face, TURNER, FRANKLIN, LONG, and MCCLAIN face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years, and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five (5) years of supervised release. HENRY and SHORT face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years, and up to life imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least five (4) years of supervised release. DANTZLER and ANTHONY face a mandatory minimum sentence of five (years), and up to forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least five (4) years of supervised release. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count. According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown, but continuing until at least June 26, 2025, these eight individuals conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, and Washington Parishes region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy mainly revolved around TURNER’s residence in Tickfaw, Louisiana. The execution of a federal search warrant at TURNER’s residence led to the recovery of over five (5) kilograms of suspected fentanyl in counterfeit pill form, along with multiple firearms. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), as well as the Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, 22nd JDC District Attorney’s Office, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana National Guard. FORT was also assisted by the Louisiana State Police, Bogalusa Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Gary Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison

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

body_text: HAMMOND- Deyon Washington, 45 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Washington was sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on September 11, 2021, Deyon Washington was a passenger in vehicle that was pulled over in Valparaiso, Indiana. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered a loaded pistol with an extended magazine attached to it. Washington’s criminal history revealed he was previously felony convicted for armed robbery in 2001 and 2002, which were felonies that disqualified him from possessing any firearm or ammunition. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Fourteen Indicted in Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fourteen defendants, all residents of the Kansas City, Mo., area, have been indicted for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Several of the defendants face multiple charges in the eighty-count indictment. Antwan L. Fayne, also known as “Twelve,” 43, Aaron T. James, 37, Timothy E. Murphy, 59, James E. Barton, 46, Allison R. Shea, 30, Rodney Vaughn, 60, Charles E. Hall, 40, Brad Akins, 38, Joshua A. Kisner, 38, Devion R. McDonald, 31, Ida M. Gates, 41, Cora E. Fayne, 69, Walter L. Brown, 61, and Marcus L. Whitley, 54, were charged in an eighty-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, July 16. The indictment was unsealed on Thursday, July 17, after the arrest of several defendants. This indictment replaces three criminal complaints that were filed against six of the defendants earlier this month. In addition to the conspiracy, there are six defendants charged with maintaining drug involved premises. There are sixteen counts related to distributing controlled substances within 1,000 feet of public playgrounds within Kansas City. Additionally, there are firearms offenses charged, to include felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm while under an order of protection, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; IRS-Criminal Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); with support from Missouri State Highway Patrol. Operation Take Back America This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Fentanyl distributor pleads guilty

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 36-year-old Houston resident has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Velasquez-Nikki Saadia Porter admitted to conspiring to distribute nearly 200 grams of fentanyl from a motel room in the North Harris County area. The investigation began in 2023 after authorities identified Porter as part of an operation targeting fentanyl distribution and overdoses in the Houston area. Porter operated a narcotics distribution point out of a local motel room where he served fentanyl to customers. U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge will impose sentencing Oct. 2. At that time, Porter faces up to 40 years in prison and a maximum $5 million fine. Porter has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case.


title: Three Memphis Bank Robbers Convicted at Trial

body_text: A federal jury in Memphis, Tennessee, convicted three men today for their roles in a violent bank robbery conspiracy, involving five bank robberies and an attempted sixth, in which the robbers shot two people. The defendants were found guilty of four bank robberies and using firearms during some of those robberies. Four of their co-defendants have pleaded guilty. “The bank robberies committed by these seven defendants included gun-point threats, instilling fear and chaos in innocent victims going about their days,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their actions terrorized bank employees and customers alike. We are grateful to our prosecutors, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners for bringing these dangerous individuals to justice and helping make the Memphis community safer." “The hard work and determination of the FBI and its partners cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “We are proud that our actions held these criminals accountable for their harm to the Memphis community.” Evidence at trial proved that between April 2023 and December 2023, the defendants, Courtney Trenell, 34; Devin Hinds, 36; and Joshua Cribbs, 33, all of Memphis, conspired to rob banks in and around Memphis. Four of the co-conspirators, Robert Haley, Travis Drain, Marquarius Trenell, and Monterrio Trenell, already pleaded guilty to bank robbery and using a firearm during the robberies. During the Aug. 11, 2023, robbery of a branch of Truist Bank, Hinds raised a gun and shook it back and forth at a bank customer to instill fear and deter her from notifying law enforcement. He then served as a getaway driver. Hinds also drove a getaway car during the Dec. 22, 2023, robbery of a branch of the Independent Bank where a co-defendant pointed a semi-automatic military-style rifle at bank employees. Courtney Trenell and Cribbs helped rob branches of the Bank of Bartlett and First Horizon Bank on Oct. 20, 2023. The defendants planned to rob the banks, which are directly across the street from each other, at the same time to confuse law enforcement and evade capture. Cribbs entered the Bank of Bartlett with a trash bag and threatened bank employees into handing over money. Cribbs unknowingly took at least one dye pack, which exploded after the robbers fled, releasing red dye that stained the stolen cash. During the Bank of Bartlett robbery, Courtney Trenell operated a second getaway vehicle stationed about a mile from the robbery, aiding one of the robbers in fleeing the area. At trial, an FBI special agent testified that the defendants spoke over conference calls before and after the robberies, which the government argued was to coordinate the crimes. An FBI analyst testified that DNA evidence from Courtney Trenell and Hinds was found inside their respective getaway vehicles. In total, the group stole over $170,000 cash from five bank robberies. The sixth robbery attempt was unsuccessful and ended in a shoot-out between the co-defendants and an armed security guard where the robbers shot two victims. Co-defendants Haley and Drain coordinated the five robberies and one attempted robbery throughout the conspiracy, while Marquarius Trenell robbed the Truist Bank on Aug. 11, 2023, as well as the Bank of Bartlett with Monterrio Trenell, and others, on Oct. 20, 2023. Cribbs is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, and Courtney Trenell and Hinds are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23. Their co-defendants who earlier pleaded guilty will face sentencing later this year. A federal district judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hinds faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for his use of a firearm during a bank robbery; Courtney Trenell and Cribbs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for their roles in the robberies. A grand jury indicted an eighth co-defendant, Mario Patterson, 45, of Memphis, for his role in the conspiracy, as well as the individual bank robberies and firearm crimes he committed. He faces trial later this year and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The FBI and the Memphis Police Department Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory A. Wagner, Stephen Hall, and Tony Arvin for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Safe Streets Task Force’s efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.


title: Federal Jury finds Armed Career Offender Guilty of Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal jury recently returned a guilty verdict in the case of an armed career offender accused of a firearm offense. Turante Nunn, 33, faces a minimum of 15 years in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Joseph C. Murphy Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today. According to court documents, in January 2024, Memphis police observed an unoccupied stolen 2009 Pontiac G6 car with a broken rear window parked outside a BP gas station in Memphis. Officers secured the scene inside the BP gas station and reviewed the store surveillance video to see who got out of the stolen car. Officers determined that Nunn was one of the individuals who exited the stolen car and went into the store. The store surveillance video also showed Nunn discarding a gun on a shelf in the store when officers were entering the store. Officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol on a shelf at the exact area where Nunn discarded the object. After a two-day trial, federal jurors found Nunn guilty of one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. In the second phase of the trial, jurors determined that Nunn was an Armed Career Criminal, as he had three prior felonies committed on occasions separate from one another. As a result of his felony convictions, Nunn will face a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life imprisonment as an Armed Career Criminal under the Armed Career Criminal Act. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, and the Project Safe Neighborhood task force (PSN). This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Assistant United States Attorney Jermal Blanchard prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: California Man Convicted at Trial

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Petru-Razvan Bruma, 40 years old, a citizen of the United Kingdom and a California resident, was found guilty of possessing device-making equipment after a three-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. This case involved the defendant’s possession of shimmer devices and pinhole cameras installed on two local automatic teller machines. These items were designed to capture the card numbers and personal identification numbers of bank customers. “Bruma traveled into this District with devices made to steal personal bank information from unsuspecting ATM customers,” said Proctor. “Thanks to excellent work by our team of investigators and prosecutors, he was charged and convicted for his conduct. This should send a clear message: If you come to Northern Indiana to commit crimes, you will be held accountable.” Sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2025. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley Miller Lowery and Justin Sheridan.


title: Pocatello Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Drugs

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: POCATELLO – Jack Edward Newsom, 43, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Newsom to serve five years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence. According to court records, Newsom was arrested on May 8, 2024, when police officers executed a search warrant on his home and a fifth-wheel trailer parked in a storage facility. The officers seized 48.9 grams of fentanyl powder and a half a pound of methamphetamine from the residence in addition to a pound of marijuana, half a pound of methamphetamine, 79.6 grams of fentanyl powder, and 237 fentanyl pills from the fifth-wheel trailer. The warrant was executed after a months-long investigation in which law enforcement bought three and a half pounds of methamphetamine from Newsom on five occasions between February and April 2024. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the BADGES Task Force. The BADGES Task Force is a federally funded High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) partnership between the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho State Police, the Pocatello Police Department, the Chubbuck Police Department, and the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office. This case was investigated though 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 BADGES Task Force. The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region. ###


title: Former Amtrak Employee Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Prison for Crimes, Including Near-$1 Million COVID Jobless Benefits Fraud

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Amtrak employee was sentenced today to 25 months in federal prison for conspiring with her husband to steal nearly $1 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and for fraudulently obtaining more than $63,000 in sickness benefits while she worked at the passenger railroad company. Lizette Berrios Lathon, 48, of Moreno Valley, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin, who also ordered her to pay $1,061,667 in restitution. In November 2022, Lizette Lathon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of wire fraud. Previously, in July 2024, Judge Olguin sentenced Lathon’s husband, Kenneth Andrew Lathon, 50, also of Moreno Valley, to 54 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $998,630 in restitution. Kenneth Lathon pleaded guilty in November 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. From 2014 until at least September 2022, Lizette Lathon, in addition to her one-time duties as a service attendant for Amtrak, operated at least three tax preparation businesses: Miracle Tax Service, which was located on Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile; Hardcore Corp., which did business as “Hardcore Taxes”; and Lathon LLC, which did business as “LL Taxes.” The latter two companies were in Moreno Valley. Lathon and her husband took advantage of the expanded eligibility for UI benefits made possible by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law in 2020. The CARES Act also established the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provided additional UI benefits to qualified individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, including people who did not otherwise qualify for UI such as business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, and those with a limited work history. In some instances, Lizette Lathon submitted fraudulent applications with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) for UI benefits using names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth that she obtained from former clients of her tax preparation businesses without the permission of those former clients. On the applications, she falsely asserted inflated income for the named claimants – many of whom had never lived in California – to receive the maximum benefit amount. As a result of the fraudulent claims she filed, EDD authorized Bank of America to issue debit cards in the names of Lizette Lathon’s former clients, but the cards were mailed to addresses she and her family controlled. She and her husband then used the debit cards to make cash withdrawals at ATMs and to make purchases at retail stores. During the conspiracy, which lasted from the spring of 2020 until March 2021, Lathon and her husband caused at least 44 fraudulent unemployment claims to be filed, resulting in losses to EDD and the United States Treasury of approximately $998,630. Lizette Lathon, who was employed at Amtrak from 2000 to 2021, also schemed to defraud the Railroad Retirement Board out of sickness benefit payments by filing forged and false claims that stated she was being treated by a medical professional for pain and anxiety. Through this scheme, which lasted from September 2014 to January 2020, she fraudulently obtained approximately $63,047 in sickness benefit payments. Kenneth Lathon possessed a .22-caliber rifle and 12-gauge shotgun despite his criminal history, which includes felony convictions in California state court for theft, cocaine possession, and fraud. These matters were investigated by the Amtrak Office of Inspector General; the United States Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration; the California Employment Development Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Cory L. Burleson of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted these cases. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Ecuadorian National Deported after Manslaughter Conviction Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DARWIN FRANCISCO QUITUIZACA-DUCHITANGA, also known as Darwin Duchitanga-Quituizaca and Juan Mendez-Gutierrez, 39, a citizen of Ecuador, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in December 2003, Quituizaca, using an alias of Juan Mendez-Gutierrez, was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol. He was issued a voluntary return to Mexico after he claimed to be a citizen of Mexico. It is further alleged that in March 2018, the Connecticut State Police arrested and charged Quituizaca, under the alias Darwin Duchitanga-Quituizaca, with charges related to a fatal motor vehicle accident on I-91 in North Haven in March 2017. On August 30, 2018, ICE encountered Quituizaca in Meriden and arrested him on an administrative warrant while he was at liberty awaiting trial in his state case. In September 2018, an immigration judge ordered Quituizaca removed from the U.S. to Ecuador, but he was subsequently transferred to state custody to face his pending charges. In January 2019, Quituizaca was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court of manslaughter second degree and sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment. He was subsequently released from state prison on an unknown date. On August 15, 2023, ICE encountered and arrested Quituizaca on an administrative warrant of removal in Meriden. He was removed to Ecuador in September 2023. It is further alleged that Quituizaca illegally reentered the U.S. On June 28, 2025, ICE arrested Quituizaca on an administrative warrant in Meriden. Quituizaca, who has been detained since his arrest, appeared today in Hartford federal court. If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: San Joaquin County Felon Indicted for Illegal Firearms Trafficking and Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Rueben Paul Phill, 41, of Tracy, charging him with illegal firearms trafficking and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. According to court documents, between Aug. 22, 2023, and Aug. 27, 2024, Phill trafficked firearms with Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, of Tracy, by purchasing them in Nevada and selling them on the black market in California. On July 27, 2024, Phill led a law enforcement officer on a high-speed chase in excess of 100 miles per hour. The officer ultimately ended the pursuit for public safety concerns. Two days later, another officer observed the car parked at a gas station. The officer detained Castillo, who was then using the car. During a search of the vehicle, the officer discovered a semi-automatic rifle in the trunk, along with three extended magazines. In total, more than 30 firearms were traced to this conspiracy. At least three of these firearms have been recovered in connection with suspected firearm-related crimes. One such firearm, for example, was recovered in the possession of a felon in Vallejo on July 25, 2024, only three days after Castillo purchased the firearm in Nevada on July 22, 2024. Castillo pleaded guilty to illegal firearms trafficking on Jan. 31, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 1, 2025. This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the Pleasanton Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Phill faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; Phill is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Clarence man arrested, charged with attempting to have sex with a 12-year-old

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Daniel Gregory, 33, of Clarence, NY, was arrested and charged with online enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on January 6, 2025, the North Tonawanda Police Department learned that a person named “Daniel Gregory” was sending messages to other Facebook users asking the following question: “You know any NT teens I could hook up with? 13-16” Detectives traced the messages to the defendant. On January 9, 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer created a Facebook profile under the name “Alexis Jones,” and sent Gregory a friend request, which he subsequently accepted. Gregory started sending messages to “Alexis Jones” via Facebook messenger. After sending messages, Gregory began attempting to video call “Alexis Jones” and asked for “Alexis Jones” to call him. No video calls were answered, all communication was done electronically through Facebook messenger. In the subsequent weeks, Gregory consistently attempted to coordinate a meeting with “Alexis Jones,” who he believed was 12 years old. He also repeatedly attempted to video call and sent explicit photos of himself to the undercover account. Some of the conversations between Gregory and the undercover law enforcement officer were sexual in nature. On February 3, 2025, Gregory arranged to meet “Alexis Jones” at an apartment in the City of Tonawanda to engage in sexual activity. When Gregory arrived at the apartment, North Tonawanda detectives were waiting and took him into custody. They also seized Gregory’s cell phone. In May 2019, Gregory was convicted of Harassment in the 2nd Degree, in Cheektowaga Town Court, for contacting a minor victim on social media, and attempting to pursue a romantic relationship with the minor for approximately two years. Gregory made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was remanded back into the custody of New York State. Gregory is currently charged with attempted rape in Niagara County related to this case. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Two defendants sentenced for their roles in retail theft ring involving over a  million dollars worth of stolen merchandise

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James Civiletti, 34, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce, was sentenced to serve 14 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. In addition, co-defendant Chad Lewis Jr., 20, also of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was also sentenced to serve 14 months in prsion. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between December 2021, and October 17, 2024, Lewis, Jr. conspired with a group of serial larcenists, including Amanda Reeves and Shabon Banks, to engage in an ongoing retail theft conspiracy involving the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop. The pawn shop is owned and operated by another co-defendant Dominic Sprague and managed by Civiletti. Lewis, Jr. and the other larcenists stole new-in-box items from store shelves on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. They then sold the stolen goods to the pawn shop for a fraction of the actual retail value. The pawn shop, including Civiletti, then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits. The pawn shop purchased 37,936 stolen new-in-box items from Lewis, Jr., Banks, and Reeves on more than 670 occasions, for which the larcenists were paid $290,000.00. The actual losses to the victim-retailers were approximately $1,160,000.00. Reeves, Banks, and Sprague have also been convicted and are awaiting sentencing. The sentencings are the culmination of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter. # # # #


title: Former Los Banos Junior High Teacher Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Minors

body_text: A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Christian Banuelos, 30, of Los Banos, charging him with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. According to court documents, between July 8, 2022, and Nov. 15, 2023, Banuelos used a minor to create a visual depiction of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Between Dec. 9, 2019, and Aug. 22, 2024, Banuelos received and distributed child pornography. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Los Banos Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Banuelos faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine for each count of sexual exploitation of a minor. If convicted of receipt and distribution of child pornography, Banuelos faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Rochester woman going to prison for defrauding Social Security

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wendy Stone, 63, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conversion/unlawful conveyance of government money, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who handled the case, stated that in December 2022, Victim 1 was a recipient of benefits under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program. On December 28, 2022, Victim 1 died at a residence in Rochester. Stone discovered Victim 1’s body days after Victim 1 died. She was also aware that Victim 1 collected SSI Program benefits. But rather than inform authorities of Victim 1’s death, Stone took Victim 1’s debit card and spent SSI Program money still being deposited into Victim 1’s account for her own benefit. In furtherance of this scheme, Stone used Victim 1’s social security number to activate a new debit card in the name of Victim 1. In order to conceal Victim 1’s death and continue receiving Victim 1’s SSI Program benefits, Stone moved Victim 1’s corpse into the basement of the residence Victim 1 died in. She wrapped Victim 1’s corpse in plastic, placed it in a recycling bin, and periodically poured bleach on it. Victim 1’s corpse remained in the basement from December 2022 to September 2023. Between January 2023 and September 2023, Stone improperly collected $7,902.00 in SSI Program benefits intended for Victim 1. In addition, on February 6, 2023, Stone recertified SNAP benefits. In her recertification, Stone stated that Victim 1 still resided with her. As a result of this false information, Stone received an additional $1,072.00 in SNAP benefits that she was not entitled to receive. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. # # # #


title: Eight Defendants with Long Criminal Histories Indicted for Unlawfully Reentering the United States After Deportation

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Yakima and Tri-Cities, Washington – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced that eight people have been charged with Illegally Re-Entering the United States After Deportation, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. Illegal Re-Entry is a criminal offense and separate from civil immigration enforcement. All of the individuals charged have criminal records and each had previously been removed from the United States. United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and other Federal law enforcement partners are dedicated to protecting the lives of American citizens. As such, these Federal agencies are continually looking for illegally present foreign nationals who have a history of violating state, local, and Federal law. A Federal Grand Jury returned indictments as to the individuals listed below. Santiago Gracida-Santos , age 29, a Mexican national, previously convicted of Illegally Re-Entering the United States after Deportation, Driving Under the Influence, and Carrying a Concealed Weapon. Gracida-Santos has also been charged in state court with Robbery and Exhibiting a Deadly Weapon. Gracida-Santos has been removed to Mexico on two prior occasions. On June 30, 2025, Gracida-Santos was arrested by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for Arson. Gracida-Santos was released back into the community after he posted a bond on the state Arson case. Jose Luis Cruz-Agustin , age 38, a Mexican national, previously convicted in state court for Rape in the Third-Degree, Third-Degree Assault, Furnishing Liquor to a Minor, Hit and Run Accident Injury with Domestic Violence, Reckless Endangerment with Domestic Violence, Fourth Degree Assault with Domestic Violence. Cruz-Agustin was previously removed from the United States on two separate occasions. Cruz-Agustin was prosecuted and convicted of Unlawful Re-Entry, the same offense, in the District of Arizona, in 2016. On March 14, 2025, Cruz-Agustin was located in Connell, Washington. Cruz-Agustin is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on July 17, 2025, in Richland, Washington. Marco Alvarez-Acevedo , age 35, a Mexican national, previously convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering in the District of Montana. Alvarez-Acevedo was also previously convicted of Attempted Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute in the Western District of Washington. In 2022, Alvarez-Acevedo was removed to Mexico. On July 3, 2025, Alvarez-Acevedo was found in Sunnyside, Washington. Pedro Soberanis a.k.a. Victor Godinez-Vasquez and Emilio Soberanis, age 49, a Mexican national, previously convicted of Theft of Motor Vehicle, Second Degree Burglary, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Residential Burglary, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Battery of Spouse, and Illegally Re-Entering the United States after Deportation. Soberanis has been removed from the United States on multiple prior occasions. Soberanis was recently charged in State court with Harassment-Threats to Kill, and Second-Degree Burglary. Soberanis is currently in State custody under the name of Victor Godinez-Vasquez and will appear in the federal case at the conclusion of the pending state matter. Jose Bautista-Sanchez , age 29, a Mexican national, previously convicted of multiple counts of Criminal Trespass, Domestic Violence Assault, Attempted Residential Burglary, and Voyeurism. Bautista-Sanchez was recently charged in State court with Harassment Threats to Kill and Second-Degree Assault. Bautista-Sanchez was previously removed from the United States. Jovenal Faustino-Pineda , age 30, a Mexican national, previously convicted of Fourth Degree Assault, Interference with Report, and Second-Degree Burglary. Faustino-Pineda was recently charged in state court with Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Second Degree Burglary, and Second-Degree Theft. Faustino-Pienda has been removed from the United States on multiple prior occasions. On June 4, 2024, was arrested in Yakima County for possession of a stolen vehicle and was subsequently released back into the community. Guadalupe Hernandez-Mendez , age 26, a Mexican national, previously convicted in two separate instances of Driving Under the Influence. Hernandez-Mendez also has prior convictions for Obstruction and Reckless Driving. Hernandez-Mendez has previously been removed from the United States on two separate occasions. On June 11, 2025, Hernandez-Mendez was arrested in Toppenish, Washington. Ruben Mata-Prida , a Mexican national, previously convicted on four separate instances of Driving Under the Influence. Mata-Prida also has prior convictions for Hit and Run, Obstruction and Threats to Do Harm. On June 23, 2025, Mata-Prida was found in Toppenish, Washington. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington has prioritized identifying individuals who pose a risk to our community and are recidivist offenders. Alongside other priorities such as fentanyl interdiction, dismantling drug trafficking organizations, especially those targeting our most vulnerable populations, and child exploitation offenses, criminal immigration enforcement is amongst those priorities as it has been in the past. There is often an overlap in these areas. While each criminal defendant is different, several trends are evident. These include: the use of false names and aliases (including to enter the United States); unresolved criminal matters due to the individual failing to appear in court; convictions for narcotics offenses, both state and Federal; the illegal possession and use of firearms; and a history of violent felony and misdemeanor offenses. Acting United States Attorney Stephanie A. Van Marter stated, “I am very proud of ICE, HSI, and our other Federal partners for coming together to remove such offenders from our communities. Each of these individuals have repeatedly violated state and/or Federal laws and have unlawfully returned to the United States. Those who commit crimes while unlawfully present, should be subject to our criminal immigration laws. Thanks to the hard work and tireless dedication of these federal law enforcement partners, our communities are safer today.” United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were involved in the investigations. 25-CR-02086-SAB 25-CR-02077-SAB 25-MJ-04130-ACE 25-CR-02080-SAB 25-CR-02082-MKD 25-CR-02084-RLP 25-CR-02085-SAB 25-CR-06011-MKD An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Honduran man pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jose Manuel Ramos-Godoy, 42, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to illegal re-entry. Ramos-Godoy was then sentenced to serve three months in federal prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fauzia K. Mattingly, who handled the case, stated that Ramos-Godoy is an alien without any legal status in the United States. In July 2006 and September 2014, he was physically removed from the United States pursuant to an order of removal. On May 13, 2025, Ramos-Godoy was found in Erie County while driving a vehicle in a hotel parking lot in Amherst, NY. He did not have any documents allowing him to be lawfully present in the United States. 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 plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Martin B. Coombs. # # # #


title: Tigard Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault for Shooting a U.S. Postal Service Employee

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Tigard, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for shooting a United States Postal Service letter carrier. Kevin Eugene Irvine, 34, was sentenced to 205 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on December 24, 2022, while driving a white van through a Milwaukie, Oregon neighborhood, Irvine made eye contact with a letter carrier delivering mail on foot. Irvine threw his arms in the air, which the letter carrier mistook as waving, and the letter carrier waved back. A short time later, on an adjacent street, the letter carrier noticed the same van and again made eye contact with Irvine as he drove past. Irvine stopped the van several houses away, got out of the van with a rifle, knelt on the street and fired three rounds, striking the letter carrier once as the letter carrier ran for cover. After the shooting, Irvine picked up his shell casings and drove off. On December 28, 2022, officers spotted the van in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where they stopped the vehicle and arrested Irvine. Later, investigators sought and obtained a search warrant for Irvine’s van and found three rifles, ammunition, spent shell casings, a knife, shooting targets and ballistic gear. On February 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Irvine with aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, attempted murder of a federal employee, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. On March 26, 2025, Irvine was convicted of all three counts following a bench trial. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Milwaukie Police Department and the Lake Oswego Police Department. It was prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman and Eliza Carmen Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: McMinnville Repeat Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl in Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— A McMinnville, Oregon man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to federal prison today for possessing and distributing fentanyl in Oregon. Travis Charles Donnahoo, 46, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on March 12, 2023, officers from the McMinnville Police Department arrested Donnahoo, who has a long history of drug trafficking including five prior state convictions for distributing drugs in Oregon, on four outstanding warrants issued for his arrest. The officers searched Donnahoo and seized a firearm, cash, and a black zippered case. The following day, on March 13, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant on the black case and found 145 grams of methamphetamine and 322 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. On March 22, 2023, Donnahoo was charged by criminal complaint with possessing fentanyl and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. On April 8, 2025, Donnahoo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, McMinnville Police Department, and Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org . Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.


title: Two Men Plead Guilty To Money Laundering In Connection With Phishing Scams That Targeted SF-Based Company, Other Victims

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – George Aboagye and Dennis Jordan pleaded guilty to money laundering in connection with their roles in online phishing scams. Aboagye entered his guilty plea today and Jordan pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025. Aboagye, 44, who previously resided in Stone Mountain, Ga., and Jordan, 39, who previously resided in Dallas, Texas, were originally indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and charged by superseding informations in July 2025. According to court documents and the plea agreements, in December 2019, Aboagye laundered $922,445.34 fraudulently obtained from a San Francisco-based business through a business email compromise scam. Employees at the victim business received a fraudulent email that purported to be from one of the business’s actual service providers. The email induced employees at the victim business to send a wire transfer in the amount of $922,445.34 to a bank account for a fake company. Aboagye and others used the fake company’s bank account to receive and launder the proceeds from this scam. To conceal the source of the fraudulently obtained funds, portions of the $922,445.34 were distributed to Aboagye and other individuals, including Jordan, who deposited a $20,000 cashier’s check derived from the fraud proceeds into a bank account he set up under another fake business name. Aboagye also wired other ill-gotten proceeds into accounts held in his name, including portions of $173,315.70 fraudulently obtained from a North Dakota state agency in May 2020 as part of a business email compromise and fraudulent payments totaling $80,300 from the Small Business Administration in August 2020. In sum, Aboagye admitted to laundering between $1.5 million to $3.5 million in fraudulent proceeds. Jordan also admitted to using multiple fake companies and identities to open bank accounts, which he then used to receive funds from various victims, including $15,000 in January 2020 from a victim in California who believed the money was going to be used to obtain a shipment of gold from Australia, and $40,000 in April 2020 from a victim in California who believed the money was being used to help Covid-19 research. Jordan also used one such account to obtain a $220,000 loan through the Small Business Administration’s Covid-19 Paycheck Protection Program. Jordan used some of these funds to purchase a residence for himself in Dallas. In sum, Jordan admitted to laundering $336,600 in fraudulent proceeds. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement. Both defendants have remained in custody since their arrests and both were remanded into custody following their guilty pleas. Jordan and Aboagye are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Waqar Hasib and Kevin Yeh are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: Two Indicted for Fraudulent FEMA Claims for Lahaina Fire and California Fire Federal Disasters

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Daylyn Harris, 34, and Chelsea Johnson, 32, of Honolulu, Hawaii, were arrested on July 15, 2025 and charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2025. The indictment alleges that Harris and Johnson conspired with each other and carried out a wire fraud scheme, wherein Harris and Johnson submitted false claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), claiming to have suffered income, housing, and property losses as a result of two federal disasters, when, as Harris and Johnson both knew, they did not live in the disaster area or suffer any such losses. Specifically, Harris falsely claimed that he resided in Lahaina, Hawaii during the Lahaina fires federal disaster in August and September 2023, and that he lost housing and income, suffered medical bills, and lost property when, in fact, did not suffer such losses. Johnson assisted the fraudulent claim by posing as Harris’s Maui landlord. The indictment also alleges that in January 2025, Johnson falsely claimed to live in Pacific Palisades, California during the California fires federal disaster and claimed lost housing and other expenses. The indictment alleges that, together, Harris and Johnson received over $60,000 in disaster relief from FEMA. If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendants face up to thirty years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting the case.


title: Rhode Island Man Admits ATM Theft

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Degrasse, age 59, of West Warwick, Rhode Island, pled guilty on Tuesday to interstate transportation of stolen property. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement. Degrasse admitted that in the early morning of April 27, 2023, he sawed into an ATM in a restaurant in Catskill, New York; removed approximately $9,300; and transported that money out of New York. He also acknowledged that he cut the alarm wires of a convenience store in Hillsdale, New York, and entered the store before abandoning that effort to go to the Catskill restaurant. Degrasse further admitted he sawed into and stole cash from ATMs in Walden, New York; Pine Plains, New York; Lenox, New York; Concord, Massachusetts; and Bagdad, Kentucky. Degrasse admitted to stealing a total of more than $55,000 from the ATMs. As part of his plea, Degrasse has agreed to forfeit the $9,300 from the Catskill theft and pay restitution. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “David Degrasse’s multi-state crime spree is over. His arrest and prosecution should put an end to his despicable targeting and burglarizing of small businesses.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Degrasse’s arrest should send a clear message that the FBI will work diligently with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable any criminal who decides to target our small businesses for their own personal gain.” NYSP Superintendent Steven G. James stated: “This case demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement to hold individuals accountable who prey on small businesses and violate the safety of our communities. I commend the work of our Troopers and Investigators, along with our federal partners at the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their efforts in bringing this case to a successful resolution.” At sentencing, Degrasse, who is in custody, faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The FBI and NYSP investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting.


title: Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to More than 55 Years Combined in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – The final member of a Northwest Arkansas drug trafficking organization was sentenced to federal prison for crimes related to the distribution of fentanyl. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings for the United States District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing fentanyl pills in Fayetteville and Fort Smith from January to September of 2024. Investigators identified Salvador Caracena-Zarates as a distributer of methamphetamine and the leader and source of supply for fentanyl being distributed by Rafael Norwood, Christopher Howes, and Alonzo Releford. The pills distributed by this group contained fentanyl made or pressed to look like M-30 Oxycontin prescription pills. Those members of the drug trafficking organization indicted federally have been sentenced as follows: Salvador Fautino Caracena-Zarates, Jr. a/k/a “Doe” : age 42, Fort Smith, Arkansas – Possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine– 300 months imprisonment and 4-year term of supervised release. Rafael Deaundra Norwood, Sr. : age 40, Fayetteville, Arkansas – Aiding and abetting in the distribution of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl– 168 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release. Christopher Ray Howes : age 43, Fayetteville, Arkansas – Aiding and abetting in the distribution of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl– 100 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release. Alonzo Lee Releford, III : age 23, Fayetteville, Arkansas – Distribution of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl – 100 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case with assistance by the following agencies: Fourth Judicial Drug Task Force, Fort Smith Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, Benton County Drug Unit, Bentonville Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, and Arkansas State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sydney Butler Stanley prosecuted the case for the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov .


title: Rossi Sentenced to an Additional Three Years in Prison for Healthcare Fraud Related to COVID Testing

component: Department of Justice

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – Aaron Rossi, 42, of Morton, Illinois, was sentenced on July 15, 2025, to an additional 37 months in prison for healthcare and wire fraud related to false billing for COVID tests at Reditus Labs. Rossi was also ordered to forfeit a recreational vehicle worth an estimated $1 million. In addition, Rossi, who has been in county jail since August 2023 related to previous fraud convictions, was sentenced to a term of time served for possessing contraband while incarcerated. At the sentencing hearing before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, the government presented evidence that beginning in October 2020 and continuing until at least November 2021 Rossi, through his laboratory, Reditus, schemed to defraud Medicare, the State of Illinois, and several private health insurance companies. He did this by submitting claims with codes for services that were never performed and by receiving payments from more than one source for the same test. The government presented evidence showing that Rossi is responsible for a total combined loss of $525,520.61. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Rossi for the COVID test fraud in June 2024, charging him with 11 counts of healthcare and wire fraud. Rossi pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of healthcare fraud in April 2025. At the time of his indictment in the COVID test fraud case, Rossi was already in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on charges related to his scheme to defraud a former employer and file false income taxes. Rossi was ultimately sentenced to five years in prison in that case and ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution and fines following his convictions for mail fraud and filing a false tax return. While Rossi was being held in the Peoria County Jail on the charges related to his fraud at Reditus, a federal grand jury returned a third indictment in March 2025 charging Rossi with possessing contraband while incarcerated (three counts). According to the indictment, the Peoria County Sheriff’s deputies found several items of contraband in Rossi’s possession, including a synthetic cannabinoid (K2), which was hidden in his bible; a battery for lighting substances on fire; and a marijuana vape pen. The statutory penalties for each of the three counts ranged from 6 months to 10 years’ imprisonment, fines of $5,000 to $250,000, and one- to three-year terms of supervised release. Rossi pleaded guilty to all three of these counts in April 2025. During this week’s sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Darrow noted that Rossi’s behavior was, as in his previous fraud case, driven by greed and hubris. She stated that Rossi stepped in and offered to help in response to the COVID pandemic, but then used those same circumstance to take advantage of others. Judge Darrow said that Rossi was in a position that most people in the country would never be in, but that he was there, in part, because of his fraud. Judge Darrow imposed the 37-month sentence, in part, based on her observation that Rossi had a high risk of recidivism as he seemed to take every opportunity given to him as an occasion to take more than he deserved. This included not just his previous fraud and his fraud at Reditus, but also his conduct at the jail. Judge Darrow stated that Rossi behaved as if he was above the law. The statutory penalties for healthcare fraud are up to ten years’ imprisonment, and the penalties for wire fraud are up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Each charge is to be followed by up to a three-year term supervised release and carries the possibility of a $250,000 fine. “This case showcases the hard work of multiple law enforcement agencies,” said Acting United States Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “Their cooperation and dedication led to the just result in this case. Our office is committed to these prosecutions and to holding those who commit fraud accountable.” “This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of U.S. law enforcement to protecting the integrity of the federal healthcare system by holding fraudsters accountable for submitting false claims,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard taxpayer funds to ensure that the Medicare and Medicaid programs serve patients effectively and as intended.” “This additional sentencing underscores two critical points: first, Mr. Rossi is being held fully accountable for his actions, and second, the relentless work of these agencies continues until justice is served,” said Christopher J.S. Johnson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Springfield Field Office. “White-collar criminals often try to obscure the truth, but diligent investigation will always bring the facts to light.” “This complex case required thousands of hours of investigation by U.S. Postal Inspectors and other investigative staff,” said Ruth Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The sentence rendered in this case makes every minute spent unraveling this scam worthwhile. We are proud of the combined efforts of our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office who worked with Postal Inspectors in bringing Mr. Rossi to justice.” “The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefit Security Administration will take every opportunity to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners in these important investigations to protect participants in private sector health plans,” said Mark Underwood, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefit Security Administration, Kansas City Regional Office. The Reditus case investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Internal Revenue Service; the U.S. Department of Labor -Employee Benefit Security Administration; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. The Peoria County Sheriff’s Office investigated the contraband case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.